27-09-2020

27-SEPTEMBER-2020

The Hindu News Analysis – 27th September 2020 – Shankar IAS Academy
S. Page Number*
News Articles
No C B D H T

1
‘Human challenge trials will help us design better 16 12 12 12 12
treatments, vaccines than we can now’
2 Dazzling comet 16 12 12 12 12

3 Changes in labour laws (FAQ) 17 13 13 13 13

4 CAG moots probe over cess accounting dodge 15 11 11 11 11

5 Morales looms large in Bolivia’s October election 14 10 10 10 10

6 Nigeria convoy attack toll rises to 30 14 10 10 10 10

7 Prelims Practice Questions

@ end of the video
8 Practice Mains Questions
*C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi ; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram

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Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
• Current events of national and
international importance.
• General Science
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic
Development, Bio diversity, Environment,
Security and Disaster Management
• Science and Technology - developments
and their applications and effects in
everyday life.

Pg – 16 – C,
Pg – 12 – B, D, T, H

Human Challenge Trials (HCTs)

• Participants are intentionally challenged with

an infectious disease organism.

• Might be or might not be vaccinated before

exposing them to disease organism.

• News - Queen Mary University of London -

Participants will be vaccinated with a
candidate vaccine and wilfully exposed to
novel coronavirus.

• In use for last 50 years.

• Helped accelerate the development of vaccines

against typhoid and cholera.

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Limitation/Issues
Benefits
1. Performed on young healthy adults - efficacy
1. Efficacy of vaccine and its side effects can
of vaccine is not known in old people or
be known.
infants.
2. More details regarding disease and infection.
2. HCTs do not replace Phase-lll of clinical
3. Clearer understanding of the pathogenesis of trials.
and immunity to the organism.
3. A milder or attenuated virus strain is
4. Serves as a proof for mass production of administered to participants - Outcomes of
vaccine. HCTs may not be efficacious

5. Good representative model of vaccine trials. 4. Long term side effects on participants.

6. Helps to develop vaccines faster.  May also lead to death of participants;

 COVlD-19  No highly effective therapies

available to cure individuals

5. Often designed to assess short-term

protection of vaccine candidate.

6. Ethical concerns - in conflict with the

guiding principle in medicine ‘TO DO NO
HARM’.

7. Participants must be aware of all the

impacts of participating in such trials.

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Pg – 12 – B, D, H, T;
Pg – 16 – Chennai

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Aurora

• Discovered in 1969 at Alma-Ata Observatory in • Beautiful light shows in the sky which are

Russia. caused by the sun.

• First comet to be orbited and landed upon by • Earth -

robots from Earth.
 Near the north pole - aurora borealis or
 Rosetta mission of European Space Agency - northern lights

controlled landing on the comet’s surface in

 Near the south pole - aurora australis or
September 2016.
southern lights

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• Sun - constant streaming solar wind and

solar storms - coronal mass ejection -
sends out a huge bubble of electrified gas
that can travel through space at high
speeds.

 When such a solar storm comes toward

the earth, some of the energy and small
particles can travel down the magnetic
field lines at the north and south poles
into the Earth’s atmosphere.

• The particles from space which are

electrons interact with gases in our
atmosphere and results in to beautiful
Source: pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov
displays of light in the sky.

These swirls of red light are an aurora on the south

pole of Saturn. Image courtesy of
NASA/ESA/STScI/A. Schaller.

The green bands of light in the sky are an aurora

australis, an aurora at the south pole. Credit: Keith
Vanderlinde, National Science Foundation

The NASA Hubble Space Telescope took this picture

of an aurora on Jupiter using ultraviolet (UV) light.

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Far-ultraviolet aurora

• Sometimes, the interacting or the colliding gases

in the atmosphere emit ultraviolet light – can
only be detected by special cameras on
satellites.

• In the electro-magnetic spectrum, the UV region

covers the wavelength range of 100 nanometre
(nm) to 400 nm. It is divided into three bands.

1. UVA (315-400 nm)

2. UVB (280-315 nm)

3. UVC (100-280 nm)

• Sometimes, aurora is observed in shorter UV

wavelengths - called as far-UV aurora.

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Pg – 13 – B, D, H, T
Pg – 17 - Chennai

Part A—Preliminary Examination Industrial Relations Code Bill 2020

Paper I - (200 marks)
• To consolidate and amend the laws relating to
 Current events of national and international importance.
 Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political 1. Trade Unions,
System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Part B—Main Examination
2. conditions of employment in industrial

PAPER-III establishment or undertaking,

General Studies-II: Governance, Constitution, Polity,
3. investigation and settlement of industrial
Social Justice and International relations
disputes.
• Government policies and interventions for development
in various sectors and issues arising out of their design
• To amalgamate, simplify and rationalise the
and implementation.
provisions of
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, a) Trade Unions Act, 1926,
Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster
Management b) Industrial Employment (Standing Orders)
• Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in Act, 1946
industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
c) Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

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"worker" means any person (except an apprentice as defined under clause (aa) of section 2 of the Apprentices Act,
1961) employed in any industry to do any manual, unskilled, skilled, technical, operational, clerical or supervisory
work for hire or reward, whether the terms of employment be express or implied, and includes working journalists
as defined in clause (f) of section 2 of the Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of
Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 and sales promotion employees as defined in clause (d) of section
2 of the Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976, and for the purposes of any proceeding
under this Code in relation to an industrial dispute, includes any such person who has been dismissed, discharged or
retrenched or otherwise terminated in connection with, or as a consequence of, that dispute, or whose dismissal,
discharge or retrenchment has led to that dispute, but does not include any such person—

(i) who is subject to the Air Force Act, 1950, or the Army Act, 1950, or the Navy Act, 1957; or

(ii) who is employed in the police service or as an officer or other employee of a prison; or

(iii) who is employed mainly in a managerial or administrative capacity; or

(iv) who is employed in a supervisory capacity drawing wage of exceeding eighteen thousand rupees per month or
an amount as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time:

Provided that for the purposes of Chapter III (this chapter deals with Trade Unions), "worker" — (a) means all
persons employed in trade or industry; and (b) includes the worker as defined in clause (m) of section 2 of the
Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008.

• Fixed term employment - engagement of a • Standing orders

worker on the basis of a written contract of  The matters to be provided in the standing
employment for a fixed period. orders - First Schedule to the code.

 Hours of work, wages, allowances and other
benefits shall not be less than that of a
permanent worker
 Shall be eligible for
 Applicable to industrial establishments where
300 or more workers are employed, or were
employed on any day of the preceding twelve
months.

 all statutory benefits available to a  Contentious provision - Section 39.

permanent worker proportionately
 ‘The appropriate Government may, by
according to the period of service
notification, exempt, conditionally or
rendered
unconditionally, any industrial establishment
 gratuity if the person renders service or class of industrial establishments from
under the contract for a period of one all or any of the provisions of this
year. chapter.’

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• Trade Unions

 Only one registered Trade Union functioning  If more than one Trade Union of workers
in an industrial establishment - sole are functioning and no such Trade Union
negotiating union of the workers. has fifty-one per cent or more workers -
the employer shall constitute a
 More than one registered Trade Union of
negotiating council consisting of the
workers - functioning, then the Trade
representatives of registered Trade
Union having fifty-one per cent or more
Unions having the support of at least
workers shall be recognised by the
twenty per cent of the total workers on
employer as the sole negotiating union of
the muster roll.
the workers.

Strikes and Lock-outs

62. (1) No person employed in an industrial establishment shall go on 62. (2) No employer of an industrial establishment shall lock-out any
strike, in breach of contract— of his workers—

(a) without giving to the employer notice of strike, as (a) without giving them notice of lock-out as hereinafter
hereinafter provided, within sixty days before striking; or provided, within sixty days before locking-out; or

(b) within fourteen days of giving such notice; or (b) within fourteen days of giving such notice; or

(c) before the expiry of the date of strike specified in any (c) before the expiry of the date of lock-out specified in
such notice; or any such notice as aforesaid; or

(d) during the pendency of any conciliation proceedings (d) during the pendency of any conciliation proceedings
before a conciliation officer and seven days after the before a conciliation officer and seven days after the
conclusion of such proceedings; or conclusion of such proceedings; or

(e) during the pendency of proceedings before a Tribunal or a (e) during the pendency of proceedings before a Tribunal or
National Industrial Tribunal and sixty days, after the a National Industrial Tribunal and sixty days, after the
conclusion of such proceedings; or conclusion of such proceedings; or

(f) during the pendency of arbitration proceedings before an (f) during the pendency of arbitration proceedings before an
arbitrator and sixty days after the conclusion of such arbitrator and sixty days after the conclusion of such
proceedings, where a notification has been issued under proceedings, where a notification has been issued under
sub-section (5) of section 42; or sub-section (5) of section 42; or

(g) during any period in which a settlement or award is in (g) during any period in which a settlement or award is in
operation, in respect of any of the matters covered by operation, in respect of any of the matters covered by
the settlement or award. the settlement or award.

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Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international
importance.
 Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution,
Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public
Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance,
Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and
International relations
Pg – 15 – C • Appointment to various Constitutional posts,
Pg – 11 – B, D, T, H powers, functions and responsibilities of
various Constitutional Bodies.
• Government policies and interventions for
development in various sectors and issues
arising out of their design and
implementation.

Central Road Fund  Any fund provided by the Centre for the
(Central Road and Infrastructure Fund) development and maintenance of State roads.

• Statutory fund under Central Road Fund Act, • Non lapsable: Balance to the credit of the Fund
2000. shall not lapse at the end of FY.

• Source: • Fund Utilisation

 Share of Cess levied and collected by Centre:  Development and maintenance of national
Duty of excise and customs, imposed and highways and development of the rural roads.
collected on motor spirit.
 Development and maintenance of other State
 Money credited by way of grants or loans by roads including roads of inter-State and
the Central Government. economic importance.

 Unspent part of the cess, already levied for  Construction of roads under/over the railways
the purposes of the development and - bridges and safety works at unmanned
maintenance of national highways. rail-road crossings, new lines etc.

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• Committee headed by Finance Minister • CRIF can be used for various infrastructure
determines the share of fund for each project. sectors such as Transport, Energy, Water and

• Accounting and Auditing Sanitation, Communication, Social and

Commercial Infrastructure etc.
 Centre shall maintain proper accounts and
other relevant records of the Fund.
News
 Audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-
General of India. • Financial audit by CAG - Centre’s accounting
officials incorrectly recorded ₹10,250 crore of
• Amendment made by Finance Act, 2018
cess receipts from additional excise duties on
 Replaced the Central Road Fund Act with petrol and diesel as non-tax receipts for the
Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) exchequer in 2018-19.
Act, 2000.
• Issue: Artificially inflating revenue receipts
 Schedule II - Category of projects and and using funds in CRIF for other than
infrastructure sub-sectors designated purposes.

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Pg – 14 – B, D, H, T;
Pg – 10 – C

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Bolivia
• 1982: Established a democratic civilian rule.
• A landlocked country of west-central South
 Issues: deep-seated poverty, social unrest
America.
and illegal drug production.
• Shares Lake Titicaca with Peru.
 World's third-largest cultivator of coca
• Lost Pacific coast territory to Chile in the War after Colombia and Peru.
of the Pacific (1879-84).
• 2 005: Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo
• Constitutional capital is Sucre and
Morales was elected as President.
administrative capital is La Paz.
• 2 019: Allegations of electoral fraud -
Political developments
Morales fled to Argentina.
• Under Spanish rule till 1825 - liberator Simon
• Bolivia under interim govt. prepares for
Bolivar.
election in 2 0 2 0.
• A series of coups and countercoups - last
coup in 1978.

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Pg – 14 – B, D, H, T;
Pg – 10 – C

Nigeria

• Located on the western coast of Africa.

• Borders with Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Gulf

of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean.

• Niger River - flows southward through tropical

rain forests and swamps to its delta in the
Gulf of Guinea.

 Benue - largest tributary.

• National capital - Abuja.

• Large in area

• Africa’s most populous country.

• Abundant natural resources - large deposits of

petroleum and natural gas.

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Lake Chad

• Located in the far west of Chad and the

northeast of Nigeria.

 Basin covers parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad

and Cameroon

 Water source for 20-30 million people.

• UNESCO

 Fourth largest body of water on the African

continent

 Third largest enclosed lake on the planet.

• Covered by hundreds of islands - permanently or

seasonally inhabited.

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Practice Question – Prelims

Practice Question – Prelims
Q2. Consider the following countries in
Q1. Consider the following statements with South America:
respect to Aurora observed as beautiful
light shows in the sky. 1. Chile
1. It is usually observed over the equator 2. Paraguay
in earth. 3. Peru
2. The phenomenon is observed only in 4. Bolivia
planet Earth.
5. Columbia
Which of the above statement(s) is/are
correct? Which of the above countries shares
border with the Pacific Ocean?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only (a) 1, 4 and 5 only
c) Both 1 and 2 (b) 1, 3 and 5 only
d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only

Practice Question – Mains

GS – III
Q. What do you understand by Human
Challenge Trials? Discuss the benefits and
challenges.
Practice Question – Prelims

(10 marks, 150 words) Answers

Q1. Option (d) – Neither 1 nor 2

Practice Question – Mains
Q2. Option (b) – 1, 3 and 5 only
GS – II
Q. Examine critically the recent changes
proposed under the Industrial Relations
Code Bill, 2020.
(15 marks, 250 words)

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