The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will undertake the second development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Friday from where?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will undertake the second development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Friday from Sriharikota.

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis 10 Feb, 2023

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis for UPSC

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis 9 February 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will undertake the second development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Friday from Sriharikota. The SSLV-D2 will lift off at 9.18 a.m. from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre-SHAR, Sriharikota.
The vehicle is intended to inject the ISRO’s EOS-07, the U.S.-based firm Antaris’s Janus-1 and the Chennai-based space start-up Space Kidz’s AzaadiSAT-2 satellites into a 450-km circular orbit in its 15-minute flight.
According to details provided by ISRO, SSLV caters to the launch of satellites weighing up to 500 kg to low earth orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’ basis. It provides low-cost access to space, offers low turnaround time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and demands minimal launch infrastructure.
It is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module. It is a 34-m-tall, 2- m-diameter vehicle with a lift-off mass of 120 tonnes.

The Hindu Editorial Today

India’s rise on the global stage attracts attention in the West. First, there is an element of awe that a country once a byword for famine has finally sloughed off the deadweight of colonial exploitation that lasted two centuries. Second, India is not only a relatively rare democracy in the east but also the largest one in terms of population. As all the countries in the West are democracies, western elites see a possible alliance of interests.
fast growth is an investment opportunity for the surplus savings of the West. As a fast growing economy, investing your money in India is likely to fetch you the highest returns globally. So, the continuous hum from the West about India’s growth reflects a deep-seated self interest.
Let us simply assume that India will grow into a $10 trillion economy in 15 years. This would be over three times its current size. Will size bring along the attributes that we would like to see in an economy?
Government data show that in mid-2022, unemployment among urban males was much higher than it was a decade ago. Taking another approach to the problem, data from the private sector, namely Centre For Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd., show that the number of people employed in December 2022 was less than it was in 2016.
For the mass of the unemployed, concentrated in agriculture, employment opportunities will arise only when there is demand for goods in the production of which they can participate.

The celebration by India and France of 25 years of their strategic partnership (January 26) presents an important opportunity for both to introspect on their relations.
Signed in 1998, the time-tested strategic partnership has continued to gain momentum over shared values and aspirations of peace, stability and, most importantly, their desire for strategic autonomy.
France has emerged as a key trading partner of India with annual trade of $12.42 billion in 2021-22. It is the 11th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of $10.31 billion from April 2000 to June 2022, which represents 1.70% of the total foreign direct investment inflows into India.
More importantly, it has emerged as a key defence partner for India, becoming the second largest defence supplier in 2017- 2021.
These relations are further fortified with the robust network of military dialogues and regularly held joint exercises — Varuna (navy), Garuda (air force), and Shakti (army).
France was among the first countries with which India signed a civil nuclear deal. Paris also played a critical role in limiting India’s isolation in the non-proliferation order after the 1998 nuclear tests. In a sign of expanding cooperation, France supports India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council as well as its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
New Delhi and Paris, as part of their joint efforts on climate change, launched the International Solar Alliance in 2015.

Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam.
In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the state.
In 1997, following ethnic clashes, nearly 37,000 Brus fled Mamit, Kolasib and Lunglei districts of Mizoram and were accommodated in relief camps in Tripura.

The United States does not intend to sanction India over its continued purchase of Russian oil, senior American officials have said, calling New Delhi one of their most “consequential” partners.
Despite several calls to reduce oil purchases from Russia, the Indian government has repeatedly asserted that it will buy oil from “wherever” it needs to. According to the latest figures for January, India has imported around 1.27 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian Urals oil, a 30-fold jump from last January when it was around 40,000 bpd.
Russia, which was earlier the 17th biggest oil supplier to India, has become the highest exporter for the past few months. It now accounts for about 28% of India’s oil imports, up from 0.2% before the invasion of Ukraine.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Railway Ministry to explain why only those with 100% absence of sight are entitled to railway travel concession and not those with less but progressive and irreversible visual disability.
The Railways offers travel concession ranging between 25% and 75% to persons with disabilities categorised under four forms of disabilities and patients with 11 ailments, such as cancer, AIDS and heart and kidney problems.
Among them are physically challenged, paraplegic and mentally challenged persons who cannot travel without escort, persons with total hearing and speech challenge (both together in the same person) travelling alone or with escort and persons with total absence of sight travelling alone or with escort.
Establishment: The CIC was established by the Central Government in 2005, under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005). It is not a constitutional body.
Members: It consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners.
Appointment: They are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
Jurisdiction: The jurisdiction of the Commission extends over all Central Public Authorities.
Tenure: The Chief Information Commissioner and an Information Commissioner shall hold office for such term as prescribed by the Central Government or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

China’s formal stance on the conflict has been on the lines of “all countries deserve respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity” and that “support should be given to all efforts that are conducive to peacefully resolving the crisis”, which it has consistently been reiterating on the world stage.
Russia and China are engaged in a “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era”; and despite the conflict, China has pushed ahead with strengthening its relations with Russia.
However, as the conflict progressed, China’s rhetoric seems to be becoming less pro-Russia and more neutral in tone. The signaling from China’s top leadership seems to suggest this.
China has benefited immensely from buying cheap Russian oil and gas.
Since the start of the conflict, China has displaced Germany as the largest purchaser of Russian oil, with Russia replacing Saudi Arabia as China’s largest supplier of crude oil.
China needs to keep Russia close and well-supplied because Russia is its premier ally in its larger global ambition to undermine U.S. dominance.
China is the largest trading partner for both Russia and Ukraine; in fact, China displaced Russia in 2019 as Ukraine’s largest trading partner. Ukraine, and not the U.S., is China’s largest corn supplier and its third largest supplier of military equipment; China is Ukraine’s biggest market for defence goods.
Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier, is basically a refurbished aircraft carrier bought from Ukraine after the Soviet Union’s disintegration.

Q) Consider the following statements.

Article 21A of the Indian Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 outline the fundamental right to education and the right to have free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which adopted a ‘zero rejection policy’, emphasises that “every child with special needs is provided meaningful and quality education”.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें।

भारतीय संविधान का अनुच्छेद 21A और बच्चों को मुफ्त और अनिवार्य शिक्षा का अधिकार अधिनियम, 2009 शिक्षा के मौलिक अधिकार और 6-14 वर्ष की आयु के बच्चों के लिए मुफ्त और अनिवार्य शिक्षा के अधिकार को रेखांकित करता है।
सर्व शिक्षा अभियान, जिसने ‘शून्य अस्वीकृति नीति’ को अपनाया, इस बात पर जोर देता है कि “विशेष आवश्यकता वाले प्रत्येक बच्चे को सार्थक और गुणवत्तापूर्ण शिक्षा प्रदान की जाती है”।

उपरोक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं?

केवल 1
केवल 2
1 और 2 दोनों
न तो 1 और न ही 2

Article 21A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 outline the fundamental right to education and the right to have free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which adopted a ‘zero rejection policy’, emphasises that “every child with special needs, irrespective of the kind, category and degree of disability, is provided meaningful and quality education”.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Type-1 diabetes.

Type I diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
It typically appears in adolescence and symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue and blurred vision.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

टाइप-1 मधुमेह के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें।

टाइप I मधुमेह एक पुरानी स्थिति है जिसमें अग्न्याशय बहुत कम या कोई इंसुलिन पैदा नहीं करता है।
यह आमतौर पर किशोरावस्था में दिखाई देता है और इसके लक्षणों में अधिक प्यास लगना, बार-बार पेशाब आना, थकान और धुंधली दृष्टि शामिल हैं।

उपरोक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं?

केवल 1
केवल 2
1 और 2 दोनों
न तो 1 और न ही 2

Type I diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
It typically appears in adolescence and symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue and blurred vision.
Treatment is aimed at maintaining normal blood sugar levels through regular monitoring, insulin therapy, diet and exercise.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Earthquake Waves.

P-waves move faster than S-waves.
P-waves travel only through solid medium whereas S-waves travel through both solid and liquid medium.

Which of the above statements is/are Incorrect?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

भूकंपीय तरंगों के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें।

पी-तरंगें एस-तरंगों की तुलना में तेज चलती हैं।
पी-तरंगें केवल ठोस माध्यम से चलती हैं जबकि एस-तरंगें ठोस और तरल दोनों माध्यमों से चलती हैं।

उपरोक्त में से कौन सा/से कथन गलत है/हैं?

केवल 1
केवल 2
1 और 2 दोनों
न तो 1 और न ही 2

Explanation:

Earthquake waves are basically of two types — body waves and surface waves. Body waves are generated due to the release of energy at the focus and move in all directions travelling through the body of the earth.
There are two types of body waves. They are called P and S-waves. P-waves move faster and are the first to arrive at the surface.
The P-waves are similar to sound waves. They travel through gaseous, liquid and solid materials. S-waves arrive at the surface with some time lag. These are called secondary waves. An important fact about S-waves is that they can travel only through solid materials.

Q) Consider the following statements about the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

It is a non-constitutional body set up by an act of parliament.
While investigating any matter related to Scheduled Tribes, the commission shall have all the powers of a civil court.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

राष्ट्रीय अनुसूचित जनजाति आयोग (NCST) के बारे में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें।

यह संसद के एक अधिनियम द्वारा स्थापित एक गैर-संवैधानिक निकाय है।
अनुसूचित जनजाति से संबंधित किसी भी मामले की जांच करते समय, आयोग के पास सिविल कोर्ट की सभी शक्तियाँ होंगी।

उपरोक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं?

केवल 1
केवल 2
1 और 2 दोनों
न तो 1 और न ही 2

Explanation:

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes(NCST) is a constitutional body established through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
NCST was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely- (i) the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
The commission submits its report to the President annually on the working of safeguards and measures required for effective implementation of Programmers/ Schemes relating to welfare and socio-economic development of STs.

Q) NISAR is a joint Earth-observing mission between

ISRO and NASA
ISRO and JAXA
JAXA and NASA
ISRO and ESA

NISAR एक संयुक्त पृथ्वी-अवलोकन मिशन है

इसरो और नासा
इसरो और जाक्सा
जाक्सा और नासा
इसरो और ईएसए

Explanation:

Jointly developed by NASA and the ISRO, an Earth-observation satellite, called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), got a send-off ceremony at the American space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
What is NISAR?
- The satellite consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
- While NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem, ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system, and spacecraft.
- It has a large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector made of a gold-plated wire mesh, the reflector will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure”.

Mains Practice Question:

Q) Why India needs to invest in quality school and higher education as well as healthcare ? (150 words)

भारत को गुणवत्तापूर्ण स्कूल और उच्च शिक्षा के साथ-साथ स्वास्थ्य सेवा में निवेश करने की आवश्यकता क्यों है? (150 शब्द)

Introduction:

Demographic Dividend is the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population is larger than the non-working-age share of the population. The demographic dividend leads to an increased labour supply that will increase the production of goods and boost savings and investment on the other.

Body:

Why there is need of massive investment?

Low human development: India ranks 131 out of 189 countries in UNDP’s Human Development Index, which is alarming. The mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling and need to be improved.
Informal economy: where not only they earn lower wages, but with little social security and few days of employment in a year.
Jobless growth: There is a mounting concern that future growth could turn out to be jobless due to deindustrialization, de-globalization, the fourth industrial revolution and technological progress.
Asymmetric demography: The growth in the working-age ratio is likely to be concentrated in some of India’s poorest states and the demographic dividend will be fully realised only if India is able to create gainful employment opportunities for this working-age population.

What can be done?

Invest more in children and adolescents: There is need to spend on nutrition, learning during early childhood, help students transition from secondary education to universal skilling and entrepreneurship.
Health investments: The public spending on health in India has remained flat at around 2% of GDP. Evidence suggests that better health facilitates improved economic production.
Education: It works as an enabler to bridge gender differentials. In India, boys are more likely to be enrolled in secondary and tertiary school than girls. In the Philippines, China and Thailand, it is the reverse.

Mains Practice Question:

Q) ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation’. Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (2018)

‘सांप्रदायिकता या तो सत्ता संघर्ष या सापेक्ष अभाव के कारण उत्पन्न होती है’। उपयुक्त उदाहरण देते हुए तर्क दीजिए। (2018)