Preliminary Examination: Present occasions of nationwide and worldwide significance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Impact of insurance policies and politics of developed and creating international locations on India’s pursuits, Indian diaspora.
What’s the continuing story: C. Raja Mohan writes— “If President Donald Trump’s first time period is any information, India might seem nicely positioned to take care of his second stint on the White Home. However the previous is just not essentially a information to the longer term, and Delhi should take an in depth take a look at the implications of Trump’s bold agenda for the second time period.”
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What’s the historical past of India-US relations?
• What are the areas of cooperation between India and the US?
• What’s the distinction between Indian and American presidential elections?
• How have India-US defence relations advanced?
• What are the important thing developments in India-US relations within the numerous sectors?
• What are the potential penalties of a change in management within the U.S. on the India-U.S. cooperation?
• Learn in regards to the Paris Settlement.
• Learn in regards to the function of the Indian diaspora in influencing the U.S. elections and India-U.S. relations.
Key Takeaways:
• “To make sure, there’s a good rapport between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump. Modi’s key advisers will probably be conversant in lots of the new officers who’re more likely to employees the senior positions within the Trump Administration. And there are lots of convergences between the worldview of the Modi authorities and the Trump workforce.
• “The issue, nevertheless, comes from the unconventional nature of Trump’s coverage framework that breaks away from the various acquainted options of the worldwide financial and political order.”
• “Coping with Trump’s second time period is not only about discovering coverage fixes for the various divergences which might be certain to emerge between Delhi and Washington. It calls for coming to phrases with Trump’s plans to overtake the worldwide order and the US function in it.”
• “That’s compounded by two extra elements. One is Trump’s intensely transactional strategy. The opposite is the strengthening of America’s place in relation to Europe and China, due to Washington’s latest spectacular financial efficiency. Collectively they flip America right into a extra highly effective interlocutor than earlier than.”
• “5 themes of concern for India stand out from Trump’s worldview.
1. First is Trump’s plan to “dismantle the regulatory state,” dramatically downsize the forms, and make it simpler for US capital to speculate and develop new applied sciences.
2. Second, Trump is set to re-industrialise America. He has argued repeatedly that globalisation has performed havoc with US manufacturing and the economic working class.
3. Third, immigration has been one of many points that has propelled Trump to his historic political comeback on this election. Though his anti-immigration rhetoric has prompted a lot concern in India, Trump has sought to distinguish between “authorized” and “unlawful” immigration….India could have a deep curiosity in contributing to the US debate on separating the “dangerous” immigration from the “good”.
4. Trump’s relationship with China and Russia will probably be of particular curiosity to Delhi. It was underneath the primary Trump administration that the Quadrilateral framework was revived in 2017. There isn’t any purpose to anticipate that the second would dilute its dedication to restrict Chinese language energy in Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
5. Lastly, the Biden years have seen a big growth of defence and excessive expertise cooperation between Delhi and Washington. Sustaining and increasing this underneath the Trump Administration will probably be a key precedence for Delhi.
• “During the last 20 years, the US has operated underneath the belief that boosting India’s capabilities is in America’s self- curiosity, particularly in balancing China. However Trump is more likely to demand some Indian “professional” for American “quid”. The concept favours can’t be one-sided however mutual is on the coronary heart of Trump’s statecraft.”
From Specific Community Web page-Trump may flip the clock again, but once more, on local weather motion
• “Trump’s re-election for a second time period, now all however confirmed, as soon as once more comes forward of a local weather change convention, this one beginning in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday…A second Trump presidency won’t entail a pull-out from Paris Settlement but once more — he does promise this although, on his marketing campaign web site — however may nonetheless decelerate the momentum on local weather motion.”
• “Trump has been severely important of Joe Biden’s vitality insurance policies, a lot of which have been manifested via the incentives supplied for clear vitality within the Inflation Discount Act (IRA), and promised to pursue insurance policies that “diametrically reverse”.
• “If he does comply with up on these guarantees, it might critically jeopardise the emission discount targets of the USA for 2030. There are different the explanation why Trump’s insurance policies may lead to a backward motion, not only for the USA however the world as a complete. Recent investments in fossil gasoline tasks, as promised by Trump, may halt and reverse the latest development of vitality investments.”
• “Regardless of China being the most important emitter for the final practically 20 years, it’s the USA that also has the most important share of historic emissions. It accounts for greater than 20 per cent of all greenhouse fuel emissions since 1850. As such, it has the best accountability to take local weather motion. That’s how the worldwide local weather framework is structured.”
Have you learnt:
• “India’s relationship with the US has been essentially the most complete affiliation the nation has had since independence…that is really a relationship cast in disaster”, Rudra Chaudhuri, head of Carnegie India, wrote in his guide, Cast in Disaster: India and the US since 1947.
• The US is India’s largest commerce companion, with bilateral commerce reaching virtually $120 billion in FY24 — barely increased than India’s China commerce. Nevertheless, in contrast to China, India’s commerce relationship with the US is beneficial, which makes the US an important supply of overseas change.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍Trump 2.0 and the world
📍Recalling India-US relations in Trump 1.0
📍 Brace for the experience
📍Whether or not it’s President Trump or President Harris, US-India relations should proceed on an upward arc
Earlier 12 months UPSC Mains Questions Protecting related theme:
What’s the significance of Indo-US defence offers over Indo-Russian defence offers? Focus on with regards to stability within the Indo-Pacific area. (UPSC CSE 2020)
‘What introduces friction into the ties between India and the USA is that Washington continues to be unable to seek out for India a place in its world technique, which might fulfill India’s Nationwide vanity and ambitions’. Clarify with appropriate examples. (2019)
GOVT & POLITICS
Cupboard clears PM-Vidyalaxmi for collateral-free loans to college students
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Present occasions of nationwide and worldwide significance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Authorities insurance policies and interventions
What’s the continuing story: The Union Cupboard on Wednesday accredited the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme that makes college students who get admission in High quality Increased Schooling Establishments (QHEIs) eligible for a collateral-free and guarantor-free training mortgage.
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What’s the main goal of the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme?
• Who’re the supposed beneficiaries PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme?
• What are the High quality Increased Schooling Establishments?
• What’s the Central Sector Curiosity Subsidy (CSIS) scheme?
• What standards are used to find out High quality Increased Schooling Establishments (QHEIs) underneath the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme?
• Examine the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme and the Central Sector Curiosity Subsidy (CSIS) scheme.
• How the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme align with the federal government’s broader targets for training and youth empowerment?
• What are the constitutional provisions associated to the fitting to training?
• What different initiatives have been taken by the federal government of India within the training sector?
• What are the problems associated to the training system in India?
Key Takeaways:
• An outlay of Rs 3,600 crore has been made for the scheme for 2024-25 to 2030-31 interval and round 7 lakh contemporary college students are anticipated to learn from the curiosity subvention provided underneath the scheme.
• College students will probably be supplied a 75% credit score assure by the central authorities for loans as much as Rs 7.5 lakh. College students, with an annual household earnings of as much as Rs 8 lakh, who’re ineligible for advantages underneath every other authorities scholarship or curiosity subvention schemes, will probably be supplied 3% curiosity subvention for mortgage as much as Rs 10 lakh in the course of the moratorium interval.
• That is along with an current scheme — the Central Sector Curiosity Subsidy (CSIS) that gives full curiosity subvention on loans as much as Rs 10 lakh to college students with an annual household earnings of as much as Rs 4.5 lakh, pursuing technical or skilled programs.
• High quality increased training establishments (QHEIs) will probably be decided by NIRF rankings. The scheme will probably be relevant to all establishments, together with authorities and personal, within the prime 100 in general and in different domain-specific rankings, state authorities establishments ranked 101 to 200, and all Centre-run establishments. College students in 860 increased training establishments will probably be eligible, and the record will probably be up to date based mostly on NIRF rankings every year.
Do You Know:
• PM Vidyalaxmi is one other key initiative stemming out of the Nationwide Schooling Coverage, 2020, which had really helpful that monetary help ought to be made out there to meritorious college students via numerous measures in each private and non-private HEIs.
• The Division of Increased Schooling could have a unified portal “PM-Vidyalaxmi” on which college students will have the ability to apply for the training mortgage in addition to curiosity subvention, via a simplified utility course of for use by all banks. Fee of curiosity subvention will probably be made via E-voucher and Central Financial institution Digital Forex (CBDC) wallets.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍What’s Vidya Lakshmi training mortgage scheme?
Earlier 12 months UPSC Prelims/Mains Query Protecting related theme:
Prelims
(1) Which of the next provisions of the Structure does India have a bearing on Schooling? (UPSC CSE 2012)
1. Directive Rules of State Coverage
2. Rural and City Native Our bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule
Choose the right reply utilizing the codes given under:
(a) 1 and a pair of solely
(b) 3, 4 and 5 solely
(c) 1, 2 and 5 solely
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
(2) Take into account the next statements: (UPSC CSE 2018)
1. As per the fitting to training (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a instructor in a state, an individual can be required to own the minimal qualification laid down by the involved State council of Trainer training.
2. As per the RTE Act, for instructing main lessons, a candidate is required to go a Trainer Eligibility Check carried out in accordance with the Nationwide Council of Trainer Schooling pointers.
3. In India, greater than 90 % of instructor training establishments are immediately underneath the State Governments.
Which of the statements given above is/are appropriate?
(a) 1 and a pair of solely
(b) 2 solely
(c) 1 and three solely
(d) 3 solely
Mains
Focus on the principle goals of Inhabitants Schooling and level out the measures to realize them in India intimately. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Sanction wanted underneath PMLA to prosecute public servants: SC
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Structure and Polity
What’s the continuing story: The Supreme Court docket on Wednesday held that Part 197(1) of the Code of Felony Process (CrPC) that mandates prior sanction from the federal government to take cognizance of an offence in opposition to public servants will apply to the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA) too.
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What’s cash laundering?
• What’s Part 197(1) of the Code of Felony Process (CrPC)?
• What’s the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA)?
• What are the rights supplied to the individual underneath the arrest?
• What are the varied amendments to the PMLA?
• What are the criticisms of the PMLA?
• What are the powers of ED associated to PMLA?
• What are the bail provisions underneath PMLA?
Key Takeaways:
• Part 197 (1) says, “When any one that is or was a choose or Justice of the Peace or a public servant not detachable from his workplace save by or with the sanction of the federal government, is accused of any offence alleged to have been dedicated by him whereas performing or purporting to behave within the discharge of his official responsibility, no courtroom shall take cognizance of such offence besides with the earlier sanction.
• The ED, which filed the enchantment difficult the HC order, contended that IAS officers Bibhu Prasad Acharya was not a public servant throughout the which means of Part 197(1) of CrPC, because it can’t be mentioned that whereas holding the mentioned place, he was not detachable from the workplace save by or with the sanction of the federal government.
• The ED additionally contended that in view of Part 71 of the PMLA, its provisions have an overriding impact over the provisions of the opposite statutes, together with the CrPC. However the courtroom didn’t agree, holding that the primary situation, as required underneath Part 197(1), is happy within the case of each the respondents as they’re civil servants.
• The ruling identified that Part 65 of PMLA makes the provisions of the CrPC relevant to all proceedings underneath the PMLA, supplied the identical should not inconsistent with the PMLA provisions and the phrases ‘all different proceedings’ embody a grievance underneath Part 44 (1)(b) of the PMLA.
Do You Know:
• The PMLA, just like the UAPA, lays down a stringent commonplace for granting bail. Part 45 of the PMLA is a ‘damaging’ provision — which bars courts from granting bail until the accused can show that there is no such thing as a “prima facie” case in opposition to them, and that they won’t commit any offence sooner or later.
• The primary problem to PMLA was in opposition to the alternate legal regulation system that the PMLA creates for the reason that ED is saved exterior the purview of the Code of Felony Process (CrPC). The ED is just not thought-about ‘police’, and therefore doesn’t comply with the provisions of CrPC for searches, seizures, arrests, and attachment of properties.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍How anti-money laundering regulation got here to have an enormous scope, granting police powers to ED
📍Information nugget of the day: Cash Laundering
Earlier 12 months UPSC Prelims/ Mains Questions Protecting related theme:
Prelims
(3) Just about the amendments within the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA) think about the next statements:
1. The Finance Ministry has amended cash laundering guidelines to include extra disclosures for non-governmental organisations by reporting entities like monetary establishments, banking firms or intermediaries.
2. It has outlined “politically uncovered individuals” (PEPs) underneath the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA) consistent with the suggestions of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group.
Which of the statements are appropriate?
(a) 1 solely
(b) 2 solely
(c) Each 1 and a pair of
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Mains
Focus on how rising applied sciences and globalisation contribute to cash laundering. Elaborate measures to deal with the issue of cash laundering each at nationwide and worldwide ranges. (UPSC CSE 2021)
ECONOMY
US oil & fuel producers more likely to have a bearish affect on petroleum costs
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Present occasions of nationwide and worldwide significance
Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Impact of insurance policies and politics of developed and creating international locations on India’s pursuits and Indian Economic system
What’s the continuing story: As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wrested the White Home from the Democrats, worldwide oil costs declined Wednesday. At the same time as the autumn in oil costs had extra to do with the strengthening greenback–a stronger buck makes dollar-denominated commodities like oil dearer in different currencies–and different oil market elements, the market response could also be symbolic of the final sentiment round oil costs going ahead.
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What are the highest three oil-producing international locations on this planet?
• What are the highest three crude oil suppliers to India?
• How do the modifications in U.S. vitality coverage underneath Trump’s management affect India’s vitality safety and financial pursuits?
• What are the potential results of elevated U.S. oil manufacturing and exports on world oil markets and costs?
• In what methods do geopolitical uncertainties affect vitality safety in India?
• How can India mitigate the dangers related to risky oil costs?
Key Takeaways:
• Whereas it’s too early to say how Trump’s second time period as president will have an effect on world oil markets, trade watchers anticipate the Trump administration’s financial and vitality insurance policies to place restricted downward stress on oil costs. If strictly applied, his plans to impose excessive tariffs on imports–significantly on these from China–may negatively affect world oil demand as China is the world’s prime oil importer.
• Realistically although, the incoming dispensation in Washington is more likely to push for a largely balanced world oil market to maintain oil costs in verify whereas avoiding a steep decline or crash, as that may make manufacturing unviable for American oil producers as nicely.
• For India, which is the world’s third-largest shopper of crude oil and relies on imports to satisfy over 85 per cent of its requirement of the commodity, downward stress on worldwide oil costs can be usually helpful.
• Heavy dependence on imported crude oil makes the Indian economic system weak to world oil value volatility, other than having a bearing on the nation’s commerce deficit, overseas change reserves, rupee’s change fee, and inflation.
• S&P International Commodity Insights (SPGCI) expects Asian consumers—together with India—to witness considerably extra alternatives to import “attractively priced crude from the US” as its competitors with the OPEC (Group of the Petroleum Exporting Nations) suppliers intensifies
• Rising US crude manufacturing has posed a big problem for OPEC+ (OPEC and its different companion international locations) in recent times, exerting downward stress on costs, threatening the bloc’s market share and prompting large output cuts.
Do You Know:
• The US is India’s fifth-largest supply marketplace for crude oil behind Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Because the world’s third-largest shopper of crude oil with a excessive import dependency stage of over 85 per cent, India is extraordinarily delicate to grease costs.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍What Trumponomics means for India, the world
Earlier 12 months UPSC Prelims Query Protecting related theme:
(4) The time period ‘West Texas Intermediate’, typically present in information, refers to a grade of (UPSC CSE 2020)
(a) Crude oil
(b) Bullion
(c) Uncommon earth components
(d) Uranium
EXPRESS NETWORK
Session courtroom should order compensation: SC
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Present occasions of nationwide significance and Rights points
Mains Examination: GS-II: Authorities Insurance policies & Interventions, Points Associated to Youngsters
What’s the continuing story: The Supreme Court docket directed not too long ago that in instances of “bodily accidents reminiscent of sexual assault and so on. significantly on minor kids and ladies”, Periods Courts should additionally order the compensation to be paid to the sufferer whereas convicting or acquitting the accused.
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What’s the function of the District Authorized Companies Authority and the State Authorized Companies Authority, as mandated by the Supreme Court docket, in implementing sufferer compensation?
• What’s the significance of Part 357A of the CrPC within the context of sufferer compensation for sexual assault instances?
• How would possibly the Supreme Court docket’s directive to make sure sufferer compensation in instances of bodily hurt and sexual assault in opposition to minor kids and ladies have an effect on judicial proceedings on the Periods Court docket stage?
• What’s the ‘Manodhairya Scheme’?
• What are the constitutional provisions associated to kids?
• What are the varied points associated to baby exploitation in India?
• What’s the Safety of Youngsters from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act?
• What are the Initiatives, legislations and legal guidelines taken by the Authorities of India for the kids safety?
Key Takeaways:
• A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Pankaj Mithal additionally mentioned that the path should be applied by the District Authorized Companies Authority or State Authorized Companies Authority.
• “… we direct {that a} Periods Court docket, which adjudicates a case regarding the bodily accidents reminiscent of sexual assault and so on. significantly on minor kids and ladies shall order for sufferer compensation to be paid having regard to the info and circumstances of the case and based mostly on the proof on report, whereas passing the judgment both convicting or acquitting the accused. Secondly, the mentioned path should be applied by the District Authorized Companies Authority or State Authorized Companies Authority, because the case could also be, in letter and spirit and within the quickest method and to make sure that the sufferer is paid the compensation on the earliest,” the highest courtroom mentioned in its November 4 order.
• The bench handed this path whereas granting bail to a person convicted and sentenced underneath the IPC and the POCSO Act. The appellant had challenged the Bombay Excessive Court docket’s dismissal of his utility searching for suspension of sentence and bail, pending a ultimate resolution on his enchantment.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍POCSO: An evaluation of India’s landmark baby abuse regulation
Earlier 12 months UPSC Mains Query Protecting related theme:
Study the principle provisions of the Nationwide Youngster Coverage and throw mild on the standing of its implementation. (UPSC CSE 2016)
EXPLAINED
Prospects for H-1B visas: what the previous tendencies present
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Present occasions of nationwide and worldwide significance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Impact of insurance policies and politics of developed and creating international locations on India’s pursuits, Indian diaspora.
What’s the continuing story: With Donald Trump set for victory within the US Presidential elections, right here’s a take a look at how Trump’s first time period in workplace affected the visa program for specialty occupations, generally known as the H-1B.
Key Factors to Ponder:
• What’s the distinction between a visa and a passport?
• What’s the H-1B visa program?
• How does the H-1B visa program affect expert migration from India to the USA?
• What vital coverage modifications have occurred in recent times concerning the H-1B visa?
• How does the H-1B visa program have an effect on diplomatic and commerce relations between India and the USA?
Key Takeaways:
• The H-1B visa program permits American employers to rent non-immigrant staff in specialty occupations that require a excessive stage of abilities and at the very least a bachelor’s diploma, in response to the US Division of Labour.
• “The intent of the H-1B provisions is to assist employers who can not in any other case acquire wanted enterprise abilities and skills from the US workforce by authorising the momentary employment of certified people who should not in any other case authorised to work in the USA,” the division says.
• The US authorities has capped the entire variety of new H-1B visas at 65,000 every monetary 12 months. One other 20,000 visas will be given to those that have obtained a Grasp’s diploma or increased from a US establishment. H-1B staff employed at increased training establishments, non-profits or authorities analysis organisations should not lined by the cap.
• US authorities information reveals that Indians have been the vast majority of H-1B visa-holders up to now few years.
Different Vital Articles Protecting the identical subject:
📍What’s the contribution of Indian Individuals to US society and economic system?
📍Spouses of H-1B visa holders can work in US, says choose
Earlier 12 months UPSC Mains Query Protecting related theme:
Indian diaspora has a decisive function to play within the politics and economic system of America and European Nations.’ Remark with examples (UPSC CSE 2020)
To your queries and ideas write at roshni.yadav@indianexpress.com
The Indian Specific UPSC Necessities brings to you the October concern of its month-to-month journal. Click on Right here to learn. Share your views and ideas within the remark field or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com
Subscribe to our UPSC e-newsletter. Keep up to date with the newest UPSC articles by becoming a member of our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and comply with us on Instagram and X.
