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Political and Constitutional Crises in Maldives : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Political and Constitutional Crises in Maldives : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Why in News?

  • On February 5, the Maldivian government declared a state of emergency after Supreme Court’s order to release opposition leaders from the prison. The declaration was followed by a spate of high-profile arrests.

  • Even media has been receiving threats following the coverage of the February 1st Supreme Court ruling that set off the crisis. However, security is provided to government- backed media stations.

  • Opposition leaders of Maldives have advocated India to intervene amid the Constitutional crisis and state of emergency.

What is the issue?

  • Maldives highest Court regarding the release of political prisoners stated that “Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically inspired and flawed”.

  • President Abdullah Yameen, who is considered closer to the China, had instituted an emergency in the country after the Judgement of Maldivian Supreme court to release the political prisoners.

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(VIDEO) India-France Matters - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) India-France Matters - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: India-France Matters - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Sheel Kant Sharma, Former Diplomat, Prof. Sriram Sundar Chaulia, Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs, Alok Bansal, Director, India Foundation; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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Tribunals and Tribunalisation (Polity) : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Tribunals and tribunalisation (Polity) : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Tribunal is an administrative body established for the purpose of discharging quasi-judicial duties. Tribunals relieve the burden of judiciary and provide quick and speedy justice. It is to be noted that tribunals are not courts because courts follow the Courts are governed by strict procedure defined in CrPC, IPC and the Indian Evidence Act whereas tribunals are driven by the principles of natural justice.

Mandate (Constitutional provisions)

The provision for Tribunals was added by the 42nd Constitutional amendment act which added two new articles to the constitution.

1. Article 323-A : of the constitution which  empowers the parliament to provide for the establishment of administrative tribunals for adjudicating the disputes relating to recruitment and conditions of service of a person appointed to public service of centre, states, local bodies, public corporations and other public authority. Accordingly parliament has enacted Administrative Tribunals Act,1985 which authorizes parliament to establish Centre and state Administrative tribunals (CAT & SATs).

A. Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT):  It was set up in 1985 with the principal bench at Delhi and additional benches in other states ( It now has 17 benches, 15 operating at seats of HC’s and 2 in Lucknow and Jaipur.

  • It has original jurisdiction in matters related to recruitment and service of public servants (All India services, central services etc).

  • Its members have a status of High Court judges and are appointed by president.

  • Appeals against the order of CAT  lie before the division of High Court after Supreme Court’s Chandra Kumar Judgement.

B. State administrative tribunals

  • Central government can establish state administrative tribunals on request of the state according to Administrative tribunals act of 1985

  • SAT’s enjoy original jurisdiction in relation to the matters of state government employees.

  • Chairman and members are appointed by President in consultation with the governor.

2. Article 323-B  which empowers the parliament and the state legislatures to establish tribunals for adjudication of disputes related to following matters

• Taxation

• Foreign exchange, Imports and Exports

• Industry and Labour

• Land reforms

• Ceiling on Urban Property

• Elections to parliament and state legislature

• Food stuffs

• Rent and Tenancy Rights

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(Answer Key) UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2017

(Answer Key) UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2017

Exam Name: Combined Defence Services Examination (I),

Year: 2017

Subjects:

  • General Knowledge
  • English
  • Elementary Mathematics

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Click Here to Download Elementary Mathematics Answer Key

Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Healthcare Sector : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Healthcare Sector : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Introduction

  • The highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental right of every human being. However, healthcare delivery poses a significant challenge for policymakers in India.

  • The news of overcharging by  a private hospital for dengue treatment, despite not being able to save the patient's life, was met with an outrage.

Issues in Public Healthcare

  • Lack of resources such as 1:1,700, doctor:citizen ratio, well below the minimum ratio of 1:1,000 stipulated by WHO.

  • Rural areas and smaller towns of India are worst sufferer, where even basic health services remain inaccessible, many cases were reported where ward boy and alone found running the primary healthcare center.

  • Inadequate government spending on healthcare and lack of access to health insurance to large section of the society.

  • The quality of public health services in India continue to remain below expectations which hamper economic growth of the country.

  • Government's inability to build sufficient capacity and infrastructure, difficulty in reaching out to poor and vulnerable groups.

  • An undersized skilled workforce and the absence of upgraded technology is a major challenge in health sector.

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Skilling India - Needs and Challenges : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Skilling India - Needs and Challenges : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Introduction

  • India is passing through a phase of unprecedented demographic changes, wherein the proportion of the working age population (15-59 years) is likely to rise from around 58 per cent in 2001 to over 64 per cent by 2021, according to a Survey.

  • Current predictions suggest a steady increase in the youth population to 464 million by 2021 and finally a decline to 458 million by 2026.

  • In order to survive in their respective field and also to face the high level of competition in future people will have to skill multiple times and periodic upgradation of skill will be needed.

Why skilling is needed

  • Diversification of economy: from being largely agro-based to a manufacturing and service-based economy. So diverse skill is needed to accomodate the workforce in new sector

  • Outdated skills : our most of the  workforce is hampered with outdated skills.So Market-relevant skills are needed in today’s highly competitive job market.

  • Technological advancement: due to which blue collar jobs will become increasingly scarce so high skill is needed to be relevant in the market.

  • Demand of skilled worker: according to a  government’s analysis by 2022, 24 sectors will need an additional 109 million skilled workers.

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(VIDEO) Passive Euthanasia: Death With Dignity - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) Passive Euthanasia: Death With Dignity -

Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Passive Euthanasia: Death With Dignity - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : J Sai Deepak, Advocate, Supreme Court ; Satya Prakash, Legal Editor, The Tribune ; Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Former President, Delhi Medical Association ; Vipul Mudgal, Director and Chief Executive of Common Cause; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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Khap Panchayat and Honor Killing : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Khap Panchayat and Honor Killing : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Why in News?

  • In its latest observation while hearing a petition filed by Shakti Vahini, an NGO, to make honour killing a specific crime, the Supreme Court took a severe stand against intervention by Khap panchayats in inter-religious, inter-caste marriages of adult men and women.

  • Addressing on Honour killing Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said that two adults are free to marry and “no third party” including Parents, society and khaps has a right to harass or cause harm to them.

  • Recently, Centre in a reply to supreme court on the issue of Honour killing, has mentioned that there should be provision to inform the officer who is registering the marriage by the couple facing such threat and the officer in turn can intimate the police to provide them security.

What is Honour Killing

  • Killing of a relative, generally a female, who is supposed to have brought dishonour on the family through the acts like Inter-caste/ Inter-Religious Marriage is defined as Honour killing.

  • In 2015 alone, 251 honour killings were registered in India and the Honour killings have been reported mainly in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh while it is also widespread in South India and the western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

What is Khap Panchayat?

  • Khap is a cluster of villages united by caste and geography and all boys and girls within a khap are considered brothers or sisters.

  • In Khap Panchayats, the leadership is to be chosen on the parameters of social status, stature, age, gender, financial power etc. These are not truly democratic bodies, but a consultative process is formally observed where the decisions are respected by the community under peer pressure to shun social stigma for a failure to adhere to the decisions. The principle of natural justice is hardly observed

  • In areas governed by Khap panchayats Love marriages are considered taboo and those living in a Khap are not allowed to marry in the same gotra or even in any gotra from the same village.

  • Social boycotts and fines are the major tools for implementing the orders of Khap Panchaayts and incidents like Dalit girl in Haryana committing suicide after being allegedly gangraped on the orders of Khap Panchayat are not rare.

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Judicial Accountability and Judicial Reforms : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Judicial Accountability and Judicial Reforms : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Introduction

  • The Indian Judiciary plays an increasingly important role in the life and the governance of this country..

  • Recently CJI as the master of the roster with the sole prerogative to determine which Bench of judges gets to hear which cases comes under question.

  • Four senior judges of supreme court came in public and organized a press conference to tell that everything is not going fine inside the judiciary, they were mainly pointing on the CJI that he is allocating case to benches in arbitrary manner

Why judicial reforms and accountability

  • For ensuring speedy justice: Speedy justice is not only our fundamental right but also a most important requirement for maintaining the rule of law and delivering good governance.

  • Opaque internal structure founded on a combination of unquestioning trust in the office of CJI along with instinctive distaste for any interference by parliament or executive in judicial functioning

  • Judiciary as guardian of our constitution: Judicial accountability is more important, as decline of values in judiciary is far more dangerous than in any other organ of the government as judiciary has to act as the guardian of our constitution.

  • Virtually absolute power with court: the courts in India enjoy virtually absolute power than any Court in the world. So accountability is must.

  • To clear the backlog cases – more than 3 core cases are pending in judiciary there clearance needs holistic reform in the judiciary.

  • In its absence, the judicial system ends up serving the interests of the corrupt and the law-breakers.

Reforms Needed

  • Supreme Court act can be passed by parliament after consulting all stakeholders- judiciary, civil society, bar association and political opinion.

  • This act will restructure the supreme court into 3 division

  1. Admission-special leave petition under article 136 will be heard by this bench comprising of 5 judges

  2. Constitutional- 5 judges bench to deal with constitutional matter.

  3. Appellate-rest 21 judges will be divided into 7 benches of 3 judge each to hear appeal against HC judgment.

  • Judges will be circulated among 3 division at particular interval.

  • By this act present crisis can be solved – coherency in SC decision as same 5 judge will listen to constitutional matter. CJI being master of roster issue will also be solved.

  • Timely appointment of judges –there should not be any vacancy in Courts.

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(VIDEO) Special Status: Andhra’s Demands, Larger Issues - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) Special Status: Andhra’s Demands, Larger Issues -

Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Special Status: Andhra’s Demands, Larger Issues - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : K.A. Badarinath, Policy Editor, Financial Chronicle ; Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr, Senior Journalist ; C.N. Rao, Political Analyst ; Gopal Krishna Agarwal, National Spokesperson, BJP; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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(VIDEO) Nepal: Changing Equations - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) Nepal: Changing Equations - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Nepal: Changing Equations - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Virendra Gupta, Former Ambassador ; Prof. S.D. Muni, Foreign Affairs Expert ; Alok Bansal, Director, India Foundation; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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(VIDEO) BJP’s Surge in Northeast: Why & How? - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) BJP’s Surge in Northeast: Why & How? -

Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: BJP’s Surge in Northeast: Why & How? - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Deepak Diwan,Editor ,North East SunTopic: BJP’s Surge in Northeast: Why & How?; Gopal Krishna Agarwal ,National Spokesperson BJP; Neerja Chowdhury, Senior Journalist; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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Weekly Current Affairs 2017 Yearly PDF Set "Jan to Dec 2017" - Only 299/-

Weekly Current Affairs 2017 Yearly PDF Set "Jan to Dec 2017"

Cover Month: January 2017 to December 2017

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Highway Liquor Prohibition : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Highway Liquor Prohibition : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Why in News?

In its recent judgement, the Supreme Court gave the State governments the discretion to decide, on facts, whether areas proximate to municipal pockets or areas covered by local self-governing bodies should be exempted from the court’s December 2016 judgement on prohibition on sale of liquor within 500 metres along the highways.

Supreme Court Judgement

  • In its December 2016 Judgement, the Supreme Court mandated the States and UTs to shut down all liquor vends like Bars, restaurants, shops etc. which are situated within 500 meters of the outer edge of National/ State Highways and the ban extended to highways passing through city/ town. Along with it the states were barred from granting the fresh licenses.

  • The ban order was based on a Supreme Court judgment on the petition in the State of Tamil Nadu vs K. Balu case (15 December 2016) and the Supreme Court had pointed out that the sale and consumption of alcohol was not a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution.

  • The court exempted municipal areas from the prohibition on its another July 11, 2017 judgement and mentioned that ban mainly targeted busy national and State highways inter-connecting cities, towns and villages along.

Analysis

  • The main aim of the liquor prohibition, imposed in December 2016 judgment, was to prevent drunk driving along the National and State highways and SC had further mentioned that the order does not prohibit licensed establishments within municipal areas.

  • The July 11 order led to more confusion and states like Tamil Nadu sought for more clarification, on whether panchayats would also come under the definition of “municipal areas” mentioned in the order and further Tamil Nadu’s point was, “municipal areas” were not intended to exclude areas within the jurisdiction of local self-governing bodies and the States reasoned that in future, these panchayats might be developed in a manner similar to municipalities, or some of them might be geographically proximate to an urban agglomeration.

  • In a response to the objection laid on the July 11 order SC said that it is left to the States to take a decision after examining whether an area covered by a local self-governing body is proximate to a municipal agglomeration or is sufficiently developed and in deciding whether the principle which has been set down in the July order should be extended to a local self-governing body, the State governments would take recourse to all relevant circumstances, including the nature and extent of development in the area and the object underlying the direction prohibiting the sale of liquor on highways.

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Increasing Demand for other backward caste (OBC) status : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Increasing Demand for other backward caste (OBC) status : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Introduction

  • In recent times demand for other backward caste (OBC) status by various communities such as Patidars, Kapus, Jats, and Marathas have increased.

  • This demand reflects the challenges they are facing in getting job.

  • The rationale behind introduction of reservation system in India was to address historical injustice & inequalities and bring the socially and educationally backward classes into mainstream.

  • States are empowered under Article 15 and 16 for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes.

Why the demand is increasing reservation

  • Communities such as Patidars, Jats, Marathas claims for Reservation on ground of inadequate representation in Government Jobs

  • These demanding communities such as Patidars and Jats are traditionally agricultural community

  • But with decline in the probability of owning or cultivating land increasing uncertainty in the agrarian sector, they are seeking non-agricultural jobs, especially government jobs for which they demand OBC status.

  • The Indian economy is not creating many jobs which in creating tough competition in job market

  • Wages in the private sector are much lower than in the public sector.

  • Salaries of government jobs are mostly attractive at entry-level.

  • Unskilled population and increasing attrition in private sector.

Arguments for reservation

  • Promotes equality :Due to historical negligence caste based reservation are necessary in India. Reservation is a policy tool that promotes equality rather than undermines it.

  • Level playing field :Reservation helps in level playing field because we cannot expect groups who are historically deprived of education, skills, and economic mobility to suddenly start competing with those who had access to these means for centuries

  • Access to their fair share of society's resources:When people from all social groups are represented in government, higher education etc, it is less likely that marginalized groups will be denied fundamental rights and access to their fair share of society's resources.

  • Reduced the gap between upper and lower castes :Though Meritocracy is an important aspect, it has no meaning without equality. To a great extent caste based reservation reduced the gap between upper and lower castes.

Arguments against reservation

  • Equal footing: On one hand many people from lower castes have stepped up the social ladder and are now on an equal footing with the ‘general' population and on other hand, many upper castes are still suffering from poverty and illiteracy.

  • Harmful to economic structure :Reservation system can harm the economic structure of the country as it could bring down the efficiency of its labour.

  • Communal riots :Caste based reservation may develop into communal riot as a result of frustration of general population on lower caste.

  • Needy people not getting benefit of reservation: it is found that many times economically well off people enjoy the benefits of reservation, leaving aside real needy people.

  • Court argument: In Ashok Kumar Thakur v. Union of India, Justice Ravindran opined that when more people aspire for backwardness instead of forwardness, the Country itself stagnates.

  • Misused by Political parties : political parties have misused the tool of reservation for their vested interests which has hampered the real objective of granting reservation

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(VIDEO) BJP Conquers Northeast - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

(VIDEO) BJP Conquers Northeast - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: (VIDEO) BJP Conquers Northeast - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Balmiki Prasad Singh, Former Governor of Sikkim and Former Union Home Secretary, Deepk Dewan, Senior Journalist, Dr. Jaya Kumar, Secretary In-charge, Nagaland Congress, Jitendra Chaudhury, MP, Lok Sabha, CPM, Nalin Kohli, National spokesperson, BJP; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV

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