Q.Davis and Moore made it clear that social stratification is a functional necessity and also an unconscious device. Discuss. 10 Marks/2019

Q.Present a sociological review on the ‘new middle class’. 10 Marks/2019

Q.Modernization presupposes class society; however caste, ethnicity and race are still predominant. Explain. 20 Marks/2019

Q.Compare and Contrast the contributions of Marx and Weber on social stratification in capitalist society. 20 Marks/2019

Q.Differentiate between ‘Life-chances’ and ‘Life-style’ with suitable examples. 10 Marks/2019

Q.Why is gender a dimension of social stratification? How does gender intersect other dimensions of inequality based on caste, class, race and ethnicity? 20 Marks/2019

Q.What is affirmative action? Substantiate theoretical positions on affirmative actions with example. 10 Marks/2019

Q.What is the difference between natural and social inequality examples from caste and class dimensions.10 Marks/2018

Q.Evaluate if social stratification is functional for society.10 Marks/2018

Q.In social mobility possible in closed systems of stratification? Illustrate from research work.10 Marks/2018

Q.Can we equate ‘poverty’ with ‘poor living’? Elaborate your answer.10 Marks/2017

Q.What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification.20 Marks/2017

Q.Examine gender. Ethnicity and race as major dimensions of social stratification.20 Marks/2017

Q."Vertical mobility brings structural change even in a closed social system." Comment.10 Marks/2016

Q.Elucidate the basic premises of Davis' structural-functional theory of social stratification. How far is it relevant in understanding contemporary Indian society? 20 marks/2016

Q.Discuss the relationship between poverty and social exclusion. 10 marks/2016

Q.“No society can either be absolutely open or absolutely closed.” comment. 10 marks/2015

Q.Differentiate between Marxian and Weberian theories of Social stratification.20 marks/2015

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Erring on the side of caution: on sex-selective abortion rules (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2:Governance 
Prelims level: PCPNDT Act
Mains level: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

Context:

• Last week, the Supreme Court deferred a pronouncement on the legality of the Centre’s now-lapsed controversial notification relating to the rules of the law banning sex-selective abortions. 
• The judges viewed the matter as closed for now. 
• The April 4 notification pertaining to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PCPNDT) Act was left to expire by the government on June 30.
• The apex court similarly erredon the side of caution in June, choosing not to stay the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s gazette notification. 
• The inference was that such an option would be warranted only if the suspension of relevant rules was extended beyond June. 
• The petitioner’s concerns have thus largely been allayedthat the April 4 notification loosening the rules, ostensiblyto cope with the pandemic, would dilutethe law.

Suspension of rules:

• One of the impugnedrules requires a five-yearly renewal of registration of genetic laboratories, ultrasound clinics and imaging centres, subject to the fulfilment of eligibility criteria. 
• Another mandates these diagnostic establishments to submit monthly records on the conduct of pregnancy-related procedures to the designated authority. 
• State governments and Union Territories are required to furnish quarterly reports to the Centre on the implementation of the law. 
• The Union Health Ministry had maintained that various procedural deadlines were relaxed in the wake of the public health crisis and that such flexibility would in no way jeopardisethe larger objectives of the law.
• On the other hand, activists saw no rationale whatsoever behind the suspension of rules, since the operation of diagnostic laboratories had been declared essential services. 
• They were understandably apprehensive that the freezewould result in large-scale violations. 
• It is one thing to condonedelays in the completion of formalities via an administrative order, but altogether another to declare a freeze via a gazette notification, they argued.
• In any case, the 25-year jurisprudence around the PCPNDT legislation does not justify a sanguineapproach on the enforcement of its various provisions. 
• A case in point is the ongoing litigation regarding the eligibility of medical practitioners to conduct ultrasound procedures. 
• In February 2016, the Delhi High Court struck down the requirement under the 2014 PCPNDT rules of a six-month training period for personnel carrying out ultrasonography. 
• In challenging that ruling in the Supreme Court, the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) stressed the lack of preparation in an MBBS programme to conduct ultrasound procedures, which was part of the discipline of radiology. 
• IRIA also cited the relevant Medical Council of India guidelines based on the law.

Court strictures:

• The Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court judgment in 2018 as an interference in legislative policy intended to further the objectives of the law in the face of grave misuse of pre-natal diagnostic procedures. 
• The Court last year ruled that the non-maintenance of medical records as per Section 23 of the PCPNDT Act could serve as a conduit in the grave offence of foeticide. 
• The Bench hence dismissed the plea of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India to treat inaccuracies in paperwork as clerical errors. 
• In its 2016 judgment, in response to the petition, the Court authorised the seizure of illegal equipment from clinics and the suspension of their registration as well as speedy disposal of relevant cases by the States. 

Conclusion:

• Crucially, the alarming decline witnessed in recent decades in India’s sex ratio at birth calls for an uncompromising adherence to public policy, more than is evident from evolving case law.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to eSanjeevani, consider the following statements:

1. The eSanjeevani platform has enabled two types of telemedicine services viz. Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) Tele-consultations. 
2. Both are implemented under the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWCs) programme.

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

Mains Questions:

Q.1) Highlights the provision of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

Resurrecting the right to know (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2:Governance 
Prelims level: RTI Act 
Mains level: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

Context:

• A significant development in the right to information campaign has largely gone unnoticed. 
• The resurrectionof the right to know is momentous considering that we are increasingly witnessing an unfortunate denial of information while forgetting the right to know.

Releasing the report:

• A High-Level Committee (HLC) chaired by a retired judge of the Gauhati HC and also including the Advocates General of two Northeast States was constituted by the Home Ministry on July 15, 2019. 
• Its mandate was, among others, to recommend measures to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and define “Assamese People”.
• The HLC finalised its report by mid-February 2020 and submitted it to the Assam Chief Minister soon after. He handed over the report to the Union Home Minister on March 20. 
• With the Central government apparently “sitting idle” over the report, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which was represented in the HLC, released the report on August 11. 
• The proffered reasons for the release were the Central government’s inaction on the report and the people’s right to know.
• Sitting idle over a report is not an uncommon phenomenon. The Vohra Committee report on the alleged nexusbetween politicians and criminals was kept under wrapsfor almost two years. 
• It was tabled in Parliament following a public uproaron the murder of NainaSahni by a prominent politician.

Right to know:

• The right to know was recognised nearly 50 years ago and is the foundational basis for the right to information. 
• In State of U.P. v. Raj Narain (1975), the Supreme Court carved out a class of documents that demand protection even though their contents may not be damaging to the national interest. 
• For example, Cabinet papers, foreign office despatches, papers regarding the security of the state and high-level interdepartmental minutes. 
• A pragmatic view was told by Justice Mathew who held that “the people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything that is done in a public way, by their public functionaries. 
• They are entitled to know the particulars of every public transaction in all its bearing.
• The right to know, which is derived from the concept of freedom of speech, though not absolute, is a factor which should make one wary, when secrecy is claimed for transactions which can, at any rate, have no repercussionon public security.” 
• Our Supreme Court held that there is no provision by which Parliament had vested power in the government either to restrain the publication of documents marked as secret or from placing such documents before a court of law which may have been called upon to adjudicate a legal issue concerning the parties. 
• Justice K.M. Joseph referred to Section 8(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 which provides that a citizen can get a certified copy of a document even if the matter pertains to security or relationship with a foreign nation, if a case is made out. 
• Therefore, it is clear that the right to know can be curtailed only in limited circumstances and if there is an overriding public interest.

Being more transparent:

• Keeping in mind the view expressed by the Supreme Court over nearly 50 years, it is clear that the Official Secrets Act is not attracted to the disclosure of the HLC report. 
• There is no doubt that a bold and progressive decision has been taken by AASU to release the report in public interest. 
• Hopefully, this will encourage governments to effectuate the citizen’s right to know and be more transparent in public interest, as long as the security of the country is not jeopardised. 

Conclusion:

• As observed by the Supreme Court in S.P. Gupta: “If secrecy were to be observed in the functioning of government and the processes of government were to be kept hidden from public scrutiny, it would tend to promote and encourage oppression, corruption and misuse or abuse of authority, for it would all be shroudedin the veilof secrecy without any public accountability.”

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1)With reference to the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), consider the following statements:

1. It was introduced in April 2014 with an aim to have inclusive growth of farm mechanisation to boost productivity.
2. The Centre has recently released ₹553 crore to States under this scheme.

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

Mains Questions:

Q.1) Enumerate the salient features of the RTI Act. 

Time for India and Nepal to make up(The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2:International Relations 
Prelims level: Kalapani issue
Mains level: India and its neighbourhood- relations

Context:

• Nepal-India dispute over the Himalayan territory of Limpiyadhura was flared up in May. 
• New Delhi opinion-makers presented it as the doing of an upstart nation run by a renegadePrime Minister thumbing its nose at India, that too at Beijing’s instigation.
• Kathmandu’s polity bristled at the accusation and the entire political spectrum came together in nationalist climax to adopt a new map which included Limpiyadhura.
• There has been much blood-letting over the past four months, with one side (India) petulant, the other angry. 
• New Delhi pointedly says it will sit for talks only after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In turn, he abandoned diplomatic decorumto question India’s commitment to ‘satyamevajayate’ and then claimed the true birthplace of Lord Ram was situated in present-day Nepal.
• This tailspin must be halted so that the most exemplary inter-state relationship of South Asia may recover. 
• De-escalation must happen before the social, cultural and economic flows across the open border suffer long-term damage.

Fear of abandonment:

• From the Kathmandu perspective, Indian diplomacy seems increasingly unresponsive under the centralised control of the Prime Minister’s Office. 
• With regard to China, New Delhi has nurtured a paralysing paranoia regarding the Himalayan range that goes back to the 1962 debacle, a condition now worsened by the Galwan intrusion. 
• Nepal, Bhutan and India’s own Himalayan tracts are regarded merely as strategic buffers.
• In addition, there is the constant preoccupation with neighbours who have supposedly ‘sold out’ to China. 
• A confident nation-state without fear of abandonment would have behaved differently on Limpiyadhura.
• The cause of the chasm(breach) that has opened up between Kathmandu and Delhi relates to the disputed ownership of the triangle north of Kumaon, including the Limpiyadhura ridgeline, the high pass into Tibet at Lipu Lek, and the Kalapani area hosting an Indian Army garrison.
• New Delhi’s position on the dispute is based on its decades-long possession of the territory, coupled with Kathmandu’s implied acquiescencethrough its silence and the omission of Limpiyadhura on its own official maps.
• Kathmandu responded with sensitivity to Indian strategic concerns before and after the 1962 China-India war by allowing the Indian army post to be stationed within what was clearly its territory at Kalapani and not publicly demanding its withdrawal. 
• However, following the advent of democracy in 1990, the demand for evacuation of Kalapani gained momentum.
• Kathmandu’s diplomats deny the accusation of passivity over the decades, saying that as the weaker power, Nepal preferred quiet diplomacy and that Kalapani had never been off the table since talks began in the early 1980s. 
• As for the ‘possession’ argument, if control of a disputed region were to confirm ownership, then what of China’s continuous hold over Aksai Chin since Independence? 
• Regarding the suggestion of Nepal acting on China’s ‘behest’, in fact Kathmandu considers China complicit on Lipu Lek, and has lodged strong protests with Beijing regarding its joint plans with New Delhi on use of the high pass.

Road to Lipu Lek:

• The two governments have agreed that a territorial dispute exists on upstream Kali and have assigned negotiators. 
• A border demarcation team was able to delineate 98% of the 1,751 km Nepal-India frontier, but not Susta along the Gandaki flats and the upper tracts of the Kali.
• In 2014, India’s External Affairs Minister agreed to the establishment of a Border Working Group, which was announced by Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala. It too failed to make headway. 
• In August 2019, India’s Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishanker and Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradip Gyawali assigned the task to the two Foreign Secretaries. 
• That was where matters rested, with India dragging its feet on the Foreign Secretaries’ meeting, when things went awry.
• Nepal has been keen to sort out the matter away from the limelight. 
• It was after India published its new political map in November following the bifurcationof Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. 
• The pressure arose for Kathmandu to put out its own map incorporating the Limpiyadhura finger. The government cartographersgot busy.
• Knowing full well the dangers of taking on the Indian lion, Prime Minister Oli held off on the map release while waiting for New Delhi to come to the table. 
• But diplomacy did not get a chance, with the Ministry of Defence evidently having kept even South Block in the dark. 
• It was until India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with much fanfare, digitally ‘inaugurated’ the unfinished track to Lipu Lek on May 8.
• Prime Minister Oli’s position became untenable, and he proceeded with the constitutional amendment to certify the new map. 
• Indian diplomats lobbied to keep Nepal’s Parliament from adopting the amendment, but Kathmandu needed it for the sake of cartographic parity with India in future talks.
• Truth be told — that the Limpiyadhura triangle exists now on the maps of both countries should not obstruct negotiations. 
• The smaller area of Kalapani, too, has remained on the maps of both countries for decades. And, life has gone on.

Dousing the volcano:

• The ice was broken on August 15 when Prime Minister Oli called Prime Minister Modi on the occasion of India’s Independence Day, but that is just the beginning. 
• Talks must be held, for which the video conference facility that has existed between the two Foreign Secretaries must be re-activated.
• Delay will wound the people of Nepal socially, culturally and economically. 
• As the larger country, India may think it will hurt less, but only if it disregards its poorest citizens from Purvanchal to Bihar and Odisha, who rely on substantial remittance from Nepal.
• India does have experience of successfully resolving territorial disputes with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even Pakistan bilaterally and through third-party adjudication.
• Given political will at the topmost level, it should be possible to dousethe Limpiyadhura volcano just as quickly as it has erupted.

Need to De-escalate:

• One difficulty is the apparent absence of backchannel diplomacy between the two capitals, which helped in ending the 2015 blockade. 
• Today, India’s Prime Minister’s Office exercises such exclusive power that all channels have dried up. 
• There is an immediate need to de-escalate and compartmentalise. The first requires verbal restraint on the part of Prime Minister Oli and India’s willingness to talk even as the pandemic continues. 
• While India’s Foreign Office has thankfully remained restrained in its statements, India is required to maintain status quoin the disputed area. 
• This means haltingconstruction on the Lipu Lek track, which is the immediate cause of the present crisis.
• With the Prime Ministers setting the tone, the negotiating teams must meet with archival papers, treaties and agreements, administrative records, communications, maps and drawings. 
• The formal negotiations should begin with ab initiopublic commitment by both sides to redraw their respective maps according to the negotiated settlement as and when it happens.

Conclusion:

• Not to prejudge the outcome, if Nepal were to gain full possession of Limpiyadhura, it should declare the area a ‘zone of peace and pilgrimage’. 
• The larger area must be demilitarised by both neighbours to ensure security for themselves, while the Kailash-Manasarovar route is kept open for pilgrims. 
• The idea is certainly worth a thought: a Limpiyadhura Zone of Peace and Pilgrimage.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the Food Vision 2050 Prize, consider the following statements:

1. Naandi Foundation has been selected as one of the top 10 Visionaries in the world for the Food Vision 2050 Prize. 
2. The award carries a cash prize of $200,000.

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

Mains Questions:

Q.1) What are the recent development in India- Nepal relations? What are the issues between both the nations like Kalapani issue?

Karl Marx

Q. What is the Marxist concept of ‘fetishism of commodities’? 10 Marks/2019

Q. According to Marx, how are human beings alienated from their human potential and what does he suggest to change this? 20 Marks/2018

Q. Analyse Marxian conception of historical materialism as a critique of Hegelian dialectics. 20 Marks/2017

Q. Evaluate Marx's ideas on mode of production. 10 Marks/2016

Emile Durkheim

Q. How well do you think Tonnies, Durkheim, Weber and Marx predicted the character of Modern society? Critique. 10 Marks/2019

Q. Explain Durkheim's basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim's theory? 20 Marks/2018

Q. In what way did Durkheim perceive religion as functional to society? 10 Marks/2018

Q. Discuss distinct sociological method adopted by Emile Durkheim in his study of ‘suicide’. 20 Marks/2017

Q. Elaborate the views of Durkheim on “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life”. 10 Marks/2015

Max Weber

Q. Discuss the importance of interpretative understanding of social phenomena and explain its limitations. 20 Marks/2019

Q. Distinguish between fact and value in Weber's Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Examine Max Weber's method of maintaining objectivity in social research. 20 Marks/2016

Q. Which concepts did Weber use to analyse the forms of legitimate domination? 10 Marks/2015

Q. Discuss the role of Calvinist ethic in the development of Capitalism. 20 Marks/2015

Talcott Parsons

Q. How can Parsons' AGIL framework be used to analyse key problems is a society? Discuss. 20 Marks/2018

Q. Critically analyse Talcott Parsons conception of pattern variable’. 10 Marks/2017

Q. Describe the functional prerequisites of social system as given by Talcott Parsons. Examine in the context of a university as a social system. 20 marks/2016

Q. How is social equilibrium maintained in Parsonian framework? 20 marks/2015

Robert K. Merton

Q. What, according to Merton, is the difference between ‘unanticipated consequences’ and ‘latent functions’? Give examples to elaborate. 10 Marks/2019

Q. How, according to Merton, are deviant subcultures generated? 20 Marks/2019

Q. What is the difference between anomie in Merton and Durkheim? Explain. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Analyze the manifest and latent functions of security of the tenure of bureaucrats in the light of Merton's theory. 20 marks/2016

Q. “Anomie is rooted in social structure.” Explain with reference to R.K. Merton’s contribution. 10 marks/2015

Mead

Q. According to Mead, “We play a key role in our own socialization.” 20 Marks/2019

Q. Do you think T and Me are central terms in Mead's work. 10 Marks/2018

Q. “Self and society are twin-born” Examine the statement of Mead. 10 Marks/2015

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Sociology Mains Optional Study Notes

UPSC Exam Complete Study Materials (Pre, Mains, Interview COMBO Study Kit)

Q. Explain the probability sampling strategies with examples. 10 Marks/2019

Q. Bring out the significance of Ethnography in social research. 20 Marks/2019

Q. Distinguish between qualitative techniques of data collection with suitable examples from Indian society. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Illustrate with example the significance of variable in sociology research. 10 Marks/2017

Q. Examine epistemological foundation of qualitative methods of social research. 10 Marks/2017

Q. How can one resolve the issue of reliability and validity in the context of sociological research on inequality? 10 Marks/2017

Q. Analyze the importance of qualitative method in social research. 10 Marks/2016

Q. "Hypothesis is a statement of the relationship between two or more variables" Elucidate by giving example of poverty and illiteracy. 10 Marks/2016

Q. "Participant observation is the most effective tool for collecting facts" Comment. 20 Marks/2016

Q. What are variables? Discuss their role in experimental research. 10 Marks/2015

Q. Examine the problems of maintaining objectivity and value neutrality in social science research. 20 Marks/2015

Q. Why is random sampling said to have more reliability and validity in research? 20 Marks/2015

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Q. Is non-positivistic methodology scientific? Illustrate. 20 Marks/2018

Q. Does scientific method make Sociology a Science? Illustrate your answer with Durkheim's method. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Explain with examples, the explanatory and exploratory designs of social research. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Examine ethnomethodological and phenomenological perspective as critique of positivism. 10 Marks/2017

Q. Examine the basic postulates of positivism and post-positivism. 20 Marks/2017

Q. Elaborate the main tenets of interpretative perspective in sociology. 10 Marks/2017

Q. What is “value-free sociology”? Clarify. 10 Marks/2016

Q. Describe the basic postulates of scientific method. How far are these followed in sociological research? 10 Marks/2016

Q. Is Sociology a Science? Give reasons for your answer. 10 Marks/2015

Q. Discuss the relevance of historical method in the study of society? 10 Marks/2015

Q. “Non-positivistic methodology is essential for understanding human behaviour.” Discuss. 20 Marks/2015

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Sociology Mains Optional Study Notes

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Q. Discuss the historical antecedents of the emergence of Sociology as a discipline. 10 Marks/2019

Q. The focal point of sociology rests on interaction. How do you distinguish it from common sense? 10 Marks/2018

Q. The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relationship between the two in a society.” – C.W. Mills. Explain 20 Marks/2018

Q. Explain how sociology has emerged as a distinct discipline based on rationality and scientific tamper. 10 Marks/2017

Q. Discuss the changing equation of discipline of sociology with other social sciences. 20 Marks/2017

Q. "Sociology is pre-eminently study of modern societies" Discuss. 10 Marks/2016

Q. Is sociology common sense? Give reasons in support of your argument. 10 Marks/2016

Q. How had Enlightenment contributed to the emergence of sociology? 10 Marks/2015

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UPSC Mains General Studies Study Kit

(The Gist of PIB) Government of India and AIIB sign an

Government of India and AIIB sign an

• The Government of India and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a $750 million “COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Programme” to assist India to strengthen its response to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable households.

About:

• The Program will provide the Government of India with budget support to mitigate the severe adverse social and economic impact of COVID-19.
• The Primary Programme beneficiaries would be families below the poverty line, farmers, healthcare workers, women, women’s self-help groups, widows, people with disabilities, senior citizens, low wage earners, construction workers and other vulnerable groups.
• The project is being financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the amount of $2.250 billion, of which $750 million will be provided by AIIB and $1.5 billion will be provided by ADB.
• The project will be executed by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
• The current loan will be the second to India from AIIB under its COVID-19 crisis recovery facility apart from the earlier approved $500 million loan for the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project.
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank based in Beijing, China. It began operations in 2016 and has now grown to 102 approved members worldwide.

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Courtesy: PIB

1. “An attempt by all political parties to bring amendments to the RTI Act, 2005 is to sabotage the steps towards transparency of governance in this country.” Critically evaluate the statement. (13/II/7a/25)

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Printed Study Material for IAS PRE cum Mains General Studies

1. Critically analyse the term ‘inventive steps’ as incorporated under the Patent (Amendment) Act, 2005. Do you agree with the present definition? Refer to recent case law. (13/II/6b/25)

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Printed Study Material for IAS PRE cum Mains General Studies

1. The “precautionary principle” and the “polluter pays principle” are the parts of the environment law of this country. Explain in the light of decided cases. (08/II/7b/30)

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(The Gist of PIB) Khelo India State Centres of Excellence

Khelo India State Centres of Excellence

• The Sports Ministry is all set to establish Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) under the ministry’s flagship, Khelo India Scheme to enhance India’s Olympic performance.

About:

• One KISCE will be identified in each state and union territory, with an effort to create a robust sporting ecosystem in the entire country.
• In the first leg, the Ministry has identified state-owned sports facilities in eight states of India, including, Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala, Telengana and the north east states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland which will be upgraded into KISCE.
• The State and Union Territory will run the centre and build capacity to turn it into the world-class sporting facility.
• They will be responsible for all aspects of management of the centre including, boarding, lodging and maintenance, while funds for expert coaches, supporting staff, equipments, infrastructure will be extended through the Khelo India Scheme.
• The eight centres will be given a grant based on the actual amount finalised as per the requirement indicated after a comprehensive gap analysis study. In a bid to broad-base talent identification, the states and UTs will also identify and develop talent in each sport for which funding is received at the centre.
• The Sports Authority of India will extend expertise, resources and a monitoring system to ensure that the level of performance of the athletes improve to international standards.

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Courtesy: PIB

(The Gist of PIB) Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkin

Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkin

• Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkin is being made available in more than 6300 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna -PMBJP Kendras across the country at a minimum price of Rs.1/-per pad. The market price of the similar Sanitary Napkins is around Rs. 3/- to Rs. 8/- per pad.

About:

• On the eve of World Environment Day 4th June 2018, Government of India proudly announced the launch of “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” for women of India.
• Since inception (4 June 2018) to 10th June, 2020 over 4.61 crore sanitary Napkins have been sold at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras.
• Sanitary Napkins are environmental friendly, as these pads are made with Oxo-biodegradable material complying with ASTM D-6954 (biodegradability test) standards.
• This step ensured ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the underprivileged Women of India.

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(The Gist of Science Reporter) International Year of Plant Health

[July-2020]

International Year of Plant Health

• 2020 is the International Year of Plant Health. By definition, a virus is an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria.

What is a Plant Virus?

• Like other viruses, plant viruses are also composed of a nucleic acid (genome), which is encapsidated by a protein coat. In addition, particles of some plant viruses, like members of the genus Tospovirus, are enveloped by an outer membrane containing lipids and proteins. A similar lipid envelop is also found in Coronaviruses, though they belong to different families. In India, two families of viruses, namely Geminiviridae and Potyviridae, are the major killers of agricultural crops.
• The amount and arrangement of the proteins and nucleic acid of viruses determine their size and shape. There is a great variation in the size and shape of the plant viruses, ranging from 17 nanometres to 2000 nanometres in size. Shapes of viruses are predominantly of two kinds: rods or Filaments, like a rigid rod, flexuous rod, isometric, bullet shape, twin icosahedral, etc. Majority of the plant viruses have single stranded positive-sense RNA genome. Besides, there are plant viruses with a genome composed of single-stranded negative-sense RNA, double-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA.
• Many of the plant viruses have a multi-segmented genome, which is either encapsidated in different particles or within a single particle. The plant virus genome codes for proteins essential for their replication, cell-to-cell movement, and encapsidation.
• Apart from these essential protein-coding genes, genomes of many plant viruses additionally code for proteins necessary for insect transmission and suppressors of RNA silencing to overcome the plant defence. Many plant viruses are associated with satellite DNA or RNA molecules, which increases their virulence and host adaptability.

How do Viruses Attack Plants?

• Plants are just as susceptible to viral infections as other living organisms. Plant viruses can not directly penetrate the host cell as plants have a cell wall to protect their cells. Till now there is no evidence that a receptor of cell wall allows the plant virus to enter host cell through endocytosis, which is very common for human and animal viruses.
• So, a wound is necessary for a plant virus to enter a plant cell. The wound may be created by weather, insects, animals, or even human activities during agricultural operations. Once a plant gets a viral infection, it spreads through different vectors like insects, nematodes, fungi which attack plants. More than 70 per cent of known plant viruses are transmitted by insects, the majority belong to the order Hemiptera, which includes aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, bugs, etc.
• Many viruses may pass to new offspring through propagating materials of plants, pollen, etc. Upon entering into the plant cell, plant viruses translate their proteins, replicate
• their genome and move from one cell to another cell. During these processes plant viruses continuously exploit different host proteins, interact with different proteins and thus regulate different cellular pathways. Such intense interaction ultimately leads to the development of abnormalities or symptoms.

What Happens in a Virus Attack?

• One of the characteristics of viruses is that they mutate very fast, not on their own, but inside the host body, infecting not only one cell or one plant – the emerging viruses infect newer hosts and lead to an epidemic like situation. The viruses can turn out to be deadly for any living form. They have the negative ability of destroying complete crop production, species and even genres of plants.
• Some viruses act friendly with plants, equilibrate themselves with plant ecosystems and ruin agriculture. The Tospovirus of tomato is an example of a friendly virus destroying the tomato crop completely. Viruses, in general, affect plant growth, production and productivity. In a virus attack, plants don’t get proper nutrition as it is all taken by the virus. The plants feel stranded and unassisted. Just like in humans and animals, viruses affect the plant’s respiratory system badly and also lead to tension in plants.

Can Virus Attack on Plants be as Deadly as Coronavirus?

• Just like all other viruses, plant viruses are obligate pathogens that depend on their hosts to survive. So, no viruses deliberately kill their host as that will not be beneficial for their own survival. Except a few plant viruses like Tospovirus, which are believed to be of insect origin, plant viruses generally do not kill any plants. They weaken the plant immunity, reduce the plant growth, vigour and thus reduce yield and deteriorate the quality of the produce.
• If a severe virus infection occurs in an early stage of plant growth the plant may not be able to produce any product. Due to weak immunity, or when attacked by other pathogens too, the plants ultimately get killed. There are many plant viruses belonging to the genus Begomovirus, Tospovirus, Illarvirus, which are as severe as coronavirus, where the infection spreads like wildfire through insects within weeks and almost no yield can be obtained from the entire field.

How to Tackle the Viruses?

• With our recent experience, we can fathom that a virus can’t be handled even with care. For any farmer, the only solution to get rid of viruses in plants is to burn and remove the affected plant – breaking the chain and establishing social distancing are the keys to prevent a virus attack. And so, removing or burning the affected plant for saving other plants is the idea. Else, farmers can spray insecticides or pesticides to save the plants from any kind of attack by insects and pests. The least that can be done is changing agricultural practices, which most of the times is not very feasible.

Can Plant Viruses be Cured?

• Once a plant gets infected by a virus there is no way to cure that plant. Sometimes due to the plant’s own defence mechanism symptom recovery is observed but this happens rarely. Though plants do not have an antibody mediated immune response system like animals and humans, they possess a general defense system called RNA silencing, which detects and degrades viral RNAs or viral transcripts.
• To overcome this defence, the majority of plant viruses encode a protein called suppressor of RNA silencing, which inactivates the host defence. Depending on the plant defence and viral pathogenicity the plant’s response to the infection may range from a symptomless condition to severe disease. There is no chemical or drug available till now to cure an infected plant. With proper nutrition and supplement of some essential minerals, in few cases severity of symptoms can be reduced but under severely infected condition no cure is possible. However, prophylactic application of different molecules (e.g. dsRNA) has shown promising results in preventing plant virus infection.

How are Plant Viruses Managed?

• The best way to manage a plant virus infection is to protect the plant from getting infected as there are no antiviral compounds available to cure plants with viral diseases. The first step for management of the virus is to identify the virus, understand its transmission behaviour and survival.
• Different preventive measures like use of certified virus-free seed or vegetative propagules, elimination of the weeds and other surrounding plants that may harbour virus, modification of planting and harvesting practices, and intercultural operations are important cultural practices those can greatly reduce the risk of viral infection in plant. If the virus is transmitted by a vector, control of the vector through judicious use of chemical or mulching may be effective.
• The most important aspect of plant virus management is to develop crop varieties with resistance. The resistance may be incorporated through conventional breeding from natural plant sources or may be derived from the virus through transgenic development. Recently topical application of dsRNA and geneediting technology has shown promise for management of viral diseases but these studies are still in their infancy.

Can Plant Viruses Jump to Humans?

• Generally, viruses evolve with their host and a great specificity exists with the virus and their hosts. However, for viruses, it is not uncommon to switch the host kingdom. Since humans depend on agricultural crops, plant viruses can enter the human body through virus-infected foods, which is evidenced from the fact that many stable plant viruses have been detected in human feces.
• If a plant virus could break down the host specificity and is able to multiply in an animal, this multiplication could remain unnoticed if it is not associated with a specific symptom and if there is no further transmission to other animal. Certainly, till now there is no evidence that plant viruses cause diseases in humans and other animals. A report has shown that a plant virus, Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV), found in many pepper-based products could be detected in human body but the symptom associated with the illness cannot be correlated.
• Upon experimental exposure plant viruses can be detected in mammals and human samples, and there is also evidence of immune responses to plant viruses in animals and humans.
• There is no rigid rule that plant virus can not break the barrier of their host kingdom and invade humans or animals. There are many plant viruses, like tospoviruses, reoviruses, rhabdoviruses, which can replicate in their insect host. So, if a plant virus can infect insects it may also be not impossible to infect humans. Although till now there is no such evidence.
• Many human-infecting viruses and plant-infecting viruses belong to the same family with similar genome organisation. For instance, viruses of the family Reoviridae, Phytoreovirus, Fijivirus and Oryzavirus infect plants while the rotavirus, a major cause of gastroenteritis in humans, also belongs to this family. Similarly, under the family Rhabdoviridae, which includes rabies virus infecting humans and animals, there are also plant and insect infecting viruses like Cytorhabdovirus, Nucleorhabdovirus, Dichorhabdovirus, Tenuivirus.

An Initiative for Plants to Flourish:

• The story of the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) began in 2012 at the Stockholm Conference which decided that a year would be devoted to plants. The United Nations General Assembly took charge and raised this issue globally.
• It can be marked as a golden opportunity to raise global awareness on protecting plants. Considering plant health as priority can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. All these are interlinked.
• The theme of the International Year of Plant Health 2020 is ‘Protecting Plants, Protecting Life’.
• IYPH is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.
• The focus is on preventing the spread of pests and diseases because they have the greatest impact on our crops, our environment and our way of life.

What We Mean for Plants?

• Plants need water, light, temperature and nutrients to survive. But today there is increasing threat from us the humans – climate change, pests and diseases – are all outcomes of the kinds of lifestyles we have chosen to adopt.
• Associated with the oldest and longest-running show devoted to agriculture and focussed on welfare of our farmers, Krishi Darshan, since 1982, Mr Sharma stresses that IYPH is important because we have misused plants over decades and don’t understand the importance even after continuous reminders.
• Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent lockdown, it is the supply of fruits and vegetables that is keeping us going. It is incumbent on us therefore that in the International Year of Plant Health we pledge to keep the plants and crops around us healthy and free of diseases.

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(The Gist of Science Reporter) Engineered Enzyme Recycles Plastic Waste

[July-2020]

Engineered Enzyme Recycles Plastic Waste

• According (CPCB), an enormous 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste is generated per day in India. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is one of the major plastics to the 2019 estimates of Central Pollution Control Board employed in the manufacturing of bottles (packaging), fibres (textiles), films, food containers, and various thermoformed packaging and components. It is an extremely difficult plastic to degrade.
• A group of French researchers from Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, CRITT Bio-Industries and Carbios, has engineered a cutinase enzyme capable of disintegrating the chains that hold the PET building blocks together. The novel modified cutinase enzyme breaks down PET waste efficiently into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, the latter to be used for recycling. The finding has been published in the April 9, 2020 issue of Nature.
• Till now, processes that have been used to recycle the PET waste were expensive and inefficient. However, after screening and evaluating five well-known PET-digesting enzymes (PET hydrolases), the researchers engineered and tweaked ending up with an engineered LCC enzyme capable of achieving a minimum of 90% PET depolymerization in less than 10 hours, with productivity of 16.7 grams of terephthalate per litre per hour.
• The group also synthesised new PET bottles using recycled terephthalic acid. The recycled PET was similar to the virgin PET synthesized using petrochemical terephthalic acid. Moreover, recycled PET bottles possessed excellent lightness values of 87.5% that is better than the minimal standard for PET bottles (greater than 85%). The researchers calculated that the cost of enzyme needed to recycle 1 ton of PET is approximately 4% of the ton-price of the virgin PET.

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