Taking along a mobile phone or any other such electronic gadget, even unintentionally into the examination hall for the UPSC’s Civil Services preliminary examination, will see the candidate debarred from appearing for this or any other UPSC examination for ten years.

This time the UPSC is going to implement strictly the ban on carrying mobiles and other gadgets into the examination hall and punishment will be severe, Collector V. Sheshadri told reporters on Monday. The UPSC Prelims examination will be held at 17 centres in the city on May 26 and more than 8,000 candidates have registered for the examination. Counters will be opened at the examination centres to deposit the gadgets.

Spotlight/News Analysis (29 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: Nitaqat Effect of Law on Indian Community in Saudi Arab
• Expert Panel: Salman Haidar (Former Foreign Secretor), Simran Sodi (Foreign Affairs Editor - The Statesman)

Content

• Potential of Livestock and Fisheries Sector

• Advance Estimates of National Income, 2012-13

• Private Final Consumption Expenditure

• Gross Fixed Capital Formation

• New Bank Licences

• Gender Budgeting

‘ONE STOP CRISIS CENTRE’ FOR WOMEN:

Ministry of Women and Child Development has formulated a scheme for operationalization of minimum 100 pilot projects of One Stop Crisis Centres (OSCCs), a specialized facility for providing all necessary services for women victims/ survivors of violence, in urban areas having population of more than 5 lakh, identified by the States for implementation during the remaining years of the 12th Plan. These Centres will be attached to the District Hospitals of the State Governments.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• Annual Plans
• First Plan
• Eight Plan
• Second Plan
• Ninth Plan
• Third Plan
• Tenth Plan
• Fourth Plan
• Eleventh Five Year Plan
• Fifth Plan
• Education
• Sixth Plan
• Environment
• Seventh Plan
• MCQs for Final Practice

Introduction

In India planning derives its objectives and social premises from the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution (Article 40). The Planning Commission was set up by a Resolution of the government of India in March 1950.

First Plan

• Keeping in view the large-scale import of foodgrains in 1951 and inflationary pressures on the economy, the First Plan (1951-56) accorded the highest priority to agriculture including irrigation and power projects. About 44.6 per cent of the total outlay of 2,069 crore in the public sector (later raised to _ 2,378 crore) was allocated for this purpose. The Plan aimed at increasing the rate of investment from five to about seven per cent of the national income.

Second Plan

• The Second Five-Year Plan (1956-57 to 1960-61) sought to promote a pattern of development, which would ultimately lead to the establishment of a socialistic pattern of society in India. Its main aims were (i) an increase of 25 per cent in the national income; (ii) rapid industrialisation with particular emphasis on the development of basic and heavy industries; (iii) large expansion of employment opportunities; and (iv) reduction of inequalities in income and wealth and a more even distribution of economic power. The Plan aimed at increasing the rate of investment from about seven per cent of the national income to 11 per cent by 1960-61. It laid emphasis on industrialisation, increased production of iron and steel, heavy chemicals including nitrogenous fertilizers and development of heavy engineering and machine building industry.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• Raw Silk & its various kinds
• Central Silk Board

INTRODUCTION

India continues to be the Second largest producer of silk in the World. India has the unique distinction of being the only country producing all the five kinds of silk – Mulberry, Eri, Muga, Tropical Tasar and Temperate Tasar. Sericulture is an important labour-intensive and agro-based cottage industry, providing gainful occupation to around 7.25 million persons in rural and semiurban areas in India. Of these, a sizeable number of workers belong to the economically weaker sections of society. There is substantial involvement of women in this Industry.

In India, Sericulture is mostly a village-based industry providing employment opportunities to a large section of the population. Although Sericulture is considered as a subsidiary occupation, technological innovation has made it possible to take it up on an intensive scale capable of generating adequate income. It is also capable of providing continuous income to farmers. India is the second largest producer of silk in the world with an annual silk production of more than 21,000 M. Tons in 2010-11 (provisional). Although, all the known varieties of silk, viz. Mulberry, Eri, Muga and Tasar are produced in India, Mulberry silk is the most popular variety. Mulberry silk alone contributes more than 80% of the Country’s silk production. Silk and silk goods are very good foreign exchange earners. Export potential of this sector is promising as silk production in Japan is declining and that of China, the largest silk producer the World, it is stagnant. The present global scenario clearly indicates the enormous opportunities for the Indian Silk Industry.

In India, because of the prevalence of favorable climatic conditions, mulberry is cultivated mainly in five states, viz., Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. These five states collectively account for 97% of the total area under mulberry cultivation and 95% of raw silk production in the country. Now, as a result of growing realization, sericulture is gaining ground in non-traditional areas too.

Spotlight/News Analysis (28 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: World Day for Safety & Health at work
• Expert Panel: Dr. Ritu Priya (Dept. for Community medicine Jawahar Lal Nehru University), K.V. Prasad (Associate Editor - The Tribune)

HAJ COMMITTEE Helpline Number 022-22107070

The Haj Committee of India that runs an IAS & Allied Services Coaching and Guidance Cell on concession basis for the students from minority communities has invited applications for the new batch starting September 2013.

The application forms are available on the Haj Committee of India website. The last date for the application is May 17, 2013.

Candidates who are going to appear for the Haj House Entrance Test may Kindly  ensure that you fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

1. You must be an Indian & a Muslim.
2. You should be a graduate in any discipline from a recognized university.
3. You should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and  must not have attained the age of 28 years as on August 01, 2013.

Written Test:

There will be one question paper of two hours duration containing 4 sections which are as below.

Section A: GS-I (50 Marks, Objective Paper, MCQ)

General understanding of General Studies Paper I Syllabus for Preliminary Examination Current Events of March 1st, 2013 to May 15th, 2013

Section B: GS II (50 Marks, Objective Paper, MCQ)
General understanding of General Studies Paper II (Aptitude paper) Syllabus for Preliminary Examination

Excise & Commercial Taxes Part-I & Part-II Departmental Examination, Session February, 2013

Result

The result of Excise & Commercial Taxes Part-I  & Part II Departmental Examination, Session February, 2013  is declared. The candidates can vies the  result by clicking on the link given below:

St Xavier's College is all set to start an IAS coaching centre from August, with specialised coaching in eight subjects - commerce, economics, political science, international relations, sociology, statistics, history, management and physics.

It will be a full-time course for nine months and selected candidates will have to attend classes on the campus for five days a week for four hours daily. There are some privately-run coaching centres where module-based training is imparted and so, candidates do not have to attend full-time classes. "But I believe in full-time teaching-learning and related mock exams, just like it happens in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the college. Excellence comes through contact with the guide and this will be our uniqueness," promised principal Father Felix Raj.

e - ADMIT CARD - Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination

Click Here to Download Admit Card

Contents

• Cash Transfers and Social Security 
• Direct Benefits Transfer: Panacea to remove Poverty and Inequality in India

DIRECT CASH TRANSFER SCHEME:

The Government of India has announced the Direct Benefits Transfer initiative with the aim of ensuring the better and more timely delivery of benefits to the people. This marks a paradigm shift, where the State is explicitly taking responsibility to ensure that welfare scheme and basic entitlements reach the intended beneficiaries much more effectively than at present.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Intoduction
• Press and Print Media
• Prashar Bharti
• News Agencies
• All India Radio
• Film Division
• News Services Division

• Community Radio
• Doordarshan

• New Initiatives

• Digitalization

• MCQs for Final Practice

Introduction

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is divided into 4 wings i.e. the Information Wing, the Broadcasting Wing, the Films Wings and the Integrated Finance Wing. The Ministry functions through its 13 media units/ attached and subordinate offices, six autonomous bodies and two PSUs.

Prasar Bharati

• Prasar Bharati is the public service broadcaster in the country, with All India Radio and Doordarshan as its two constituents. It came into existence on 23 November 1997, with a mandate to organise and conduct public broadcasting services to inform, educate and entertain people and to ensure balanced development of broadcasting on radio and television.

• Headquartered in Delhi, the Corporation is governed by the Prasar Bharati Board, which comprises a Chairman, an Executive Member (also known as Chief Executive Officer), a Member Finance, a representative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Directors General of All India Radio and Doordarshan as ex-officio Members.

All India Radio

• Broadcasting started in India in 1927 with two privately owned transmitters at Mumbai and Kolkata, which were taken over by the Government in 1930. These were operating under the name “India Broadcasting Service” until 1936 when it was given the present name “All India Radio (AIR)”. It also came to be known as “Akashwani” in 1957.

• At the time of independence there were six radio stations and 18 transmitters, which covered 11 per cent population and 2.5 per cent area of the country. As in March 2012 the network comprises 277 stations and 431 transmitters, which provide radio coverage to 99.13 per cent of the population and reaches 91.42 per cent area of the country.

Community Radio

• Community Radio, as distinct from public service broadcasting, serves to bring small communities together, focuses on the common man’s day-to-day concerns and helps in realizing local aspirations. In a number of countries community radio has played as important role in informing and empowering people, especially the poor and vulnerable groups. Keeping this objective in view, the Government had announced a policy in December 2002 for the grant of Community Radio licences to the educational institutions. Subsequently, NGOs/Civil Societies also demanded for participation in it.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• The Concept & Definition of various terms of this topic

INTRODUCION

The Agriculture Sector occupies centre stage in Indian economy embodying three thrust areas as (1) to promote inclusive growth, (2) to enhance rural income, and (3) to sustain food security. Pioneering work by agriculture scientists and the efforts of farmers, popularly known as the “Green Revolution’, had helped achieve a breakthrough in the agriculture sector in the 1960. High agricultural production and productivity achieved in subsequent years has been the main reason for attaining food security to a large extent. The country has not witnessed any big technological breakthrough in agriculture since then. The food safety net for each and every of the over a billion citizens - a number that is growing - requires enhanced agricultural production and productivity in the form of a Second Green Revolution. Further, special attention is required for achieving higher production and productivity levels in pulses, oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables, which had remained untouched in the First Green Revolution but are essential for nutritional security. In this regard, achieving high production of poultry, meat and fisheries is also essential.

Improved performance in agriculture is necessary if our growth is to be inclusive. The Eleventh Plan adopts a multipronged approach towards this end. It provides for a major expansion in the programmes for irrigation and water management. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Youjana (RKVY) has been launched to assist the States in development and implementation of district level agricultural plans, based on local agro-climatic conditions. As a step towards food security, which has assumed special relevance in view of recent international developments, the National Food Security Mission aims at increasing cereal and pulses production by 20 million tons over a five year period.

Indian Foreign Services comes second in the civil services exam there are a few who get this coveted service as the number of vacancies is about 10-20 every year. IFS has been trained at Mussoorie, and after training the I.F.S. probationers are attached to the Ministry of External Affairs and have to become conversant in a major foreign language. After this in the second year they are appointed in Indian Embassy/High Commission where that language is spoken and they spend another two years in the same Embassy. After two postings abroad, the I.F.S. Officers are posted in India in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Here major work to be done is to look after India's political, economic and commercial work. In the Selection Grade I.F.S. Officers serve as Counsellors. In very small countries the Indian Ambassador would be in that grade.

Spotlight/News Analysis (26 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: Use of Facebbok among children & teenagers
• Expert Panel: Mamta Sahay (Member Delhi Commission for Protection of Child), Annapurna Jha (Senior Journalist)

H.P. Judicial Service Competitive (Preliminary) Examination-2013 fixed for 12-May-2013

With reference to advertisement No. VII/2012  published on 1st Feb.2013, it is notified for the information of all concerned  that the H.P. Judicial Service Competitive (Preliminary) Examination-2013 will  be conducted in the examination centres located at Shimla & Dharmsala on  12th May, 2013 in three sessions from 10.00 A.M. to 11.00 A.M., 12.00 Noon  to 1.00 P.M. & 3.00 P.M. to 4.00 P.M. respectively. The particulars of all the  provisionally admitted candidates showing their names, roll numbers, centre  of examination etc. have been uploaded on our website.

The total foreign exchange reserves (comprising foreign currency assets, gold, special drawing rights and reserve tranche position in IMF) was US$ 304.8 billion at end-March 2011, US$ 294.4 billion at end-March 2012 and US$ 292.0 billion at end-March 2013. In the current fiscal, reserves stood at US$ 295.2 billion as on April 12, 2013.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Neighbouring Countries

• Afganistan
• Bangaladesh
• Bhutan
• China
• Maldives
• Myanmar
• Pakistan
• Srilanka
• Iran

• South East Asia and the Pacific

• Japan
• South Korea
• Eurasia

• Shanghai Cooperation Organization
• The Gulf
• West Africa
• Europe
• United Nations and International Organizations
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• Commonweath
• MCQs for Final Practice

NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

Afghanistan

• India and Afghanistan signed a historic agreement on strategic partnership during the visit of President Karzai in October 2011; the first such agreement signed by Afghanistan with any country. The agreement reinforced the strong, vibrant and multi-faceted relations between the two countries and at the same time formalized a framework for cooperation in various areas between the two countries: political and security cooperation; trade and economic cooperation; capacity development and education; and social, cultural, civil society and people-to people relations. This agreement is a strong signal of our abiding commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan during this critical period of security and governance transition.

Bangladesh

• Bilateral cooperation between India and Bangladesh continued in all sectors of mutual interest and reached a peak with the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh from 6-7 September, 2011, The progress of cooperation, though implementation of the Joint Communique issued in January 2010, was reviewed by both the prime Ministers and the new imparted by the prime Minister’s visit was reflected in the Joint Statement of 7 September, 2011. India facilitated 24-hour unfettered access to Bangladesh national though the Tin Bigha Area to Dahagram and Angorpota Enclaves, and permitted duty free import of 46 textile items (subsequently expanded to all items, except 25) in response to the request of Bangladesh.

Bhutan

• India and Bhutan share uniquely warn and special relations based on mutual trust and understanding. India is providing assistance and support to Bhutan in its efforts towards social development, economic prosperity and strengthening of its democratic institutions. Regular high level exchange of visits. Close consultations and mutually beneficial cooperation under pin India’s relations with Bhutan. Their Majesties, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, the King and Queen of Bhutan, respectively, visited India from 23-32 October, 2011, the first ever visit abroad by the royal couple after their wedding on 13 October, 2011.

• India continues to be Bhutan’s largest trade and development partner. During the India-Bhutan bilateral Trade Talks held in New Delhi in August 2011, India agreed to Bhutan’s request for use of Dalu and Ghasupara land custom stations for Bhutanese cargo and notification of four additional entry/exit points. India is providing assistance for the implementation of 68 projects in key socioeconomic sectors, such as agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT), media, health, education, energy, culture and infrastructure. Under the small Development of projects (SDPs), India is providing a grant to Bhutan for implementation of 1,900 projects in the county’s 20 districts and 205 blocks. The construction of the Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-Electric Project (HEP) is in full swing and the implementation of Punatsangchhu-II and Mangdecchu HEWPs are also progressing well, bringing both counties closer to the target of jointly developing nearly 10,000 MW of hydropower in Bhutan by 2020 for exports to India.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• Managing Natural Resources and the Environment
• Vision and Aspirations
• Enagement with the World
• Developing Capabilities
• Key Policy Initiatives Needed

INTRODUCTION

India’s 1.25 billion citizens have higher expectations about their future today, than they have ever had before. They have seen the economy grow much faster in the past 10 years than it did earlier, and deliver visible benefits to a large number of people. This has understandably raised the expectations of all sections, especially those who have benefited less. Our people are now much more aware of what is possible, and they will settle for no less. The Twelfth Five Year Plan must rise to the challenge of meeting these high expectations.

The Initial Conditions

Though expectations have mounted, the circumstances in which the Twelfth Plan has commenced are less favourable than at the start of the Eleventh Plan in 2007–08. At that time, the economy was growing robustly, the macroeconomic balance was improving and global economic developments were supportive. The situation today is much more difficult. The global economy is going through what looks like a prolonged slowdown. The domestic economy has also run up against several internal constraints. Macro-economic imbalances have surfaced following the fiscal expansion undertaken after 2008 to give a fiscal stimulus to the economy. Inflationary pressures have built up. Major investment projects in energy and transport have slowed down because of a variety of implementation problems. Some changes in tax treatment in the 2012–13 have caused uncertainty among investors.

These developments have produced a reduction in the rate of investment, and a slowing down of economic growth to 6.5 per cent in 2011–12, which was the last year of the Eleventh Plan. The growth rate in the first half of 2012–13, which is the first year of the Twelfth Plan, is even lower. The downturn clearly requires urgent corrective action but it should not lead to unwarranted pessimism about the medium term. India’s economic fundamentals have been improving in many dimensions, and this is reflected in the fact that despite the slowdown in 2011–12, the growth rate of the economy averaged 7.9 per cent in the Eleventh Plan period. This was lower than the Plan target of 9 per cent, but it was marginally higher than the achievement of 7.6 per cent in the Tenth Plan. The fact that this growth occurred in a period which saw two global crises, one in 2008 and another in 2011, is indicative of the resilience which the economy has developed.