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(Current Affairs) Person in News | April: 2015

Person in News

H.S. Brahma

  • H.S. Brahma, the seniormost Election Commissioner, will succeed V.S. Sampath as the next Chief Election Commissioner of India. Mr. Sampath will demit office after turning 65.

  • Mr. Sampath paid a farewell visit to President Pranab Mukherjee. In just under six years in the Election Commission, first as EC then as CEC, he helped conduct two Lok Sabha elections and at least one round of Assembly elections in every State.

  • A 1973-batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, he held several important positions in the Union government, including as Secretary, Rural Development and Power, before being appointed an Election Commissioner in March 2009.

  • Mr. Brahma, who hails from Assam, is also an IAS officer from the 1975 batch of the Andhra Pradesh cadre. Like Mr. Sampath, he too held the post of Power Secretary before being appointed Election Commissioner in August 2010.

  • He will hold office for only a very short period, until he turns 65 on April 19 this year. Mr. Brahma has also held posts such as Joint Secretary (Border Management) in the Union Home Ministry. He also worked as Special Secretary & Additional Secretary in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

(News) Tamil Nadu puts up poor show at UPSC exam

Tamil Nadu puts up poor show at UPSC exam

https://iasexamportal.com/sites/default/files/UPSC.jpgTamil Nadu has registered a below-average performance at the UPSC (Main) examination, with only 263 from the state among the 3,308 candidates who have qualified for the final round of personal interviews.

The civil services examination results were declared on Sunday, and personal interviews will be held on April 27. Comparing this year's number with the 2014 exam result, where TN had around 267 candidates qualifying, there is a dip in the number of students selected for the interviews and subsequent selection for various civil services.

"In 2010 we had a landmark count of more than 350 candidates being selected for the interviews. Now the numbers have come down. The main reason could be the change in the examination pattern," said R Sathya, founder of Sathya IAS Academy in the city.

(News) 45 students qualify for UPSC’s interview from SPIPA

45 students qualify for UPSC’s interview from SPIPA

https://iasexamportal.com/sites/default/files/UPSC.jpgIt was a day of pride and celebration for 45 students of SPIPA who qualified for the personality test that is all set to commence from April 27, 2015. A total of 115 candidates from SPIPA passed the UPSC conducted prelims examination. Out of 115, 45 cleared mains and are selected for the interview. Out of the qualifying 45, 4 are girls, 23 from general category, and 13, 1 and 8 from SC, ST and SEBC categories respectively.

SPIPA students have always shined at UPSC exams and the successful candidates give the credit to the grueling training process that every student imbibes, to be successful in one of the prestigious examinations in the country.

Sharing the success mantra of SPIPA, Mr. Vipul Mittra, Director General, SPIPA said “It is a proud moment for us as 45 students of the institute have qualified for the personality test. The filtration process of UPSC has always been mainlined at a higher level wherein students with great personal skills and confidence have made their way through. At SPIPA, the students are groomed accordingly by providing a holistic approach towards tackling the examinations. The training modules are set in accordance to the needs of the students.”

(Current Affairs) Awards and Prizes | April: 2015

Awards and Prizes

Sarabhai award for SHAR director M.Y.S. Prasad

  • M.Y.S. Prasad, director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Range (SHAR), has been selected for the Vikram Sarabhai memorial award to be presented by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) at a function to be held soon.

  • Dr. Prasad is selected for his outstanding contribution to R&D in the field of space science in his long and chequered career at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Prior to Dr. Prasad, those who received this award were former ISRO chairmen Dr. Satish Dhawan, Dr. K. Kasturi Rangan, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair and Dr. K. Radhakrishnan.

  • The ISCA, which is a premier scientific organization of the country established in 1914 in Kolkata, has been giving this award in alternate years.

(Current Affairs) Science & Technology, Defence, Environment | April: 2015

Science & Technology, Defense, Environment

Country’s highest zoo attempts to save high altitude herbivores

  • The initiative taken by Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in conserving high altitude herbivores that have been on the path of extinction, has served to stem the rapid decline in their numbers.

  • Some of the animals that have been included in the conservation programme of PNHZP, the countries highest altitude zoo located at over 7,000 ft, are the Blue Sheep, the Himalayan Tahr, the Himalayan Goral and the Markhor.

  • All the four herbivores have been placed in the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which denotes that the species are ‘threatened’. The conservation of these animals is also crucial for the Himalayan ecosystem.

  • “All the four herbivores are the main prey of the much endangered Snow leopard. A decrease in their numbers will naturally affect the existence of the elusive mountain cat,” Upashna Rai, the biologist in the PNHZP told.

  • Conserving these herbivores serves the dual purpose of protecting the snow leopard as well. The PNHZP is also involved in the global conservation and breeding programme of the snow leopard.

  • The Darjeeling Zoo has taken the initiative of breeding these high altitude herbivores and is also involving the other high altitude zoos in breeding and conservation of the species.

  • It has provided to each of the main zoos of Sikkim and Nainital one pair of the Blue Sheep and the Himalayan Goral as a part of an exchange programme.

4th navigation satellite launch in March 2015

  • The fourth navigation satellite of the country is getting ready for launch in March, and it will be another step forward for India in evolving its own navigation satellite system and not depend on the Geographical Positioning System (GPS) service of the U.S.

  • Cryogenic propulsion systems on board PSLV-C27 rocket that will launch the satellite are being developed by scientists of the ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district.

  • S. Ingersol, group director of the complex, told, “Totally, seven satellites are required to be launched to complete the configuration under the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) and already three had been launched.

  • Dr. Ingersol said launch of the remaining four satellites would be completed in one year and after that India’s dependency on the U.S. for GPS service would be significantly reduced. “This will trigger the much-needed development in geographic information systems.”

  • The Mahendragiri complex was developing the second and fourth liquid stages needed for the launch vehicle. “Advance research by ISRO scientists has made India go for launching heavier satellites of three to four tonnes from our own soil,” he said.

TB rate going down, but not fast enough to meet WHO target

  • India is unlikely to reach the WHO target of elimination of tuberculosis (TB) by 2050 going by the rate at which incidence of the disease is declining in the country.

  • “Incidence of TB in India is declining at the rate of about 2 per cent per year. However, in order to reach the TB elimination target by 2050, the rate should be 19 to 20 per cent per year,” WHO Representative to India Nata Menabde told.

  • She, however, said that on using available strategies and technologies effectively, along with universal health coverage and social protection, the country could achieve a reduction of TB incidence rate of 10 per cent per year by 2025.

  • “To hasten the decline of TB incidence beyond that would require new tools such as new effective vaccines, new points of care, effective diagnostics and new effective shortened treatment regimens,” she suggested.

  • Additionally, social determinants of TB such as under-nutrition, overcrowding and poor ventilation in slums and clinical risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, smoking etc should be addressed simultaneously, she added.

  • Citing the WHO Global TB Report 2014, Ms. Menabde said that India has already met the Million Development Goals (MDG) target of 50 per cent reduction in the prevalence of TB by 2015 compared to 1990. “India is also well on track for reducing TB death by 50 per cent by 2015,” she stated.

  • Ms. Menabde, however, said there was a need to improve the quality of care provided to TB patients at private clinics and hospitals as most approached such facilities for treatment, especially in urban areas.

  • “At least one-half of the TB patients in India, especially in urban areas, approach private sector for TB care. But the quality of care in the private sector in most situations is not satisfactory.

  • “There is a need for wider dissemination of ‘standards for TB care’ to the private sector, targeted approaches to engagement with them and more stringent implementation of mandatory notification of TB cases.

(Download) UPSC: Combined Medical Services Exam, 2014: - "General Ability, General Medicine & Paediatrics Paper - I"

UPSC

Union Public Service Commission

Combined Medical Services Exam, 2014

General Ability, General Medicine & Paediatrics Paper I

Exam Name: Combined Medical Services Exam

Year: 2014

File Size: 945 KB

File Type: PDF

1. A patient with small cell lung carcinoma has symptomatic hyponatraemia (serum sodium 127 mmol/ L). The most likely etiology is:

(a) Fanconi Syndrome
(b) Cushing’s Syndrome
(c) Metabolic Syndrome
(d) Syndrome of inappropriate ADH

2. Regarding Gilbert’s syndrome, which one of the following statements is not correct?

(a) Jaundice becomes severe with time.
(b) Hyperbilirubinemia increases after fasting.
(c) Inheritance of disease is autosomal dominant.
(d) Liver histology is normal.

3. Which of the following is an uncommon cause of autonomic dysfunction?

(a) G B S (Guillain Barre Syndrome).
(b) Porphyria.
(c) Diabetic neuropathy.
(d) Neuropathy associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency.

4. Peripheral Eosinophilia is not a characteristic feature of:

(a) Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
(b) Allergic aspergillosis.
(c) Tropical eosinophilia.
(d) Loeffler’s syndrome.

5. Salicylate intoxication in adults usually causes:

1. Severe respiratory alkalosis.
2. Mixed metabolic acidosis respiratory alkalosis.
3. Hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

(Download) UPSC: Combined Medical Services Exam, 2014: - "Surgery, Gynaecology and Social Medicine Paper - II"

UPSC

Union Public Service Commission

Combined Medical Services Exam, 2014

Surgery, Gynaecology and Social Medicine Paper - II

Exam Name: Combined Medical Services Exam

Year: 2014

File Size: 1.95 MB

File Type: PDF

1. A 40 year old man presented with a flat 1x1cm. scaly, itchy black mole on the front of thigh. Examination did not reveal any inguinal lymphodenopathy. The best course of management would be:

(a) FNAC of lesion
(b) Incision biopsy
(c) Excision biopsy
(d) Wide excision with inguinal lymphadenectomy.

2. Indications of TURP for Benign Hyperplasia Prostate (BHP) include

1. Urinary flow rate of less than 10cc/second
2. Residual volume of urine >100cc
3. Serum level of prostatic specific antigen>10nmol/L
4. Trabeculated Urinary bladder

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4

3. Ankyloglossia in a patient with carcinoma tongue is staged as

(a) T1
(b) T2
(c) T3
(d) T4

4. Which is the most commonly used chemotherapy regimen in the adjuvant treatment following modified radical mastectomy in the estrogen receptor negative 35 year old female with breast cancer?

(a) Cyclophosphamide + 5 – Fluro-uracil
(b) Cyclophosphamide + Methotrexate + 5–Fluoro-uracil
(c) Cyclophosphamide + Adriamycin + 5–Fluro-uracil
(d) Adriamycin + 5–Fluro-uracil

5. Consider the following statements:
The clinical features of tension pneumothorax include

1. tracheal shift to contralateral side
2. absent breath sounds on the affected side
3. low output circulatory failure
4. peripheral cyanosis

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 1 and 4

(E-Book) UPSC CMS (MEDICAL) EXAM Papers PDF Download

(Current Affairs) Economy & Energy | April: 2015

Economy

C allowed Sahara group to raise “junior loan”

  • The Supreme Court allowed the Sahara group to raise a “junior loan” of $650 million from a foreign lender to pay Rs.5,000 crore and bank guarantee of same amount for the release of Subrata Roy and two directors on bail.

  • A three-judge bench led by Justice T.S. Thakur said the amount, raised as loan against its three overseas hotels located in London and New York, would be parked in Aamby Valley (Mauritius) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sahara group’s India-based Aamby Valley Limited.

  • However, the court said Sahara Group should also clear up with the Reserve Bank of India if there were any impediments under the Foreign Exchange Management Act in case of transfer of the loan amount from its Mauritius subsidiary.

(Current Affairs) India and The World | April: 2015

India & The World

India is world’s second most trusting nation: Survey

  • Moving up the ranks, India has emerged as the second most trusted country in the world in terms of faith reposed on its institutions even as globally trust levels have fallen, says a survey.

  • As the world’s rich and powerful gather in the Swiss resort of Davos, a study by public relations firm Edelman has found that general level of trust in institutions among college-educated people around the globe are at levels not seen since 2009 in many of the markets it surveyed.

  • Trust in institutions in India has improved sharply in 2015 with the country moving up three notches to the second place among 27 nations.

  • While the number of “truster” countries are at an all-time low of six in 2015 including UAE, India, China and Netherlands, the number of “distruster” countries has grown significantly to 13 including Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, South Africa and Italy.

  • Brazil, Malaysia, France and the US are among the 8 “neutral” nations as per the trust index, the survey said.

  • India, which last year saw the BJP-led NDA government storming to power at the Centre, stands tall.

  • According to the report, an “alarming evaporation of trust” has happened across all institutions, reaching the lows of the Great Recession in 2009.

  • Trust in government, business, media and NGOs in the general population is below 50 per cent in two-thirds of countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Germany, it said.

  • From fifth most trusted in 2014, India has now become the second-most trusted in 2015 with a score of 79 per cent in the barometer. The study has put India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image on the first page.

(Current Affairs) International Events | April: 2015

International Events

John Kerry heads for India to attend ‘Vibrant Gujarat Summit’

  • US Secretary of State John Kerry headed for India to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Summit during which he will address investors to boost economic ties and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss a broad range of bilateral and global issues, including climate change.

  • “The Secretary would be emphasising the importance and future potential of our economic partnership with India, State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki told.

  • “Obviously the discussion would be on everything from continuing to do more economically and technologically, given that United States and India, we believe, can reach greater level of prosperity together than we would achieve alone,” she said.

  • The three-day Vibrant Gujarat Summit will begin tomorrow in Ahmedabad. “He would also be reiterating throughout the trip, our shared commitment to address the challenge of climate change, promoting clean energy in the future. Prime Minister Modi has a strong track record in this regard,” she said, adding that the Obama administration sees this trip as a pivotal point in India-US relationship.

  • After a brief stopover in Munich to meet the Sultan of Oman, Kerry leading a high-level US delegation is scheduled to arrive in Ahmedabad. Soon after his arrival, he is expected to visit the Gandhi Ashram, meet members of the civil society and visit the Ford plant, which is expected to open shortly. He would address the Vibrant Gujarat Summit and hold a round table with top Indian CEOs.

  • Kerry is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi and hold another round-table with American CEOs participating in the summit.

  • Referring to the multi-fold increase in bilateral trade in the last 10 years, which stands now at about USD 100 billion, Psaki said the summit is an opportunity to further the goal that US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Modi have talked about in terms of increasing trade five-fold to USD 500 billion.

(Current Affairs) National Events | April: 2015

National Events

Coastal security is a challenge says R.K. Dhowan

  • The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, said that “coastal security is a big challenge” and patrolling has been stepped in coastal areas in the past few months.

  • “In the last few months, we are on high state of alert and have deployed Navy units, ships, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in the coastal areas,” he said.

  • Speaking on the sidelines of the second Admiral R.L. Pereira Memorial Lecture function, Admiral Dhowan said dealing with non-state actors was always a difficult situation.

  • Asked about the boat allegedly carrying explosives for a possible terror attack near the Gujarat coast recently, he said: “Coastal security is a big challenge and we have a huge coastline of 7,516 km and extensive economic zone of over two million sq km.

  • There are nearly 5,000 merchant ships operating and over 2.4 lakh fishing boats in the area.” To maintain surveillance, the Navy had put in place the National Command and Control Communication System and Intelligence System, Admiral Dhowan said.

  • “Threat perception in the Indian Ocean region is wide and varied. There is threat of asymmetric warfare and other maritime threats that could emanate from the region for the country. India is fully concerned and is ready to defend its seas,” he said.

NFIR opposes FDI in Railways

  • The National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) has vehemently opposed the Centre’s proposal for FDI in Railways and threatened to go on indefinite strike in June this year.

  • According to NFIR General Secretary M. Raghaviah, there is no need for FDI in Railways. “Government’s move to slowly hand over the Railways to foreign hands is like the entry of East India Company, which ruled the country later,” he said.

  • NFIR has offered the Railway Ministry to take loan from the Provident Fund of the Railway employees and repay them in due course for funding certain viable projects.

  • “NFIR is strongly against FDI in Railways and will oppose it tooth and nail,” Mr. Raghaviah told reporters on the sidelines of Zonal Conference of its affiliated unit Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS).

  • He said if the government wants to raise money for certain new projects, it would be appropriate on their part to decide the priority and viability of the project and utilise the PF to certain extent.

  • Mr. Raghaviah further said that a small amount can be taken from their salaries as loan for similar purpose. NFIR had discussed the issue of their opposition of FDI with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and had apprised him of the lurking danger in FDI, he said.

  • NFIR, which represents a majority union, has accused the government of ignoring safety aspects in the Railways, and not filling vacant posts in the operating and allied departments.

  • Listing measures to augment revenue of the Railways, Mr. Raghaviah said passenger fare should be hiked and more facilities should be provided to them.

  • People are willing to pay extra provided you extend good facilities including catering, he said. Railways should discontinue paying Rs. 9,000 crore dividend to the Government, he said and questioned the facility of senior citizen concession.

(Reserve List) UPSC: Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2013

UPSC

Union Public Service Commission

(Reserve List) Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2013

1. The results of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2013 were declared vide Press Note dated 12.06.2014 recommending 1122 candidates in order of merit for appointment to IAS, IFS, IPS and Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ against 1228 vacancies.

2. The Commission, in accordance with the Rule 16 (4) & (5) of the Civil Services Examination Rules, was also maintaining a Consolidated Reserve List in order of merit below the last recommended candidate under the respective category.

3. As sought by the Department of Personnel & Training, the Commission has now recommended 105 candidates which include 89 General and 16 OBC, to fill up the remaining posts based on the Civil Services Examination, 2013. Particulars of these candidates are indicated below. The candidates so recommended will be communicated  directly by the DOP&T.

4. The candidature of following candidates bearing Roll No.041401 and 106100 is provisional.

5. The list of these 105 candidates is also available on the UPSC website i.e. http//www.upsc.gov.in.

Selected Articles from Various News Paper: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April 2015

Selected Articles from Various Newspapers & Journals

Gendered approach to sterilisation

In just less than a month after the Centre announced an ‘Enhanced Compensation Scheme’ for sterilisation services in 11 States having high Total Fertility Rates (TFR), more than 13 women lost their lives following botched up surgeries in a medical camp in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh. There seemed no apparent urgency to organize the sterilisation camp other than to meet the ‘targets’ set by the State government and the enhanced compensation, perhaps, was an incentive for the young women. But just that in India sterilisation, somehow, is understood as a permanent method of contraception only for women — safe and simple. Official statistics suggest that the governments — both at the Centre and States — promote female sterilisation disproportionately. Of the total sterilisations performed in 2012-13, as many as 97.4 per cent were tubectomy procedures. Similarly, an analysis by non-governmental organization suggests that in 2013-14, India spent 85 per cent of its family planning expenditure on sterilisation, the beneficiaries of which were mostly women.

On October 20 this year, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare decided to enhance compensation for sterilisations for 11 States which were one of the “main interventions’’ under the Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child Health plus Adolescent (RMNCH+A) programme launched to meet the millennium development goals. It also added a new component of Post Partum Sterilisation (PPS) — done soon after delivery or within 7 days — to the package for which an extra amount of Rs.3,000 would be given, of which the woman would get Rs 2,200. This was in addition to the hiked compensation of Rs.1,400 from the earlier Rs.600, but restricted for women who came to the public facility for delivery. For vasectomy, the compensation has been hiked from Rs.1,100 to Rs.2,000. These States are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Assam, Haryana and Gujarat.

An analysis done by the Population Council of India, Family Planning Association of India, Parivar Sewa Sansthan, and Common Health in a report on ‘Robbed of Choice and Dignity: Indian Women Dead after Mass Sterilisation’ suggests that in 2013-14, India spent 85 per cent of its family planning expenditure on sterilisation. In 2013-14, India spent Rs.396.97 crore on female sterilisation with the procedure being performed on over 39 lakh women. A chunk of this money — Rs.324.49 crore — was spent on incentives and compensation, and Rs.14.42 crore on the camps themselves. The amount spent as compensation was two-and-half times the untied grants given to Primary Health Centres for infrastructure strengthening. Less than 1.5 per cent of the annual expenditure on family planning went towards spacing methods and the remaining 1.5 per cent was spent on equipment, transport, IEC activities and staff expenses, it said.

GDP Measurement: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April - 2015

GDP Measurement

The gross domestic product (GDP) is one the most important and most watched indicators for looking into countries economic health. It measures the total value of finished products nd services produced during a time period which is usually a year. There are three components in GDP figure Agriculture, Industry and Services. The share of the agriculture and allied sectors in GDP has been consistently declining. During the eight years between 1999-2000 and 2007-08, the share of agriculture and allied sectors in GDP declined by 6.4 percentage points, while that of industry and services increased by 1.9 and 4.4 percentage points respectively. At present share of agriculture, industry and services in the economy is around 14, 26 and 60 percent respectively. GDP growth rate is increase in value of finished products and services in percentage terms as compare to base year. If GDP growth rate is positive it is good for the health of the economy. There are three methods which are used for the measurement of GDP:

  • The Income Approach
  • The Expenditure Approach
  • The Production Approach

(Interview Schedule) Recruitment of Various Posts at Goa PSC- Advt.No. 35/2014-15, Advt.No. 120/2013-14 and Advt.No. 117/2013-14

https://iasexamportal.com/images/goa-psc.jpg

GOA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

(Interview Schedule) Recruitment of Various Posts at Goa Public Service Commission - Advt.No. 35/2014-15, Advt.No. 120/2013-14 and Advt.No. 117/2013-14

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Download e-Admit Card for UPSC Interviews 2015 (Batch - 1)

UPSC

Union Public Service Commission

Download e-Admit Card for UPSC Interviews (Batch - 1)

Exam Name: IAS

Year: 2014

Payment & Small Banks: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April - 2015

Payment and Small Banks

Only 35% of Indians have accounts with financial institutions, according to World Bank estimates. This estimate is improved after the success of Jan Dhan Yojana still vast majority of population is not able to avail the benefits of financial institutions. Out of the total around 25 crore households in the country, more than 10 crore still do not have access to banking services. Situation in rural areas is poorer than that of urban area. In rural households 44 per cent and in urban areas 33 per cent still do not have a bank account. Initially financial inclusion was considered as opening new branches in the unbanked areas but now the meaning of financial inclusion is largely changed. Financial Inclusion, broadly defined, refers to universal access to a wide range of financial services at a reasonable cost. Financial inclusion broadens the resource base of the financial system by developing a culture of savings among large segment of rural population and plays its own role in the process of economic development. The Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India have made efforts to increase the financial inclusion in the country. Notable efforts among those are; Banks nationalization, large number of branches of scheduled commercial banks, provision of priority sector lending targets, self-help groups for the purpose of financial inclusion, opening of zero balance accounts, etc. The principle reason for all above initiatives is to include financially excluded population with in financial ambit. In order to serve the financially excluded population, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has created two new banking categories, called small finance banks and payment banks.

Tiger population: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April - 2015

Tiger population

Tiger act as a symbol of the richness of the ecosystem, thus conservation of tigers is necessary to to protect the wilderness of the entire ecosystem. Wilderness play an important role in providing the life support system in any ecosystem. For the survival of the mankind it is necessary to preserve the wilderness. Tigers constitute the topmost level in the heirarcy of the food chain and they play a very important role in the ecosystem. Food chain are generally inverted so harm to the topmost carnivores will adversely impact a large number of species in the lower level. All the species in a food chain are interlinked cornivores help in maintain the population which help in retaining the population of grass and trees and later are the primary source of food for entire food chain. Thus every specy including tiger has importance in the ecosystem and importance of the specy increases if it is in the higher trophic level.

There are various reasons which provides a threat of Tiger protection. Important among them are:

  • Despite several measures taken by government poaching still continue.
  • Due to continous reduction in forest land, habitat for Tiger has been reducing continously.
  • Pray for the Tiger are also decreasing.
  • Some of the Tigers live outside the protected area, there conservation is extremely difficult.

Nuclear Power in India: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April - 2015

Nuclear Power in India

Nuclear energy is highly important for the nation. At present electricity produced through nuclear source is fourth larges with first three spots are occupied by thermal, hydroelctric and renewable sources. As of 2013, India has 21 nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants, and India have 5780 MW of installed capacity. India has an ambisious plan of producing 63,000 MW electricy by 2032. In recent years various protests have halted the progress in the nuclear power. These protest erupted mostly after the 2011 fukushima nuclear disaster in Republic of Japan. There have been mass protests against the French-backed 9900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra and the Russian-backed 2000 MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. India’s has very low Uranium ore reserve and coutry has to mostly import the Uranium for its nuclear power industry. India has good thorium ore reserves and India’s Three stage nuclear power program developed by Homi Bhabha attempts to secure the countries energy dependence through the use of Thorium and Uranium. India has been making advances in the field of thorium-based fuels, working to design and develop a prototype for an atomic reactor using thorium.

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