UKPSC Mains exam cut off Rule II UKPCS में विषयवार कट ऑफ का नियम

UKPSC Mains exam cut off Rule II UKPCS में विषयवार कट ऑफ का नियम

https://youtu.be/yGjrIeW2wLY

India in aerospace: Vision 2020

India in aerospace: Vision 2020
Strong collaboration between the government and the private sector can help close the gap between Indian and Western manufacturers faster
Telangana is home to the country’s first public aerospace and precision engineering SEZ
Over the last two decades, several areas of the economy have been deemed sunrise sectors. This billing meant broad recognition of the sector’s potential to generate vast amounts of jobs and revenue. Policymakers put in place measures such as tax breaks to encourage these sectors. In the past, information technology (IT) and biotechnology (BT) were the two most prominent holders of the sunrise-sector tag. Today, if there is a sector that truly merits that billing, it is aerospace and defence manufacturing. At upwards of $50 billion, India has one of the largest defence budgets in the world. By 2018, it is expected to be in the vicinity of $56 billion. In the commercial aviation sector, India remains one of the highest traffic growth markets. It is estimated to become the third-largest aviation market in the world by 2025, and will likely need nearly 1,500 new commercial aircraft by 2030.

The government is well aware that timely execution of the modernization plan hinges on creating a large base of domestic manufacturing. It has introduced the long-awaited strategic partnership model that will allow partnerships with overseas companies to manufacture everything from submarines to fighter jets in India. It also opens the doors for Indian companies to form joint ventures with multinational original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for defence production. This model has the potential to create a high-tech defence manufacturing ecosystem. That, in turn, will help in the emergence of cutting-edge mid-sized ancillary companies, along the lines of German mittelstand firms that are relatively small but best-in-class. Indian manufacturers that offer high-quality and innovative solutions at a low cost could become the preferred suppliers for global firms. A handful of midsized Indian companies are already doing that.

Manufacturing for the aerospace sector is a complex exercise for a number of reasons. It is capital-intensive, has high technological requirements and a prolonged gestation period. Apart from these, there are also the systemic challenges manufacturers face in terms of the supply chain itself. While the industry has come a long way, it is still evolving to overcome the challenges it has traditionally faced: costly raw materials, skilled labour, technological requirements, and the procurement of parts from multiple manufacturers.

Manufacturers in Europe and North America have multiple decades of head start over the Indian aerospace industry. India cannot close that gap overnight. But strong collaboration between the government, which would be the biggest customer, and the private sector, can help close the gap faster.

A drive towards globalization of the aerospace supply chain has been fuelled by the lowering of trade barriers, decreasing communication and transport costs, the emergence of global service firms and shortage of skilled labour in home markets. This is good news for private companies.

There are three key challenges companies face in the aerospace and defence (A&D) sector: access to technology and talent, building scale in a business that is extremely capital-intensive, and the enabling infrastructure and policy environment which can be clubbed together as what is known as the ease-of-doing-business basket.

Infrastructure plays a critical role in building an A&D manufacturing base. It requires all stakeholders to think in terms of creating the right ecosystem. The automobile manufacturing sector benefited from having ancillary hubs around large car plants located in Gurugram, Chennai and Pune. The government would do well to encourage the creation of A&D hubs too. Creating clusters helps micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that supply components and sub-assemblies to large manufacturers. The long gestation period and capital intensity often create entry barriers for SMEs in this sector. Vibrant clusters would make it easy for companies to have access to talent and create synergies on logistics.

There is already some visible success on this front. Telangana is home to the country’s first public aerospace and precision engineering special economic zone (SEZ). Karnataka too is setting up similar facilities. Boeing continues to expand its footprint in the country in the form of the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC) which is the Indian counterpart to its research and technology organization in the US.

What is required in an ideal ecosystem is the setting up of facilities which cater to multiple stages of the supply chain, all in one location. Such manufacturing hubs should ideally allow companies to carry out fabrication, machining, forging, warehousing and a whole lot more in one place. The target is to create an integrated aerospace ecosystem which enables customers to source all their requirements from one place to hasten the time-to-market.

Additionally, since the industry needs a skilled talent pool for this highly specialized industry, the creation of educational institutions and universities by the government that are tailor-made for the A&D sector, will go a long way in making India a preferred manufacturing destination. While there has been a sea change in the government’s attitude towards private companies in the A&D sector, the defence public sector undertakings, which hitherto held a monopoly, view the private sector as competition. If seen as partners and collaborators instead, the benefits for the nation could be transformative.

The Hindu's most read science stories in 2017

The Hindu's most read science stories in 2017
10) Pollution at Himalayas

Scientists reported high concentrations of sulphur on the Manali-Leh highway. It was caused by exhaust smoke from the trucks that provide supplies to the Indian army and the ones that carry tourists.

9) Launch of GSLV-MARK III

India launched a heavy rocket capable of carrying up to 4 tonnes. On June 5, it carried the GSAT-19 satellite and put it in orbit.

8) Seawater to drinking water

Scientists used graphene oxide membrane to filter the salts in seawater to make it potable.

7) Loss of India's black hole scientist

Indian scientist Prof. C.V.Vishveshwara who contributed to the theory of black holes passed away on January 16.

6) Reach red planet

Over one lakh Indians send their names to Mars. The names written on a microchip will be carried on the InSight Mars mission spacecraft next year.

5) Launch of PSLV-C38

On June 23, ISRO launched 31 satellites into space, of which 29 were from other countries.

4) 'Saraswati' galaxy

Indian astronomers spotted a new cluster of galaxies 4 billion light years away and named it 'Saraswati'.

3) 104 in one

ISRO's PSLV-C37 created history by carrying 104 satellites and placing them in their respective orbits.

2) Jamun solar cells

Scientists from IIT Roorkee used the natural pigment in jamun fruit as a photosensitiser to absorb light for use in the solar cells.

1) Genetics settles migration debate

DNA study revealed that the Aryans were migrants from Central Asia who moved to Indiaaround 2000 to 1500 BC.

What is the instant triple talaq Bill?

What is the instant triple talaq Bill?
In a majority 3:2 judgment, the Supreme Court set aside instant talaq as a "manifestly arbitrary" practice.
On Friday, The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha, and will be taken up for consideration and passing. This Bill, which makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a punishable offence, follows the Supreme Court judgment on August 22, 2017 in the case of Shayara Bano vs. Union of India.

In a majority 3:2 judgment the apex court set aside instant talaq as a "manifestly arbitrary" practice. It also said, "Given the fact that Triple Talaq is instant and irrevocable, it is obvious that any attempt at reconciliation between the husband and wife by two arbiters from their families, which is essential to save the marital tie, cannot ever take place."

What does the Bill say?
It makes the pronouncement of talaq-e-biddat "void and illegal." According to clause 3 of the Bill, "Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal."

What is the proposed punitive measure?
A man who pronounces talaq on his wife will be punished with a jail term and a fine. This Bill also makes the pronouncement of talaq-e-biddat a non-bailable offence.

Clause 4 of the Bill states, "Whoever pronounces talaq referred to in section 3 upon his wife shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine."

Clause 7 says, "an offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable and non-bailable within the meaning of the Code." (The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973)

How does this protect Muslim women's rights?
The woman upon whom talaq is pronounced will have to receive an allowance from her husband, and she retains custody of her children.

Clauses 5 and 6 of the Bill say, " a married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced, shall be entitled to receive from her husband such amount of subsistence allowance for her and dependent children," and "shall be entitled to custody of her minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her husband."

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, in the statement of objects and reasons attached to the Bill says that this legislation will, "help in ensuring the larger Constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help subserve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment."

Growing forests: on expanding good green cover

Growing forests: on expanding good green cover
A scientific national plan to expand good green cover is absolutely essential
The disclosure in Parliament that the Centre is not ready with the rules to implement the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 demonstrates that the government’s resolve to meet a variety of environmental objectives, including major commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals, remains woefully weak. It is, of course, debatable whether the Act, with the disbursal mechanism through national and State funds that it mandates, is a sound remedy for loss of rich forests that continues to occur because of developmental and biotic pressures. The evidence on compensatory afforestation in a big project such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam, for instance, is not encouraging. About 13,000 hectares were compensated there, but only with patchy outcomes: healthy monoculture plantations having low biodiversity value came up in some places, while others resulted in unhealthy plantations with few trees. Be that as it may, diversion of forests for non-forest use seems inevitable to some degree, and the accumulation of about ₹40,000 crore in compensatory funds clearly points to significant annexation of important habitats. The task is to make an assessment of suitable lands, preferably contiguous with protected areas that can be turned over for management to a joint apparatus consisting of forest department staff and scientific experts.

Putting in place a scientific national plan to expand good green cover is essential, since the sequestration of carbon through sustainably managed forests is a key component of the commitment made under the Paris Agreement. There is already a Green India Mission, which is distinct from the framework envisaged for compensatory afforestation. What the Centre needs to do is to enable independent audit of all connected programmes, in order to sensibly deploy the financial resources now available. It must be emphasised, however, that replacing a natural forest with a plantation does not really serve the cause of nature, wildlife, or the forest-dwelling communities who depend on it, because of the sheer loss of biodiversity. Yet, there is immense potential to augment the services of forests through a careful choice of plants and trees under the afforestation programme. All this can make a beginning only with the actualisation of the law passed in 2016. It is worth pointing out that the method used to calculate the net present value of forests, taking into account all ecosystem services they provide, is far from perfect, as many scientists point out. Some of the momentum for compensatory afforestation has come from judicial directives, but now that there is a new law in place, it should be given a foundation of rules that rest on scientific credibility.

Testing times: on the bad loans menace

Testing times: on the bad loans menace
Structural reforms alone offer a viable long-term solution to the bad loans mess
The Central government has been working hard to address India’s twin balance sheet problem, but it hasn’t had much to show in the form of results. The Financial Stability Report released by the Reserve Bank of India, for one, suggests that India is still far away from solving the troubles ailing its banks and large business corporations. According to the report released last week, gross non-performing assets (NPAs) in the banking system as a whole rose to 10.2% at the end of September, from 9.6% at the end of March. This, according to a research report released by CARE Ratings, puts India fifth among significant economies with the most NPAs. The RBI stated further that it expects NPAs to continue to rise to as high as 11.1% of total outstanding loans by September 2018, so the end to the bad loans mess seems nowhere near. The bad loans problem has also not spared private sector banks – these lenders have seen their asset quality deteriorate at a faster pace than public sector banks. Private bank NPAs increased by almost 41%, as compared to 17% in the case of public sector banks at the end of September. Non-banking financial companies that compete against banks also saw a jump in NPAs. There are, however, some signs of hope as credit growth has begun to turn the corner and shown faster growth on a year-on-year basis when compared to March.

Reforms undertaken until now though may not be good enough to tackle the problem. The resolution of bankruptcy cases, particularly against large borrowers that contribute a major share of bank NPAs, under the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code should help bring the NPA situation under some control. In fact, despite its many imperfections and the slow pace of resolutions by the National Company Law Tribunal, the Code can be helpful in cleaning up bank books in future credit cycles. The recapitalisation of public sector banks too can help increase the capital cushion of banks and induce them to lend more and boost economic activity. But bad debt resolution and recapitalisation are only part of the solution as they, by themselves, can do very little to rein in reckless lending that has pushed the Indian banking system to its current sorry state. Unless there are systemic reforms that address the problem of unsustainable lending, future credit cycles will continue to stress the banking system. In this regard, the government will do well to consider the recent advice of the International Monetary Fund to reduce its ownership stake in banks and give greater powers to the RBI to regulate public sector banks efficiently. Structural reforms are the only long-term solution.

UDAY States have reduced losses by ₹16,762.64 crore in FY17: Power Minister

UDAY States have reduced losses by ₹16,762.64 crore in FY17: Power Minister
Aggregate technical and commercial losses also saw 1% reduction
The financial losses of States participating in the UDAY Scheme have reduced from ₹51,589.51 crore in 2015-16 to ₹34,826.87 crore in 2016-17, R.K.Singh, Power Minister, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

States participating in UDAY saw a reduction of 1% in their aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and a ₹0.17/unit reduction in the gap between the average cost of supply and the average revenue realised in financial year 2017.

“Further, the Minister stated that tariffs are determined by the respective State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC)/Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), taking into consideration several parameters including cost of debt, power purchase costs, operation and maintenance costs, capital expenditure etc,” according to an official press release.

,,,,,Historic event will be hosted by Manipur University

The 2018 edition of the historic Indian Science Congress will be held at Manipur University, Imphal, in March.

The event was scheduled at the Osmania University (OU), Hyderabad, in the first week of January but had to be moved out due to “security problems.” This was the first time the 106-year-old ISC — the largest congregation of scientists in India — had to be postponed at the last minute.

“We’ve got confirmation from the Governor as well as the Chief Minister’s invitation to host the event at Manipur University,” Prof. Gangadhar, general secretary (Membership Affairs), Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), told The Hindu. They would soon be writing to the Prime Minister’s Office about the dates. The congress sees several students, Nobel Laureates and scientists from India’s science academies in attendance. Fresh registrations would now be required, Mr. Gangadhar said.

Since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, the ISC was traditionally the first public function the Prime Minister addressed in the calendar year.

..........The 25th edition of National Children Science Congress (NCSC-2017) was recently held Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The theme of the five-day Congress this was ‘Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development’ with the special focus on persons with disabilities

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