DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims –POLITY

Context: Recently, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) draft report was approved by the Uttarakhand Cabinet.

Background:-

• It was tabled in the state assembly as a bill for enactment.

About Uniform Civil Code (UCC):-

• UCC is a generic set of governing laws for every citizen without taking into consideration religion.
• The Constitution in Article 44 requires the State to strive to secure for its citizens a Uniform Civil Code(UCC) throughout India. (Uniform Civil Code)
  • Article 44:According to this article, “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”.

Historical Background:-

• The Supreme Court for the first time directed the Parliament to frame a UCC in the case of Mohammad Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum in the year 1985.
• In this case, Shah Bano claimed maintenance from her husband under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure after she was given triple talaq by him.
• However, the government overturned the Shah Bano case decision by way of the Muslim Women (Right to Protection on Divorce) Act, 1986 which curtailed the right of a Muslim woman to maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Need of UCC:-

Gender Justice:–

• It is commonly observed that personal laws of almost all religions are discriminatory towards women.
• Men are usually granted upper preferential status in matters of succession and inheritance.
• Muslim men are allowed to marry multiple wives, but women are forbidden from having multiple husbands.
• Even after the 2005 amendment to the Hindu Succession Act, women are still considered part of their husband’s families after marriage.
• So, in case a Hindu widow dies without any heirs or will, her property will automatically go to her husband’s family.
• Men (fathers) are also treated as ‘natural guardians’ and are given preference under the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act.
• A uniform civil code will establish gender justice by bringing both men and women to par.

Promote national unity:

• A unified personal law irrespective of gender, caste, creed, etc. will boost national unity and solidarity.

Simplification of laws: It will eliminate the overlapping of laws. Different personal laws (Codified and Uncodified) practised in India:-

• Hindu Personal Law
  • Hindu personal law is codified in four bills: the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act.
  • The term ‘Hindu’ also includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists for the purpose of these laws.
  • It was codified by the Parliament in 1956.
• Muslim personal laws
  • A 1939 Act enacted by the British said that their personal Law (ie, the Shariat) would govern Muslims.
  • The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937 is a short statute with five provisions.
  • It covers provisions of marriage, divorce, children’s custody or inheritance Intestate succession, dissolution of marriage etc.
• Secular’ laws:-
  • These laws disregard religion altogether. These include:

1. Special Marriage Act: for Inter-religion marriages and
2. Guardians and Wards Act: establishes the rights and duties of guardians.

• Other laws:-
  • In the Northeast, there are more than 200 tribes with their own varied customary laws.
  • Apart from it, different personal laws also govern Christians and Jews.
• Thus, a UCC will simplify these laws into one standard.

 MUST READ: Debate over Uniform Civil Code

SOURCE: TIMES OF INDIA

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) In essence, what does ‘Due Process of Law’ mean? (2023)

1. The principle of natural justice
2. The procedure established by law
3. Fair application of law
4. Equality before law

Q.2) In India, which one of the following (2023)

Constitutional Amendments were widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of Fundamental Rights.

1. 1st Amendment
2. 42nd Amendment
3. 44th Amendment
4. 86th Amendment

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Context: Recently, the Karnataka government suspended five officers for dereliction of duty in the implementation of the Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme.

Background:-

• An FIR has been registered against 56 officials of the department and 22 NGOs.

About Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme:-

• Launched:
• Ministry: Ministry of Education.
• Objective: To enable all students with disabilities, to pursue further four years of secondary schooling after completing eight years of elementary schooling in an inclusive and enabling environment.

Historical Background:-

• The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) and provides assistance for the inclusive education of disabled children in classes IX-XII.
• This scheme is now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013.
• The States/UTs are also in the process of subsuming under RMSA as RMSA subsumed Scheme.

Salient Features:-

• The scheme covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools, with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) in class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc.
• Girls with disabilities receive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as well as to information and guidance for developing their potential.
• Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged under the scheme.

Components:-

• Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching-learning materials, etc.
• Other components include the appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, the orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier-free environment, etc.

Implementing Agency:-

• The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies.
• They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.

Financial Assistance:-

• Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on a 100 per cent basis.
• The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarships of Rs. 600/- per disabled child per annum.

 MUST READ:  SVANidhi se Samriddhi program

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy: (2023)

1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for preschool children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with a special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Q.2) Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana: (2023)

1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNANCE

Context: Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) developed the National Terrorism Data Fusion & Analysis Centre (NTDFAC).

Background:-

• It made the government collect and compile information on terrorists and their associates from various sources.

About National Terrorism Data Fusion & Analysis Centre (NTDFAC):-

• Inaugurated: January 2024.
• The National Terrorism Data Fusion & Analysis Centre (NTDFAC) will collect data from a variety of sources, including the NIA’s National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), and the National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-Offenders, which compiles narcotics offenders’ source of funding, available pictures and info cribbed from the internet.
• Combined, the various databases will allow Indian intelligence to access subjects’ histories, fingerprints, videos, pictures, social media profiles and information on affiliated terror groups.
• NAFIS holds 9.2 million biometric records, and data from more than 22,000 terrorism cases is being added from the Integrated Monitoring of Terrorism system.
• It also includes a facial recognition system to scan CCTV footage for the faces of suspects.
• It has been modelled along the lines of the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) of the US.

Significance:-

• It will serve as a centralized database and analysis centre for information related to terrorism and terrorists operating in the country.

 MUST READ: Terrorism & its financing

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in the maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/ coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some states.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q.2) Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries? (2019)

1. Japan
2. Russia
3. The United Kingdom
4. The United States of America

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNANCE

Context: Recently, GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite Portal have been launched .

Background:-

• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), has developed and launched a portal namely GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite (Portal for Restoration and Repatriation of Child).

About GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite Portal:-

• It is a portal to digitally monitorand track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocols under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Rules thereof.( The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021)
• Objective: to digitally monitor and track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocol.
• Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Important Features:-

• Digital tracking and monitoring of children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.
• Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State.
• It will help in speedy repatriation of children.
• Where there is a requirement for a translator/interpreter/expert, a request will be made to the concerned State Government.
• Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case of the child.
• A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.
• A list of government-implemented schemes will be provided so that at the time of restoration the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that the child remains with his/her family.

 MUST READ: Changes in Juvenile Justice Act

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) In India, the term “Public Key Infrastructure” is used in the context of (2020)

1. Digital security infrastructure
2. Food security infrastructure
3. Health care and education infrastructure
4. Telecommunication and transportation infrastructure

Q.2) Recognition of the Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to (2017)

1. Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
2. (b)Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
3. (c)Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.
4. (d)Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Syllabus

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: Recently, Scientists have discovered that a shallow “soda lake” in western Canada.

Background:-

• It could be a good match for Darwin’s “warm little ponds” where life got started on the primordial Earth.

About Soda Lake:-

• It is a lake with a pH value usually between 9 and 11.
• A soda lake or alkaline lake is a lake on the strongly alkaline side of neutrality, typically with a pH value between 9 and 12.
• High carbonate concentration, especially sodium carbonate, is responsible for the alkalinity of the water.
• Geological, climatic, and geographic requirements are required for a lake to become.
• A topography that limits the outflow of water from the lake is needed.
• These are the most productive aquatic environments on Earth because of the availability of dissolved carbon dioxide.
• They occur naturally in both arid and semi-arid areas.
• These are dominated by prokaryotes like bacteria and archaea, especially in lakes with higher levels of alkalinity.

MUST READ: Chilka lake

SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert?

1. Lake Victoria
2. Lake Faguibine
3. Lake Oguta
4. Lake Volta

Q.2) The term “Levant” often heard in the news roughly corresponds to which of the following regions?

1. Region along the eastern Mediterranean shores
2. Region along North African shores stretching from Egypt to Morocco
3. Region along Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa
4. The entire coastal Mediterranean Sea of areas

Syllabus

• Prelims –DEFENSE

Context: Recently, Exercise Vayu Shakti-24 took place.

Background:-

• The Indian Air Force will be conducting it.

About Exercise Vayu Shakti-24:-

• Date: 17 February 2024.
• Venue: Pokhran Air to Ground Range, near Jaisalmer.
• The exercise will also showcase joint operations with the Indian Army.
• This year, the exercise will see participation by 121 aircraft, including the indigenous Tejas, Prachand and Dhruv.
• Other participating aircrafts: Rafale, Mirage-2000, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Jaguar, Hawk, C-130J, Chinook, Apache and Mi-17.
• Indigenous Surface to Air Weapon systems Akash and Samar will demonstrate their capability to track and shoot down an intruding aircraft.
• Exercise Vayu Shakti will be a demonstration of the IAF’s capability to deliver weapons with long range, precision capability as well as conventional weapon accurately, on time and with devastating effect, while operating from multiple air bases.
• The Indian Air Force is slated to carry out three large-scale war games namely, Vayu Shakti, Gagan Shakti and Tarang Shakti.
• Special operations by the IAF transport and helicopter fleets, involving the Garuds and Indian Army elements will also be on display.

 MUST READ: Exercise ‘Varuna’ 2023

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in the maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/ coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some states.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q.2) Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries? (2019)

1. Japan
2. Russia
3. The United Kingdom
4. The United States of America

Q1) Consider the following pairs:

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I :

GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite Portal have been launched by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

Statement-II :

It will help in speedy repatriation of children.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) With reference to Soda Lake, consider the following statements:

1. These are the most productive aquatic environments on Earth because of the availability of dissolved carbon dioxide.
2. They occur naturally in both arid and semi-arid areas.
3. These are dominated by prokaryotes like bacteria and archaea, especially in lakes with higher levels of alkalinity.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 2 only
2. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1 only

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  7th February  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – c