DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th March 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current event

Context: Tensions are rising in the South China Sea after Chinese vessels attempted to block a Philippine mission to resupply their troops on the contested reef

Background:-

• A recent incident in the area, where the Philippines claims that China Coast Guard ships caused two collisions with their boats and water cannoned one of them, has renewed global interest in the flashpoint.The Philippine vessels were part of a routine mission to deliver provisions to troops stationed on the grounded navy vessel BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal.

About Spratly Islands:-  

• The Spratly Islands are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.
• Composed of islands, islets, cays and more than 100 reefs, the archipelago lies off the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and southern Vietnam.
• The islands are largely uninhabited, but offer rich fishing grounds and may contain significant oil and natural gas reserves.
• China, the Philippines, Taiwan (ROC) and Vietnam claim the whole Spratly Islands while Brunei and Malaysia claim part of the Islands.
• China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea based on the historical and controversial Nine-dash line.
• In 2013, the Philippines had filed a case against China with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, challenging the legality of China’s claims and activities in the South China Sea.
• The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that China’s claims of historical rights over South China Sea (SCS) has no legal basis.

About Second Thomas shoal

• Second Thomas Shoal is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea.
• It is a disputed territory and claimed by several nations. The reef is occupied by Philippine Navy personnel aboard ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, that was intentionally grounded on the reef in 1999 and has been periodically replenished since then.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the strategically significant Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

Background:

• According to a Bloomberg report, India has freed up thousands of soldiers to strengthen its disputed border with China. As a response, China has said that deploying more troops at the border would not ease tensions.

About Sela Tunnel

• The foundation of the project was laid by Modi in February 2019, with a cost estimation of Rs 825 crore, but work got delayed due to various reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The Sela Tunnel, situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet, will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Strategically crucial, the Sela Tunnel project includes two tunnels and 8.780 km of approach road. The total length of the project, including the tunnels, the approach and the link roads, will be around 12 km.
• Of the two tunnels, the first is a single-tube tunnel of 980 metres in length, and the second is 1.5 km long with an escape tube for emergencies.
• An official said that the tunnel, stretching through the Sela-Charbela ridge and constructed with the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), will be the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel at an altitude of 13,000 feet.
• The tunnel has been made on the road connecting Assam’s Tezpur to Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang. It will enable all-weather connectivity to the Tawang region and is said to be strategically significant due to its proximity to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• It has been excavated below the 4,200-metre (13,800 ft) Sela Pass, which connects the Tawang district with the rest of Arunachal Pradesh and is often closed due to snowfall and landslides.

Source: Economic Times

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: The age of one of Earth’s largest and most complex types of star shaped sand dune has been calculated for the first time.

Background:

• Star dunes are among Earth’s largest and most complex types of sand dunes. Experts had never before been able to put a date on when they were formed. Now scientists have discovered that a dune called Lala Lallia in Morocco formed 13,000 years ago.

About sand dune:

• A sand dune is an accumulation of sand grains that takes the form of a mound or ridge due to the influence of wind and gravity.
• Star dunes – or pyramid dunes – are named after their distinctive shapes and reach hundreds of metres in height.

• Star dunes resembling stars when viewed from above.
• Star dunes are massive sand dunes characterized by arms radiating from a central peak.
• Star dunes are widespread in modern deserts across the globe, including sand seas in Africa, Arabia, China, and North America.

Dynamic Movement:

• Star dunes are not static; they shift and evolve over time.
• Star dunes are formed by opposing winds with changing directions.
• The Sahara’s star dunes move at an impressive pace—about 50 centimeters per year across the desert.
• Unlike other dunes, star dunes never collapse due to this continuous reorganization process.

Source: BBC

Syllabus

• Prelims – Polity

Context: Recently, the Union government has reconstituted the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).

Background:

• Kishor Makwana has taken charge as the Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). This appointment follows the resignation of former Chairman Vijay Sampla.

About NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SCHEDULED CASTES (NCSC):

• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is a constitutional body established under Article 338 of the Indian Constitution.
• Its primary goal is to fully protect the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs).
• The NCSC operates under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
• It was established to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and Anglo-Indian communities and to promote and protect their social, educational, economic, and cultural interests.

Structure

• The NCSC consists of five members including Chairperson.
• The President of India appoints the chairperson of the NCSC.
• The appointment is made by warrant under the President’s hand and seal.
• The term of office for the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and each member is three years from the date they assume charge of their office

Duties and Functions

• Investigate and monitor all matters related to the safeguards provided for Scheduled Castes under the Constitution or any other law.
• Inquire into specific complaints regarding the deprivation of rights and safeguards of Scheduled Castes.
• Participate in and advise the planning process for socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes.
• Present annual reports to the President, evaluating the working of safeguards and making recommendations.
• Discharge other functions related to the protection, welfare, and development of Scheduled Castes as specified by the President.

Powers

• While investigating any matter, the Commission has the powers of a civil court.
• It can regulate its own procedure.
• Both the Union and State Governments consult the Commission on major policy matters affecting Scheduled Castes.

Source: PIB

Syllabus

• Prelims – Polity

Context: Recently, Sudha Murthy was nominated as a Member of Rajya Sabha.

Background:

• Sudha Murthy, who is married to the co-founder of Infosys, N. R. Narayana Murty, has made significant contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy, and education. Last year, she was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in recognition of her outstanding social work.

About Raja Sabha:

• The Rajya Sabha, also known as the Upper House of Parliament, is modelled after the House of Lords in the United Kingdom.

Composition of the Rajya Sabha:

• It consists of a total of 245 members, including 233 elected members and 12 nominated members.
• The constitutional limit for the Upper House’s strength is 250 members.
• The number of elected seats varies based on states’ population, which can change due to mergers, bifurcations, or the creation of new states.
• The nominated members are chosen by the President of India and come from fields such as art, literature, science, and social service.

Tenure and Permanent House:

• The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution.
• However, like the Lok Sabha, it can be prorogued by the President.
• Every Rajya Sabha MP has a tenure of six years, and elections to one-third seats are held every two years.
• The Vice-President is the ex-officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
• The Deputy Chairman, who is elected from amongst the house’s members, takes care of the day-to-day matters of the house in the absence of the Chairman.

Election Process:

• Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by the people through the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
• Members of a state’s Legislative Assembly vote in the Rajya Sabha elections in proportional representation with the single transferable vote (STV) system.
• Each MLA’s vote is counted only once.
• To win a Rajya Sabha seat, a candidate should get a required number of votes.
• That number is found out using the formula:

Required vote = Total number of votes / (Number of Rajya Sabha seats + 1 ) + 1

Nominated Members:

• The President of India nominates these 12 members from individuals who have special knowledge or practical experience in art, literature, science, and social service.
• This principle of nomination is adopted to provide distinguished persons a place in the Rajya Sabha without going through the process of election.

Source: Livemint

Previous Year Question

Q1. Consider the following statements:

1. The Rajya Sabha has no power either to reject or to amend a Money Bill.
2. The Rajya Sabha cannot vote on the Demands for Grants.
3. The Rajya Sabha cannot discuss the Annual Financial Statement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 4

Context: There were a series of lawsuits and a criminal case arising out of fatal Tesla accidents.

Background:

• The issue has become serious as machines become more and more autonomous.

About Self-Driving Cars:

• It is a vehicle capable of sensing its environment and operating without human involvement.
• A human passenger is not required to take control of the vehicle at any time, nor is a human passenger required to be present in the vehicle at all.
• It can go anywhere a traditional car goes and does everything that an experienced human driver does.
• One of the biggest dilemmas of self-driving cars is whether it would be right to hand over the control to the driver at the last instant. This will not only raise a question about the ethics of self-driving cars but also the ethics of the driver.
• Self-driving cars are robots that have been programmed using algorithms. So, they are most likely to follow set rules or patterns in all cases.
• There is a debate about who should decide the ethics of self-driving cars. It can be argued that no one is the right owner to decide the ethics of self-driving cases. The decision must lie in the hands of the driver of the car.
• Some also argue that the best way for a self-driving car is to make an impartial decision in case of accidents. They must not discriminate between humans based on age, gender, or other parameters. They should always make the decision that causes the least impact.
• There is always a risk of a cyber-criminal hacking into the car’s system to gain access to sensitive data or to carry out a misdeed.

Source: Forbes

Q1.)Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:

Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by the people through the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

Statement-II:

The ex-officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha nominates these 12 members from individuals who have special knowledge or practical experience in art, literature, science, and social service.

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

Q2.) Consider the following statements about the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC):

1. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is a constitutional body.
2. The Chairperson of the NCSC is appointed by the Prime Minister of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3.) With reference to Desert Star dunes, consider the following statements:

1. Star dunes are formed by opposing winds with changing directions.
2. Unlike other dunes, star dunes never collapse due to the continuous reorganization process.
3. Star dunes are currently found in deserts of African region only.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  12th March  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

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