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

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – HISTORY

Context: Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as Lok Nayak, was born on 11 October 1902 in Bihar’s Saran district. As we commemorate his 122nd birth anniversary this year, his legacy as a people’s leader and champion of their cause continues to inspire.

Background: –

• He played a noteworthy role in the Indian national struggle and especially in leading the call for ‘Total Revolution‘ during the Emergency.

Key takeaways

• The first encounter of Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) with freedom struggle happened during the Swadeshi movement. He gave up his foreign clothes and footwear in support. From the beginning, he was influenced by Gandhi.
• In December 1920, Gandhi visited Patna with the message of Non-cooperation. Inspired by his speech, JP wanted to invest all his time into political work but was held back by apprehension. His misgivings disappeared when Maulana Abul Kalam Azad visited Patna and prompted students. JP quit college and became part of the Non-Cooperation Movement. In 1922, he left India to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where Karl Marx’s ideas influenced him.
• In 1929, upon returning to India, he joined the Indian National Congress. During the Civil Disobedience Movement, when all the prominent leaders were arrested, JP kept the Congress functional. He began working on building an extensive illegal underground network distributing literature and recruiting supporters. Several warrants were issued against him, eventually leading to his arrest in 1932.
• Influenced by Socialist ideas, the young congressmen in Bihar founded the Bihar Socialist Party in 1931, JP was associated with the organisation since its inception. JP became instrumental in the formation of the All India Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in 1934 with Narendra Deva as president and himself as secretary.
• It was during the Quit India Movement (1942) that JP came to the forefront. He along with Ram Manohar Lohia and Aruna Asaf Ali, took charge of the movement after all the senior leaders were arrested. Soon, he was also arrested under Defence India Rules. He was taken to Hazari Bagh Central Jail from where he escaped in November 1942.
• JP organised an “Azaad Dasta” (armed guerrilla revolutionaries) in Nepal after escaping from jail. JP hoped to launch a countrywide revolution. However, he was arrested in September 1943, exactly ten months and ten days after he escaped from Hazaribagh jail. It was only in 1946 that he was released from jail.
• Following Independence, JP took the CSP out of the Congress and formed the Socialist Party, which he merged with J B Kripalani’s Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party to form the Praja Socialist Party. Soon afterward, after turning down Nehru’s calls to join the ministry, JP decided to walk away from electoral politics and involved himself with Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan movement.
• In March 1974, students in Bihar protesting against rising prices and unemployment, invited JP, who has given up from active politics, to guide the student movement. JP accepted it on one condition that the movement will remain non-violent and will not limit itself to Bihar.  JP demanded the dismissal of the Congress government in Bihar and gave a call for a “total revolution“ in the social, economic, and political spheres.
• A massive protest was organised in Delhi’s Ramlila grounds on 25 June 1975 where JP announced a nationwide satyagraha for then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi’s resignation and asked the army, the police, and government employees not to obey “illegal and immoral orders”. In response, the government declared a state of emergency on 25 June 1975.
• The General Elections were called in 1977. The election results turned into a referendum on Emergency, at least in north India. Indira Gandhi’s government was defeated, paving the way for the formation of the first-ever non-Congress government at the Centre. Throughout the Emergency, JP fought vigorously against the authoritarian and became a beacon of hope in the face of adversity.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – ENVIRONMENT

Context: Plant cover across the Antarctic Peninsula, a long, mountainous extension of Antarctica that points north towards South America, has increased more than 10 times over the past few decades due to rising temperatures, a new study says.

Background: –

• In March 2022, Antarctica experienced its most intense heatwave — temperatures in East Antarctica soared to 39 degrees Celsius above normal.

How quickly is Antarctica warming?

• The continent is warming twice as fast as the global average, at a rate of between 0.22 degrees Celsius and 0.32 degrees Celsius per decade currently. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN body that advances scientific knowledge about climate change, has estimated that the Earth as a whole is warming at the rate of 0.14-0.18 degrees Celsius per decade.
• The situation in the Antarctic Peninsula is worse than in the rest of Antarctica — it is warming five times faster than the global average. The Antarctic Peninsula is now almost 3 degrees Celsius warmer on average than in 1950.
• Antarctica has also been experiencing record-breaking heatwaves, especially during the height of its winter season (which is summer in the northern hemisphere).

What has the study found?

• Researchers used satellite imagery and data to conclude that the extent of vegetation – mostly mosses and lichen – in the Antarctic Peninsula has increased 14 times in just 35 years.
• Rising temperatures in Antarctica have also resulted in a rapid decrease in the extent of sea ice — the 2024 extent was the second smallest of the satellite record, only slightly more than the record low set in 2023. Warmer open seas may be leading to wetter conditions that favour plant growth.

Why should we worry about increased vegetation in Antarctica?

• Mosses can colonise bare rock and create the foundation of soils that could in milder conditions make the continent more favourable for the growth of other invasive species that could threaten native flora and fauna.
• Increase in plant life could also reduce the Antarctic Peninsula’s ability to reflect sunlight (solar energy) back to Space — a darker surface absorbs more solar radiation. This could further increase ground temperatures, with local and global repercussions.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY

Context: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has begun the process of formulating a National Agriculture Code (NAC).

Background: –

• On the lines of the existing National Building Code, the NAC will set standards across the agriculture cycle, from field preparation to storage of produce.

What is the National Agriculture Code?

• The BIS is the national body which sets standards for different products across various sectors. In agriculture, it has already set standards for machinery (tractors, harvesters, etc.) and various inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, etc.)
• However, there are still many areas not covered by the BIS standards. For example, there is no standard for agriculture practices like preparation of fields, micro irrigation and water use.
• The NAC will cover the entire agriculture cycle. The code will have two parts.
• The first will contain general principles for all crops, and the second will deal with crop-specific standards for the likes of paddy, wheat, oilseeds, and pulses. The NAC will serve as a guide for farmers, agriculture universities, and officials.

What will the NAC cover?

• In addition to standards for agriculture machinery, the NAC will cover all agriculture processes and post-harvest operations, such as crop selection, land preparation, sowing/transplanting, irrigation/drainage, soil health management, plant health management, harvesting/threshing, primary processing, post-harvest, sustainability, and record maintenance. It will also include standards for input management, like use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and weedicides, as well as standards for crop storage and traceability.
• NAC will cover all new and emerging areas like natural farming and organic farming, as well as the use of Internet-of-Things in the field of agriculture.

What are Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farms?

• BIS has also taken an initiative for setting up of ‘Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm’ (SADF) in selected agriculture institutes in the country.
• SADF will serve as experimental sites for testing and implementing various agricultural practices and new technologies in accordance with Indian Standards.
• For the development of these specialised farms, the BIS plans to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with premier agricultural institutes.
• BIS will provide financial assistance to these institutes for setting up the SADFs, where anyone including officials responsible for extension activities, farmers or industry people can come and learn. China has already successfully demonstrated the working of such SADFs.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains- ENVIRONMENT

Context: A two-day vulture survey that concluded in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary recently, has recorded the presence of 80 vultures across nine locations.

Background:

• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary remains one of Kerala’s last bastions for vultures, whose survival is closely tied to apex predators like tigers and leopards.

About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), located in the state of Kerala, is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• It is located in the southern part of the famous Western Ghats. The sanctuary lies at an elevation ranging from 700 to 2100 meters.

• Established in 1973, the sanctuary spans approximately 344.44 square kilometers and lies between the famous protected areas of Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu. It is divided into four hill ranges: Sulthan Bathery, Muthanga, Kurichiat, and Tholpetty.
• Kuruma, Paniya, Kattunaicka, Urali, Kurichiar and Adiyar are some of the tribal communities that inhabit this area.

Flora

• The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is predominantly covered by tropical moist deciduous forests, with patches of semi-evergreen forests.

Fauna

• The sanctuary is home to an array of wildlife, including several endangered and endemic species. It forms a key part of the migratory corridor for elephants and tigers.
• Wayanad is known for its large elephant population. The sanctuary hosts a significant number of Bengal tigers, which frequently move between Wayanad and the adjacent Nagarhole-Bandipur-Mudumalai complex.
• Leopards, Wild Boar, Indian Bison (Gaur), Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer (Chital), Nilgai, Bonnet Macaques, and Indian Wild Dogs (Dholes) are commonly found.

Source: The Hindu

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – ART & CULTURE

Context: A Brahmi inscription found in Dharanikota village at Amaravathi mandal in Palnadu district.

Background: –

• The place is historically known for its rich Buddhist culture.

About  Brahmi Script:

• Origin: The Brahmi script is believed to have originated around the 3rd century BCE and is one of the oldest writing systems in the Indian subcontinent.
• Discovery: It was deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837, providing key insights into inscriptions and historical records from ancient India.
• Period: It was predominantly used during the Maurya Dynasty, especially during the reign of Emperor Ashoka.
• Inscriptions: Most famous for being the script in which Ashoka’s edicts were written, providing a wealth of information on his administration and Buddhist principles.

Key Features

• Brahmi is an abugida and uses a system of diacritical marks to associate vowels with consonant symbols.
• Direction: The script is written from left to right.
• Brahmi evolved over time,  with variations such as Early Brahmi (or Ashokan Brahmi), Middle Brahmi (or Kushana Brahmi), and Late Brahmi (or Gupta Brahmi).
• Languages: Originally used for Prakrit, it was later adapted to write several languages, including Sanskrit.

Importance in Indian Epigraphy

• Brahmi is regarded as the mother of all Indian scripts, giving rise to:
  • Devanagari, which is used for writing Sanskrit, Hindi, and several other modern Indian languages.
  • Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, and Gujarati scripts, among others.
• The widespread usage of Brahmi in Ashoka’s inscriptions, spread across India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, attests to its importance in unifying communication across the Mauryan Empire.

Significance

• Cultural Impact: Brahmi played a crucial role in the dissemination of Buddhist teachings and governance principles through inscriptions and manuscripts.
• Literary Development: It laid the foundation for the development of Indian literature, enabling the preservation and transmission of religious texts like Buddhist and Jain scriptures.
• Indo-European Linguistics: The decipherment of Brahmi was pivotal in the study of the Indo-European language family and understanding linguistic changes over time.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) With reference to Jayaprakash Narayan, consider the following statements:

1. Jayaprakash Narayan was instrumental in forming the All India Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in 1934.
2. He played a key role in leading the Quit India Movement after many senior leaders were arrested in 1942.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) Consider the following statements regarding Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary:

1. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
2. The sanctuary is an important migratory corridor for both elephants and Bengal tigers.
3. The dominant vegetation type in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is dry deciduous forests.
4. The sanctuary shares its borders with the protected areas of Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2, and 4 only

(b) 1, 3, and 4 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 2 only

Q3.) Consider the following statements regarding the Brahmi script:

1. Brahmi is written from right to left.
2. It was deciphered by James Prinsep in the 19th century.
3. The Brahmi script is the precursor to modern Indian scripts like Devanagari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

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

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

Q.1) –  c

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – b