Syllabus

• Mains – GS 3

Context: On October 17, eight coaches of the Agartala-Lokmanya Tilak Express derailed in Assam. On October 11, a passenger train rear-ended a stationary goods train near Chennai. Indian trains have been involved in multiple accidents of late.

Background: –

• The Balasore accident on June 2, 2023, had the greatest death toll, more than 275, yet pressure on the Railways to improve safety competes with pressures straining its subsistence.

Frequency of Railway Accidents:

• Accidents have reduced from 1,390 per year in the 1960s to 80 per year in the last decade.
• There were still 34 consequential accidents in 2021-2022, 48 in 2022-23, and 40 in 2023-2024. A consequential accident injures and/or kills people, damages railway infrastructure, and disrupts rail traffic.
• 8% of all accidents involving trains have been due to the failure of Railway staff and another 28.4% due to failures on the part of non-staff people. Equipment failure accounted for 6.2%

‘Kavach’ – Automatic Train Protection System:

• The ‘Kavach’ system is designed to prevent collisions using devices that allow pilots to track the relative location of their vehicles and which can actuate alarms and automated braking protocols.
• By February 2024, the Railways had installed ‘Kavach’ on 1,465 route km, or 2% of its total route length.

Railway Operating Ratio (OR):

• The operating ratio (OR) — the amount the Railways spends to earn ₹100 — in 2024-2025 is estimated to be ₹98.2, a small improvement from 2023-2024 (₹98.7) but a decline from ₹97.8 in 2016.
• Higher OR limits capex and increases dependence on budgetary support and Extra-Budgetary Resources (EBRs).
• In 2016-2017, the government brought the railway budget under the regular budget. One outcome was easier access for the Railways to gross budgetary support.

Freight Services and Congestion:

• The Railways’ two main internal revenue sources are passenger services and freight. Freight contributes 65% of Railway revenue. Freight rates increased faster than passenger rates in 2009-2019.
• 30% of the railway network operates over 100% capacity, leading to slow freight movement (~26 km/hr in 2016).
• Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs): Eastern DFC fully operational; the western DFC is partly ready; the east coast, east-west sub-corridor, and north-south sub-corridor DFCs are still in planning.
• Coal accounts for 45% of volume and 50% of freight revenue, but government emphasis on renewable energy may reduce this.
• The Railways’ freight profit is offset significantly by passenger losses.
• More expensive AC coaches are being introduced to boost revenue, while fare rationalization last occurred in 2020.

Railways’ Safety and Capacity Challenges:

• Railways is caught between being an affordable transport provider and a profitable business.
• Losses compounded by rising wage, pension, and fuel costs.
• High network congestion limits safety upgrades and adds to the stress of locomotive pilots working 12-hour shifts.
• The Kavach system and other indigenous safety systems have limited utility in heavily congested zones.
• In sum, the Railways’ inability to generate revenue to plug gaps in the gross budgetary support, burgeoning demands on its revenue receipts, and growing pressure to ease congestion and improve physical capacity mean it’s constantly playing catch-up.

Source: The Hindu

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: November 26 this year will mark the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India.

Background: –

• Constitutional governance goes beyond laws, shaping a deep constitutional culture in India that spans diverse cultures, faiths, and beliefs.

Core constitutional values that have shaped constitutional culture of India

Respect for democratic institutions

• The extraordinary improvement in the standards of living and the quality of life (as exemplified by improved life expectancy from 32 in 1949 to around 70 now) has contributed in a significant manner for the ordinary Indian to respect the role and the contribution of democratic institutions.
• Since the first elections in 1951-52, we have consistently witnessed nearly 60% of Indians participating in elections including in the 2024 general election where there was a a 65.79% voter turnout.
• The respect for democracy and faith in democratic institutions in India is a core constitutional value that has withstood the test of time.

Second, the smooth transition of elected governments.

• India’s political landscape is marked by smooth transitions of power post-elections, regardless of ideological differences between parties.
• High-intensity campaigns give way to acceptance of results, reflecting the people’s decisive role in elections.

Upholding rights : protection of rights and freedoms through courts

• While drafting the provisions relating to fundamental rights, the members of the Constituent Assembly were mindful of the power of state. They could have tilted towards the idea of a benevolent state. However, their deep scepticism of the state apparatus and commitment towards protecting individual rights reflected a far-sighted vision.
• This vision of recognising the role of the state, while being conscious of the fact that rights and freedoms are paramount, is a core constitutional value that has only been strengthened over the years.

Fourth, federalism as a facet of constitutional governance.

• The framers of the Constitution created different forms of autonomy and special privileges for different States keeping in mind their unique histories and cultures.
• Over the last seven decades, the idea of federalism has further deepened at least at two levels: first, the rise of State-level political parties across India. Second, the passing of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which led to the establishment of panchayati raj institutions and nagarpalikas.

Role of the media and civil society in instilling faith in democracy :

• The Indian media is a diverse and heterogeneous institution with views and perspectives that are generated across India in different languages.
• While we need to be critical of the challenges of the autonomy and the independence of media, it is equally important to recognise the values of transparency that have been part of the media culture.

A miracle that is India

• After Independence, the last British commander in chief of the Indian Army, General Claude Auchinleck had observed, “The Sikhs may try to set up a separate regime. I think they probably will and that will be only a start of a general decentralization and break-up of the idea that India is a country, whereas it is a subcontinent as varied as Europe. The Punjabi is as different from a Madrassi as a Scot is from an Italian. The British tried to consolidate it but achieved nothing permanent. No one can make a nation out of a continent of many nations.”
• We proved many people wrong in not only forging a national identity of a nation that is built on constitutional ideals but we have also made the Constitution an instrument of galvanising social conscience and political consciousness.

Source: The Hindu

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 3

Context: Geoffrey Hinton, co-winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize for Physics and a pioneer in deep learning, had expressed regret over his life’s work due to the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Background: –

• Hinton resigned from his advisory role at Google in 2023 to speak freely about AI risks, particularly its ability to develop self-prioritized “sub-goals” that prioritised their own expansion and the danger of falling into the wrong hands, like those of authoritarian leaders.

Key takeaways

AI’s Superior Learning Capacity:

• Hinton highlighted AI’s superior learning capabilities compared to humans, including its rapid ability to share knowledge across connected machines, making it a powerful tool that could surpass human intelligence.
• He voiced concern about AI’s misuse, suggesting that global powers could weaponize AI, similar to nuclear arms.

Ilya Sutskever’s Concerns:

• Ilya Sutskever, Hinton’s former student and OpenAI’s Chief Scientist, shares Hinton’s concerns. He voted to fire Sam Altman, believing that OpenAI was prioritizing profit over its original mission to develop safe AI.
• Hinton expressed pride in Sutskever’s stance, reflecting ongoing tensions between AI’s commercial goals and ethical responsibilities.

Historical Parallel: Einstein’s Regrets:

• Hinton’s AI concerns mirror the regrets of Albert Einstein, who co-signed a letter to President Roosevelt in 1939. The letter was essentially a plea to Roosevelt to fund and thoroughly investigate uranium and atomic bomb research.
• This letter became the impetus for the Manhattan Project, which ultimately led to the U.S. dropping atomic bombs on Japan, resulting in mass casualties. Einstein later regretted his role, calling it the “one great mistake” of his life.

Unintended Consequences of Technological Advances:

• The atomic age unleashed a global arms race, leading to over 12,000 nuclear warheads today, most held by the U.S. and Russia.
• Despite the promise of nuclear power, it only accounts for 10% of global electricity, with its legacy overshadowed by its destructive potential.

AI’s Potential Risks and Regulation:

• Hinton has called for AI regulation to prevent the monopolization of technology by corporations, which could parallel the mistakes made with nuclear power.
• AI’s expansion, especially under corporate control, threatens to kill more jobs than it creates, raising concerns about its long-term societal impact.
• The rise of AI calls for careful regulation to avoid repeating historical mistakes like the uncontrolled nuclear arms race. Hinton’s warning emphasizes the need for ethical AI development and global cooperation.

Source: The Hindu

 Syllabus

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: New research by South African ecologists has refuted the claim that the African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) tree is dying due to climate change.

Background:

• Known as the ‘Tree of Life’, baobab trees define African landscapes and some are known to exist for over 1,000 years, thus becoming one of the largest living beings on the planet.

Key takeaways

• There are nine species of the Baobab tree, six of which are native to Madagascar, two to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and one to Australia.
• They are typically found in semi-arid regions and are a prominent part of the African savannah ecosystem.
• The Baobab is known for its distinctive, thick trunk that can store water during dry periods, and it can live for over a thousand years.
• The tree has a large swollen trunk, often referred to as a “bottle tree,” due to its capacity to store up to 100,000 liters of water.
• The leaves are deciduous, falling during the dry season, and the tree has a broad canopy.  The trees that can grow up to 30 meters (100 feet) tall.
• The fruit of the baobab, known as “monkey bread,” is highly nutritious and rich in vitamin C, calcium, and antioxidants.
• Baobab trees are found in several places in India, including:
  • Mandu, Madhya Pradesh: This town is home to around 1,000 baobab trees, which are also known as Mandu ki Imli. The trees were brought to Mandu by African traders more than 4,000 years ago. The Bhil tribe has protected the trees for centuries, and the fruit is a source of livelihood for the community.
  • Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh: Baobab trees have been recorded in this city.
  • Mumbai: Baobab trees are part of the city’s landscape and history, but their numbers have declined due to construction projects.

Source: Down To Earth

 Syllabus

• Prelims – INTERNATIONAL

Context: The 2024 edition of the IAEA’s Climate Change and Nuclear Power report has been released.

Background: –

• Nuclear power is enjoying increasing interest as countries seek to strengthen energy security and decarbonize. A rapid expansion of clean energy technologies is required to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and nuclear power is expected to play a key role, with the IAEA projecting a capacity increase of 2.5 times the current level by mid-century in its high case scenario.

About International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

• Founded in 1957 as an autonomous international organization under the United Nations (UN).
• The Agency’s genesis was U.S. President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on 8 December 1953.
• Its primary mandate is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy while ensuring that nuclear technology is not diverted for military purposes, especially for nuclear weapons.
• Headquarters: Though governed by its own founding treaty, the organization reports to both the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations, and is headquartered at the UN Office at Vienna, Austria.

Key Objectives:

• To promote safe and secure use of nuclear energy for power generation, medical purposes, and agricultural uses.
• To monitor and verify compliance with nuclear non-proliferation treaties such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
• To ensure that nuclear materials are not diverted from peaceful uses to military or weapons programs.

Functions:

• Safeguards and Verification: Conducts inspections of nuclear facilities to verify that nuclear materials are not being diverted to weapons programs.
• Technical Cooperation: Provides assistance to member states in the peaceful use of nuclear technology for various sectors, such as healthcare, agriculture, and industry.
• Safety and Security: Promotes nuclear safety standards and assists countries in implementing measures to secure nuclear materials and facilities.
• Nuclear Energy Development: Facilitates the sharing of information and best practices related to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
• Membership: Membership is open to all UN members and others willing to abide by the agency’s statute.
• Nobel Peace Prize: The IAEA, along with its Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes.

India and IAEA:

• India is a founding member of the IAEA.
• Following the ratification of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1968, all non-nuclear powers are required to negotiate a safeguards agreement with the IAEA, which is given the authority to monitor nuclear programs and to inspect nuclear facilities.
• India signed a safeguards agreement with the IAEA in 2009 as part of the India-U.S. Civil Nuclear Agreement, allowing IAEA to inspect its civilian nuclear facilities.
• India contributes to IAEA activities such as nuclear safety, security, and technical cooperation.

Source: IAEA

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 4

Context: The Tamil Nadu government is deliberating a potential ban on online games from midnight to 5 AM in response to the rising concerns over addiction and financial stress caused by online gambling.

Background: –

• The state has witnessed a troubling increase in suicides linked to online gaming losses, with over 30 reported cases so far.

Online Gaming:

• It refers to mobile games or video games that are played over the internet through various devices.
• It involves collaborative gameplay in which player connections are facilitated through the internet.

Ethical Concerns with Online Gaming:

• Gaming involves skill-based activities, strategic thinking, and immersive experiences, while gambling entails wagering money on uncertain outcomes with chance playing a critical role. There are concerns with online gaming platforms promoting gambling.
• There are issues related to privacy concerns and data consent as online gaming platforms meticulously track player actions and interactions, profiling player behaviour while also providing personalized experiences.
• It brings into the picture the issue of fair play as real money game outcomes can be manipulated by malicious actors undermining the integrity of competitions and financial loss to users.
• There have been instances of disruptive behaviours like harassment, cheating, bullying, identity theft, and abuse which compromises user protection.
• It has raised concerns related to virtue ethics as in-game characters’ traits displayed in action influence players’ ethical decision-making in real life.

Regulatory Framework for Gaming in India:

• Entry No. 34 of List II (State List), gives the state legislators the exclusive power to make laws relating to Gaming, Betting, and Gambling.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has established a central legal framework for online gaming via amendments to the Information Technology, Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules of 2021 that aims to prevent gambling, user harm, and money laundering, especially in case of access to “online real-money games” to the public.
• Consumer Protection Act of 2019 applies to online gaming in India and protects consumers’ rights to safety, be informed, seek redressal, be heard, and choose.
• The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is the central law governing gambling in all its forms.
• The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of 2023 aims to safeguard individual privacy and regulate data processing.
• The Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998 considers the lottery as legal in India, provided that the lottery is organized by the state government and the place of draw is in that particular state.
• Under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) of 1999, remittance of the income generated from lottery winning, and racing/riding is prohibited.

Source: Times of India

Q1.) Which of the following statements is/are correct about the Baobab Tree?

1. The Baobab tree is native only to Africa.
2. It is known for its ability to store large quantities of water.
3. The fruit of the Baobab tree is rich in Vitamin C.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) Which of the following is NOT a mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

a) Promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy

b) Conducting nuclear weapons tests for peaceful purposes

c) Monitoring compliance with nuclear non-proliferation agreements

d) Providing technical cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear technology

Q3.) Consider the following statements about the KAVACH Automatic Train Protection System:

1. KAVACH is an indigenous technology developed to prevent train collisions.
2. It uses satellite-based communication to detect potential collisions.
3. KAVACH was designed and implemented by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) 1, 2, and 3

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  22nd October 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – b