Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 1 & GS 2

Context: During his recent visit to Nigeria, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised India’s increasing engagement with the African continent.

Background: –

• The Prime Minister highlighted Nigeria’s potential as a major hub for Africa’s development. He also noted that in the last five years, India has opened 18 new embassies across Africa, reflecting its commitment to fostering deeper ties.

Key takeaways

• Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, covering about 20 per cent of Earth’s land area and 6 per cent of its total surface area. 
• As the second-most-populous continent, Africa’s population of approximately 1.52 billion accounts for about 18 per cent of the world’s population. Algeria is Africa’s largest country by area, and Nigeria is its largest by population.
• Notably, Africa’s population is the youngest, with a median age of 19.2 years, in comparison to the global average of 30.6 years. 
• Moreover, urbanisation is occurring at a rapid rate in Africa, reflecting on the trend of urban migration driven by economic opportunities and population growth. 
• Several factors such as geographic challenges, climate change, colonialism, the Cold War’s lingering impacts, neocolonialism and corruption contribute to Africa’s economic miseries. Despite challenges, Africa hosts some of the fastest-growing economies such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Ghana. 
• Economic expansion, vast natural resources (like oil, gas, minerals, and arable land), and the young population make Africa a vital region for the world.  
• Africa is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. However, this rich biodiversity is under threat due to various environmental issues such as desertification, deforestation, water scarcity, and pollution. Climate change further amplifies these concerns. 
• The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified Africa as the most vulnerable continent due to its low adaptive capacity, economic reliance on climate-sensitive sectors, and widespread poverty.

Scramble for Africa

• The transatlantic slave trade between 15th and 19th centuries transported an estimated 7–12 million Africans to the New World (the Americas). Africans were primarily transported to work as laborers in mines or fields or on plantations (sugar, tobacco, and cotton). 
• Driven largely by the economic demands of the Second Industrial Revolution during the 19th and 20th centuries, rapid conquest and colonisation of most of the African continent by seven Western European powers occurred, often referred to as the “Scramble for Africa”. 
• The phenomenon resulted in nearly 90 per cent of Africa falling under European control by 1914, drastically reshaping the continent’s political, economic, and social landscapes.
• In 1870, only about 10 per cent of the continent was formally under European control (primarily coastal regions). The 1884 Berlin Conference, organised by Otto von Bismarck, regulated European colonisation and resulted in the “scramble” by dividing African territories among European powers and drawing arbitrary borders.

Current challenges

• The continent currently faces multiple challenges like poverty, deprivation, epidemics, control of natural resources, conflict, civil strife and insurgencies. It is also becoming a battleground for global power struggle. 
• Almost every global and emerging power has established institutional mechanisms to regularly engage the continent, like FOCOC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) by China, TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) by Japan and IAFS (India-Africa Forum Summit) by India. 

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – HISTORY

Context: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has resumed excavations at Kumhrar Park in Patna. It hides an ancient architectural marvel – stumps and pits where 80 sandstone pillars once stood, holding up what was possibly a Buddhist assembly hall from the Mauryan era.

Background: –

• In 2004-2005, ASI had covered up the area with soil after the rising water table submerged the pillar stumps. Now, 20 years later, the ASI has decided to uncover the pillars that are a key part of the evidence linking Pataliputra, the seat of the Mauryan empire, to present-day Patna.
• Historians believe that it was here, in this open-air hall, with its 80 pillars standing on a wooden floor and holding up a wooden ceiling, that Emperor Ashoka, who ruled between 268 and 280 BCE, called a decisive meeting of the third Buddhist Council to unify the faction-ridden Buddhist sangha.

Key Milestones and Rulers of Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta Maurya (322 BCE – 297 BCE)

• Established the Mauryan Empire after overthrowing the Nanda Dynasty with the help of Chanakya (Kautilya).
• United most of India under one centralized administration, creating the first pan-Indian empire.
• Defeated Seleucus Nicator (305 BCE) in the northwest and signed a treaty, receiving territories like Afghanistan and Baluchistan.
• Retired and became a Jain monk in his later years.

Bindusara (297 BCE – 273 BCE)

• Expanded the empire further into southern India (except Tamil Nadu and Kerala).
• Maintained diplomatic relations with the Hellenistic world.
• Known as Amitraghata (Slayer of Enemies) in Greek accounts.

Ashoka the Great (268 BCE – 232 BCE)

• Consolidated and expanded the empire to its greatest extent, covering almost all of the Indian subcontinent.
• Famous for the Kalinga War (261 BCE), after which he embraced Buddhism due to its horrors.
• Promoted Buddhism across Asia and sent missionaries to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.
• Convened the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra.
• Issued Edicts of Ashoka inscribed on pillars and rocks, spreading messages of Dhamma (righteousness).

Administrative and Economic Features

• Capital: Pataliputra (modern-day Patna).
• Centralized Administration: A highly organized bureaucracy with provincial governors.
• Revenue System: Land revenue as the main source of income.
• Army: A large standing army and a well-organized spy system.
• Economic Growth: Encouraged trade and commerce; the empire had a well-maintained road system like the Grand Trunk Road.

Decline of the Mauryan Empire

• Weak successors after Ashoka led to decentralization.
• The empire collapsed in 185 BCE after the assassination of the last ruler, Brihadratha, by his general Pushyamitra Shunga, who established the Shunga Dynasty.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – HISTORY

Context: President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sukhbir Singh Badal faced an attempt on life at the entrance of the Golden Temple where he was on guard duty (as punishment).

Background:

• The former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab has been awarded religious punishment by the Akal Takht, for the alleged misrule of the SAD government from 2007 to 2017.

Key takeaways

• The Akal Takht, situated within the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, was established by the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind in 1606 following the execution of his father, Guru Arjan Dev, by the Mughals.
• Guru Hargobind used this platform for governance, and is believed to have issued the first directive (Hukamnama) from here, urging Sikh congregations to contribute horses and weapons to the Panth.
• The Akal Takht was also a symbol of the Sikh defiance of Mughal authority. The 12-foot-high platform of the Akal Takht symbolised a challenge to the Mughal government in Agra (and later Delhi), where Emperor Jahangir, on whose order Guru Arjan Dev was executed, sat on an 11-foot-high throne.
• The Akal Takht became the focal point for Sikhs during the period following the execution of Banda Singh Bahadur, the general of the Khalsa army, in 1716. Members of the community would gather at the Akal Takht on Baisakhi and Diwali for Sarbat Khalsa (assembly of all Sikhs) where crucial decisions would be made.
• Initially, the Sarbat Khalsa appointed the Jathedar (head) of Akal Takht during the annual congregations. After the British established control, the appointment of the Jathedar came under the influence of the Darbar Sahib committee, which was dominated by leaders who were loyal to the regime.
• Following the enactment of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act in 1925, the Jathedar began to be appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a body formed in 1920 to manage Sikh shrines and free them from British-supported mahants.
• The SGPC is currently the apex governing body of all Sikh gurdwaras in the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

How does the Akal Takht hand out religious punishment?

• As the head of the highest seat of temporal power of the Sikhs, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht is the supreme temporal and religious authority of the Sikhs, and the final word on the affairs of the community.
• Any person who identifies as a Sikh can be summoned to the Akal Takht, tried, and sentenced. The Akal Takht’s justice applies only to those who voluntarily submit to its authority.
• Among the prominent Jathedars of the Akal Takht was Akali Phoola Singh, who summoned Maharaja Ranjit Singh for a moral transgression, resulting in the Maharaja receiving punishment of a public flogging at the Akal Takht.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ECONOMY

Context: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das announced a 50 basis point reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 4 per cent during the monetary policy (MPC) address on December 6.

Background: –

• This marks the first CRR cut in over 4.5 years.

Key takeaways

• The Cash Reserve Ratio is a key monetary policy tool that requires banks to maintain a certain percentage of their total deposits as liquid reserves with the RBI. 
• Currently set at 4.5 per cent of a bank’s Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL), this means that for every Rs 100 in deposits, banks must keep Rs 4.50 with the RBI.
• The primary objectives of the CRR include liquidity management, ensuring that banks can meet depositor demands and maintain stability in the financial system. 
• By adjusting the CRR, the RBI influences the amount of money available for lending, which can help control inflation or stimulate economic growth.

How will a CRR cut impact customers?

• The 50 basis point reduction in CRR is expected to inject Rs 1.16 trillion into the banking system. This surplus liquidity could enable banks to extend more loans, which may help spur economic growth.
• The decision comes amid tight liquidity conditions in the banking system and a decline in GDP growth, which slowed to 5.4 per cent in the July-September quarter of 2024 — a seven-quarter low. 

Source: Business Standard

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Oxford University Press (OUP) has announced ‘brain rot’ as the Oxford Word of the Year for 2024. 

Background: –

• The selection process for the word of the year 2024 involved over 37,000 public votes from a shortlist of six words compiled by Oxford University

Key takeaways

• The word ‘Brain Rot’ highlights the growing concerns around the effects of consuming trivial social media content on mental health.
• Brain Rot’ describes the cognitive decline attributed to excessive exposure to mindless social media content. 
• The term gained momentum alongside the rise of trends like ‘digital detoxes,’ where individuals consciously take breaks from screens to counteract feelings of burnout or mental stagnation.
• According to OUP, ‘Brain Rot’ reflects the increasing concern over how technology is shaping human thought processes and habits. Its usage surged in recent years, particularly among younger demographics, to describe the mental fatigue caused by binge-watching videos, doomscrolling, or engaging with low-quality online content.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Which of the following statements about the Mauryan Empire is/are correct?

1. Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus Nicator.
2. Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War and convened the Second Buddhist Council at Pataliputra.

Options:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) Which of the following statements about the Akal Takht is/are correct?

1. The Akal Takht was established by Guru Arjan Dev to symbolize the unity of spiritual and temporal power in Sikhism.
2. The Sarbat Khalsa held at the Akal Takht historically played a crucial role in making decisions for the Sikh community.

Options:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q3.) Consider the following statements regarding the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR):

1. The CRR is the portion of a bank’s Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) that must be maintained with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
2. A reduction in the CRR increases the liquidity in the banking system, enabling banks to lend more.

Options:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b