IAS EXAM PORTAL : Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC Exams - 10 April 2021

Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC Exams - 10 April 2021
उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य GK प्रश्न (सेट -27) for UPPSC Exam
Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 10 April 2021
Model Questions for UPSC PRE CSAT PAPER SET - 55
(Getting Started) UPSC Preparation Do's and Don'ts for Working Professionals
Public Administration Papers Topic : Organizations
(Audio Notes) Topic: "Discussion on PM's interaction with Chief Ministers on COVID19 Situation" 10 April 2021
(VIDEO) Shifting gender dynamics in India : Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC Exams - 10 April 2021

Posted: 10 Apr 2021 05:35 AM PDT

उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य GK प्रश्न (सेट -27) for UPPSC Exam

Posted: 10 Apr 2021 05:32 AM PDT

उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य GK प्रश्न (सेट -27) for UPPSC Exam

1. उत्तर प्रदेश में राक-फ़ास्टफेट कहाँ पाया जाता है ?

a. बाँदा
b. झाँसी
c. हमीरपुर
d. ललितपुर

2. उत्तर प्रदेश में हीरा किस जिले से निकला जाता है ?

a. बाँदा
b. हमीरपुर
c. जालौन
d. ललितपुर

3. उत्तर प्रदेश में कौन-सी मिट्टी सर्वधिक पाई जाती है ?

a. लाल-दोमट
b. जलोढ़-दोमट
c. बलईु-दोमट
d. लाल व काली मिश्रित

4. नान-प्लास्टिक फायर उत्तर प्रदेश में कहाँ पाया जाता है ?

a. मिर्जापुर
b. जौनपुर
c. बनारस
d. इलाहाबाद

5. उत्तर प्रदेश में युरेनियम के भंडार कहाँ पाए जाते है ?

a. ललितपुर
b. बांदा
c. हमीरपुर
d. मिर्जापुर

उत्तर प्रदेश PSC (Preliminary) Exam (GS Paper-1) स्टडी किट

Uttar Pradesh PSC (Preliminary) Exam (GS Paper-1) Study Materials

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 10 April 2021

Posted: 10 Apr 2021 05:27 AM PDT

Model Questions for UPSC PRE CSAT PAPER SET - 55

Posted: 10 Apr 2021 05:27 AM PDT

Model Questions for UPSC PRE CSAT PAPER SET - 55

Passage 1

There are a instances of diseases that have laid waste huge tracts of forests throughout India. Caused mainly by pathogens and pests, these diseases are deadly and are capable of wiping out entire forests and plantations, causing immense economic as well as ecological loss.

Meanwhile, forest pathologists and entomologists are grappling with new maladies that are surfacing almost every year. But with meagre resources and just a few experts working on the issue, things are heading virtually towards a cul-de-sac.

Moreover, no assessment has been made so far to quantify the devastation. While large chunks of forests fall prey to maladies, it is also an opportunity for some politicians and timber merchants to cash in on it. Research and documentation on forest disease, particularly on forest pathology, began in India way back in 1929, by pioneering pathologists KD Bagchi and BK Bagchi. Although it has been eight decades since then, not much headway has been made in this direction. The forestry sector today is ailing due to its misplaced priorities, resource crunch, and mismanagement. "Forest management lacks scientific approach,' says Surendra Kumar, director of the Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla.

The scientific community involved with forest diseases is today a dispirited lot. With only a few stalwarts left in this field, forest disease is a neglected area of research. Moreover, bureaucracy is increasingly taking over the scientific institutions and scientists in most of these institutes are a marginalised group.

To top it all, there are no institutions dedicated to forest diseases. Although the ministry of environment and forests is the facilitator for such research, it is not paying enough attention to promote scientific research on forest diseases. In fact, the government's lackadaisical approach came to the fore with the Sal borer epidemic in Madhya Pradesh in 1998. While forest bureaucracy slept, the beetles merrily continued to wipe out entire tracts of precious Sal forests. Eventually, with no solution in sight, thousands of valuable trees were hacked. There were also allegations that the Sal tragedy was a chance for the timber mafia in the state to cash in on timber through the legal loophole, with the nexus of politicians.

Today, things haven't changed one bit. India'sforest department and research institutes have yet to formulate contingency plans to face any assault of similar dimensions.

Forest diseases are elusive. Although experts claim that they know quite a lot about forest diseases, there are still aspects of the maladies that are not completely understood. Says RS Bhandari, entomologist in the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, "We know about all the important pests and insects, their life cycles and their development. But there are a few diseases which remain an enigma." According to Jamaluddin, head of the pathology department in the Tropical Forest Research Institute (TERI), Jabalpur, "Due to micro climatic changes, we are discovering new aspects of the same disease every year. Diseases have also increased manifold." Another FRI scientist points out that although forest diseases
are increasing, there is no study to estimate the economic and ecological damage caused by these pests and pathogens.

Varying with different geophysical regions and climatic conditions, pathogens and pests are essentially responsible for the tree maladies and then mortality. When the pristine, natural and mixed forests existed, forest diseases acted as a natural control measure to check the proliferation of a particular species that could threaten the balance of the ecosystem. Perhaps, this is why forest diseases aled into insignificance in the past. But today, with shrinking forests and increasing monoculture plantations, any outbreak of disease takes on a virulent form.

To top this, changed climatic and forest patterns nd environmental pollution have given rise to newer forms of forest diseases. While trees are forced to take an additional load of human-induced environmental changes, the introduction of mono culture has substantially increased the problems. Whatever little we know about forest diseases today comes primarily through mycology, the study of forest pathogens. Mycology explains that the prime pathological reasons for forest disease are fungi, bacteria and viruses. "Among these, fungi playa major role, while the other two are relatively less significant. There are 150 to 200 major pathological infections in central India. Out of these, only five per cent are bacterial. The rest are fungal," says Jamaluddin.

Most of these pathogens stay close to a tree waiting for a chance to infiltrate. Their entry points are small openings or wounds in the tree. However, invasion is not always easy. Like human beings, trees also have antibodies that fight anything alien. In case of invasion from the trunk of a tree, the sapwood acts as a shield and secretes enzymes to fight pathogens. But when attacked and conquered, there are tell-tale signs in the form of knotty growths of fruit bodies that are extensions of the fungi in the tree.

1. Which of the following is the author most likely to agree with?

(a) The ministry responsible should take a more serious view towards research in forest diseases.
(b) There is a likelihood of another forest disease epidemic, similar to the Sal Borer epidemic, spreading in the country.
(c) There needs to be a more coordinated effort towards dealing with forest diseases in India.
(d) All of the above.

2. Which of these incidents discourages the government to formulate any kind of concrete plans?

(a) India lacks specialists in this area of forestry
(b) The government is not able to work in concomitance with specialists, like entomologists and pathogenists
(c) The prevalence of malpractices, such as the alleged nexus of politicians with some of the forest officials
(d) None of the above

3. Which of these statements cannot be inferred from the passage?

(a) With the variation of different climatic conditions, pests responsible for forest tree degradation, disappear
(b) There are hardly any committed institutions in India, for the promotion of research in forest diseases in India
(c) It is possible that the timber mafias could spread their network with help from vested interests in the political and bureaucratic brass
(d) None of the above

4. The discussion on the present condition of forest diseases proves that

(a) There must be a cooperative endeavour by scientists, government officials and politicians to weed out the possibilities of forest diseases
(b) A lot more needs to be done by the government for sustaining the ecological balance
(c) Hitherto forestry has been a neglected area of research
(d) None of the above

CSAT Paper-2 Study Material for UPSC Prelims Exam

UPSC Exam Complete Study Materials (Pre+Mains+Interview Combo Notes)

COMPLETE STUDY MATERIAL FOR UPSC PRELIMS (GS+CSAT+NCERT+Tests)

(Getting Started) UPSC Preparation Do's and Don'ts for Working Professionals

Posted: 10 Apr 2021 01:28 AM PDT

(Getting Started) UPSC Preparation Do's and Don'ts for Working Professionals

A lot of very successful UPSC toppers have cracked this exam while working a full-time job. Many continue to do so either due to financial restraints or due to the uncertainty associated with the Civil Services Examination. It is a myth that one cannot crack UPSC Civil Services while working. If anything, the UPSC interview panel regards those with a full-time job with high regard and even admires them for their dedication and time management skills. However, given the nature of this competitive exams, here are the top 7 do's and don'ts working aspirants should keep in mind.

Burning the midnight oil (Picture Courtesy: Freepik)

Stretch Out Your Preparation

The ideal time an aspirant is expected to give to UPSC is 12 to 18 months. But this is for a candidate who can spend 10+ hours a day for their preparation. When you work 8 hours a day for 5 or 6 days a week, along with some travel time, that is just not possible. The most a working candidate can give their preparation is about 4 hours on working days and maybe 8 to 10 hours on their day off. Because of this, the recommended period for a full-time working candidate is 24 to 36 months at the least. Depending on what you are comfortable with, this may stretch to 48 months as well. Do not panic. Remember, as someone with a full-time career, you also do not have the stress of ruining your professional options with a failure. So do not fret, take your time, and nail it!

Limit Your Resources

Remember, as a working candidate, you are already short of time. The UPSC syllabus is an endless abyss, and unless you are careful, you will get lost in it. Choose no more than one main source for each topic. You can always research a little more over either the internet or a reference book. However, you should not spend too much time doing so. Stick to one newspaper like the Hindu and one current affairs monthly compilation. That will most definitely be enough for you to cover all bases.

Make Notes and Keep Revising

Multiple revisions are key to succeeding in the Civil Services Examination. A working professional does not have the luxury of reading through the same elaborate material over and over again. So, at the very first go, make crisp, short notes for each topic. Every time you need to revise a topic, just reach out for your notes. This will not only save you the time and effort that can be better utilized studying something new, but it will also help you have a grasp of the topic better than most other aspirants.

Making notes is absolutely essential (Picture Courtesy: Freepik)

Target Writing 3 to 4 Answers A Week

Answer Writing is crucial to securing a good rank in UPSC CSE. Unlike full-time aspirants, a working professional has to make a trade-off here and cannot possibly choose to write answers every day. However, by setting weekly targets, you ensure that you get enough practice and keep improving yourself gradually. The same goes for practicing Essay writing. Target 3 to 4 essays a month to ensure you ace that paper.

Don't Neglect Your Optional

Keep a day dedicated to studying and practicing writing for your choice of optional. It carries a total of 500 marks and needs your full attention. Target completing your optional syllabus in 9 to 12 months. This way, by the time you sit for your Civil Services Examination, you will have an in-depth knowledge of your optional subject and that is exactly what UPSC requires.

Join a Test Series

If you are starting with a 24 months target, it is advisable to join a test series for both Prelims and Mains 6 to 9 months into your preparation. A test series allows you to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, understand where you stand with respect to the competition, and improve yourself so that you come out on top when you finally sit for UPSC CSE. For working professionals, this is extremely important to keep you motivated and help you not give up on your goals.

Finally, Save as Much Time as You Can

You need to conserve time and energy. A human being cannot keep overworking themselves for years and be in good enough mental and physical health to function at their best. Stay near your workplace to limit commute time, cook your week's food requirement over the weekend or hire a tiffin service, limit social media presence, and decrease socializing considerably. These are minor sacrifices compared to the reward in the end.

At the end of the day, it is your name that will be on top of the merit list. Do what you must to get there. The destination is worth the difficult journey you will take.

Best of Luck.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD UPSC TOPPERS NOTES

Public Administration Papers Topic : Organizations

'The essence of the contingency theory paradigm is that organizational effectiveness results from fitting characteristics of the organization, such as its structure, to contingencies that reflect the situation of the organization.'Give your reactions to this statement'. (20 marks 2012)
In the light of your discussion on 3(b) (i) above, also show where and how this 'fitting' differs essentially from the 'coping' with 'stress' from the environment emphasized by the systems theory of organization. (20 marks 2012)
"There is no doubt the departmentalisation is fraught with complexities. These are in part technical, in part political." Discuss. (20 marks 2009)
"To claim that a company or a corporation form is always more effective than a departmental form of organization is an outdated view. The real test of a sound structure is its capacity to balance decisional autonomy and operational flexibility with optimal accountability." Critically examine this statement. (60 marks 2008)
Explain the impact of privatisation on public administration with special reference to (60 marks 2010) (a) the issue of user fees. (b) public - private partnership. (c) outsourcing technique.
"The distinction between line and staff relative rather than absolute." Discuss. (20 marks 2007)
"To talk about the regulatory framework is to talk about short governance." Analyze the statement in the context of public private partnership and identify the elements of regulation.(15 marks, 2013)
"Delegation to independent agencies has taken place in an interdependent process driven by emulation." Discuss in the context of independent regulatory agencies in the modern regulatory State. (15 marks, 2014)
"PPPs serve too many parties and too many interests … to be focussed." Identify in the context of the statement, the parties involved in Public-Private Partnerships and their conflicting aims. (15 marks, 2015)
"The autonomy of Public Corporations raised a great debate about their internal working and external relation with the Ministers and the Parliament."(10 marks, 2016)
"If the Regulatory Commissions…..are wholly independent, they are completely irresponsible for the doing of very important policy determining and Administrative work ….. on the other hand, to rob the commissions of their independence is seriously to menace the impartial performance of their judicial work." (Cushman) Examine. (20 marks, 2016)
"Systems Theory" in essence is not a theory , but an approach to the study of administrative phenomena ." Comment (15 marks, 2017)
Discuss the essential characteristics of public sector-centred and market-centred perspectives in Public Private Partnerships and also compare the two. (15 marks, 2018)
"An effective Management Information System (MIS) is the key to successful headquarter-field relationships."Comment. (15 marks, 2018)
"Form of an organisation influences the success of a public enterprise, but the choice of a form has always remained problematic." Discuss the statement in the context of the comparative merits and limitations of departments, corporations, companies and boards. Give illustrations. (20 marks, 2018)
"The advent of the regulatory regimes indicates the demise of the arbitrator state." Comment. (15 Marks ,2019)
Contingency theory of organization is founded on the interplay of 'external fit' and 'internal fit'. Discuss. (20 Marks,2019)
Departments, Boards and Commissions as forms of organization are dissimilar in the context of accountability and responsibility." Analyse. (10 Marks,2020)

Current Affairs Daily Voice Notes

Spotlight/News Analysis (10,April 2021):

Topic of Discussion: Discussion on PM's interaction with Chief Ministers on COVID19 Situation
Interviewer : Ashok Tandon (Political Analyst);Chetan Chauhan (Journalist)

Player-1 (English)

(VIDEO) Shifting gender dynamics in India : Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Posted: 09 Apr 2021 10:52 PM PDT

(VIDEO) Shifting gender dynamics in India : Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Shifting gender dynamics in India : Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Expert Panel Name :

Prof. S.K. Singh, Department of Mathematical Demography & Statistics, International Institute for Population Sciences
Prof. V. Rajyalaxmi, Sociologist, Janki Devi Memorial College, DU

Anchor- Vishal Dahiya