1. BASIC STRUCTURE DOCTRINE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Chief Justice of India recently chose not to speak on the basic structure doctrine, emphasizing his preference to convey his stance through his judgments rather than making public pronouncements outside the court.

Background

• Introduced by: Indian Judiciary on 24th April 1973.
• Establishment: Keshavananda Bharati case to restrict the amending powers of the Parliament.
• This limitation ensures that the 'Basic Structure of the Constitution' cannot be altered through the exercise of its 'constituent power' under Article 368 of the Indian Constitution.

Basic Structure of Doctrine

• Definition: Some important parts of the Constitution cannot be changed or removed by the Parliament through an amendment.
• Not Mention in Constitution: It's interesting to note that the Constitution of India doesn't include the term "Basic Structure" anywhere.
• Aim of the Doctrine: To safeguard the essence of Indian democracy and uphold the rights and freedoms of its citizens.
• Soul of the Constitution: The essence of the Constitution, inseparable from the values expressed in the Preamble, is vital for the document's integrity and the sanctity of its principles.

Components of Basic Structure

• Supremacy of the Constitution
• Sovereign, democratic and republican nature of the Indian polity
• Separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary
• Judicial review
• Parliamentary system
• Rule of law
• Principle of equality
• Free and fair elections
• Independence of Judiciary
• Limited power of Parliament to amend the Constitution

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2. GSTATs (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the Supreme Court requested a response from the finance ministry regarding a PIL that questions the constitutional validity of certain provisions in the Finance Act of 2023.

• Specifically concerning is the appointment and service conditions of Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals (GSTATs) members.

Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals

• About: It serves as the second level of appeal within the GST framework, available for challenging any unsatisfactory rulings issued by the First Appellate Authorities under the CGST and SGST.
• Establishment by: Section 109 of the CGST Act 2017
• Composition: Two judicial members and two technical members.

oThe Tribunal is likely to be headed by a former Supreme Court judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.

• Headquarters: New Delhi

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3. SAHITYA NATAK AKADEMI (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & Culture)

Context: On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Vice-President of India will confer the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards to 84 distinguished artists in the performing arts of India.

Sangeet Natak Akademi

• About: It is the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country.
• Set up: In 1953
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture
• Headquarter: New Delhi
• Aim: To preserve and promotion of the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in forms of music, dance and drama.
• Appointment: Chairman appointed by the President of India
• Tenure: 5 Years
• Five Centres: Kutiyattam Kendra, Sattriya Kendra, North-East Centre, North-East Documentation Centre & Chhau Kendra.

Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards

• About: It is a national honour bestowed by the country on performing artists, teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts.
• Categories: Hindustani and Carnatic vocal and instrumental, folk, classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam and Kathak and playwriting and direction.
• Price: 1,00000 Rs and a citation.

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4. ADITYA L-1 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: India's first solar mission, Aditya-L1, completed its fourth Earth-bound manoeuvre, and the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the upcoming manoeuvre which marks its departure from Earth orbit.

Aditya L1

• About: It represents India's inaugural space mission dedicated to the study of the Sun.
• Launched by: PSLV-XL launch vehicle.
• The spacecraft is destined to be positioned in a halo orbit encircling Lagrange point 1 (L1) within the Sun-Earth system, located approximately 1.5 million kms away from Earth.
• This continuous observation capability will significantly enhance the capacity to
• monitor solar activities and their immediate impact on space weather in real time.
• Payloads: It carries a total of seven payloads, which are designed to scrutinize the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost solar layers (the corona) using various detectors for electromagnetic waves, particles, and magnetic fields.
• Objective: To unravel the fundamental drivers of space weather, which encompass the origin, composition, and dynamics of the solar wind.

Lagrangian Points

• About: It is known as Lagrange points or libration points.
• Founded by: mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange.
• Located: about 1.5 million kms inside Earth's orbit, between the Sun and the Earth.
• These are particular points in space where the gravitational forces between two
• massive objects, like a planet and its moon or a planet and the Sun, create areas of heightened gravitational stability.

Earth-Bound Manoeuvres

• About: It involves the firing of rockets and some adjustments to angles, as required.
• How it works: Analogous to a person on a swing, Aditya-L1 will use a similar principle.

oJust as someone applies pressure when the swing is descending to make it go higher, Aditya-L1 will gain velocity.

oOnce it reaches sufficient speed, it will slingshot around to align with its intended trajectory toward L1.

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5. WTO REPORT 2023 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– Economy)

Context: The onset of the Ukraine war has started fragmenting world trade as per the recent World Trade Report 2023.

World Trade Report 2023

• Launched: September 2023.
• Published by: WTO
• Objective: Extend beyond merely enhancing trade efficiency, encompassing peace, security, poverty alleviation, and sustainability.

oIt presents insights into how re-globalization, characterized by heightened international cooperation and expanded integration, can bolster security, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability.

Highlights of Report

• Addressing the Narrative Shift: The report delves into the changing narrative surrounding globalization.
• Broadened Policy Goals: It highlights the importance of policy objectives that extend beyond trade efficiency, encompassing aspects like peace, security, poverty alleviation, and sustainability.
• Re-globalization Focus: The report promotes the concept of "re-globalization," which seeks to expand trade integration to involve more economies, and people, and address a broader array of issues.
• Impact of Geopolitical Tensions: The report discusses how geopolitical tensions, exemplified by the Ukraine conflict and the ascendancy of China, have had repercussions on global trade dynamics.
• Resilient Supply Chains: It underscores the significance of resilient supply chains, especially underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic.

World Trade Organization (WTO) 

• About: It is the only global international organization dealing with international Trade between nations.
• Set up: In 1995 by replacing the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) under the Marrakesh Agreement.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members: 164 members and India is a founding member of WTO.

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6. TRAI AND OTT PLATFORM (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) published a Consultation Paper concerning the 'Regulatory Mechanism for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services, and Selective Banning of OTT Services.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

• About: It is a regulatory body set up by the Government of India under section 3 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
• Aim: To regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.
• Establishment: In 1997
• Composition: Chairperson, two whole-time members and two part-time members, all of which are appointed by the Government of India.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Communications and Broadcasting
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Tenure: 3 years or till the age of 65 years

Over-The-Top (OTT) Platform

• About: Originally designed as a content hosting service, quickly expanded its scope to encompass the production & and distribution of short films, feature movies, documentaries & web series
• These platforms provide a variety of content and employ artificial intelligence to recommend content to users based on their previous viewing habits on the platform.
• Examples: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock, Curiosity Stream, Pluto TV, and so many more.

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7. EDIBLE OIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – ECONOMY)

Context: India could soon see record imports of edible oil of over 16 to 16.5 million tonnes this year due to low rainfall in the month of August, along with other factors, is driving the high demand.

• Data released on September 2023, showed the import of edible oil in August 2023 was 35 percent higher than imports in August 2022.

Edible Oil

• About: Oilseeds and edible oils rank among the most highly sensitive essential commodities.
• Largest Consumer: India holds the distinction of being the globe's second-largest consumer and foremost importer of vegetable oil.
• Popular Edible Oils in India: Palm oil, soya bean oil, sunflower oil, and mustard oil.
• India's Diverse Oilseed Production: Rapeseeds, soybeans, peanuts, groundnuts, copra, cottonseeds, and sunflower seeds.
• Import Dependency: Currently, India satisfies roughly 55% to 60% of its edible oil demand through imports.
• Soybean Oil Importation: Soybean oil accounts for 22% of imports and primarily originates from Argentina and Brazil.
• Sunflower Oil Imports: Sunflower oil, comprising 15% of imports, is predominantly sourced from Ukraine and Russia.

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8. SKILL INDIA MISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Schemes)

Context: The Skill India Digital app was formally launched by the Centre, bringing together listings for upskilling courses and job opportunities. 

It had been soft-launched in April, following its announcement by the Union Finance Minister of India during the Budget session of Parliament.

Skill India Digital App

• Launched: In 2023.
• Developed by: National Skill Development Corporation.
• Ministry: Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Course and Job Listings Integration: The Skill India Digital app seamlessly integrates listings for upskilling courses and job opportunities.
• Verifiable Certificates: Through linkage with DigiLocker and Aadhaar, the app facilitates the issuance of verifiable certificates upon course completion.
• Course Distribution: The app serves as a platform for the efficient distribution of skill courses to a wide audience.
• Digital Matchmaking: Utilizing digital matchmaking, the app connects potential employers with prospective employees, fostering employment opportunities.

Skill India Mission:

• Launched in: July 2015.
• Aim: To provide skill training and employment opportunities to the youth of India.
• Objectives:

oTo equip the Indian workforce with the skills needed to meet the demands of various industries and sectors.

oTo reduce unemployment by enhancing the employability of young people through skill development.

oTo foster entrepreneurship and promote self-employment.

• Key Components:

oPradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): A flagship scheme under Skill India, offering skill training and certification.

oNational Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): A public-private partnership organization that plays a crucial role in implementing Skill India programs.

oIndustrial Training Institutes (ITIs): Vocational training institutes that provide skill training in various trades.

oSkill Development Centers: These centers are set up across the country to deliver training and assessment services.

oApprenticeship Training: Encouraging apprenticeship programs to bridge the gap between education and employment.

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9. SWARUP BHATNAGAR AWARD (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & Culture)

Context: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) announced the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (SSB) for 2022.

Swarup Bhatnagar Award (SSB) 

• About: The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards hold the distinction of being India's premier multidisciplinary science honours.

oThese prestigious awards are dedicated to the memory of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, a distinguished chemist and visionary who served as the founder and director of CSIR.

• Eligibility: Individuals engaged in research within any scientific or technological domain and who are citizens of India are eligible for the prize as long as they are under the age of 45.

oOverseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) who are conducting research in India.

• Prize: Rs. 5 lakh, recipients also get Rs. 15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

• About: It is an autonomous body and the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India – running 37 laboratories and 39 field stations or extension centres.
• Funded by: Ministry of Science and Technology. it operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, of 1860.
• Established: September 1942.
• Located: New Delhi.
• CSIR ranks 7th in Asia and holds the top position within the country.

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10. PAMPAPHONEUS BICCAI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, an international team of researchers published their documentation of the discovery of a 265-million-year-old fossil species found in Brazil in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

Pampaphoneus biccai

• Early Therapsid Clade: Belong to the early therapsid clade known as Dinocephalians.
• Prehistoric Existence: These creatures lived just before the Earth's largest extinction event in history, which wiped out 86 percent of all animal species globally.
• Land Dominance: Before the extinction event, dinocephalians were a prominent group of large terrestrial animals thriving on land.
• Diverse Diet: Both carnivorous and herbivorous members display a wide range of dietary preferences.
• Cranial Features: Their name, "Dinocephalians," is derived from their thick cranial bones, which translates to "terrible head" in Greek.
• Geographic Distribution: While these animals are rare in most parts of the world, they are well-documented in South Africa and Russia.

oDinocephalian is the only known species of its kind in Brazil.

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