04 OCTOBER 2023

Topic 1: Nobel Prize in Physics 2023

Why in news: The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2023 has gone to three scientists whose work made it easier to observe electrons, and which has potential applications in the field of diagnosing diseases and developing electronic gadgets.

Key details:

• Those who shared the prize are:
  • Anne L’Huillier,
  • Pierre Agostini, and
  • Ferenc Krausz
• They have been awarded for their experiments which have given humanity new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules.
• They have demonstrated a way to create extremely short pulses of light that can be used to measure the rapid processes in which electrons move or change energy.

The scientists’ work:

• An atom, a tiny unit into which matter can be divided, is composed of a nucleus of protons and neutrons, and electrons that travel around this nucleus.
• Electrons move so fast that it is impossible to observe them in real time.
• The work of the scientists has brought humanity closer to observing and studying the movement of electrons, by producing pulses of light that last only attoseconds, which is 1×10⁻¹⁸ of a second.
• This can be compared to a high-shutter-speed camera.
  • If a normal camera is used to capture a moving train, the image will be blurred.
  • But a high shutter-speed camera can freeze motion and capture a clear image of the train.

How did they do this?

• When a laser light wave was passed through a noble gas, it interacted with the atoms, giving some electrons extra energy that was then emitted as light.
• In 2001, they succeeded in producing and investigating a series of consecutive light pulses [or flashes of light], in which each pulse lasted just 250 attoseconds.
• They also made it possible to isolate a single light pulse that lasted 650 attoseconds.
• These flashes of light made it possible to provide images of processes inside atoms.

Significance of the work:

• Attosecond physics gives us the opportunity to understand mechanisms that are governed by electrons.
• One possible application is to study molecular-level changes in blood, to identify diseases.
• A better understanding of how electrons move and transmit energy can also help in creating more efficient electronic gadgets.

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Topic 2: Exercise Sampriti

Why in news: India and Bangladesh commenced the 11^th edition of annual joint military exercise, SAMPRITI in Umroi, Meghalaya.

Key details:

• This exercise, alternatingly organised by both countries, signifies strong bilateral defence cooperation initiatives.
• It first started in Jorhat, Assam in 2009.
• The exercise has witnessed ten successful editions till 2022.

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Topic 3: SHREYAS scheme

Why in news: The sub-schemes under SHREYAS along with the allocated budget, expenditure details and number of beneficiaries for the last 9 years were briefed in the Parliament.

Key details:

• The umbrella scheme of “SHREYAS” comprises 4 central sector sub- schemes namely:
  • Top Class Education for SCs
  • Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs
  • National Overseas Scheme for SCs and
  • National Fellowship for SCs.
• All these sub-schemes are central sector schemes.
  • Central Sector Schemes are those that are implemented by a central agency and 100% funded by the center on subjects within the union list.

Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs

• The objective of the Scheme is to provide coaching of good quality for economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates.
• It aims to enable them appear in competitive and entrance examinations for obtaining appropriate jobs in Public/Private Sector as well as for securing admission in reputed technical and professional higher education institutions.
• The ceiling of the total family income under the scheme is 8 lakhs per annum.

Top Class Education for SCs:

• The Scheme aims at recognizing and promoting quality education amongst students belonging to SCs, by providing full financial support.
• The Scheme will cover SC students for pursuing studies beyond 12th class.
• The scholarship, once awarded, will continue till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory performance of the student.
• The ceiling of the total family income under the scheme is 8 lakhs per annum.

National Overseas Scheme for SCs:

• Under this scheme financial assistance is provided for pursuing masters and Ph.D. levelcourses abroad to the selected students from:
  • SCs,
  • De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes,
  • landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisan categories.
  • Presently, 125 slots are allotted under the scheme.
• Such students can be benefitted under the scheme:
  • whose total family income including the candidate is less than Rs. 8 lakhs per annum,
  • having more than 60% marks in the qualifying examination,
  • below 35 years of age and
  • secured admission in top 500 QS ranking foreign Institutes/ Universities.

National Fellowship for SC Students:

• Under the scheme fellowship is provided to Scheduled Castes students for pursuing higher education leading to M.Phil/ Ph.D degrees in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences in Indian Universities/Institutions/ Colleges recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC).
• It is for students who have qualified the National Eligibility Test- Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of UGC and Junior Research Fellows for Science stream qualifying UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (UGC-CSIR) Joint Test.

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Topic 4: Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)

Why in news: The Delhi Police has sealed the office of news portal NewsClick, alleging it received money for pro-China propaganda. The FIR against the portal invokes the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the stringent anti-terror law.

Key details:

• The main allegation against NewsClick is that the newsportal allegedly received illegal funding from China routed through the United States.
• Among the key provisions invoked is Section 16, which prescribes punishment for terrorist acts.
• Section 15 of the UAPA defines “terrorist act” and is punishable with imprisonment for a term of at least five years to life.
• In case the terrorist act results in death, the punishment is death or imprisonment for life.
• This is an offence that describes violent acts that are serious in nature.
• The other provisions invoked against NewsClick include:
  • Section 13 (unlawful activities),
  • 16 (terrorist act),
  • 17 (raising funds for terrorist acts),
  • 18 (conspiracy), and
  • 22 (C) (offences by companies, trusts) of the UAPA.

About UAPA framework:

• UAPA presents an alternate criminal law framework where the general principles of criminal law are reversed.
• By relaxing timelines for the state to file chargesheets and its stringent conditions for bail, the UAPA gives the state more powers compared with the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) lays down the definitions and rules for designating an organisation as an “unlawful association” if it is engaged in certain types of activities.
• The government can then issue a notification designating such an organisation as a terrorist organisation, if it believes that the organisation is part of “terrorist activities.”
• An unlawful activity in relation to an individual or association means:
  • Any action taken by such an individual or association (whether by committing an act or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representation or otherwise),
    • which is intended, or supports any claim, to bring about the cession of a part of the territory of India or the secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union, or which incites any individual or group of individuals to bring about such cession or secession; or
    • which disclaims, questions, disrupts or is intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India; or
    • which causes or is intended to cause disaffection against India;
• The UAPA also defines an “Unlawful Association” as meaning any association:
  • which has for its object any unlawful activity, or which encourages or aids persons to undertake any unlawful activity,
  • which has for its object any activity which is punishable under section 153A (45 of 1860) or section 153B of the Indian Penal Code.
• Under the Act, therefore, ‘unlawful activity’ is not limited to terror activities relating to causing direct violence or attacks, it also includes any activities that:
  • disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,
  • disrupts the economic stability of the country or
  • causes disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different reli­gious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communi­ties in the country.

What Is The Process Of Banning An Organisation?

• Issuing notification:
  • Before issuing a notification under the UAPA, the government conducts an analysis of threat perception to peace in the country, secession activities, territorial safety, terrorism etc.
  • The recommendations and complaints by a state government can also be considered based on FIRs filed or incidents in the state.
  • UAPA also allows the government to implement an “immediate ban” on an organisation, if the central government is of the opinion that circumstances exist which render it necessary.
• Setting up tribunal:
  • Within 30 days of the notification, the government has to set up a tribunal, headed by a sitting Judge of a High Court, to consider the evidence and allegations.
  • The tribunal has the power to consider the evidence, hear the objections from the organisation or its members/supporters and then take a decision to confirm or deny the ban.
  • A public notice is issued by the tribunal for responses to the notifications.
  • The Tribunal has six months under the law to conduct proceedings and either accept or reject the proposed ban.
  • If the tribunal upholds the ban, the organisation can also move an appeal before the concerned High Court.

Origin of the UAPA

• In 1966, the President had promulgated the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ordinance to provide for the more effective prevention of unlawful activities of individuals and associations. 
• It was dropped by the government soon and instead, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which was not identical to the ordinance, was passed.
• Prior to the UAPA’s enactment, associations were being declared unlawful under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1952.
• However, the Supreme Court held that the provision on bans was unlawful because there was no judicial mechanism to scrutinise the validity of any ban.
• Therefore, the UAPA included provisions for a Tribunal which has to confirm within six months the notification declaring an outfit unlawful.

Controversy about its bail provisions

• Under the Act, bail cannot be granted to a suspect if the court is of the opinion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the charges are prima facie true.
• A Supreme Court judgment on this has clarified that this meant that the court considering bail should not examine the evidence too deeply, but must go by the prosecution version based on broad probabilities.
• This means that the onus is on the accused to show that the case is false but without inviting the court to evaluate the available evidence.
• This is why human rights defenders feel that the provision is draconian, virtually rendering it impossible for anyone to obtain bail until the completion of the trial.

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Topic 5: Free speech in Southeast Asia

Why in news: Southeast Asian countries are ranked among the worst in the world for standards of press freedom and media rights.

Key details:

• Political freedom:
  • The Pew Research Center’s “Buddhism, Islam and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia” report focused on the role of religion in different societies in South and Southeast Asia.
  • The report found that that free speech and democracy are not always widely embraced in the region.
  • In its latest World Press Freedom Index, Vietnam was ranked third worst in the world, after China and North Korea.
  • Myanmar was also in the bottom 10 countries.
  • The rest of the region was in the bottom half of the rankings, except Malaysia, which ranked 73.
• Internet freedom:
  • Another index, Freedom House’s Freedom On The Net, which monitors online free-speech conditions, showed recently Myanmar tied with China for last place on internet freedom.
  • Two other Southeast Asian countries — Vietnam and Thailand — were ranked among the 20 worst-performing countries.
• Country-wise restrictions:
  • Almost half of Thai Muslims (52%) said harmony with others is more important than free speech, only 38% of Thai Buddhists took the same stance.
  • The Cambodian government has defended its tough restrictions on free speech with accusations that opposition politicians and independent newspapers are a threat to the country’s hard-won peace, following a three-decade civil war that came to an end in the late 1990s.
  • Communist governments in Vietnam and Laos assert that the national community must come before an individual’s right to say what they want.
  • The government of Singapore has expanded its hate speechlaws in recent years.
    • It does not allow any race, or religion to be attacked or insulted by anyone else.

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Topic 6: Circular migration

Why in news: In India, internal migration, which is migration within a particular country or State, has almost always been circular.

What is circular migration?

• Meaning:
  • Circular migration is a repetitive form of migration wherein people move to another place (the destination country) and back (country of origin) according to the availability of employment.
  • Instead of migrating permanently or temporarily to another location, people move to different locations for a brief period of time when work is available.
  • It is a phenomenon mostly among low-income groups who migrate to avail of seasonally available jobs in another country, city, place etc.
• Circular migration and globalization:
  • Circular migration became quite popular in the 60s and 70s with the advent of globalisation and development.
  • Increased access to modern forms of transport and communication, social networks and the growth of multinational corporations have aided the advent of circular migration.
  • However, only recently has the phenomenon been given its due as the seasonal movement of migrants was not properly documented or was boxed along with short-term or temporary migration.
• Migration can definedas circular if it meets the following criteria:
  • there is a temporary residence in the destination location ,
  • there is the possibility of multiple entries into the destination country,
  • there is freedom of movement between the country of origin and the country of destination during the period of residence,
  • there is a legal right to stay in the destination country,
  • there is protection of migrants’ rights, and
  • there is a healthy demand for temporary labour in the destination country.

Implications of circular migration:

• Balanced migration:
  • Circular migration is now seen as the best way forward, as needs of development and individual economic advancement can be balanced out.
  • It is seen as a balanced migration method which looks at migration not only from the point of view of the receiving country but also of the sending nation.
• Economic development:
  • For the country of origin, migration, especially international migration, is beneficial due to the flow of remittances which will boost and aid the domestic economy.
  • The flow of foreign capital will enhance the economy ensuring more infrastructure, more jobs and by association, a better standard of living.
• Brain drain:
  • The negative effects of brain drain will reduce and a sort of brain circulation will be encouraged, wherein the individual can use his talents in both countries and still contribute to remittances.
• Cultural conflicts:
  • From the perspective of the host countries, especially those of the West, a lesser population and a higher access to education has resulted in a large dearth of low-income low-skill jobs which migrants have been able to fill.
  • However, the influx of migrants have caused a wide range of anxieties and cultural conflicts in the host populations with most of them now calling for restrictions and outright ban on migration.

Circular migration within India

• In India, internal migration, which is migration within a particular country or State, has almost always been circular.
• With the advent of jobs in the manufacturing, construction and services sector, there has been a huge flow of migrants from rural areas to urban cities.
• In India, the uneven development post-liberalisation, has led to a lot of inter-State migration, with States like West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar having some of the highest rates of out-migration.
• The positive outcomes of such inter-State migration include:
  • increased access to higher paying jobs when compared to origin States,
  • better household welfare due to remittances,
  • ease of mobility  
  • women get more autonomy and decision-making power in the family due to the absence of men who migrate.
• The negative outcomes of such inter-State migration include:
  • language barrier is a big obstacle, especially to southern States
  • rural circular migrants are often at the mercy of middlemen or brokers
  • migrants are made to work in unhygienic and unsafe conditions with little to no protective equipment.
  • workers are routinely exploited and suffer significant ‘unfreedoms’ in host States.
  • indigenous wage groups and unions resent these migrants as they are seen as taking away their jobs by agreeing to work for lower wages
  • migrants are able to barely provide for themselves and their families, with no scope for further asset creation or savings
  • there is also a certain precarity associated with these jobs as they are seasonal and often irregular.

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Topic 7: Hyponatremia

Why in news: Five years after actor Sridevi’s death from drowning in a bathtub, it was revealed that the cause of death could be due to her no-salt diet.

Key details:

• The WHO recommends five grams of salt every day.
• Latest reports say Indians end up having eight grams instead and need to cut down consumption.
• Too much salt causes hypertension or high blood pressure but no salt, especially in extreme fad diets, can upset the mineral balance in the body which causes hyponatremia, a condition where the concentration of sodium in your blood is abnormally low.

What is hyponatremia?

• This is a condition when the concentration of sodium in your blood is lower than what is needed for your body to function normally.
• This dip in sodium can affect blood pressure, muscle and nerve functioning.
• This is because your body will become overwhelmed with fluid, causing cells to swell and organs to malfunction.
• Sodium levels are measured in milliequivalentsper litre (mEq/L) and are categorised as follows:
  • Normal levels: 135 to 145 mEq/L
  • Hyponatremia levels: Under 135 mEq/L
  • Severe hyponatremia: Under 120 mEq/L

Signs and symptoms of extremely low salt levels:

• The symptoms include confusion, headache, fatigue, nausea, lethargy, thirst and dizziness.
• If the counts are under 120 mEq/L, then it can lead to seizures and other issues such as:
  • cerebral edema, which is the swelling of the brain due to fluid overload, which can lead to coma,
  • permanent brain injury.

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Topic 8: Hojagiri dance

Why in news: Tripura’s legendary Hojagiri dance artist and recipient of Padma Shri award Satyaram Reang passed away recently.

About the dance:

• Hojagiri is a folk dance, performed in the state of Tripura by the Reang people.
  • Reang or Riang are one of the 21 scheduled tribes of the Indian state of Tripura.
• The dance is performed by women and young girls, about 4 to 6 members in a team, singing, balancing on an earthen pitcher and managing other props. 
• It is attractive due to its melodious songs accompanied by bamboo flute, cymbals and the khamb.
• The dance is performed on the occasion of Hojagiri festivals or Laxmi Puja, held in the following full moon night of Durga Puja. generally after 3rd day of Dashera.
• The Goddess Mailuma, (Laxmi) is worshipped on this day.
• The male members participate in singing the lyric, playing the Kham and Sumui (Kshumu).
• Required for the dance are, a BAILING, a wide circular rice cleaning article made of cane, a pitcher or kalash, a bottle, a household traditional lamp, a plain dish and a handkerchief for each performer.
• The whole of the Huk or Jhum cultivation is exhibited through this dance.