editorial note INDEPENDENCE DAY AND THE FREEDOM THAT WE LONG FOR Anniversaries are occasions for remembrance and renewal. constructive and inclusive idea of nation yet, social On this note, let us understand the true meaning and empowerment still remains a distant dream for millions. substance in the celebration of Independence Day beyond the glib chest-thumping of social media cheer and the glitz For many Indians, talk of freedom rings hollow: large of orchestrated functions. population is still struggling with deprivation, poverty and discrimination; grim oppression is reserved for those whom According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar- “By independence, we M.K. Gandhi called God's children; hypocrisy of appeasing have lost the excuse of blaming the British for anything the physically disabled by attributing divinity to their going wrong. If hereafter things go wrong, we will have physique; the original settlers of the subcontinent in their nobody to blame except ourselves. There is great danger of sparse habitations in and around forests, suppressed by things going wrong.” their pretended liberators and extractive industries that covet their land; and people in the disturbed regions where In his last speech in the Constituent Assembly, Dr. democratic processes are getting weakened. Yes, there is Ambedkar had also said, “Castes are anti-national. The much that is less than free and fair in Independent India. sooner we realise that we are not yet a nation in the social and psychological sense of the word, the better for us. For But that is not the point. The point is that we have the then only we shall realise the necessity of becoming a freedom and power to remove the ugliness in our lives, to nation and think of ways and means of realising that goal. reimagine and refashion the future. The realisation of this goal is going to be very difficult in India. The castes are anti-national in the first place because Despite the shortcomings, India has made much progress they bring about separation in social life. They are anti- in raising the quality of lives of its people, in conquering the national also because they generate jealousy and antipathy science of the cosmos and of the atom, in acquiring between caste and caste.” strategic autonomy in the comity of nations. The fastest economic growth is ours. The point is to deploy it for Although, the freedom struggle gave us a creative, empowerment of the many. This empowerment will happen by empowering the freedom and empowerment to the people of India. institutions of the country- the Parliament, Judiciary, Media, A truly free and new India requires end of all injustice. True autonomous constitutional bodies, proactive and freedom means liberation of people from all deprivation. empowered local self- governance system and promoting Let us work together to achieve this! non-state actors' participation in improving governance. The real pledge on the independence day should be based on relentless pursuit of JUSTICE- POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIROMENTAL and all these will bring real CONTENTS Part One 17 Current Affairs Analysis CONSTITUTION, POLITY AND GOVERNANCE # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper II (Main) 02 RAJASTHAN: POLITICAL TURMOIL AND CASE OF DISQUALIFICATION INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS #Anti-Defection #Judiciary #Equality #Amendments 17 # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper II (Main) IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES US AND CHINA #Fundamental Duties 25 #Geopolitics 02 INTERNET ACCESS AND RIGHT TO FREEDOM & LIBERTY INDIA AND US: CAATSA LAW #Rights 27 #Bilateral Relations 03 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ENTITLED TO SAME RESERVATION AS GIVEN TO SC/ST INDIA – EU: BTIA #Inclusion 30 #Bilateral Relations 04 FCRA & PMLA CHABAHAR PORT: INDIA, IRAN AND CHINA #Acts 32 #India and the World 05 PRIVY PURSE MALABAR NAVAL EXERCISE #Provision 34 #Indo-Pacific Region 07 NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR PROTECTION OF CHILD RIGHTS INDIA- SOUTH KOREA #Rights 35 #Bilateral relations 08 CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT - 2019 AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN TRANSIT TRADE AGREEMENT (APTTA) #Legislation 37 #India-Afghan-Pak 09 ASSYMETRIC FEDERALISM IN INDIA AIIB #Federalism 38 #Multilateral Institutions 10 BRUS REJECT RESETTLEMENT OFFER GROWING NUCLEAR ARSENAL OF CHINA #Refugees 40 #India and its Neighbourhood 11 NEW CAG TWO FRONT WAR #CAG 41 #India & its neighbourhood 12 HARYANA: RESERVATION IN PRIVATE JOBS FOR LOCALS INDIA IN THE CHANGING GEOPOLITICS #Reservation 43 #Foreign Policy 12 POSTAL BALLOTS INDIA AND REFORMED MULTILATERALISM #Election 44 #International institutions 14 BLOCKING OF CHINESE APPS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 15 #Security 45 i SUPREME COURT TO TAKE UP EWS MATTER STAGES OF TRADE INTEGRATION #Reservation 47 # External Sector 73 NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 74 #Education #Empowerment 48 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 50 76 51 SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE # GS Paper I & GS Paper II (Main) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2020 # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper III (Main) # SDG 76 GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS: A TOOL FOR STRUCTURAL 2020 STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT TRANSFORMATION OF ECONOMY # Population # Report 77 #Government Policies 51 2020 GLOBAL MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX DEBATE: PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS # Index 78 #Banking 55 STARS PROGRAM BHARAT BOND ETF # Education 78 #Banking 58 EDUCATION PARAMETERS HIGHER REAL INTEREST RATES HURTING ECONOMIC RECOVERY # Education 79 #Banking 59 NASHA MUKT BHARAT # Action 79 OFF-SHORE DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS #Banking 60 RURAL HEALTH CARE SURVEY # Health 80 FISCAL COUNCIL- THE NEED OF THE HOUR ANNUAL MGNREGA WORK LIMIT #Taxation 61 # Scheme 80 CODE ON WAGES WB: INDIAN HEALTH CARE UNDERFUNDED,DELIVERY POOR # Labour Reforms 63 # Report 80 NEED FOR INCLUSIVE MIGRATION POLICY INDIA'S SEX RATIO AT BIRTH (SRB) IMPROVES # Inclusive Growth 65 # Empowerment 81 PROMOTING SELF-RELIANCE IN PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR DRAFT TRANSGENDER PERSONS (PROTECTION OF RIGHTS) # Pharma 67 RULES, 2020 INITIATIVES TO BOOST SOLAR POWER # Empowerment 81 # Energy 68 LOSS OF JOBS FOR WOMEN DUE TO COVID-19 INCREASE IN ENROLMENT UNDER NPS # Employment #Inclusion #Empowerment 82 # Social Security 69 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 82 RAISE PROGRAM # Energy 70 83 BOOSTING AGRI-EXPORTS: A TOOL TO DOUBLE FARMERS’ INCOME SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY # Agriculture 70 # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper III (Main) AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND SALINITY GRADIENT ENERGY # Agriculture 72 # Energy #Technology 83 ii INTERNET OF THINGS GLOBBA ANDERSONIIFROM #Technology 83 #Flora 99 PULSE OXIMETER RECONSTITUTION OF THE CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY (CZA) #Health #Technology 84 #Ex-Situ Conservation 99 SEROSURVEILLANCE PRACTICE QUESTIONS 100 #Health 85 KAWASAKI DISEASE #Health 86 101 CHOANOFLAGELLATES HISTORY, HERITAGE & CULTURE # Microorganism 86 SOLAR ORBITER MISSION # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper I (Main) #Space 87 MADHUBANI PAINTINGS 101 PRESERVE SPECIES DIVERSITY TO PREVENT ZOONOTIC DISEASES BURRA KATHA 101 88 HARIKATHA 102 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 89 CHIRALA TEXTILES 102 BATHUKAMMA 102 90 ARANMULA BOAT RACE 103 GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, BIODIVERSITY & GATKA 103 THANJAVUR PAINTINGS 103 DISASTER MANAGEMENT CHHAU DANCE 103 # GS Paper (Prelims) and GS Paper I & III(Main) DRAFT EIA NOTIFICATION RAIBENSHE DANCE 104 #Conservation 90 NADIA PUPPETRY 104 W.B. FUNDS NAMAMI GANGE PROJECT MANDANA ART 104 #Conservation #Pollution 92 THANJAVUR DOLLS 104 INDIAN SUNDARBANS KULLU NATI DANCE 104 #Conservation 93 BEHDIENKHLAM FESTIVAL 105 DECLARATION OF TIGER RESERVES #Conservation 95 MONGMONG FESTIVAL 105 NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK GOTMAR FESTIVAL 105 #Conservation 97 BAGWAL FESTIVAL 105 GOLDEN BIRDWING BUDHAMAL FESTIVAL 105 #Biodiversity 97 VRISCHIKOLSAVAM FESTIVAL 106 RED SANDERS CHETAK FESTIVAL 106 #Conservation 98 MAKARAVILAKKU FESTIVAL 106 MOBILE APP: KURMA #Biodiversity # Technology 98 THAKURANI JATRA FESTIVAL 106 CENTRAL GROUND WATER BOARD (CGWB) DOUL UTSAV 107 #Authority 99 THEYYAM DANCE 107 iii INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE ARTS 108 CASE STUDIES for Practice MAINS GS PAPER IV 123 109 Part Three SECURITY # GS Paper III (Main) Essays of the month ANDAMAN & NICOBAR: ISLANDS OF NEW POSSIBILITIES # India and the World 109 126 CHINA ON INDIA’S APPS BAN ESSAY 1: JOY IS THE SIMPLEST FORM OF GRATITUDE # Society # Security #India and its Neighbourhood 111 # Ethics RISING CYBER CONCERNS AND DIGITAL HEALTH CARE SUBMITTED BY: MUSKAN ARYA 127 # Cyber Security 113 ESSAY 2: COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM : MYTH OR REALITY # Polity and Governance SUBMITTED BY: TUSHAR SHARMA 128 Part TWO ESSAY 3: CUSTOMARY MORALITY CANNOT BE A GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude # Ethics SUBMITTED BY: AKASH BHAIRAV GUPTA 130 116 ESSAY 4: BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN OTHERS # Ethics 132 CARTOONS SPEAK SHARPER THAN THE WORDS #Ethics #Integrity #Aptitude# 117 iv Part ONE Current affairs analysis logical .simple .targeted analysis & explanation of all relevant news of the month INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper II (Main) Lead Article Hong Kong security law and Is reportedly considering a US AND CHINA sweeping travel ban on the millions of members of China’s #Geopolitics ruling Communist Party. • US has accused China of providing refuge to one of the Chinese researchers against whom the U.S. has issued an arrest warrant because she allegedly lied to the authorities IN NEWS about her ties to the Army. United States has closed Chinese Consulate in Houston. China THE LARGER GEO-CONFLICT retaliated by ordering the U.S. consulate in the western • What started as a Trade War between US and China in Chinese city of Chengdu closed. This represents an 2018 has grown