1. Tariff
- Context: The U.S. President is placing 25% tariffs on automobile imports.
- It fosters domestic manufacturing and puts a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains.
Reciprocal tariffs:
- Reciprocal tariffs are imposed when a country charges duties onUS exports, prompting the US to retaliate with the same amount of tariff on that country’s goods.
Consequences of Reciprocal Tariffs:
- Increased export costs:Reduced competitiveness.
- Shrinking market share: Higher competition from other countries.
- Supply chain disruptions: Higher input costs for industries like automobiles.
- Job losses: Manufacturing slowdown, impacting employment.
What is a Tariff?
- A tariff refers to the tax imposed by the government on imported goods from other countries.
- Tariff is imposed majorly to protect the domestic producers, but the government also imposes tariffs to reduce imports from other countries, thereby promoting the use of domestic products.
Types of Tariff:
- Specific: The government wants to raise awareness of domestic goods, and therefore when tax or tariff on imported goods is unit-based
- Ad valorem: when the tariff is based on a certain percentage of the imported value.
2. Lok Sabha Speaker
- Context: A delegation of Opposition leaders met the Lok Sabha Speaker over their grievances such as not allowing the Leader of the Opposition to speak in the House.
Lok Sabha Speaker:
Prelims special:
Q. With reference to Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2022)
- As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the election of Deputy Speaker shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix.
- There is a mandatory provision that the election of a candidate as Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha shall be from either the principal opposition party or the ruling party.
- The Deputy Speaker has the same power as of the Speaker when presiding over the sitting of the House and no appeal lies against his rulings.
- The well-established parliamentary practice regarding the appointment of Deputy Speaker is that the motion is moved by the Speaker and duly seconded by the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- 3 and 4 only
- 2 and 4 only
Ans: (b)
3. Transfer of High Court judge
- Context: Chief Justice of India met with the office-bearers of the Bar associations of various State High Courts, who conveyed their demand to withdraw a proposal to transfer a High Court judge to Allahabad High Court.
Transfer of judges:
- Article 222: It provides for the transfer of HC judges, including the Chief Justice. The President, after consultation with the CJI, may transfer a judge from one HC to any other HC and a compensatory allowance is provided to the transferred judge.
- Interpretation: The executive could transfer a judge, but only after consulting the CJI.
Collegium system:
- It is the system of appointment and transfer of judges that has evolved through judgments of the SC.
- The SC collegium: It is headed by the CJI and comprises four other senior most judges of the court.
- HC Collegium: It is led by its Chief Justice and two other senior most judges of that court.
- Ordinarily case:
- one of the four senior-most puisne Judges of the Supreme Court would succeed the Chief Justice of India
- Situational: If the situation is such that the successor Chief Justice is not one of the four senior-most puisne Judges, he must invariably be made part of the collegium.
Issues with Collegium system:
- Extra-constitutional or non-constitutional body: brought in force by judgments of the Supreme Court.
- Non-Judge: There is no seat in the collegium for any non judge neither from the executive, the Bar etc.
- Opaqueness: lack of transparency.
- Nepotism: Scope for nepotism.
- Overlooks talent: Overlooks several talented junior judges and advocates.
Judges case:
- First Judges Case (1981): It declared that the “primacy” of the Chief Justice of India (CJI)’s recommendation on judicial appointments and transfers can be refused for “logical reasons.”
- The ruling gave the Executive primacy over the Judiciary in judicial appointments for the next 12 years.
- Second Judges Case (1993): SC introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”.
- It was not the CJI’s individual opinion, consultation with the two senior-most judges in the SC.
- Third Judges Case (1998): SC on President’s reference expanded the Collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior-most colleagues.
Prelims Special:
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2019)
- The 44th Amendment to the Constitution of India introduced an Article placing the election of the Prime Minister beyond judicial review.
- The Supreme Court of India struck down the 99th Amendment to the Constitution of India as being violative of the independence of judiciary.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (b)
4. Fishermen
- Context: 11 fishermen from Rameswaram arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching.
Bottom trawling:
- It is a method of fishing that involves dragging heavy weighted nets across the sea floor, in an effort to herd and capture the target species, like ground fish or crabs.
Maritime ZonesUnder UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – 1982), which India ratified in 1995, the sea and resources in the water and the seabed are classified into three zones – the Internal Waters (IW), the Territorial Sea (TS) and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).The IW is on the landward side of the baseline – it includes gulfs and small bays.The TS extends outwards to 12 nautical miles from the baseline – coastal nations enjoy sovereignty over airspace, sea, seabed and subsoil and all living and non-living resources therein.The EEZ extends outwards to 200 nautical miles from the baseline. Coastal nations have sovereign rights for exploration, exploiting, conserving and managing all the natural resources therein.Since fisheries is a state subject, fishing in the IW and TS come within the purview of the states concerned. Other activities in the TS and activities, including fishing beyond the TS up to the limit of the EEZ, are in the Union list. |
Prelims special:
Q. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements:
- A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
- Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
- The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (d)
5. National Education Policy(NEP)
- Context: Kerala to make 6(six) the age of admission to Class I from the 2026-27 academic year.
National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020:
- The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”. It is only the 3rd major revamp of the framework of education in India since independence.
- The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986.
- Salient Features:
- Ensuring Universal Access at All Levels of schooling from pre-primary school to Grade 12.
- Ensuring quality early childhood care and education for all children between 3-6 years.
- New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure (5+3+3+4) corresponds to the age groups of 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
- It covers four stages of schooling: Foundational Stage (5 years), Preparatory Stage (3 years), Middle Stage (3 years), and Secondary Stage (4 years).
- No hard separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extracurricular activities, between vocational and academic streams;
- Emphasis on promoting multilingualism and Indian languages
- Setting up of a new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development)
- A separate Gender Inclusion fund and Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups
Prelims special:
Q. Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC 2012)
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Rural and Urban Local Bodies
- Fifth Schedule
- Sixth Schedule
- Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
- 1 and 2 only
- 3, 4 and 5 only
- 1, 2 and 5 only
- 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans- (d)
6. POCSO
- Context: The Supreme Court allowed an appeal for anticipatory bail filed by Kerala-based actor accused of raping a four-year-old child.
POCSO Act:
- The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development led the introduction of the POCSO Act in 2012.
- The Act was designed to protect children from sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography offences.
- Special courts: Provide for the establishment of Special Courts for the trial of such offenses.
- Amendment: The Act was amended in 2019 for enhancing the punishments for specific offenses in order to deter abusers and ensure a dignified childhood.
Key Features of the Act:
Prelims special:
Q. Which of the following are envisaged by the Right against Exploitation in the Constitution of India?(UPSC 2017)
- Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour
- Abolition of untouchability
- Protection of the interests of minorities
- Prohibition of employment of children in factories and mines
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 1 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (c)