Thread for UIAMS Students

Hi All,

I had a great time with you guys yesterday. I hope my session was also useful to you and helped you in understanding basics of Indian Economy and reasons behind subprime crisis and its impact on India. I would like you to give me an honest feedback for the session.

ALso feel free to post your doubts about the session on this thread. Thanks.

IAS Mains 2009: Essay

ESSAY (Compulsory) : 2009

Time Allowed: Three Hours Max. Marks: 200

Instruction: The Essay must be written in the medium specified in the admission certificate issue to you. The name of medium must be stated clearly on the cover of the answer-book in the space provided for the purpose. No credit will be given to the essay written in a medium other than that specified in the admission certificate.

(Examiner will pay special attention to the candidate’s grasp of his material, it’s relevant to the subject chosen and to his ability to think constructed and present his ideas concisely, logically and effectively).

Write an Essay on any one of the following topics:

1. Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death?
2. Are we a ‘Soft ’ state ?
3. “The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society”.
4. “ Good Fences make good neighbors”
5. ‘ Globlisation’ vs. ‘ Nationalism’

IAS Mains 2009: Geography Paper 2

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions selecting at
least one question from each Section. Wherever a question is
attempted, all its parts are to be attempted. The number of
marks carried by each question is indicated at the end of the
question.

SECTION – A
1. On the outline map of India provided to you , mark the
location of any fifteen of the following for which 1 ( one)
mark is given to each correct entry. Write in your answer
script the significance geographical relevance or strategic
importance of these locations, whether physical /
commercial / economic / ecological / environmental /
cultural in not more than 30 words for each entry. 3 (three)
marks are allotted for each write up. 15×4=60
a) Akarimota
b) Kolleru Lake
c) Van Tivu
d) Silent Valley
e) Amaravati River
f) Pirotan Island
g) Mangla
h) Meghnagar
i) Shipki La
j) Bhachau
k) The Home of Sundari tree
l) Place of orgin of River Narmada
m) Gokak
n) Ken River
o) Bailadila
p) Bhavani Sagar Dam
q) Kutralam Falls
r) Dalma Hills
s) Rangit River
t) Dhanjori Hills

2. a). Discuss the formation and their distribution of the
major soil types of India. 30
b). Give reasons as to why rainfall variability is a
characteristic features of India’s monsoons. 30

3. Distinguish between the West and East coasts of India in
terms of their evolution, present topography and drainage
pattern. 60

4. Examine the role of raw materials in the location of the Iron
and Steel Industry in India. Illustrate your answer with
suitable examples. 60

SECTION B
5. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each:
20×3=60
a). What is the role of the Triple Transport System in the
regional development of India ?
b). Explain the factors responsible for the distribution of Sugar
Industry in India.
c). State the geographical factors which influence rural house
types in India.
d). Giving reasons , identify the chronic drought prone areas
of India.

6. What are the cause and consequences of environmental
degradation in India’s industrial areas? Give specific
examples. 60

7. “ There is no sharp divide where an urban settlement stops
and rural areas begins.” Analyze the statement with reference
to the sprawl of Indian cities. 60

8. a). How do the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors operate for the
emergence of slums in the metropolises of India? 30
b). Discuss the impact of globlisation of India’s industry
and agriculture sectors. 30

IAS Mains 2009: Geography Paper 1

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions selecting at
least one question from each Section. Wherever a question is
attempted, all its parts are to be attempted. The number of
marks carried by each question is indicated at the end of the
question.

SECTION – A
1. Answer the following in about 200 words each :
a) Highlights the geomorphic features essentially found in
topographies under the second cycle of Erosion. 20
b) Give a brief account of principal land biomes and their
latitudinal distribution. 20
c) Discuss views on slope development provided by L.C.
King. 20

2. a). Identify each features that is indicated by the numerals (i)
to (x) on the world Map provided. Identification of the feature
carries 2 marks each. 2×10=20
b). Mention the location of each feature in respect of + (-)
GMT. This carries 1 mark each. 1×10=10
c). provide a write up on the significance of the identified
feature in approximately 40 words, this carries 3 marks
each. 3×10=30

3. a). Explain factors contributing to the global climate change
20
b). Discuss the consequences of Climate Change on
agriculture and food security , and on the Coastal Zones of
the world. 20
c). How does Climate change affect urban areas? 20

4. a). Examine economic significance of the resources of the
Continental Shelf of the Indian Ocean. 30
b). Comment on marine heat budget and the oceanic
Circulation system. 30

Section B
(Human Geography)

5. Write short notes on any three of the following in about
200 words each: 20×3=60
a). Weight Triangle
b). ‘Limit to Growth’ Model
c). Tropical atmospheric instability
d). Zonal and Azonal soils

6. a). Provide a geographical account of global production
and distribution of food. 30
b). ‘Quantitative Revolution and model building provided
an empirical basis for geographical research’ – Elaborate.
30

7. Elaborate the concept of Megalopolis and discuss the
characteristics and problems related to two such regions
selecting one each from North America and Europe. 60

8. a). Provide a broad classification of world cultural regions.
30
b). Highlights the significance of environmental issues in
Regional Planning. 30

Thread for IAS Pre GS Paper...

Hi All,

YOu can post all your doubts for IAS pre GS exam on this thread. Also feel free to share your learning with others.

In case you want me to explain any topic that you are finding difficult to understand then let me know. I would try my best to help you in that topic.

If you have any suggestions to make this blog more useful then also feel free to post your comments and suggestions.

IAS Mains 2009: Political Science Paper 2

SECTION – A

1. Answer on any THREE of the following in about 200
words each: 20×3=60
a) Is it necessary to evolve a distinct theoretical
framework for analysis emergent politics in the
developing world?
b) What is the significance of the increasing global
diffusion of nuclear and long range delivery vehicle
technology ?
c) What are the major critiques of liberal
internationalization ?
d) Comment on the contribution of global feminism to the
consolidation of global society.

2. Explain how far Deutsch’s model explains the framework
international interdependence. Do you think that the
processes of interdependence and integration have grown
steadily in the post Cold War Globlisation trajectory ? 60

3. Explain the role of non state actors, like IMF, World Bank ,
European Union and MNCs , in modulating and transforming the
broad dynamics of international relations. 60

4. Examine the comparative advantages of democracy and
autocracy in restraining political violence. Do you think that
autocratic societies are more prone to political violence?
Illustrate your answer with a comparative study of a few
societies. 60

SECTION ‘B’

5. Answer on any THREE of the following in about 200
words each: 20×3=60

a) Do you think that India’s ‘ Look East’ policy would
help a common Asian market , unlike European
common market
b) In the context of developments on the nuclear weapons
front in the neighbourhood , do you think that any
change in India ‘s defence strategy is indicated ?
c). Identify India’s contributions and assistance in the process
of nation-building in South Africa.
d). To what extent is India’s policy in regard to Afghanistan
dictated by a vision of ‘ Global South’ , rather than
compulsions ?

6. Examine India’s role in strategic terms with regard to the
land-locked countries in South Asia. With regard to Nepal ,
to what extent has the involvement of major posers such
as China , the US and the EU impacted India ‘s strategic
interests. 60

7. Analyze the basic causes of insurgency and terrorism
in two majors areas that are affected in the country. In this
regard , to what extent have state policies to counter
terrorism been effective in these areas ? 60

8. “ Domestic problems and Historic legacies , apart from
other factors , constitute major strains on Indian foreign
policy.” Discuss this statement with suitable examples. 60

IAS Mains 2009: Political Science Paper 1

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions selecting
at least one question from each Section..
All questions carry equal marks.

SECTION – A

1. Comments on any THREE of the following statements in
not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60

a) “ Political Theory is , quite simply , man’s attempt to
consciously understand and solve the problems of his
group life and organization ….. It is the disciplined
investigation of political problems …. Not only to
show what a political practice is, but also to show what
it means . In showing what a practice means , or what it
ought to mean , political theory can alter what it is.”
( Sabine )

b) “ Women has always been man’s dependent , If not his
slave ; the two sexes have never shared the world in
equality.” ( Simone de Beauvoir )

c) “ Western thought , one might say , has been either
platonic or anti platonic but hardly ever non-platonic.”
( Popper )

d) “ Socialism is a much used hat , whose original shape
no one can define.” ( C E M Joad)

2. a). Compare and contrast Kautilya and Machiavalli on
statecraft. 20

b). Explain as to why Jeremy Bentham dismisses the theory
of natural right as ‘ nonsense upon stilts’ . 20

c). Comment on the proposition that liberal constitution-
- alism precedes liberal democracy. 20

3. Examine in detail Marx’s prescription for ending alienation
and reaching the stage of de-alienation. 60

4. Critically examine Hamza Alavi’s Formulation of the over -
- developed state. 60

SECTION ‘B’

5. Comments on any THREE of the following in not more
than 200 words each: 20×3=60

a). Inter State Committee .
b). Radical Humanism
c). The Functions , duties and powers of the appropriate
National Commission as laid down in clauses (5),(8)
and (9) of Articles-338 of the constitution.
d). Implication of the use of Electronic Voting Machine
( EVM ) on electoral politics.

6. a). Critically examine the arguments being advanced for
review of the present system of appointment of judges
to the higher judiciary of the country. 30

b). Bring out the changing educational profile of the
members of the Lok Sabha over the years , up to the
present ( 15th ) Lok Sabha .

7. “ The OBC politics has challenged the nature of dominant
caste politics in the states.” Critically examine this
statement and bring out your conclusion. 60

8. “ The environmental movements have challenged the
policy and pattern of economic development in post
independent India.” Analyze with examples. 60

IAS Mains 2009: History Paper 2

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions selecting
at least one question from each Section.

SECTION – A
( Modern India )

1. Comment on any three of the following statements in about
200 words each : 20×3=60

a). “ Though the Permanent Settlement had serious defects , it
gave tranquility to the countryside and stability to the
government”.
b). “ The Arya Samaj may quite logically be pronounced as
the outcomes of conditions imported into India by the
west.” ( Lala Lajpat Rai)
c). “Please remember, in granting separate electorates we are
sowing the dragons’s teeth and harvest will be bitter.”
( Morley)
d). “ The annexation of Awadh shook the loyalty of the
Sepoy’s , as it was for them an ultimate proof of
untrustworthiness of the British.”

2.a). Why was Mysore considered a threat by the British to
their possessions and mercantile interests in the south ? Do
You think that Tipu Sultan’s posturing became his undoing?

b). How did the East India Company became the dejure power in
India? 30

3. a). How did social legislation in the nineteenth century
improve the condition of women in India? 30
b). Analyze the social composition of the early Congress
leadership. 30

4. a). Discuss as to why the congress accepted the partition
of India in 1947. 30
b). Do you think that Quit India movement was
a Spontaneous Revolution ? 30

SECTION B : ( World History )

5. Comment on any three of the following statements in about
200 words each : 20×3=60

a). “ The capitalism which gave the European empires their
apparent solidarity and permanence also hastened their
downfall.”
b). “ In all the long annals of Imperialism , the partition of
Africa is a remarkable freak.”
c). “ Hitler did not really want a world War. His intention was
only a short war with Poland.” ( A. J. P. Taylar )
d). “Arab nationalism and oil – these were the principal
Factors in complicating the relations of middle eastern
countries with the outside world.”

6. a) Discuss the emergence of neo-imperialism in the late
nineteenth century. 30
b). What was the extent of industrilisation in western Europe
by the end of the nineteenth century? 30

7. a). How did Nepoleon Bonapart fuse the old France with
the new ? 30
b). Why did Vietnam go through thirty years of war after
the second world war? 30

8. a). Account for the overthrow of the Tsarist regime in
Russia 30
b). Examine the peace keeping efforts of the United
Nations Organization. 30

IAS Mains 2009: History Paper 1

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions selecting
at least one question from each Section.

SECTION – A
1. Marks any fifteen of the following places on the map
supplied to you and write short descriptive notes on these
places marked by you. 4×15=60
i. Koldihwa
ii. Kuchai
iii. Utnar
iv. Patne
v. Semthan
vi. Bagasra
vii. Balatha
viii. Hallur
ix. Kandahar
x. Ter
xi. Uchh
xii. Gyaraspur
xiii. Uttaramerur
xiv. Lalkot
xv. Sittanavasal
xvi. Mansura
xvii. Jaunpur
xviii. Daojali Hading
xix. Machilipatnam
xx. Mahisadal

2. In what ways are the accounts of the Graeco Romans and
the Chinese helpful in reconstructing the social history of
India ? How far is their information corroborated by other
Contemporary sources. 60

3. a). Evaluate the various approaches to the understanding of
vedic religion. 30
b). Give an account of the use of gold coins by commoners
in the Gupta Period. 30

4. Bring out the regional variations in the early South Indian
Temple’s architectural styles. 60

SECTION B

5. Write short essays in not more than 200 words each on any
three of the following: 20×3=60

a). Applicability of the term ‘ Indian Feudalism’ to early
Medieval Society.
b). Muhammad Tughluq as an agrarian innovator.
c). Implications of Akbar’s notion of Sulh-i-kul.
d). Estimates of population of Mughal India.

6. a). How far can the village assemblies or communities
under the Cholas be really called democratic. 30
b). Assess Kalhana’s views on History. 30

7. a). Identify the main factors that sustained the expansion of
urban economy in the Delhi Sultanate. 30
b). Give an estimate of Akbar as a promoter of technology.30

8. a). Give a critical assessment of the contributions of Amir
Khusarau and Barani to Indo – Persian Literature. 30
b). The major cause of revolts against the Mughal Empire
during the latter half of the 17th century were economic ,
rather than religious.” Discuss. 30

IAS Mains 2009: Public Administration Paper 2

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions
selecting at least one question from each Section..

SECTION – A
1. Attempt any THREE of the following in not more than 200
words each: 20×3=60
a) “Bureaucracy developed by the British stifled the village
self rule.” Comment.
b) “Comment on the view that despite different contexts,
administrative maxims of Kautilya’s Arthashatra bear
considerable similarity with features of Weber’s ideal
bureaucratic model.
c) “The weakest aspect of Indian Administration is
grievance redressal machinery.” Discuss.
d) “ There is no basic contradiction between Civil Service
neutrality and Civil Service activism.” Comment.
2. a) . “Law and order problems of the twenty first century can
not be tackled through legislations and structures of the
nineteenth century.” Give suggestions for transforming the
law and order machinery at the State level. 30

b). “ The Recommendations of the second Administrative
Reform Commission on reforming the Civil Service are
radical yet implementable.” Do you agree? 30
3. a). Briefly discuss the main recommendations of any two
of the followings : 30
i). Paul Appleby ( 1953 and 1956 )
ii). Santhanam Committee
iii). Hota Committee
iv). Sixth Pay Commission
b). Examine the role of Finance Ministry of the Union
Government in designing and implementing monetary and
Fiscal policies. 30
4. a). Discuss the relationship between governance and
development in any one Indian state , giving illustrations.
30
b). Do state Services suffer in comparison with All India
and Central Services ? Suggest measures for enhancing
the role , competence and impact of state services. 30

Section B

Comment on any THREE of the following statements in
not more than 200 words each: 20×3=60

a) “ India has failed to devise a long term strategy for
drought management.”
b) “ A fix tenure in Civil Service postings can increase
productivity , accountability and probity in
Government.”
c) “ Sound municipal governance requires a cadre of
specilised municipal services executives equal in status
to state services.”
d) “Administrative talent of a minister determines his
success.”

6. a). “ The respective roles of the cabinet Secretary of the
Government of India and of the chief Secretary of a state
are similar in certain respects, and dissimilar in others.”
Explain. 30

b). Do you agree with the view that citizen’s Charters in India
have not succeeded in their objective of making of
administrative system citizen –centric ? Analyze and give
your suggestions in this regard. 30

7. a). “ The National Human Rights Commissions has done a
commendable job in developing job in developing a sense
responsibility among organization towards the protection
of human rights.” Comment on this assessment. 30

b). In your view , which have been the five most important
administrative reforms implemented after Independence?
What has been their impact? 30

8.“a). “ Value of Indian administration must be rooted in
the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.” Discuss. 30

b). “Many of the programmes of development being
implemented at the state and the local level have been
initiated or financed by the Union Government. This has
transformed the nature of Indian federalism.” Critically
examine this assessment. 30

IAS Mains 2009: Public Administration Paper 1

Candidates should attempt Question No. 1 and 5 which are
compulsory and any three of the remaining questions
selecting at least one question from each Section.

SECTION – A
1. Comments on any THREE of the following statements in not
more than 200 words each: 20×3=60

a) “ The Field of Public Administration is a field of
business.” ( Woodrow Wilson )

b) “ New Public Administration is …… a revolution or
radicalism in words , and ( at best ) status –quo in skills
or technologies.”

c) “ Taylor’s contribution was not a set of general principles
for organizing work efficiency , nut a set of operating
procedures that could be employed in each concrete
situation to secure their application.”

d) “ The Barnard – Simon Theory of organization is
essentially a theory of motivation.”

2. Answer the following in about 300 words each: 30×2=60

a) Consider the statement below :
i). “Technically, the bureaucracy represents the purest
type of legal rational authority”
ii). “Bureaucracy does not represent the only type of
legal authority”
Identify the theoretical context and analyze the above
Statements.

b) Which of the model(s) in development administration
is / are characterised by ‘ Selectivism’ , ‘ Attainment’
and ‘ Poly-functionalism’ ? Describe the corresponding
theoretical roots and attributes.

3. It is said that “ the perspective of public administration ,
developed over a century , with a tradition of management
of Public institution and services has received a jolt from
the novelty of New Public Management”.
Bring out the core values , approaches and assumptions of
traditional public administration and show how the new
new Public Management has attempted to change or retain
them , and to what extent. 60

4. From Woodrow Wilson to Herbert Simon most writers
on public administration have taken the achievement of
efficiency as the central objective. Justify the
statement with reference to the work of major writers.
60

SECTION – B

5. Answer any THREE of the following questions in not more
than 200 words each: 20×3=60
a) “ There is no doubts that departmentalization is fraught
with complexities. These are in part technical , in part
political .” Discuss.

b) “ Technical like PERT and CPM help in effective
office management.” Elaborate.

c) “ ….. non –western states often , If not always , have
unbalance politics , but these may not necessarily be
bureaucratic politics.” Discuss.

d) “ Yehezkel Dror’s normative models of policy making
tend to be academic in perspective with poor
operational utility.” Comment.

6. Consider the statement below:
a). Self-Help Groups ( SHGs ) enables women to realize their
full potential in some spheres of life.
b). Self-Help Groups ( SHGs ) are providing avenues of
political mobilization.
Examine the implication of these two statements and assess
the potential of SHGs for development. 60

7. It is said that ‘ position classification’, as originally
conceived is sound in terms of its operational
characterics , but complicated and unresponsive in
practice. Why is it still considered better than other models
of civil service classification ? 60

8.“ …….. even if policies are well organized , efficiently
operated , widely utilized , adequately financed and
supported , we may still ask , so what ? Do they work?
…. What about their costs , outputs and impact ?”
Discuss. 60

IAS Mains 2009: General Studies Paper 1

1. Critically analyze any two of the following statements with
reference to the context in which they were made (in about 150
words each) 15×2=30
a) “Many Englishmen honesty consider themselves the
trustees for India and yet to what a condition they have
reduced our country”.
b) “The Foreign power will be withdrawn but for me real
freedom will come only when we free ourselves of the
dominance of western education , western culture and
western way of living which have been ingrained in us”.
c) “Satan cannot enter till he finds a flaw ……. A great
ocean separate us educated few from the millions in our
country”.
2. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each)
a) King Nongbah 2×10=20
b) Maski
c) Govind Guru
d) ‘ Brahmadeya ’
e) ‘ Egmore Faction’
f) ‘ Haileybury College
g) Ijara System
h) Taji Mideren
i) Gurudwara Reform Movement
j) ‘ Marumakkathayam’

3. Answer any four of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 15×4=60
a) Assess the significance of coastal regions in the economic
development of India.
b) Discuss the wetlands and their role in the ecological
conservation in India.
c) Elaborate the steps taken by the Government for
regionally differentiated approach to increase crop
production and diversification in the country.
d) Bring out the Significance of the various activities of the
Indian Metrological Department.
e) Examine the status of urbanization among the states in
India and bring out spatial inequalities.
4. Write about the following (not exceeding 30 words each)
3×10=30
a) ‘ Bhuvan Website ‘
b) National Waterways
c) Ultra Mega Power Projects
d) NNRMS
e) BSUP Scheme
f) Gagan Project
g) Fruit Production in India

h) Section 377 of IPC
i) ‘ Wherebouts clause of WADA”
j) Barren Island
5. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 100
words each) 10×2=20
a) Analyse India’s achievements in the sports sectors during
2008-2009.
b) List the salient features of the important folk dances of
either Central India or Northern Eastern India.
c) What are the important similarities and difference
between the Hindustani and the Carnatic Styles of Classic
music?
6. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 15×2=30
a) What are your views on the features and impact of
Domestic Violence Act, 2005?
b) Are the traditional determinants of voting behavior in
India changing? Examine in the context of last General
Elections.
c) Examine corruption as a serious development challenge
in Indian Polity.

7. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 15×2=30
a) Mushrooming of Higher Educational Institutions was a
matter of grave concern for Yashpal Committte. With
reference to the relevant portion of that report give your
views how to harmonise private investment and quality of
education.
b) In the changing context of governance in the country,
what should be the role of the UPSC?
c) In the Context of recent incidents , suggest measures on
how security of passengers and property can be improved
over indian railways.
8. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250
words each) 30
a) Comment on the salient features of the Integrated Energy
Policy recently approved by the government and its
implication on the energy security needs of the country.
b) How far has impact of the global meltdown been
reflected in the Economic Survey 2008-09? Identify some
of the core areas given priority to neutralize the adverse
effects of the global downturn.

9. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 15×2=30
a) Trace the significance steps in the evolution of Television
in the country.
b) The Last National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
displayed a very dismal picture of nutrition as regards
several indicators for average Indians. Highlights the
salient aspects of this problem.
c) ‘ As we live in a plural society we need the greatest
freedom to expresss our opinions even if others find it
offensive’ – Do you agree ? Discuss with reference to
some recent incidents in the Indian context.
10. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each)
a)Desert National Park 2×10=20
b) Significance of 26th November in the Country’s Polity
c) Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendra
d) Girni Kamgar Union
e) Ayush-64
f) Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi ( GGVN)
g) Deep Joshi’s recent Achievement
h) Satya Vrat Shastri’s recent achievement
i) Pocket Veto
j) PESA , 1996

IAS Mains 2009: General Studies Paper 2

1. Write notes on any three of the following (in about 150 words
each) 3×15=45
a) India’s strategic interests in South Asia
b) China’s ‘peaceful rise’ doctrine
c) India Russia Defence Ties
d) India’s ‘soft’ and ‘Hard’ power strategy in foreign policy

2. Write brief notes on any four of the following in about 50
words each 4×5=20
a) Nuclear Supply Group ( NSG ) and India
b) Your view on the recent ‘ Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment
and Self Governance Order 2009’
c) Wakhan Corridor
d) Nuclear Submarine ‘ Arihant’
e) National Security Advisory Board (NSAB)

3. Comment on any two of the following in about 100 words
2×10=20
a) India – USA as strategic partners
b) Ethnic conflict in South Asia
c) ‘ NEPAD’ and its objectives

4. Write on any two of the following in about 50 words each.
2×5=10
a) Indo-Bhutan trade relations
b) Sino Myanmar relations
c) Geopolitics and Geostrategy

5. Comment critically on any one of the following statements in
not more than 200 words: 20
a) “ Foreign investment is far from being critical to India’s
economic growth”
b) “ The Lesson of current global financial crisis is that
India should halt and may be even reverse financial
liberalization”.

6. Answer any one of the following in about 200 words : 20
a). “ In the WTO negotiations over the years of the DOHA
Rounds , India appears to be diluting its stand on agriculture
issues to pursue perceived gains in services”. Critically
examine this statements.
b). Discuss the Indo – US Knowledge initiative in
Agriculture.

7. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 15×2=30
a) Evaluate the prospects for greater economic cooperation
between India & China.
b) Does India need the world Bank ?
c) Critically assesses the recent Free Trade Agreement
entered into by India with ASEAN.

8. Answer any three of the following questions (in about 150
words each) 3 ×15=45
a) What do you understand by ‘Biosignatures’? Discuss
briefly.
b) Write about Green Florescence Protein ( GFP ) and its
application.
c) Define ‘ Bioinformatics’ . How does it work ? What is
the major branches and applications ?
d) What is the ‘ Hubble Space Telescope’ ? How many
Service Mission ( SMs) have been conducted for it ?

9. Explain any four of the following (100 words each) 4 ×10=40
a) DNA Finger Printing and its utility.
b) What is ‘Nanotech’. Give a brief account of its basic
concepts, material used and applications.
c) What is ‘ Graphene’? Mention at least three of its
applications.
d) Define ‘ optical frequency comb’ . Suggest at least three
applications.
e) Why is Tele-medicine important for country like India?

10. Write brief notes on any five of the following ( in about 30
words each): 5 ×13=15
a) Artificial Sun
b) ‘ Vegetable Gold’
c) PFCs and ‘ liquid breathing’
d) The ‘ P- 8 A Poseidon’
e) Biometric ATMs
f) Extra Vehicle Activity ( EVA)

11. a). The total areas of cultivation of high, medium and low
sugar content, sugarcanes in four regions of a state are given
below :
Sugar Region
Content North South East West
High 100 100 200 50
Medium 300 300 400 250
Low 800 400 1000 700
Total 1200 800 1600 1000
Draw suitable diagram that facilitates the comparison of areas of
cultivation of different sugar content varieties among the four
regions 6

b). The following table gives the production of soda ash ( in tons
) by three companies ( A , B and C ) over seven years period :
Company 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
A 20 25 28 31 34 36 41
B 15 18 23 35 40 46 50
C 45 43 40 37 30 26 20
Draw a suitable diagram so as to compare the performance of
these companies. 6

c). The following date relate to the sales and net profit ( in
Rupees Crores) of a company : 4
Years 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
Sales 100 250 300 290 680
Net Profits 2.5 4.5 6 8.5 12
i). In which year the percentage of growth in sales, relative to the
previous year is higher?
ii). In which year the percentage of growth in net profit , relative
to the previous year , is higher?
iii). Let the probability be defined as the ratio of Net Profit to
sales. In which Year the profitability is higher ?
d). The Total sales ( in ‘000 rupees ) of a particular item in shop ,
on 10 consecutive days , is reported by a clerk as follows : 5
35.00 29.60 38.00 30.00 40.00
41.00 42.00 45.00 3.60 3.80
Later it was found that reports of the 4th and 8th days were 10.00
more than the true values and that in the last two days the clerk
put a decimal wrongly one place to the left ( for example , 3.60
was really 36.0 ). Calculate the true mean value of sale

12.a). In a factory , 1500 women are working . Eight hundred of
them come from rural areas and 450 of the married women are
skill labourers. The number of skilled , rural and married
labourers is 300. of the 400 unmarried and skilled women
labourers , 250 are from urban areas. The number of married ,
semi skill women labouers from urban areas is 200. One hundred
married rural women are semi skilled labourers.
Tabulate the above information. 4
b). The mean score of a class in an examination is 70. If the
mean score of boys is 60 and that of girls is 75, obtain the
percentage of girls in the class. 4
c). In a city 20% people read newspaper A , 25% people read B
and 10% read both A and B . What is the percentage of people
who read at least one of the two newspapers ? 2
d). In order to study the effect of inoculation on TB , It was
found that the number of inoculated and unaffected from TB is
28. and not inoculated and affected from TB is 13. If inoculation
was performed over 40 persons out of 60 persons, complete the
table and obtain the missing numbers.

Wish You All a very happy Diwali

May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity for you ALL. Best wishes on Diwali n All the Best for exams to all those who are appearing for Mains this year.

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External Affairs

India-Afghanistan
President Karzai and EAM jointly inaugurated the 218 Km landmark Zaranj - Delaram road project in the south-western Afghanistan connecting the capital of Nimroz Province to the Herat-Kandahar highway. This road, together with 60 kilometres of inner-city roads in Zaranj and Gurguri, was recently completed by India at a cost of US $150 million. The project symbolises India's strong commitment towards the development of Afghanistan.
India will also shortly be completing the Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul transmission line and sub-station at Chimtala.
Both sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to combat terrorism and reiterated that all countries should comply with their multilateral and international obligations and should fully control terrorist activities emanating from the sanctuaries and camps located within their territory.

India-Srilanka
500 MW thermal power project near Trincomalee by NTPC from India.
President Rajapaksa extended a personal invitation to an all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu led by Chief Minister Karunanidhi and Ms. Jayalalitha to see for themselves the situation on the ground and to persuade the LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic mainstream
President Rajapaksa assured India that it was his intention to move as quickly as possible to implement the 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution, which, followed the India-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987.
Sri Lankan Government reassured that they would respect the safe zones and minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil civilians. As you know, India has extended its relief supplies to civilians caught up in the zone of conflict and intends to continue doing so.

India-Bangladesh
EAM will unveil a model of the 2800 cyclone-resistant dwelling units that the Government of India is building in eleven villages in Bangladesh affected by the devastating cyclone in November 2007. He will also be laying the Foundation Stone for Kalabhaban of the Department of Theatre and Music in the University of Dhaka, which is being built with Indian assistance.
India has welcomed the successful conduct of elections and return of multi-party democracy in Bangladesh.
India and Bangladesh share common values, a commitment to democracy and a multi-faceted historical relationship. India looks forward to working closely with the newly elected Government in Bangladesh to further strengthen our cooperation in a range of areas.
After the natural calamities in Bangladesh in recent years, India has readily provided aid and assistance including cash assistance of USD 10 million and food aid consisting of essential items including rice and milk powder, etc., worth nearly USD 40 million. The 5,00,000 MT of rice for which we had granted a waiver on ban of export has also been supplied to Bangladesh.
The question of peaceful management of the Indo-Bangladesh borders, finalization of the demarcation of the land boundaries between two countries and maritime boundaries also featured in foreign ministry discussions. Bangladesh also specially requested Mr. Mukherjee to extend India’s full cooperation to revive, for a positive forward movement on the stagnating discussions between the two countries on the water-related issues.
Ministers also had comprehensive discussions on the security-related matters including common concern on the threat posed by anti-people activities of the fundamentalists and extremists. From the Bangladesh side, idea of a South Asian Task Force that can be useful in promoting cooperation to complement independent national action of all the willing countries joining the Task Force

PM Visit to London G-20 summit
The purpose of this Summit meeting was to take forward the search for solutions to the economic crisis facing the global economy today. This is a global crisis requiring global solutions.
Discussed various ways in which the crisis can be addressed. All countries have used monetary policy. An effective fiscal stimulus is also being resorted to by all major economies. There was agreement that credit flows to developing countries also must be restored. There was also agreement that we must tackle the crisis in a way which does not create other problems for the future. For instance, protectionism or restrictions on the free flow of trade and persons would be counter productive. Nor can development be halted or sacrificed in the search for solutions to the financial crisis. Hence the need for special attention to the needs of developing countries
Need to make good the decline that has taken place in capital flows to developing countries by providing adequate resources to the international financial institutions.
G-20 have agreed to expand the resources of the IMF and the ADB and to also bring forward the quota review in the IMF. The leaders have also agreed to a fresh issue of SDRs. Expanding of IMF resources by $1.1 trillion
broad direction for improvements in regulatory and supervisory structure for the world’s financial system. They will be carried forward by the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) and the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision,


SOCIAL ISSUES

Gender equality (also known as gender equity, gender egalitarianism, or sexual equality) is the goal of the equality of the genders or the sexes, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.
World bodies have defined gender equality as related to human rights, especially women's rights, and economic development.UNICEF defines gender equality as "levelling the playing field for girls and women by ensuring that all children have equal opportunity to develop their talents." The United Nations Population Fund declared gender equality "first and foremost, a human right. "Gender equity" is one of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Project, to end world poverty by 2015;

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA) is a European network of allergy, asthma and COPD patient organizations that was founded in 1991 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Definition of Urban areas
Census the definition adopted for an urban area which follows the pattern of 1961 was as follows:-
(a) all places with a Municipality, Corporation or Cantonment or Notified Town Area
(b) all other places which satisfied the following criteria:
(i) a minimum population of 5,000.
(ii) at least 75% of the male working population was non-agricultural.
(iii) a density of population of at least 400 sq. Km. (i.e. 1000 per sq. Mile)

A new concept that had been developed for the 1971 Census for the tabulation of certain urban data was the Standard Urban Area. The essential of a Standard Urban Area are :
(i) it should have a core town of a minimum population size of 50,000,
(ii) the contiguous areas made up of other urban as well as rural administrative units should have close utual socio- economic links with the core town and
(iii) the probabilities are that this entire area will get fully urbanised in a period of two to three decades.

A megacity is usually defined as a metropolitan area with a total population in excess of 10 million people.

Launched on 2nd October 1975 in 33 Community Development Blocks, ICDS today represents one of the world’s largest programmes for early childhood development. It is an inter-sectoral programme which seeks to directly reach out to children, below six years, especially from vulnerable and remote areas and give them a head-start by providing an integrated programme of early childhood education, health and nutrition. No programme on Early Childhood Care and Education can succeed unless mothers are also brought within it ambit as it is in the lap of the mother that human beings learn the first lessons in life.
Objectives of ICDS:
Lay the foundation for proper psychological development of the child
Improve nutritional & health status of children 0-6 years
Reduce incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop-outs
Enhance the capability of the mother and family to look after the health, nutritional and development needs of the child
Achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to promote child development

Kishori Shakti Yojana
Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) seeks to empower adolescent girls, so as to enable them to take charge of their lives.
Objective: The broad objectives of the Scheme are to improve the nutritional, health and development status of adolescent girls, promote awareness of health, hygiene, nutrition and family care, link them to opportunities for learning life skills, going back to school, help them gain a better understanding of their social environment and take initiatives to become productive members of the society.

IWEP:
An integrated scheme for women’s empowerment
Based on the formation of women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
Aims at the holistic empowerment of women through awareness generation, economic empowerment and convergence of various schemes
Creation of confidence and awareness among members of SHGs regarding women’s status, health, nutrition, education, sanitation and hygiene, legal rights, economic upliftment and other social, economic and political issues;
Strengthening and institutionalizing the savings habit in rural women and their control over economic resources;
Improving access of women to micro-credit;
Involvement of women in local-level planning;

NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
(i) Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full development of women to enable them to realize their full potential
(ii) The de-jure and de-facto enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on equal basis with men in all spheres – political, economic, social, cultural and civil
(iii) Equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and economic life of the nation
(iv) Equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security and public office etc.

Gender-related Development Index (GDI) is an indication of the standard of living in a country, developed by the United Nations (UN). It is one of the five indicators used by the United Nations Development Programme in its annual Human Development Report. It aims to show the inequalities between men and women in the following areas: long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living.

Social justice is a term, generally applied by the left, to describe a society with a greater degree of economic egalitarianism, which may be achieved through progressive taxation, income redistribution, or even property redistribution, policies aimed toward achieving that which developmental economists refer to as equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.

A self-help group (SHG) is a village-based financial intermediary usually composed of between 10-15 local women. Members make small regular savings contributions over a few months until there is enough capital in the group to begin lending. Funds may then be lent back to the members or to others in the village for any purpose. In India, many SHGs are 'linked' to banks for the delivery of microcredit.
A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a registered or unregistered group of micro entrepreneurs having homogenous social and economic backgrounds, voluntarily coming together to save regular small sums of money, mutually agreeing to contribute to a common fund and to meet their emergency needs on the basis of mutual help. The group members use collective wisdom and peer pressure to ensure proper end-use of credit and timely repayment.

Microfinance refers to the provision of financial services to low-income clients, including consumers and the self-employed. More broadly, it refers to a movement that envisions “a world in which as many poor and near-poor households as possible have permanent access to an appropriate range of high quality financial services, including not just credit but also savings, insurance, and fund transfers.”[1

Amniocentesis (also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT), is a medical procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections [1], in which a small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains fetal tissues, is extracted from the amnion or amniotic sac surrounding a developing fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic abnormalities.
Although the procedure is routine, possible complications include infection of the amniotic sac from the needle, and failure of the puncture to heal properly, which can result in leakage or infection. Serious complications can result in miscarriage.

Child labor in India is a human right issue for the whole world. It is a serious and extensive problem, with many children under the age of fourteen working in carpet making factories, glass blowing units and making fireworks with bare little hands. According to the statistics given by Indian government there are 20 million child laborers in the country, while other agencies claim that it is 50 million.

What is a Disability?
A disability is a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group. The term is used to refer to individual functioning, including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment mental illness, and various types of chronic disease.
a) Mobility and Physical Impairment b) Spinal Cord Disability c) Head Injuries - Brain Disability d) Vision Disibility e) Hearing Disability f) Cognitive or Learning Disabilites f) Psychological Disorders

Cognitive Disabilities are kind of impairment present in people who are suffering from dyslexia and various other learning difficulties and includes speech disorders.

ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL OF SCHEDULED AREAS AND SCHEDULED TRIBES fifth schedule
Tribes Advisory Council : duty of the Tribes Advisory Council to advise on such matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the Scheduled Tribes in the State as may be referred to them by the Governor
Governor may make regulations a)prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area; (b)regulate the allotment of land to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area; (c)regulate the carrying on of business as money-lender by persons who lend money to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area.
All regulations made under this paragraph shall be submitted forthwith to the President and, until assented to by him, shall have no effect.
each State having Scheduled Areas therein shall annually, or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the administration of the Scheduled Areas in that State and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the administration of the said areas.
Scheduled Areas.-(1) In this Constitution, the expression "Scheduled Areas" means such areas as the President may by order .1 declare to be Scheduled Areas.
(2) The President may at any time by order.2 - (a)direct that the whole or any specified part of a Scheduled Area shall cease to be a Scheduled Area or a part of such an area; [(aa).
3 increase the area of any Scheduled Area in a State after consultation with the Governor of that State;]

The Toda people are a small pastoral community who live on the isolated Nilgiri plateau of Southern India. The Toda traditionally live in settlements consisting of three to seven small thatched houses, constructed in the shape of half-barrels and spread across the slopes of the pasture

Principal languages of Anadaman and Nicobar Hindi, Bengali, Nicobarese, Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu

Physical or "tangible cultural heritage" includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture.

"Natural heritage" is also an important part of a culture, encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna, scientifically know as biodiversity. These kind of heritage sites often serve as an important component in a country's tourist industry, attracting many visitors from abroad as well as locally.

The Annapurna Scheme envisages supply of food grains @ 10 Kg. per head per
month free of cost indigent people who are above 65 years of age and are destitute in the sense of having little or no regular means of subsistence from their own source of income or through financial support from family members or any other sources or are also not availing benefits of National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) or State Pension Scheme.

The five point agenda for knowledge society points to the following:
• Education for developing a learning society
• Global networking
• Vibrant Government-Industry-Academia interaction in policy making and implementation
• Leveraging of existing competencies in IT, Telecom, Bio-technology, Drug Design, Financial Services, and Enterprise wide Management
• Economic and Business strategic alliances built on capabilities and opportunities

The National Knowledge Commission is a high-level advisory body to the Prime Minister of India, with the objective of transforming India into a knowledge society.
Recommendations
 Right to Education:The 86th Constitutionalamendment act made the Right to Education a Fundamental Right. However, to enhance universal access to quality education for Indian children, NKC recommends that there is a need for a central legislation affi rming the Right to Education.
 Language: In the current scenario an understanding and command over the English language is a most important determinant of access to higher education,
employment possibilities and social opportunities.
 Translation: In a multilingual country, translation should play a critical role in making knowledge available to different linguistic groups.
Libraries: To revamp the Library and Information Services (LIS) sector NKC has recommended a comprehensive census of libraries, modernizing management of libraries to ensure greater community participation, including models for
public private partnerships
National Knowledge Network: The key to successful research today demands live consultations, data and resource sharing. Towards this end, NKC has recommended the establishment of a high-end National Knowledge Network connecting all our knowledge institutions in various fi elds and at various locations throughout the country, through an electronic digital broadband network with gigabit capacity.

 Portals: NKC has also proposed the creation of national web based portals on certain key sectors such as Water, Energy, Environment, Teachers, Biodiversity, Health, Agriculture, Employment, Citizens Rights etc. The portals would serve as a single window for information on the given sector for all stakeholders

Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane.[1] More specifically, it is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of high water potential (low solute concentration) to an area of low water potential (high solute concentration).

Reverse osmosis is a filtration process that is often used for water. It works by using pressure to force a solution through a membrane, retaining the solute on one side and allowing the pure solvent to pass to the other side.

new Mentally challenged people rehabilitation strategies include community integration and making patients independent and able to deal with their situation. All patients are provided vocational training, occupational therapy that involves teaching them a new skill or creative activity.

Ozone depletion describes two distinct, but related observations: a slow, steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (ozone layer) since the late 1970s, and a much larger, but seasonal, decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's polar regions during the same period. The latter phenomenon is commonly referred to as the ozone hole.

CFCs and other contributory substances are commonly referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Since the ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths (270–315 nm) of ultraviolet light (UV light) from passing through the Earth's atmosphere, observed and projected decreases in ozone have generated worldwide concern leading to adoption of the Montreal Protocol banning the production of CFCs and halons as well as related ozone depleting chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane. It is suspected that a variety of biological consequences such as increases in skin cancer, damage to plants, and reduction of plankton populations in the ocean's photic zone may result from the increased UV exposure due to ozone depletion.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (a protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer) is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion. The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January 1, 1989 followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989. Since then, it has undergone seven revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing). It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050

As of February 2009, 183 states have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aimed at combating global warming.The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), an international environmental treaty with the goal of achieving "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."[1] The Kyoto Protocol establishes legally binding commitment for the reduction of four greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride), and two groups of gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) produced by "annex I" (industrialized) nations, as well as general commitments for all member countries. As of January 2009, 183 parties have ratified the protocol,[2] which was initially adopted for use on 11 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and which entered into force on 16 February 2005. Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries agreed to reduce their collective green house gas (GHG) emissions by 5.2% from the level in 1990. National limitations range from the reduction of 8% for the European Union and others to 7% for US.

Emissions trading (or emission trading) is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. It is sometimes called cap and trade. A central authority (usually a government or international body) sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups are issued emission permits and are required to hold an equivalent number of allowances (or credits) which represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of allowances and credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level. Companies that need to increase their emission allowance must buy credits from those who pollute less. The transfer of allowances is referred to as a trade.

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol allowing industrialised countries with a greenhouse gas reduction commitment to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing countries as an alternative to more expensive emission reductions in their own countries. A crucial feature of an approved CDM carbon project is that it has established that the planned reductions would not occur without the additional incentive provided by emission reductions credits, a concept known as "additionality". The CDM allows net global greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced at a much lower global cost by financing emissions reduction projects in developing countries where costs are lower than in industrialized countries. However, in recent years, criticism against the mechanism has increased.

A carbon project refers to a business initiative that receives funding because of the cut the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that will result. To prove that the project will result in real, permanent, verifiable reductions in Greenhouse Gases, proof must be provided in the form of a project design document and activity reports validated by an approved third party in the case of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Implementation (JI) projects.

Joint implementation (JI) is one of three flexibility mechanisms set forth in the Kyoto Protocol to help countries with binding greenhouse gas emissions targets (so-called Annex I countries) meet their obligations. JI is set forth in Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol.[1] Under Article 6, any Annex I country can invest in emission reduction projects (referred to as "Joint Implementation Projects") in any other Annex I country as an alternative to reducing emissions domestically. In this way countries can lower the costs of complying with their Kyoto targets by investing in greenhouse gas reductions in an Annex I country where reductions are cheaper, and then applying the credit for those reductions towards their commitment goal.

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the last century.[1][A] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that increasing greenhouse gas concentrations resulting from human activity such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation caused most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. The biodiversity found on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species, which is the product of nearly 3.5 billion years of evolution.

Ecotourism (also known as ecological tourism) is travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. IN other words ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for different cultures and for human rights. Eg Thenmala in Kerala is India’s first planned ecotourism destination

National health policy 2002 The main objective of this policy is to achieve an acceptable standard of good health amongst the general population of the country. The approach would be to increase access to the decentralized public health system by establishing new infrastructure in deficient areas, and by upgrading the infrastructure in the existing institutions. Overriding importance would be given to ensuring a more equitable access to health services across the social and geographical expanse of the country


Plastics are synthetic substances produced by chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made from petroleum, except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances. The hazards plastics pose are numerous. The land gets littered by plastic bag garbage presenting an ugly and unhygienic seen. The "Throw away culture" results in these bags finding their way in to the city drainage system, the resulting blockage cases inconvenience, difficult in maintaining the drainage with increased cost, creates unhygienic environment resulting in health hazard and spreading of water borne diseases. This littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering of already low water levels in our cities. The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of manure remain in the soil for years. It has been observed that the animals eating the bags sometimes die. Plastic goes into the ocean which is already a plastic infested body of water. Fish and other marine species in the water ways, misunderstanding plastic garbage as food items swallow them and die.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993. It has 3 main objectives:
1. To conserve biological diversity
2. The use biological diversity in a sustainable fashion
3. To share the benefits of biological diversity fairly and equitably
As the financial mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) helps developing countries and countries with economies in transition to achieve the objectives of the CBD and generate global environmental benefits in the area of biodiversity. Biodiversity projects constitute the largest percentage of GEF’s portfolio, making up 36 percent of total GEF grants.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline (petrol), diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill (natural gas is lighter than air, and disperses quickly when released). CNG is made by compressing natural gas (which is mainly composed of methane [CH4]), to less than 1% of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure

Natural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills. It is an important fuel source, a major feedstock for fertilizers, and a potent greenhouse gas.
Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, GPL, LP Gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases (propane and butane) used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer.

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by:

Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change.

Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves.

Protecting the world’s ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an assessment of the possible impact—positive or negative—that a proposed project may have on the environment; considering natural, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts to decide whether to proceed with the project

ultrarasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is approximately 20 kilohertz (20,000 hertz) in healthy, young adults

The Bhopal disaster or Bhopal gas tragedy was an industrial disaster that took place at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in the Indian city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. At midnight on 3 December 1984, the plant released an estimated 42 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, exposing more than 500,000 people to MIC and other chemicals.

India’s urban population in 2001 was 286.1 million, which was 27.8% of
the total population. Over the previous five decades, annual rates of
growth of urban population ranged between 2.7 to 3.8%. During the last
decade of 1991-2001, urban population of India increased at an annual
growth rate of 2.7%, which was 0.4% lower than that registered during the
preceding decade. The process of urbanization in India is marked by increasing concentrationin comparatively larger cities. In 2001, 68.7% of the total urban population was living in Class I cities (defined as cities having a population of over
100,000). The shares of medium and small towns in the total population
stood at 21.9% and 9.4% respectively. 99% of the housing shortage of 24.7 million at the end of the 10th Plan pertains to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Groups (LIG) sectors.
the number of million plus cities has increased to 35 in 2001 with 37% share of the total urban population.
In view of the fact that 50% of India’s population is forecasted to be living in
urban areas by 2041, it is necessary to develop new integrated townships.
These green-field townships should generally be located on comparatively
degraded land excluding prime agricultural areas it is also important to develop mass rapid transport corridors between existing medium and large towns and new green-field towns so that the relationship between industry and commerce is developed to an optimum level.
Role of housing Sector
the Housing Sector contributed 4.5% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2003-04 at current prices. 16% of the Indian work force is engaged in Construction and Transport Sectors.

According to the Census 2001, 61.82 million persons or 23.1% of the
urban population resides in slums.

The Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) aimed at providing subsidies for construction of housing and sanitation for urban slum dwellers living below poverty line in different towns/cities all over the country.

Two Million Housing Programme (TMHP) was launched with the objective of ‘housing for all’ with particular emphasis on the needs of economically weaker sections and low income group categories

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996 but it has not yet entered into force.
The US has signed the CTBT, but not ratified it.
Partial Test Ban Treaty, 1963
Limited success was achieved with the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, which banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater and in space. Neither France nor China signed the PTBT.
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, 1968
A major step towards non-proliferation of nuclear weapons came with the signing of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968. Under the NPT, non-nuclear weapon states were prohibited from, inter alia, possessing, manufacturing or acquiring nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. All signatories, including nuclear weapon states, were committed to the goal of total nuclear disarmament. There are currently 189 countries party to the treaty, five of which have nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and France (also permanent members of the UN Security Council).
Only four recognized sovereign states are not parties to the treaty: India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea
A neutron bomb, technically referred to as an enhanced radiation weapon (ERW), is a type of tactical nuclear weapon formerly built mainly by the United States specifically to release a large portion of its energy as energetic neutron radiation. This contrasts with standard thermonuclear weapons, which are designed to capture this intense neutron radiation to increase its overall explosive yield.
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates new fissile or fissionable material at a greater rate than it consumes such material.
The fast breeder or fast breeder reactor (FBR) is a fast neutron reactor designed to breed fuel by producing more fissile material than it consumes. The FBR is one possible type of breeder reactor. The reactors are used in nuclear power plants to produce nuclear power and nuclear fuel.
PUREX is the de facto standard aqueous nuclear reprocessing method for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from used nuclear fuel. It is based on liquid-liquid extraction ion-exchange
IGCAR was established in the year 1971, under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.
The centre is engaged in broad based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed towards the development of Fast Breeder Reactor technology.
Fast Breeder Test Reactor based on unique mixed Plutonium Uranium Carbide fuel, First of its kind in the world and KAMINI Reactor, the only operating Reactor in the World using U233 fuel are successfully operated.
KAMINI (Kalpakkam Mini reactor) is a Uranium-233 fueled, low power (30 kW) research reactor designed and built jointly by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam. This reactor functions as a neutron source with a flux of 1012 neutrons/sqcm/second at core centre and facilitates carrying out neutron radiography of radioactive and non-radioactive objects and neutron activation analysis.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. (1987) Objective of operating the atomic power stations and implementing the atomic power projects for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
TARAPUR ATOMIC POWER STATION (TAPS) , Maharashtra
RAJASTHAN ATOMIC POWER STATION (RAPS), Rajasthan
MADRAS ATOMIC POWER STATION (MAPS), Tamil Nadu
KAIGA GENERATING STATION, Karnataka
NARORA ATOMIC POWER STATION (NAPS) , Uttar Pradesh
KAKRAPAR ATOMIC POWER STATION (KAPS), Gujarat
The Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is a type of nuclear reactor used for the generation of electrical power. BWR uses demineralized water (light water) as a coolant and neutron moderator. Heat is produced by nuclear fission in the reactor core,
A pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) is a nuclear power reactor, commonly using unenriched natural uranium as its fuel, that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide D2O) as its coolant and moderator. The heavy water coolant is kept under pressure in order to raise its boiling point, allowing it to be heated to higher temperatures without boiling, much as in a PWR. While heavy water is significantly more expensive than ordinary light water, it yields greatly enhanced neutron economy, allowing the reactor to operate without fuel enrichment facilities.
The use of heavy water moderator is the key to the PHWR system, enabling the use of natural uranium as fuel (in the form of ceramic UO2), which means that it can be operated without expensive uranium enrichment facilities. Additionally, the mechanical arrangement of the PHWR, which places most of the moderator at lower temperatures, is particularly efficient because the resulting thermal neutrons are "more thermal" than in traditional designs, where the moderator normally runs hot. This means that a PHWR is not only able to "burn" natural uranium and other fuels, but tends to do so more efficiently as well.
The National Security Guard (NSG) was set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force to tackle all facets of terrorism in the country. Thus the primary role of this Force is to combat terrorism in whatever form it may assume in areas where activity of terrorists assumes serious proportions, and the State Police and other Central Police Forces cannot cope up with the situation.NSG ‘Operation Black Tornado’ against terrorists in Mumbai.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries which seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear related exports.

Stealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to interfere with radar detection as well as means other than conventional aircraft by employing a combination of features to reduce visibility in the visual, audio, infrared and radio frequency (RF) spectrum

Stealth technology also known as LO technology (low observable technology) is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, in order to make them less visible (ideally invisible) to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection methods.

Project Antariksha, a pioneering effort at networking Kerala through an array of satellite-based automatic weather stations, intends to bring out a weather and climate atlas of the State in the near future.
It is a collaborative project among the Indian Space Research Organisation, the Kerala State Planning Board and the Centre for Monsoon Studies of the Cochin University for Science and Technology (Cusat).
Cryogenic Engines are rocket motors designed for liquid fuels that have to be held at very low "cryogenic" temperatures to be liquid - they would otherwise be gas at normal temperatures. Typically Hydrogen and Oxygen are used which need to be held below 20°K (-423°F) and 90°K (-297°F) to remain liquid. The thrust comes from the rapid expansion from liquid to gas with the gas emerging from the motor at very high speed. The energy needed to heat the fuels comes from burning them, once they are gasses.

Some other imp topics in space
ISS, GSLV, PSLV, Geostationary orbit, GPS, ISRO

Completed in 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health
Project goals were to
• identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,
• determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,
• store this information in databases,
• improve tools for data analysis,
• transfer related technologies to the private sector, and
• address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.
What are some practical benefits to learning about DNA?
Knowledge about the effects of DNA variations among individuals can lead to revolutionary new ways to diagnose, treat, and someday prevent the thousands of disorders that affect us. Besides providing clues to understanding human biology, learning about nonhuman organisms' DNA sequences can lead to an understanding of their natural capabilities that can be applied toward solving challenges in health care, agriculture, energy production, environmental remediation, and carbon sequestration.
Genome of an organism also can refer to all of its hereditary information encoded in DNA The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA.[1] The term was adapted in 1920 by Hans Winkler,

Biorefining is the co-production of a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, chemicals) and energy (fuels, power, heat) from biomass [definition IEA Bioenergy Task 42].
A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass.
Biomass, a renewable energy source, is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms,[1] such as wood, waste, and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce heat.

Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fuels formed by natural resources such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years.[1] These fuels contain high percentage of carbon and hydrocarbons.
Disadvantages: Probable contributor to global warming, Questionable availibility of some fuels
Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering, unlike similar food organisms which have been modified from their wild ancestors through selective breeding (plant breeding and animal breeding) or mutation breeding.
Some scientists[27] argue that there is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is caused by problems in food distribution and politics, not production, so people should not be offered food that may carry any degree of risk.

Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, pig flu and sometimes, the swine) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs.[2] As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection.

Biotechnology is technology based on biology, agriculture, food science, and medicine. Modern use of the term usually refers to genetic engineering as well as cell- and tissue culture technologies. However, the concept encompasses a wider range and history of procedures for modifying living things according to human purposes.
“Any technological application that uses biological systems, dead organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use."

Biotechnology has applications in four major industrial areas, including health care (medical), crop production and agriculture, non food (industrial) uses of crops and other products (e.g. biodegradable plastics, vegetable oil, biofuels), and environmental uses.
For example, one application of biotechnology is the directed use of organisms for the manufacture of organic products (examples include beer and milk products). Another example is using naturally present bacteria by the mining industry in bioleaching. Biotechnology is also used to recycle, treat waste, clean up sites contaminated by industrial activities (bioremediation), and also to produce biological weapons.
In physics, radiation describes any process in which energy emitted by one body travels through a medium or through space, ultimately to be absorbed by another body.

Some useful information for Mains paper 2

Hi All,
I hope you might find the below information useful for you mains preparation. Sorry I din get much time to format it properly so plz dont mind poor formating.. Thanks.

The Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna, 2006 provides for an insurance cover of a minimum sum of Rs. 5.00 lakhs payable to the nominee/legal heir in the event of death or permanent disability of any Indian emigrant who goes abroad for employment purpose after obtaining emigration clearance from the concerned Protector of Emigrants (POE).
The insurance scheme began on 1st of February, 2006. This Scheme applies to all citizens of India who apply for and obtain an emigration clearance as required under the Emigration Act, 1983 (31 of 1983). This scheme does not apply in case of war or internal conflict in the country to which the citizens of India holding the said policy has gone for work. The Insurance Policy shall be valid for a minimum period of two years or the actual period of contract, whichever is longer.

An Indian all-female United Nations peacekeeping unit has arrived in Liberia, the first such team to be sent on a foreign mission.
More than a hundred female officers and about 20 men engaged in logistics work flew into Liberia on January 30, where they will receive additional training before starting their mission to strengthen the rule of law and maintain peace in the country. U.N. officials hope an all-female unit can inspire and help Liberian women.

The Madhesi are the native people of Nepal who reside in the southern, plains region the Terai which they refer to as Madhesh. Its cultural diversity can be seen in the fact that three distinct religious groups — Hindu, Muslim and Jain—live there.

Earlier known as Internship Programme for Diaspora Youth (IPDY), it is a three-week internship programme for diaspora youth conducted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs with a view to promote awareness on India, its socio-cultural diversity, its all round development, its emergence as an economic powerhouse, it being a centre of higher education and the ongoing developments in various fields including infrastructure, Information technology etc. The participants from countries having larger population of People of Indian Origin are selected based on recommendations made by Indian Missions/ Posts abroad. They are provided with full hospitality and are reimbursed one-way economy class airfare from their respective country to India.

The Programme is organized in partnership with one of the State Governments. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) are the organizational partners.

The next mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention titled ‘PBD Europe’ will be organized at the historic World Forum in The Hague on Saturday, the 19th September, 2009.
This Convention is expected to bring together members of the Indian Diaspora in Europe at a common platform to discuss the role of the Indian Diaspora in enhancing Indo-European Cooperation, opportunities and challenges faced by them in the fields of culture, heritage & tradition, as also Trade and Investment opportunities available for them in the land of their ancestors. Besides some high dignitaries from Netherlands and India, prominent members of the Indian Diaspora in Europe are expected to take part in this one-day event.

Ministry of overseas indian affairs : The Ministry was headed by a Minister of State (Independent Charge) till recently. Shri Ravi Vayalar is new Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs. On the administrative side, a Secretary to the Government of India heads the Ministry. Presently, the Ministry is organized into three functional Divisions and three functional Units.

Gulf Cooperation Council - GCC
Saudi Arabia was a prime mover in setting up the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981. Other members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Gulf Cooperation Council aims to coordinate resistance to outside intervention in the Gulf. Progress towards economic integration has been slow during the 1980s economic downturn in the region.

The Gulf Cooperation Council seeks to strengthen cooperation (in areas such as agriculture, industry, investment, security, and trade) among its six members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Quatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf Cooperation Council, created in response to the outbreach of the Iran-Iraq war, established the Gulf Standards Organization in November 1982 and the Gulf Investment Corporation in 1984.

The presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council rotates yearly among members. Council headquarters are in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


Diljit Rana and Sir Kumar Bhattacharyya - have been appointed to the House of Lords

Swraj Paul, Baron Paul, (born 1931) is an Indian-born, British-based business magnate and philanthropist. In 1996, he became a life peer, taking the title Baron Paul, of Marylebone in the City of Westminster, sitting in the House of Lords as a Labour peer. In December 2008, he was appointed deputy speaker of the Lords, the first person of Indian origin to hold the post.[1]
Swraj Paul was born in Jalandhar, Punjab in 1931. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by Indira Gandhi in 1983


1. Who is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems? Vinod Khosla. The Sun founder also had an Indian Professor in Computer Technologies at Louisiana State University.
2. Who is the creator of the Pentium chip (needs no introduction as 90% of the today's computers run on it)? Vinod Dham.
5. Who is the president of AT & T-Bell Labs (AT &T-Bell Labs is the creator of program languages such as C, C++, and Unix to name a few)? Arun Netravalli.

BANANA is an acronym for Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near
Anything (or Anyone). The term is most often used to criticize the ongoing
opposition of certain interest groups to land development. T

Reverse migration is a phenomenon in bird migration. Although some large birds such as swans learn migration routes from their parents, in most small species, such as passerines, the route is genetically programmed, and young birds can innately navigate to their wintering area. Sometimes this programming goes wrong, and the young bird, in its first autumn, migrates on a route 180o from the correct route.

Brain drain or human capital flight is a large emigration of individuals with technical skills or knowledge, normally due to conflict, lack of opportunity, political instability, or health risks. Brain drain is usually regarded as an economic cost, since emigrants usually take with them the fraction of value of their training sponsored by the government.

he Indian Diaspora is a generic term to describe the people who migrated from territories that are currently within the borders of the Republic of India. It also refers to their descendants. The Diaspora is currently estimated to number over twenty million. composed of "NRIs" (Indian citizens not residing in India) and "PIOs" (Persons of Indian Origin who have acquired the citizenship of some other country).

The green gross domestic product (green GDP) is an index of economic growth with the environmental consequences of that growth factored in. In 2004, Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, announced that the green GDP index would replace the Chinese GDP index itself as a performance measure for government and party officials at the highest levels. The first green GDP accounting report, for 2004, was published in September 2006. It showed that the financial loss caused by pollution was 511.8 billion yuan ($66.3 billion), or 3.05 percent of the nation's economy.[1]
As an experiment in national accounting, the Green GDP effort collapsed in failure in 2007, when it became clear that the adjustment for environmental damage had reduced the growth rate to politically unacceptable levels, nearly zero in some provinces. In the face of mounting evidence that environmental damage and resource depletion was far more costly than anticipated, the government withdrew its support for the Green GDP methodology and suppressed the 2005 report, which had been due out in March, 2007.[2]

The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) is a measure of inequalities between men's and women's opportunities in a country. It combines inequalities in three areas: political participation and decision making, economic participation and decision making, and power over economic resources. It is one of the five indicators used by the United Nations Development Programme in its annual Human Development Report.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is an index used to rank countries by level of "human development", which usually also implies whether a country is a developed, developing, or underdeveloped country. The HDI combines normalized measures of life expectancy, literacy, educational attainment, and GDP per capita for countries worldwide. It is claimed as a standard means of measuring human development—a concept that, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), refers to the process of widening the options of persons, giving them greater opportunities for education, health care, income, employment, etc. The HDI measures a country's development.
Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining at a given age.[1] The term is most often used in the human context, but used also in plant or animal ecology[2] and the calculation is based on the analysis of life tables (also known as actuarial tables).
life table (also called a mortality table or actuarial table) is a table which shows, for a person at each age, what the probability is that they die before their next birthday.

its a tax that has to be paid by the companies that are enjoying tax benefits or tax exemption under various schemes.
its mostly targetted to the R&D companies and Export oriented units which enjoy tax emptions.

under this they have to pay a particular amount of MAT, so they come under the tax net.

Value added tax (VAT), or goods and services tax (GST) is a consumption tax levied on any value that is added to a product. In contrast to sales tax, VAT is neutral with respect to the number of passages that there are between the producer and the final consumer; where sales tax is levied on total value at each stage

CENVAT This is a replacement for the earlier MODVAT scheme and is meant for reducing the cascade effect of indirect taxes on finished products. The scheme is a more extensive one with most goods brought under its preview.

MODVAT It stands for Modified Value Added Tax and is a way of giving some relief to the final manufacturers of goods on Excise Duties borne by their suppliers.

Laffer curve is an economic concept used to illustrate the theory that increases in the rate of taxation do not necessarily increase tax revenue. The Laffer curve is central to supply side economics, as it provides an argument for why lowering taxation may actually increase tax revenues.

The twin deficits hypothesis is a concept from macroeconomics that contends that there is a strong link between a national economy's current account balance and its government budget balance.

An economy is deemed to have a double deficit (also known as a twin deficit) if it has a current account deficit and a fiscal deficit. In effect, the economy is borrowing from foreigners in exchange for foreign-made goods. Traditional macroeconomics predicts that persistent double deficits will lead to currency devaluation/depreciation that can be severe and sudden.

The balance of trade is the difference between a nation's exports of goods and services and its imports of goods and services, if all financial transfers and investments and the like are ignored. A nation is said to have a trade deficit if it is importing more than it exports.
In economics, the current account is one of the two primary components of the balance of payments, the other being the capital account. It is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

A current account surplus increases a country's net foreign assets by the corresponding amount, and a current account deficit does the reverse.

The FRBM Act was enacted by Parliament in 2003 to bring in fiscal discipline. As per the target, revenue deficit, which is revenue expenditure minus revenue receipts, have to be reduced to nil in five years beginning 2004-05. Each year, the government is required to reduce the revenue deficit by 0.5% of the GDP.
The fiscal deficit is required to be reduced to 3% of the GDP by 2008-09.It would mean reduction of fiscal deficit by 0.3 % of GDP every year.
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion (bill) which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending.[1] In most democracies, approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money.

Stagflation is an economic situation in which inflation and economic stagnation occur simultaneously and remain unchecked for a period of time

Engel's law is an observation in economics stating that, with a given set of tastes and preferences, as income rises, the proportion of income spent on food falls, even if actual expenditure on food rises. In other words, the income elasticity of demand of food is less than 1.

Galloping Inflation

When the movement of price accelerates rapidly, running
inflation emerges. Running inflation may record more than 100
per cent rise in prices over a decade. Thus, when prices rise by
more than 10 per cent a year, running inflation occurs.
Economists have not described the range of running inflation.
But, we may saythat a double digit inflation of 10-20 per cent
per annum is a running inflation. If it exceeds that figure, it
may be called 'galloping' inflation.
According to Samuelson, when prices are rising at double or
triple digit rates of 20, 100 or 200 per cent a year, the situation is
described as 'galloping' inflation.

cheap money
Credit available at low interest rates (but not lower borrower qualifications). When governments want to encourage business activity to generate employment, they lower the reserve requirements for banks who are able to increase their lending at lower rates and without loss of profit. Also called easy money, it is the opposite of tight money
In economics, hot money refers to funds which flow into a country to take advantage of a favourable interest rate, and therefore obtain higher returns.
What Does Rolling Settlement Mean?
The process of settling security trades on successive dates so that trades executed today will have a settlement date one business day later than trades executed yesterday. This contrasts with account settlement, in which all trades are settled once in a set period of days, regardless of when the trade took place.
Reverse Repo rate is the rate at which Reserve Bank of India (RBI) borrows money from banks. Banks are always happy to lend money to RBI since their money are in safe hands with a good interest. An increase in Reverse repo rate can cause the banks to transfer more funds to RBI due to this attractive interest rates. It can cause the money to be drawn out of the banking system.
Whenever the banks have any shortage of funds they can borrow it from RBI. Repo rate is the rate at which our banks borrow rupees from RBI. A reduction in the repo rate will help banks to get money at a cheaper rate. When the repo rate increases borrowing from RBI becomes more expensive.
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
The role and functions of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion primarily include:
 Formulation and implementation of industrial policy and strategies for industrial development in conformity with the development needs and national objectives;
 Monitoring the industrial growth, in general, and performance of industries specifically assigned to it, in particular, including advice on all industrial and technical matters;
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are an agreed set of goals (objectives) that can be achieved if all actors work together and do their part. Poor countries have pledged to govern better, and invest in their people through health care and education. Rich countries have pledged to support them, through aid, debt relief, and fairer trade. The Goals that were formulated in 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit are set to be achieved by 2015. These are not mere development objectives; they encompass universally accepted human values and rights such as freedom from hunger, the right to basic education, the right to health and a responsibility to future generations.

FDI in sectors/activities to the extent permitted under automatic route does not require any prior approval either by the Government or RBI. The investors are only required to notify the Regional Office concerned of RBI within 30 days of receipt of inward remittances and file the required documents with that office within 30 days of issue of shares of foreign investors.

FDI in activities not covered under the automatic route require prior government approval. Approvals of all such proposals including composite proposals involving foreign investment/foreign technical collaboration is granted on the recommendations of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).

Capital Account Convertibility or CAC is a monetary policy that centers around the ability to conduct transactions of local financial assets into foreign financial assets freely and at market determined exchange rates.[1] It is sometimes referred to as Capital Asset Liberation.
In layman's terms, it is basically a policy that allows the easy exchange of local currency (cash) for foreign currency at low rates.
There is no formal definition of capital account convertibility (CAC). The Tarapore committee set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 1997 to go into the issue of CAC defined it as the freedom to convert local financial assets into foreign financial assets and vice versa at market determined rates of exchange.
The Reserve Bank of India was set up on the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission. The commission submitted its report in the year 1926, though the bank was not set up for nine years.

he Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposal by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983[1] to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD).

Current account convertibility allows free inflows and outflows for all purposes other than for capital purposes such as investments and loans. In other words, it allows residents to make and receive trade-related payments — receive dollars (or any other foreign currency) for export of goods and services and pay dollars for import of goods and services, make sundry remittances, access foreign currency for travel, studies abroad, medical treatment and gifts etc.

What is Bank rate? Bank Rate is the rate at which central bank of the country (in India it is RBI) allows finance to commercial banks
What is SLR? Every bank is required to maintain at the close of business every day, a minimum proportion of their Net Demand and Time Liabilities as liquid assets in the form of cash, gold and un-encumbered approved securities. The ratio of liquid assets to demand and time liabilities is known as Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).

Venture capital (also known as VC or Venture) is a type of private equity capital typically provided to early-stage, high-potential, growth companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an IPO or trade sale of the company

Hundis refer to financial instruments evolved on the Indian sub-continent used in trade and credit transactions. They were used
• as remittance instruments (to transfer funds from one place to another),
• as credit instruments (to borrow money [IOUs]),
• for trade transactions (as bills of exchange).
NABARD is set up as an apex Development Bank with a mandate for facilitating credit flow for promotion and development of agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts. 1. Providing refinance to lending institutions in rural areas 2. Bringing about or promoting institutional development and 3. Evaluating, monitoring and inspecting the client banks
A forward contract in the forex market that locks in the price at which an entity can buy or sell a currency on a future date. Also known as "outright forward currency transaction", "forward outright" or "FX forward".

The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, known as NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. It is the largest electronic screen-based equity securities trading market in the United States. With approximately 3,800 companies and corporations, it has more trading volume per hour than any other stock exchange in the world

The Securities and Exchange Board of India was established on April 12, 1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. Functions of Board.
11. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the duty of the Board to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market, by such measures as it thinks fit
The Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR), is the ratio of investment to growth which equals to 1 divided by the marginal product of capital. The higher the ICOR, the lower the productivity of capital. The ICOR can be thought of as a measure of the inefficiency with which capital is used. In most countries the ICOR is in the neighborhood of 3.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was founded on 9th April 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Gross national income (GNI) comprises the total value produced within a country (i.e. its gross domestic product), together with its income received from other countries (notably interest and dividends), less similar payments made to other countries.
The gross domestic product (GDP) or gross domestic income (GDI) is a basic measure of a country's economic performance and is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a nation in a year
Gross domestic product ('GDP') is defined as the "value of all final goods and services produced in a country in 1 year".[1] On the other hand, Gross National Product (GNP) is defined as the "value of all goods and services produced in a country in one year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners in the country".[2] The key difference between the two is that GDP is the total output of a region, e.g. France, and GNP is the total output of all nationals of a region, e.g. French.
NDP: Net domestic product is defined as "gross domestic product (GDP) minus depreciation of capital
Opportunity cost or economic opportunity loss is the value of the next best alternative forgone as the result of making a decision

Council for Economic Mutual Assistance. This
organization known variously as CEMA or COMECON, is
composed of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East
Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, and Rumania.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a company-wide computer software system used to manage and coordinate all the resources, information, and functions of a business from shared
The National Commission on Agriculture, Government of India, first used the term ‘social forestry’ in 1976. It was then that India embarked upon a social forestry project with the aim of taking the pressure off the forests and making use of all unused and fallow land. Government forest areas that are close to human settlement and have been degraded over the years due to human activities needed to be afforested. Trees were to be planted in and around agricultural fields. Plantation of trees along railway lines and roadsides, and river and canal banks were carried out. They were planted in village common land, Government wasteland and Panchayat land.

With the introduction of this scheme the government formally recognised the local communities’ rights to forest resources, and is now encouraging rural participation in the management of natural resources. Through the social forestry scheme, the government has involved community participation, as part of a drive towards afforestation, and rehabilitating the degraded forest and common lands.

Farm forestry
At present in almost all the countries where social forestry programmes have been taken up, both commercial and non commercial farm forestry is being promoted in one form or the other. Individual farmers are being encouraged to plant trees on their own farmland to meet the domestic needs of the family. In many areas this tradition of growing trees on the farmland already exists.
Mega Food Park Scheme proposes a demand driven/pre-marketed model with strong backward/forward linkages and sustainable supply chain. The primary objective of the proposed scheme is to facilitate establishment of integrated value chain, with processing at the core and supported by requisite forward and backward linkages.

A type of farming practiced in semi-arid or dry grassland areas without irrigation using such approaches as fallowing, maintaining a finely broken surface, and growing drought-tolerant crops.

Footloose industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport.
These industries often have spatially fixed costs, which means that the costs of the products do not change despite where the product is assembled. Diamonds and computer chips are some examples of footloose industries.
Business process outsourcing (BPO) is a form of outsourcing that involves the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific business functions (or processes) to a third-party service provider. Originally, this was associated with manufacturing firms, such as Coca Cola that outsourced large segments of its supply chain.[1]. In the contemporary context, it is primarily used to refer to the outsourcing of services.

Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare) is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care.

In economics, "dumping" can refer to any kind of predatory pricing. However, the word is now generally used only in the context of international trade law, where dumping is defined as the act of a manufacturer in one country exporting a product to another country at a price which is either below the price it charges in its home market or is below its costs of production.

What is Anti Dumping Duty?

Where any article is exported from any country or territory to India at less than its normal value then upon the importation of such article to India the central Govt. may be notification in the official gazette impose an anti dumping duty not exceeding the margin of dumping in relation to such article.

Countervailing duties (CVDs) are duties imposed under WTO Rules to neutralize the negative effects of other duties. They are imposed when a foreign country subsidizes its exports, hurting domestic producers in the importing country.

Most favoured nation (MFN), is a status awarded by one nation to another in international trade. It means that the receiving nation will be granted all trade advantages — such as low tariffs — that any other nation also receives. In effect, a nation with MFN status will not be treated worse than any other nation with MFN status.

Free trade area is a type of trade bloc, a designated group of countries that have agreed to eliminate tariffs, quotas and preferences on most (if not all) goods and services traded between them. It can be considered the second stage of economic integration. Countries choose this kind of economic integration form if their economical structures are complementary. If they are competitive, they will choose customs union.

The Green Box contains fixed payments to producers for environmental programs, so long as the payments are "decoupled" from current production levels. The Amber Box contains domestic subsidies that governments have agreed to reduce but not eliminate. The Blue Box contains subsidies which can be increased without limit, so long as payments are linked to production-limiting programs

In order to qualify for the “green box”, a subsidy must not distort trade, or at most cause minimal distortion. These subsidies have to be government-funded (not by charging consumers higher prices) and must not involve price support.

The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries’ official reserves. Its value is based on a basket of 4 key international currencies, and SDRs can be exchanged for freely usable currencies.

Established in March 1991 as the successor to the Andean Reserve Fund (ARF), the LARF is a regional financial institution having an independent juridical personality. Its functions are to assist in correcting payments imbalances through loans with terms of up to four years and guarantees extended to members, to coordinate their monetary, exchange, and financial policies and to promote the liberalization of trade and payments in the Andean subregion.