2023 01 26
Table of Contents:
GS Paper 2:
- What are mandatory minimum sentences?
- What is a living will, and the new Supreme Court order for simplifying the passive euthanasia procedure?
- Egypt President in New Delhi for Republic Day: Significance of his visit, and India’s ties with Egypt
Content for Mains Enrichment (Ethics/Essay/ Governance)
- Meet vaccination specialist ‘Dr. Hifive’ of Bengaluru who has struck the right chord with kids
- Keywords – Cultural superpower
Facts for Prelims
- Govt to hand over 1,000 monuments to the private sector under Monument Mitra Scheme
- Earth’s inner core rotating slower than the surface, a study suggests
- Can India’s BharOS replace Android, iOS?
- What is the Railways’ AI-based project to shorten ticket waitlists?
- Artificial synapse developed for brain-like computing with industry-compatible Nitride Semiconductors
- ‘Green comet’ appearing close to Earth after 50,000 years
What are mandatory minimum sentences?
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Judiciary
Source: Indian Express
Context: A CJI -led bench has decided to examine a petition challenging mandatory minimum sentencing in the case of gang rape of a minor below the age of 12.
About Mandatory minimum sentences:
As per the 2016 ruling in ‘Mohd Hashim vs State Of UP And Others’.
- The concept of mandatory minimum sentencing refers to “a sentence which must be imposed without leaving any discretion to the court. It means a quantum of punishment that cannot be reduced below the period fixed,
A concept that comes primarily from the Canadian and American legal systems; in India, such sentences are prescribed for all sexual offenses under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act except the offense of sexual harassment.
What are the arguments for and against?
For:
- It limits the scope for judicial discretion and arbitrariness, thereby enhancing the cause of justice.
- It acts as a deterrent for serious or harsh offenses by ensuring that the perpetrator doesn’t go unpunished.
Against:
- This leads to overcrowding of prisons and is unfair as the convict’s mitigating circumstances, such as if they are a first-time offender or the sole breadwinner in the family, are often overlooked.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
Q. Examine the issues in awarding a death sentence to a convict in the “rarest of rare” cases. What reforms are needed in humanising the sentencing process? 250 Words
January 26, 2023 /26 Jan 2023, Justice, Mandatory Minimum Sentences, Prisons, Today's Article
What is a living will, and the new Supreme Court order for simplifying the passive euthanasia procedure?
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health
Source: IE
Direction: The article discusses the issue of living will – meaning, evolution, and guidelines to implement it.
Context: A five-judge SC bench decided to modify the existing rules for “living wills” as established in its 2018 decision allowing passive euthanasia, in order to make the process of passive euthanasia easier.
Meaning of ‘Living Will’: Living will is a person’s right to make an advance directive about the course of his or her treatment, including the removal of life support, if such a situation arises.
Evolution of the concept of ‘Living Will’ in India:
- Law Commission of India (2006) in its 196th Report titled ‘Medical Treatment to Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners)’: A patient’s decision to not receive medical treatment did not constitute an attempt to commit suicide under Section 309 IPC. Also, a doctor who obeys the instructions of a competent patient to withhold/withdraw medical treatment does not commit a breach of professional duty.
- Aruna Shanbaug case (2011): The SC allowed passive euthanasia for the nurse lying in a vegetative state at a hospital in Mumbai.
- S. Puttaswamy case/ the Right to Privacy case (2017): – Article 21 includes the concept of individual dignity and thus allows passive euthanasia.
- Common Cause case (2018): The SC decided that passive euthanasia will be legally allowed henceforth in India and also laid down guidelines for living wills.
“We declare that an adult human being having the mental capacity to take an informed decision has the right to refuse medical treatment including withdrawal from life-saving devices. The right to die with dignity is a part of the right to live with dignity.”
Meaning of active and passive euthanasia:
- Active euthanasia: involves an active intervention to end a person’s life with substances or external force, such as administering a lethal injection.
- Passive or negative or non-aggressive euthanasia is the denial of medical care necessary for maintaining life, such as the denial of antibiotics when the patient is likely to die without them.
What changes after the SC’s recent order?
| As per 2018 guidelines | This cumbersome process will now become easier |
| - A living will was required to be signed by an individual seeking euthanasia in the presence of two witnesses. - It was to be further countersigned by a Judicial Magistrate of First Class (JMFC). - The treating physician was to constitute a board comprising three expert medical practitioners, with at least 20 years of experience. - If the board grants permission, the will had to be forwarded to the District Collector for his approval. - The Collector then forms another medical board of three expert doctors, including the Chief District Medical Officer. - Only if this second board agreed with the hospital board’s findings → the decision be forwarded to the JMFC → JMFC will visit the patient and examine whether to accord approval. |
 - The requirement for the Magistrate’s approval has been replaced by an intimation to the Magistrate. - The medical board must communicate its decision within 48 hours (no time limit earlier). - Now a notary or gazetted officer can sign the living will in the presence of two witnesses instead of the Magistrate’s countersign. - In case the medical boards set up by the hospital refuses permission, it will now be open to the kin to approach the High Court which will form a fresh medical team. |
Different countries, different laws:
- NETHERLANDS, LUXEMBOURG, and BELGIUM allow both euthanasia and assisted suicide (active euthanasia) for anyone who faces “unbearable suffering” that has no chance of improvement.
- SWITZERLAND bans euthanasia but allows assisted dying in the presence of a doctor or physician.
- CANADA had announced that euthanasia and assisted dying would be allowed for mentally ill patients, however, the decision has been widely criticised.
- The US has different laws in different states. Euthanasia is allowed in some states like Washington, Oregon, and Montana.
- The UK considers it illegal and equivalent to manslaughter.
Ethical issues associated with Euthanasia:
As we’ve covered this topic previously, kindly follow the link to know more:
January 26, 2023 /26 Jan 2023, Active and passive euthanasia, Common cause case, GS 2/4, Living will, Right to privacy case, Today's Article
Egypt President in New Delhi for Republic Day: Significance of his visit, and India’s ties with Egypt
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: International Relations
Source: IE
Direction: The article highlights India-Egypt relations and discusses how the Republic Day chief guest is chosen by India.
Context: This is the first time that an Egyptian President (Abdel Fattah El-Sisi) has been invited as chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations in India.
India-Egypt relations:
History:
- India and Egypt share close political understanding based on a long history of cooperation in bilateral, regional and global issues.
- Diplomatic relations were established on August 18, 1947 (completed 75 years in 2022).
- India’s PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser signed the Friendship Treaty between the two countries, and they were key to forming the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM in 1961) along with Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.
- High-level exchanges with Egypt continued post 2011 Egyptian Revolution and the new government led by President (Sisi) took over in 2014.
- When the Egyptian President paid a State visit to India in 2016, a joint statement was issued, outlining the three pillars–
- Political-security cooperation,
- Economic engagement and scientific collaboration and
- Cultural and people-people ties as the basis of a new partnership for a new era.
The recent engagements:
- India has invited Egypt as a special guest for the G-20 summit.
- Exercise Cyclone-I – first ever exercise between Indian Army and Egyptian Army was held in Jaisalmer recently.
- India and Egypt agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to a “Strategic Partnership” covering political, security, defence, energy, and economic aspects.
What’s the state of bilateral trade relations?
- Egypt has traditionally been one of India’s most important trading partners in Africa, as they have had a bilateral trade agreement since 1978 based on the most-favoured nation clause.
- The bilateral trade has increased more than five times (USD 26 billion in 2021-22 – a 75% increase from FY 2020-2021) in the past 10 years.
Other areas of cooperation:
- Agriculture: Egypt is currently facing a shortage of food grains as its major sources were the warring Ukraine and Russia. In May last year, India- which had put a ban on the sale of wheat, allowed the export of 61,000 tonnes of wheat to Egypt.
- Cyber security & IT
- Healthcare
- Culture
- Youth matters and Broadcasting
Importance of the Egyptian President’s present visit:
| For Egypt | For India |
| ● Egypt is facing a massive economic crisis due to depleted forex reserves. ● Egypt is eyeing more tourist footfall from India to boost forex inflows into their tourism-dependent economy. |
● India is looking at increasing investments in the country, especially in major infrastructure projects in and around the Suez Canal, and special economic zones in Alexandria and Cairo. |
| ● Egypt is interested in procuring defence equipment from India. ● A military contingent from the Egyptian Army will participate in the Republic Day parade. |
● India is planning to supply LCA Tejas, missiles like Akash, DRDO’s Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon and radars. |
| ● Education sector: the Indian higher educational institutions are planning to set up campuses in Egypt | ● A proposal for establishing an IIT in Egypt is in the works |
| ● Egypt is viewed as a moderate Islamic voice by New Delhi since it has made an attempt over the years to play a nuanced and positive role in the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. | ● Improving ties with Muslim-majority countries |
Related Topic: Republic Day 2023 - How India chooses its chief guest
Source: IE
Context:
- Being invited as the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations is the highest honour a country accords in terms of protocol and the ultimate sign of friendship.
How is the Republic Day chief guest chosen?
- The process starts nearly six months in advance of the event and all kinds of considerations (political, commercial, military, and economic interests of India) are taken into account by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) before extending the invitation.
- Another factor for choosing Egypt: the association with the NAM which began in the late 1950s, early 1960s.
- The first Chief Guest of the parade in 1950 was President Sukarno of Indonesia, one of the five founding members of the NAM.
- After due consideration, the MEA seeks the approval of the Prime Minister and the President on the matter.
- The MEA does not choose one option but a list of potential candidates and discretion is of utmost importance as no formal invitation has yet been made by India.
- After a candidate is finalised, the Chief of Protocol (Protocol Division, MEA) works on the details of the programme and logistics.
What is the significance of a Republic Day invite? Highly symbolic from the Indian government’s perspective as the choice is dictated by a number of reasons – strategic and diplomatic, business interests, and international geo-politics.
Insta Links:
Crafting a unique partnership with Africa
InstaCurious:
The first ever IAF-EAF Joint Tactical Air Exercise, Dessert Warrior, was held in Egypt in 2021.
Mains Links:
Q. “If the last few decades were Asia’s growth story, the next few are expected to be Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years. (UPSC 2021)
Prelims Links: (UPSC 2022)
Which one of the lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert?
-
- Lake Victoria
- Lake Faguibine
- Lake Oguta
- Lake Volta
Ans: 2
January 26, 2023 /26 Jan 2023, Exercise Cyclone-I, GS 2, India-Egypt Relation, International Relations, Jan 26 CA, Republic Day Chief Guest, Today's Article, Today’s article
UNDP India launches campaign to drive an inclusive circular economy
GS Paper 1
Source: ET
Context: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a campaign to drive an inclusive circular economy as part of its initiative to promote sustainability.
Key features of the campaign:
- The project is a scale-up of existing partnership under UNDP’s flagship Plastic Waste Management Programme to develop a sustainable model for plastic waste management in India
- End-to-end management of plastic waste by promoting:
- Segregation of waste at the source
- Collection of the segregated waste
- Setting up Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for recycling all kinds of plastic waste
- Partnership with the Private sector:g. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) will also help build the capacities of Urban Local Bodies for adopting the MRFs or Swachhata Kendra
- Collaborations: The project is a collaboration between municipal corporations, corporates, Safai Saathis, and people to work together for cleaner and greener cities.
- Reach out: The project will reach out to 100,000 households for segregation at the source
7 Pillars of Circular Economy:
Initiatives towards Circular Economy:
- Global:
- Germany and Japan have made the ‘Circular Economy’ part of their economic planning
- China’s Circular Economy Promotion Law
- India:
- Recognition of the circular economy concept in the 2022-23 Budget
- Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2022: Private vehicles older than 20 years will be deregistered from June 1, 2024, if they fail the fitness test or their registration certificate is not renewed.
- Niti Aayog along with the EU has prepared a strategy paper on ‘Resource Efficiency’
- Battery Waste Management Rules 2022
- Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2022
- e-Waste Management Rules 2022
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates
Inst Curious:
The Kabadiwala (a startup) was founded in 2014 and offered free doorstep scrap collection services to households, retailers, and industries in Bhopal.
Want to know about “How can you do your bit to fight climate change?” read these three innovative stories in today’s CME below.
Insta Links:
Clean energy should use the battery of a circular economy
Mains Links:
Q. Explain the concept of the circular economy. Giving examples, discuss its utility in India. (250 Words)
January 27, 2023 /26 Jan 2023, circular economy, Inclusive circular economy, Plastic wastes, Today's Article, UNDP
Content for Mains Enrichment (Ethics/Essay/ Governance)
**
Meet vaccination specialist ‘Dr. Hifive’ of Bengaluru who has struck the right chord with kids**
Source: TOI
Direction: This example can be mentioned in ethics/ essay – an innovative method of public service by doctors.
Context: Dr. Sayed Mujahid Husain, has turned his clinic in Bengaluru into a fun and interactive space for children, engaging them in conversation or getting them to play with soft toys.
About Dr. HiFive:
- An internet sensation, Dr. Husain has 2.8 lakh followers on his Instagram account, dr_hifive. He hosts videos of him vaccinating children on Instagram, drawing a great deal of appreciation.
- At his Goodwill Children’s Clinic, which he opened in 2012 after working in various hospitals, the pediatrician reads the child as he or she walks into his clinic and, based on the youngster’s personality, curates techniques to strike a rapport.
- Husain has had parents bring their wards from nearby cities and towns for vaccination.
- Such long travels for vaccination were unheard of earlier but are now part of the immunization experience for some.
Keywords in News:
Cultural superpower
- Refers to a country whose culture, arts, or entertainment have worldwide appeal, significant international popularity, or large influence on much of the world.
Facts for Prelims:
Govt to hand over 1,000 monuments to the private sector under Monument Mitra Scheme
Source: Live Mint
Context: The government will hand over around 1,000 monuments to the private sector for their upkeep under the Monument Mitra Scheme.
About Monument Mitra Scheme / Adopt A Heritage:
- The Scheme was started a few years back under the Ministry of Tourism.
- It is now transferred to the Ministry of Culture in respect of the monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India, the ASI.
- Applies to all Centrally protected heritage properties.
- IAims at ensuring quality & inclusive provision of amenities and facilities across heritage, natural, & tourist sites through the active participation of private and public sector organizations and individuals.
- These organizations would be known as “Monument Mitras” for their collaboration initiative.
Earth’s inner core rotating slower than the surface, a study suggests
Source: The Hindu
Context: Research suggested that Earth’s inner core, a hot iron ball the size of Pluto, has stopped spinning faster than the planet’s surface and might now be rotating slower than it.
How does the core spin:
- Studies have suggested that the inner core rotates within the liquid outer core.
- The solid inner core is suspended, floating, in the molten outer core.
- Many researchers believe that the inner core’s independent rotation is caused by a process called convection. Its movement is caused by the outer core’s magnetic torque and balanced by gravitational force.
- Researchers have also argued that the mantle’s immense gravitational pull may be the reason for the pause and shift in the inner core’s rotation.
How do we study the inner core:
Scientists rely on seismic waves created by earthquakes or sometimes nuclear explosions –to know about the structure of the interior of the Earth.
Image Credits: News 18
Can India’s BharOS replace Android, iOS?
Source: Indian Express
Context: Developed by an IIT Madras-incubated startup, BharOS is being pitched as India’s answer to the Google-owned Android and Apple’s iOS, the two most dominant mobile operating systems in the world.
What is BharOS? How was it made?
- BharOS is an Android Open-Source Project and was developed by JandK Operations Private Limited, a non-profit organisation incubated at IIT Madras.
- Concerns existed with respect to the collection, storage, and usage of data that is generated by Indian smartphone users. BharOS tries to address these issues.
How is BharOS different from Android?
- BharOS uses AOSP or Android Open -Source Project, the functionalities and the methodologies both OS use are essentially the same.
- What sets BharOS apart from Android, is that it is free from Google Services and Apps. It comes with no default app (NDA), which allows users to have more control over permissions that an app can have.
- Google has used its preinstalled apps and services to collect data, sometimes without explicitly asking a user. Similarly, other apps from Google’s PlayStore share data with third-party services. BharOS does not come with any such preinstalled services or apps, and hence, is deemed to be more secure.
- It also comes with a native over-the-air update (NOTA) feature that keeps the devices safe and with organisation-specific Private App Store Services (PASS), the device gives access to only those apps which have been thoroughly verified by the organization.
How will apps work on BharOS?
- It will let users choose what apps they want to use for their own devices.
- Furthermore, it will have its own app store which will allow users to download and install apps, eliminating the need for the Google App Store.
- Users may be allowed to sideload apps in a much easier manner than Android allows.
- Barring a few essential apps, BharOS may favour indigenously developed apps or apps that have been designed with a particular focus on India and Indian
The indigenously-built BharOS paves the way for Atmanirbhar Bharat & could help put a check on Big Tech and the duopoly of Google-Apple in the mobile ecosystem.
What is the Railways’ AI-based project to shorten ticket waitlists?
Source: Indian Express
Context: The Indian Railways has concluded the trial of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) program built to fix a perennial issue — long waiting lists for tickets.
How it will work:
- Made by Railways’ in-house software arm Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), this AI module, called Ideal Train Profile, was fed with information like how millions of passengers booked tickets on these trains, which origin-destination pairs were a hit and which were flops at what time of the year, which seats remained vacant for what portion of a journey, etc.
- The AI does data-driven remote location selection, completely automates the process of quota distribution, and suggests optimal quotas for different ticket combinations based on historical demand.
Artificial synapse developed for brain-like computing with industry-compatible Nitride Semiconductors
Source: PIB
Context: A team of scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have used scandium nitride (ScN) and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility to develop brain-like computing.
This invention can provide a new material for stable, CMOS-compatible optoelectronic synaptic functionalities at a relatively lower energy cost and hence has the potential to be translated into an industrial product.
How it works:
- The human brain is a supreme biological computer that is smaller and more efficient due to the presence of a synapse (the connection between two neurons) that plays the role of both processor and memory storage unit. In the current era of artificial intelligence, the brain-like computing approach can help meet the escalating computational demands.
- Scientists used ScN to develop a device mimicking a synapse that controls the signal transmission as well as remembers the signal.
- An artificial optoelectronic synapse with ScN thin films that can mimic synaptic functionalities like short-term memory, long-term memory, the transition from short-term to long-term memory, learning–forgetting, frequency selective optical filtering, frequency-dependent potentiation and depression, Hebbian learning, and logic-gate operations.
- It can act as a platform for both excitatory and inhibitory functions. The industrial processing techniques of ScN are similar to the existing semiconductor fabrication infrastructure. Response to the optical stimuli also has the advantage of possible integration with photonic circuits known for higher speed and broader bandwidth than electronic circuits.
‘Green comet’ appearing close to Earth after 50,000 years
Source: Indian Express
Context: A green comet is estimated to come closest to Earth, termed the C/2022 E3 (ZTF), the comet was named to refer to those who first spotted it – astronomers using the wide-field survey camera at the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) in the US.
The Green Comet:
- Orbits sun in 50,000 years
- The comet comes from the Oort cloud
- It gets its beautiful green glow from diatomic carbon (pairs of carbon atoms that are bound together) that is present in the comet’s head.
- When the ultraviolet rays of solar radiation fall on the comet, these molecules emit green light.
- Comet C/2022 E3 is visible in the northern hemisphere and as the sky gets darkens in the evening, it can be seen below and left to the Plough constellation handle.
About comets:
- Comets are frozen rocky or gas-filled objects that are remnants of the formation of the solar system.
- Due to their composition, characteristics, and the path they move in, they tend to leave a light “behind them”.
Oort Cloud:
- The Oort Cloud is a predicted collection of icy objects that surrounds the sun at a distance of about one light-year.
- The existence of the Oort cloud has not been directly observed, but it is thought to be the source of long period comets that have been observed entering the inner solar system.