9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – November 21st, 2023

Dear Friends,
9 PM Brief is our prime initiatives for the preparation of current affairs. What we are providing in this initiative:
- Ensure that all relevant facts, data, and arguments from today’s newspaper are readily available to you.
- We have widened the sources to provide you with content that is more than enough and adds value not just for GS but also for essay writing.
It is our endeavor to provide you with the best content, and your feedback is essential for the same. We will be anticipating your feedback and ensure the blog serves as an optimal medium of learning for all the aspirants.
For previous editions of 9 PM Brief – Click Here
For individual articles of 9 PM Brief– Click Here
Download Factly and 9 PM Weekly Compilations | Arranged Subject-wise and Topic-wise |
Mains Oriented Articles
GS PAPER - 2
On Challenges of NGO Regulation – Impact-focused NGOs need to keep pace with India’s growth
Source: The post on Challenges of NGO Regulation has been created on the article “Impact-focused NGOs need to keep pace with India’s growth” published in “Live Mint” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Indian Polity – The role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
News: The article discusses the challenges in tracking and understanding non-profit organizations (NGOs) in India due to the lack of a unified registry and comprehensive data. It suggests the need for regulatory changes, better policies, and increased transparency in the NGO sector.
What are NGOs?
The World Bank categorizes NGOs as organizations committed to activities that alleviate suffering, protect the poor’s interests, preserve the environment, and provide essential social services or community development.
What are the regulatory provisions for NGOs in India?
Constitutional Provisions: Article 19(1)(c) guarantees the right to form associations; Article 43 promotes rural cooperatives; the Concurrent List in Entry 28 addresses charities and charitable institutions.
Legal Registration: In India, NGOs must legally register under specific acts, such as the Societies Registration Act (1860), the Indian Trusts Act (1882), and Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, to obtain legal status.
Financial Regulations for NGOs in India:
- a) Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010: Regulates foreign funding of NGOs in India. Implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs, it mandates NGOs to use foreign contributions for the stated purposes and necessitates registration renewal every five years.
- b) Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999: Initially focused on managing foreign exchange for trade and payments, FEMA’s role expanded in 2016 to include the monitoring of NGOs receiving foreign contributions. This change aimed to centralize the oversight of foreign fund flows to NGOs under one regulatory body, enhancing the scrutiny and regulation of these funds.
What challenges exist in regulating NGOs?
Lack of Unified Registry and Inconsistent Data: India lacks a single, comprehensive registry for NGOs, leading to significant gaps in data. With an estimated 3 million NGOs but only about 175,000 registered on Niti Aayog’s Darpan portal, many NGOs remain untracked. This gap results in inconsistent data on their sizes, funding patterns, and activities.
Diverse Legal Structures: NGOs in India have varied legal forms such as societies, trusts, and Section 8 companies, each governed by different laws. This makes it challenging to implement a uniform regulatory framework.
Varied Funding Sources: The diverse sources of funding, both domestic and foreign, complicate the financial regulation of NGOs.
What changes are needed for NGOs in India?
Regulatory Overhaul: Current legal entity definitions are outdated and don’t reflect the diverse nature of NGOs, from grassroots organizations to large institutions.
Policy Measures for Micro-sized NGOs: Policies should be tailored to the specific needs of micro-sized NGOs, which make up a significant portion of the sector. This includes tax structures for philanthropy and rules for foreign donations, mirroring business policies for MSMEs.
Focus on Organizational Building: Given that private and corporate philanthropy in India is around ₹25,000 crore annually, NGOs need to grow in capacity to utilize this capital. Non-programmatic grants and capacity building support can help NGOs, especially those without significant retained profits or equity capital, to expand and increase their impact.
Transparency and Trust Building: NGOs should adhere to mandatory reporting and disclosures similar to those required of publicly listed companies. This will build trust with donors and ensure honest, transparent operations.
Question for practice:
Examine the broader impact of regulatory challenges faced by NGOs in India.
On the Issues with Fact Check Unit – A fact check unit that is unconstitutional
Source: The post on the Issues with Fact Check Unit has been created based on the article “A fact check unit that is unconstitutional” published in “The Hindu” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Governance – Government policies and interventions.
News: The article discusses the functions of the Tamil Nadu Fact Check Unit (FCU). It also highlights the issues that may arise due to this and suggests steps to deal with these challenges.
Recently, the Government of Tamil Nadu has issued an order to set up a Fact Check Unit (FCU) with the intent of checking across all media platforms the authenticity of information related to the Government of Tamil Nadu.
What will be the functions of the Tamil Nadu FCU?
- Checking the Authenticity of Information: It will check the accuracy of information related to the announcements, policies, schemes, guidelines and initiatives of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
- Ability to Act on Complaints as well as take suo motu cognizance: The FCU has been given powers to act on complaints as well as take suo motu cognizance of social media posts/articles.
- Forwarding of Complaints to Authorities: Identified complaints are then researched and verified through authentic government sources. Actionable complaints will then be forwarded to the authorities concerned to initiate legal action.
- Dissemination of Content for generating Awareness: The FCU will disseminate creative content through its social media platforms to create awareness.
What are the issues with the FCU constituted by the government?
According to the author, these are the issues associated:
- Unreasonable Restriction on the Freedom of Speech: The right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) can be reasonably restricted under Article 19(2). However, “public interest” is not a ground under Article 19(2) to restrict the freedom of speech.
- Requirement of Enacting a Legislation Bypassed: Restrictions under Article 19(2) can only be by way of a “law”, i.e. legislation passed by the State. Thus, just a Government Order (Executive Action) cannot impose restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression.
- Ambiguities in the Order: The phrase “information related to the Government of Tamil Nadu” has not been defined, thereby making it vague and arbitrary. This lack of clarity might lead to action against people criticising the policies of the government.
- Lack of Legal Remedies: It does not provide for an opportunity of legal hearing to the author of a post.
- Undermines Separation of Power: Government has become the judge, jury, and executioner on the authenticity of any information related to themselves.
- Limited Ability to achieve the stated Objectives: The order states that mis/disinformation, fake news, and hate speech have necessitated the creation of the FCU. However, hate speech, mis/disinformation and fake news has no direct connection with information related to the Government of Tamil Nadu, which is the focus of the FCU. Thus, it may not be a solution to curb them.
For more Issues with the FCU, read here.
For Bombay High Court’s observations on FCU, read here.
What should be done?
- Consultations need to be held with all stakeholders including the public and social media intermediaries.
- Measures such as support for an independent network of fact-checkers and promoting media literacy should also be undertaken.
- International best practices such as the European Commission’s Code of Practice on Disinformation, which was brought after a broad consultative process and opinion poll, can be followed.
Question for practice:
“Freedom of speech is being eroded through twisting and turning of the law in India.” Discuss with reference to the government fact-checking unit.
GS PAPER - 3
On the issues with the 70 Hours Work Week – Making sense of the employment challenge
Source: The post on the issues with the 70 Hours Work Week has been created based on the article “Making sense of the employment challenge” published in “The Hindu” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Indian Economy – Indian Economy and issues relating to growth, development and employment.
News: The article discusses why the argument for longer working hours in India based on the comparison with Post-War economies such as Japan, Germany and South Korea is flawed. It also highlights strategies to achieve higher outputs without longer working hours.
A detailed article on the 70 Hours Work Week can be read here.
What are the flaws in the comparison of India’s situation to Japan and Germany?
The case of high working hours in Japan, Germany and East Asia post-World War II is not helpful in understanding the situation in India because it was a unique phenomenon.
This is due to the following factors:
- High Demand for Labour due to the impact of World War II: A high demand for labour services in these countries was a crucial determinant of hours worked. After witnessing major destruction during World War II and experiencing a decline in their workforce due to war mortality, the demand for labour was abnormally high.
- Need for Post-war Reconstruction: In the economic rise of the three countries mentioned, it was post-war reconstruction that provided the demand for greater output in the first instance. Longer workdays followed.
- Role of External Aid: In the case of west Germany, there was the Marshall Plan by which the United States had assisted the country’s revival.
- Role of Nationalism: A political aspect beyond finance is a strong nationalistic element. It must have enabled the voluntary supply of effort to rebuild the nation after a destruction by foreigners.
- Role of a Dictatorial Government: Particularly in the case of South Korea, presence of a dictatorship enabled the commandeering of able-bodied men to work on large-scale development projects.
What are the economic strategies that India can follow to achieve greater output and employment?
- Leveraging global demand: For this, Indian goods would have to be globally competitive.
This can be achieved by working on the following:
a. Productivity of its workforce, related to its health and skill.
b. Physical infrastructure that complements labour. - Expanding the Domestic Market and Aggregate Demand: Producing food at a lower cost will lead to an increase in the real income of most Indian households (due to savings on food expenditure).
They would now have more to spend on non-agricultural goods and services, leading to greater demand in the economy (which is needed to increase production in the rest of the economy). With this, output will also grow, and in turn employment.
Question for practice:
“Merely increasing the number of working hours in India based on the example of post-War Japan and Germany will not lead to desired outcomes.” Comment.
On Emerging Technologies in Defence – A renewed focus on emerging technologies
Source: The post on Emerging Technologies in Defence has been created based on the article “A renewed focus on emerging technologies” published in “The Hindu” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Internal Security – Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
News: The article discusses the initiatives taken by the Indian defence sector in the field of emerging technologies. It also highlights the various challenges in technology adoption and suggests reforms for the same.
What are Emerging Technologies?
Emerging Technologies include a variety of technologies such as information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, and artificial intelligence. They are characterized by novelty (in application and origins), relatively fast growth, prominent impact, and uncertainty.
In the military, it refers to capabilities that rely on a combination of cyber technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and advanced computing.
What are Indian Military’s initiatives regarding the utilisation of Emerging Technologies?
Army: The Army has identified 45 niche technologies in the field of military applications.
Air Force: Under UDAAN, Indian Air Force (IAF) is using AI, cyber and virtual reality to address its operational, logistical, and training needs.
Navy: Its initiatives include an Integrated Unmanned Roadmap and indigenisation.
Defence Ministry: Under ‘AIDef’, it has showcased its initiatives which include the Defence AI Council and the Defence AI Project Agency. These are aimed towards incorporating AI into various allied organisations, such as Defence PSUs and DRDO.
Apart from this, incorporation of drones, launching of communication satellites to improve its military communications capabilities and the establishing of the Defence Cyber Agency and the Defence Space Agency have been undertaken to address threats from new domains.
What are the issues?
There are still significant shortcomings in the military’s approach to this domain. These include:
- Roadblocks in Technology Adoption: Technology adoption needs to be accompanied by organisational and doctrinal changes (related to principles, beliefs), which are missing currently.
- Lack of Understanding of the Impact of Emerging Tech: Most accounts of the Russia-Ukraine war attest to the old-fashioned war tactics., which has led to some discrediting the importance of the use of emerging technologies in war.
- Cooperation with Civilians Missing: Partnering with scientists, academics, technologists, entrepreneurs and the wider industry is also missing.
- Lack of Interoperability between the 3 services: Interoperability between the 3services has remained mostly absent.
- Preference to Generalists over Specialists: There is a need to revisit existing human resources practice of Indian military prioritising generalisation over specialisation. Specialised technology requires greater technical expertise.
What should be done to fully realise the potential of emerging technologies?
- Consult External Specialists: The Defence Ministry should be more open to incorporating specialists (such as technocrats), if necessary, from the private sector and wider industry.
- Provide opportunities to Civilians: Military must provide opportunities to civilians to work alongside the military as technology professionals. It needs to think creatively about the need for separate cadres to utilise these technologies.
- Cooperation on Data Sharing: Both civilian defence organisations and the military need to be more open with sharing data, especially to fully realise the promise of AI.
- Provide opportunities to Suitable Personnel: The services should provide opportunities for officers within the military intellectually inclined towards emerging technologies.
Question for practice:
Modern warfare has necessitated the modernisation of defence forces, which includes the adoption of emerging technologies. In light of this, discuss the various challenges and suggest reforms required to achieve the desired outcomes.
IT hardware import policy- Making in India- Policy needs to go beyond PLI
Source: The post on India’s IT hardware import policy has been created on the article “Making in India- Policy needs to go beyond PLI” published in “Business Standard” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3 Indian Economy- Effects of Liberalisation.
News: The article discusses India’s attempts to reduce IT hardware imports and increase local production. This includes offering more incentives to manufacturers and potentially restricting imports, but it’s uncertain if these efforts will significantly lower imports or boost domestic manufacturing and job creation.
What is India’s policy towards IT hardware import?
India’s IT hardware import policy involves restricting certain imports to boost domestic production. The policy is part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on China and includes enhanced incentives under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, to encourage local manufacturing in the IT hardware sector.
To this effect, the government announced in August its decision to restrict laptop imports but had to withdraw its decision over concerns raised by the industry
For more information, read here
For PLI Scheme, read article1, article2
What are the implications of India’s IT hardware import policy?
Positive Implications
Boost in Domestic Production: The policy aims to increase local manufacturing of IT hardware, as part of the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
Investment in Local Industry: Companies like Dixon Technologies have committed to substantial production worth ₹48,000 crore in six years, indicating a growth in domestic manufacturing.
Job Creation Potential: Moving assembly work to India, as indicated by Dixon Technologies’ investment of ₹250 crore, could create employment opportunities.
Negative Implications
Surge in Imports Pre-Policy Implementation: Anticipating the restriction, imports of computers and related products jumped 42% to $715 million in September.
Dependence on Imported Components: Even with local assembly, most components might still be imported, notably from China.
Limited Impact on Overall Imports: IT hardware imports requiring government approval were just $8.8 billion in 2022-23, a small fraction of India’s total imports of about $900 billion.
Impact on Investment: Frequent changes in government policy can lead to uncertainty and have a detrimental effect on investment.
What should be done?
Broaden Policy Focus: Beyond restricting imports, India needs comprehensive strategies to attract investments and build efficient manufacturing networks.
Enhance Value Addition: The policy could add a condition of local value addition to be eligible for PLI scheme incentives, encouraging more than just assembly in India.
Address Manufacturing Challenges: Recognize and tackle reasons why hardware components aren’t currently made in India, ensuring the PLI scheme effectively shifts part of the value chain to the country.
Improve Business Environment: Following the example of Apple’s manufacturer leaving India, the government should create favorable conditions for companies to expand operations successfully.
Promote Technology Transfer and Skill Development: Encourage partnerships and collaborations that facilitate technology transfer and skill enhancement in the IT hardware sector to build local expertise and capabilities.
Question for practice:
Examine the key goals of India’s IT hardware import policy and its implications
Climate-proof sanitation – Not just sanitation, but climate-proof sanitation
Source: The post on climate-proof sanitation has been created on the article “Not just sanitation, but climate-proof sanitation” published in “Indian Express” on 21st November 2023.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Indian Economy – infrastructure.
News: The article discusses how climate change affects water, sanitation, and hygiene in Indian cities, particularly in slums. It highlights the need for climate-resilient infrastructure and community preparedness to handle challenges like waterborne diseases and sanitation issues during extreme weather events.
What is climate-proof sanitation?
Climate-proof sanitation approach ensures that Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities can withstand extreme weather events like floods and droughts, maintaining functionality and hygiene standards.
It focuses on safeguarding water sources from contamination, adapting to environmental changes, and supporting the most vulnerable communities.
Incorporating climate-proof elements into WASH infrastructure is essential for preserving public health, environmental sustainability, and resilience against the increasing challenges posed by climate change.
What is the need for climate-proof sanitation?
Vulnerability to Extreme Weather Events: India’s extensive coastline (7,517 km) is highly susceptible to climate change impacts like floods and droughts.
Health and Hygiene Risks: In slum areas, damaged WASH infrastructure during extreme weather events leads to poor water quality and sewage issues. The latest Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) Report also emphasizes the impact of climate change on WASH services.
Impact on Marginalized Communities: Marginalized groups in coastal regions are most affected, with over 17,000 lives lost between 2012 and 2021 due to extreme weather events.
Reduced Access During Crises: Access to essential services like tap water and latrines significantly drops during adverse climate events, increasing open defecation and reliance on external water sources.
Disease Outbreaks: The lack of proper sanitation facilities leads to a rise in waterborne diseases like malaria, dengue, and typhoid, especially in slums.
Alignment with Global Goals: Achieving SDG target 6.2 is crucial, which calls for universal access to safely managed sanitation facilities and the elimination of open defecation.
What are some initiatives for climate-proof sanitation?
Global Initiatives for Climate-Proof Sanitation
UN COP27 Focus: The United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP27) in 2022 highlighted the importance of water in climate discussions, signaling a global shift towards integrating WASH in climate policies.
GLAAS Report: It is an extensive report on Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WaSH), published by the World Health Organisation and UN Water. The report covers WASH systems in over 120 countries and 23 external support agencies (ESAs). It offers comprehensive, accessible data on governance, monitoring, finance, and human resources, aiding policy-makers at all levels.
Initiatives in India
Flagship Programmes: India’s Swachh Bharat (Clean India) and Jal Jeevan (Water for Life) missions provide a foundation for improving sanitation and water infrastructure.
Urban Local Body Empowerment: The 74th Constitutional Amendment mandates the devolution of WASH services to Urban Local Bodies, facilitating local solutions for climate resilience.
Risk and Vulnerability Assessment: Studies like the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), supported by the Australian government’s Water for Women initiative, assess the impact of climate change on WASH infrastructure in urban slums of Jaipur and Bhubaneswar.
What should be done?
Integrate Climate Resilience in WASH Policies: As most WASH plans currently overlook climate risks, policies must be updated to incorporate climate-proofing measures.
Enhance Infrastructure: Develop and upgrade sanitation facilities to withstand extreme weather, particularly in vulnerable areas like India’s coastal regions.
Support Local Initiatives: Back community-led efforts, like those in Jaipur and Bhubaneswar, where locals test water quality and manage water sources.
Focus on Marginalized Communities: Identify suitable local measures to enhance the resilience of marginalized communities, particularly those residing in slum areas.
Question for practice:
Discuss the significance of climate-proof sanitation and government initiatives in addressing WASH challenges in Indian cities.
Following articles have already been covered in the 7 PM Articles of the day:
Experts on Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: ‘In building Himalayan tunnels, support and monitoring key’
Today’s 7 PM
7 PM Article - [Yojana November 2023] Circular Economy- Explained Pointwise
Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)
Governor’s right to withhold assent
Source– This post is based on the article “Governor’s right to withhold assent: The constitutional question before Supreme Court” published in “The Indian Express” on 21 November 2023.
Why in the News?
Recently Tamil Nadu’s Governor R N Ravi’s decision to withhold assent to 10 pending Bills has raised fresh legal questions on the powers of the Governor.
What are the Constitutional Provisions regarding Governor’s assent to Bills?
Article 163 | It deals with the powers of the Governor. Discretionary Power (Article 163)- If any question arises on whether a matter falls within the governor’s discretion or not, the decision of the governor is final and the validity of anything done by him cannot be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion. |
Article 200 | 1. It specifically deals with the issue of granting assent to Bills. 2. As per Article 200, when a Bill is passed by the state legislature, the Governor has four options– (a) grant assent to the bill; (b) withhold assent to the bill (Absolute Veto); (c) return the bill for reconsideration, if it is not a Money Bill (Suspensive Veto); If the legislature passes the bill again, with or without amendments, the Governor must give his assent. (d) reserve the bill for the consideration of the President- It also stipulates that the Governor shall reserve for the President’s consideration any Bill that, in the Governor’s opinion, would diminish the powers of the High Court. |
Can a Governor delay clearing bills indefinitely?
No provision for a Time Limit: Article 200 states that the Governor must return the Bill “as soon as possible” but does not prescribe a specific timeframe to make a decision. Thus, he/she can exercise an indefinite Pocket Veto (A pocket veto is when a President or a Governor essentially prevents a Bill from being passed by taking no action on the Bill (i.e. “keeping it in their pocket”)).
– Governors have exploited this ambiguity to sit on Bills indefinitely without returning them to the state legislature, in effect paralysing the elected government.
What are the recommendation of various Committees on this issue?
1. Sarkaria Commission
Recommendation– Apart from exceptional cases where bills are outright unconstitutional, the Governor must discharge his functions under Article 200 as per the advice of ministers.
2. Punchhi Commission
Recommendation– It recommended that the Governor should take a decision with respect to a Bill presented for their assent within a period of 6 months.
3. 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission
Recommendation– The Inter-State Council should formulate guidelines on how governors should exercise discretionary power.
What are the key judgements of the Supreme Court on this issue?
1. Rameshwar Prasad Case
2. Shamsher Singh Case
3. Nabam Rebia & Bamang Felix Case 2016
For more detailed information on this topic, read here |
UPSC Syllabus- Polity and Nation
National Pharmacy Commission Bill 2023
Source– This post is based on the article “Draft National Pharmacy Commission Bill released” published in “The Hindu” on 20th November 2023.
Why in the News?
The Union Health Ministry has sought comments from the general public on the proposed National Pharmacy Commission Bill, 2023.
What is National Pharmacy Commission Bill, 2023?

Prepared by | Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare. |
Objective | To repeal the Pharmacy Act of 1948 and replace the Pharmacy Council of India with a national commission. |
Other key provisions in the bill | 1. National Pharmacy Commission-The head office of the commission shall be at New Delhi. Composition– It shall consists of a Chairperson, thirteen ex officio Members and Fourteen part- time members. 2. Comprehensive pharmacy education system– To provide for a pharmacy education system that improves access to quality and affordable pharmacy or pharmaceutical education, ensures availability of adequate and high quality pharmacy professionals in all parts of the country that promotes equitable and universal healthcare to all citizens. 3. Adoption of latest researches- The proposed Bill encourages pharmacy professionals to adopt latest pharmacy research in their work and to contribute to research. 4. Periodic and transparent assessment-It calls for a periodic and transparent assessment of pharmacy institutions, and enforcing high ethical standards in all aspects of pharmacy services. 5. National Pharmacy Register- The Pharmacy Ethics and Registration Board will maintain a National Pharmacy Register which will have details of pharmacy professionals to ensure transparency. 6. Grievance redressal mechanism- It provides for an effective grievance redressal mechanism |
What is the Pharmacy Council of India?
1. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body, established under the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
2. It functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
3. It is constituted by the central government every five years.
4. Objective
-To prescribe the minimum standard of education required for qualifying as a pharmacist.
– To regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy.
UPSC Syllabus- Polity and Nation (Bills & Acts)
Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023: India Slides Sharply, Worst Among the BRICS Group
Source: The post is based on the article “Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023:India Slides Sharply, Worst Among the BRICS Group” published in “The Wire” on 15th November 2023
Why in the News?
The Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023 has been released.
What is the Global Talent Competitiveness Index?

Specifications | Details |
Published by | INSEAD, in collaboration with Descartes Institute for the Future. |
Aim | To measure how countries and cities grow, attract and retain talent. |
Coverage | 134 countries |
Parameters | The index is calculated based on two sub-indices: 1) Input framework: It measures countries’ regulatory and business environments, as well as what they are doing to attract, grow and retain talent. 2) Output framework: It measures the quality of talent in a country. |
What are the key rankings of Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023?
Specifications | Details |
Topped by | Switzerland, Singapore and the United States are the top three ranked countries. |
India’s rank | 103 out of 134 countries. Note: India’s rank was 83 ten years ago. |
BRICS countries | China remained the leading member of the BRICS group at rank 40. India’s performance is the worst amongst that of the BRICS countries. |
What are the reasons for India’s fall in GTCI 2023?
1) India’s business sentiment decline affected talent attraction domestically and internationally. This impacted ‘External Openness’ and ‘Internal Openness’ rankings.
2) Challenges persist in aligning available skills with market demands. This resulted in lower rankings for ‘Employability’ and ‘Vocational and Technical Skills’.
UPSC Syllabus: Reports/Index in News
Voice of Global South Summit: PM expresses concern for civilians caught in Israel-Hamas conflict, calls for restraint
Source: The post is based on the article “Voice of Global South Summit: PM expresses concern for civilians caught in Israel-Hamas conflict, calls for restraint” published in “Indian Express” on 21st November 2023
Why in the News?
India recently hosted the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit in a virtual format.
What is the Voice of the Global South Summit?
Voice of the Global South Summit is an Indian initiative to provide a common platform for the countries of the Global South to share their perspectives and priorities on several major issues.
India hosted the first Voice of the Global South Summit in January, 2023 under the theme ‘Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose’.
The second Voice of the Global South Summit is being hosted under the theme “Together for Everyone’s Growth, Together for Everyone’s Trust’’.
What are the key highlights from the second Voice of the Global South Summit?
1) The Prime Minister launched DAKSHIN. It is a Global Centre for excellence for the Global South countries.
2) He also called for 5 ‘Cs’ for the Global South: consultation, cooperation, communication, creativity and capacity building.
What is Global South?
1) The Global South refers to countries often characterized as developing, less developed, or underdeveloped, primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
2) These nations have higher levels of poverty, income inequality, and challenging living conditions compared to the wealthier nations of the Global North.
3) The Global North are richer nations that are located mostly in North America and Europe, with some additions in Oceania and elsewhere.
What is Brandt Line?

1)The Brandt Line was proposed by Willy Brandt in the 1980s.
2)It is a visual depiction that categorizes the world into richer countries mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and poorer countries mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
3)The line basically shows the socio-economic divide between northern countries and southern countries.
UPSC Syllabus: International Relations
Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural and Rural Labourers – October, 2023
Source: The post is based on the article “Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural and Rural Labourers – October, 2023” published in “PIB” on 21st November 2023
Why in the News?
The All India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Laborers (CPI-AL) and Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) for the month of October, 2023 has been released.
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?
1) Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index measuring retail inflation in the economy by collecting the change in prices of most common goods and services used by consumers.
2) It is calculated for a fixed list of items including food, housing, apparel, transportation, electronics, medical care, education etc.
3) In 2014, RBI has adopted CPI as the key measure for determining the inflation.
What are the different types of Consumer Price Index(CPI)?
Index | CPI for Industrial Workers (IW) | CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL) | CPI for Rural Labourer (RL) | CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Released by | Labour Bureau (Ministry of Labour and Employment) | Labour Bureau | Labour Bureau | National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) |
Base Year | 2016 | 1986-87 | 1986-87 | 2012 |
Purpose | Measures the relative changes in retail prices of fixed basket of goods and services consumed by industrial workers over a period of time. | confined to households of the agricultural labourers | covers the households of rural labourers which includes agricultural labourers households also. | – |
Used for | Utilized for regulation of wages & dearness allowance of workers & employees in the country. | MGNREGA wage rates are fixed according to changes in the CPI-AL. | – | Used by RBI to determine inflation rates and its monetary policy. |
UPSC Syllabus: Economy
Unusual Nitrogen-9 Isotope: Strong evidence’ unusual nitrogen-9 nucleus exists, scientists say
Source: The post is based on the article “Unusual Nitrogen-9 Isotope: Strong evidence’ unusual nitrogen-9 nucleus exists, scientists say” published in “The Hindu” on 21st November 2023
Why in the News?
Scientists have discovered “strong evidence” for the existence of the unusual nitrogen-9 isotope.
What is Nitrogen-9?
Atoms of the nitrogen-9 isotope are characterized by seven protons and two neutrons.
Why is Nitrogen-9 special?
Nitrogen-9 is special because it has seven protons and only two neutrons, which is an unusual high ratio of protons to neutrons.
This ratio significantly affects its stability, making its decay and behavior different from what’s expected. Its high proton count also puts it outside the typical stability range.
What are Isotopes?
Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are called Isotopes.
There are stable isotopes, which do not emit radiation and there are unstable isotopes which do emit radiation. The latter are called radioisotopes.
What are Drip Lines?
In the world of nuclear physics, there are stability limits. The ratio of protons-neutrons determines an atoms stability. Physicists make sense of such stability using drip lines. These lines mark the boundary beyond which adding more particles to a nucleus makes it unstable.
Physicists have a good handle on the neutron drip line for the first 10 elements. For example, that oxygen’s heaviest particle-bound isotope is oxygen-24, with 16 bound neutrons. Beyond that 16, the nucleus becomes far too unstable.
What are Nuclides?
A Nuclide is a specific type of atom characterized by the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus which approximates the mass of the nuclide.
For example, carbon-12 is a nuclide of carbon with 6 protons and 6 neutrons.
Scientists have developed an analogous table which is a two-dimensional graph of isotopes of the elements. This is known as the nuclide chart.
UPSC Syllabus: Science and Technology
India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA): 77% utilization by Indian exporters in 9 months
Source: The post is based on the article “India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA): 77% utilization by Indian exporters in 9 months” published in “Business Standard” on 21st November 2023
Why in the News?
Indian exporters have benefitted from the India-Australia ECTA. For the first nine months, the utilization rate was 77%.
What is Utilization Rate in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)?
1) The utilization rate in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) refers to the extent or percentage to which the benefits and provisions offered by the agreement are actually utilized or taken advantage of by the participating countries or entities.
2) It measures how much of the trade or economic activity between countries occurs using the preferential terms offered in the FTA.
3) A higher utilization rate indicates that a larger portion of trade is taking place under the terms and benefits outlined in the FTA.
4) According to the Asian Development Bank, India’s FTA utilization rate has remained under 25%, among the lowest in Asia. In contrast, FTA utilization by developed countries averages 70-80%.
5) The reasons for India’s low utilization rate of FTAs are the difficult process of getting a certificate of origin, low awareness about FTAs in the industry and non-tariff barriers, amongst others.
What is the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA)?

Specifications | Details |
Signed in | 2022 |
Aim | To provide an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries. |
Key Features of the agreement | Read Here |
Significance | 1) It is the 1st such agreement for India with a developed country in over a decade.
2) The deal has the potential to raise bilateral trade between India and Australia to nearly $50 billion in the next five years and create at least 10 lakh jobs in the start-up economy. 3) Provide a model for future FTA with other developed countries. |
Progress of India-Australia ECTA | Indian exporters have benefitted from the India-Australia ECTA.For the first nine months, the utilization rate was 77%.
For Indian exporters, sectors that have benefited from the deal include iron and steel products, linens, agri products and electrical conductors. |
UPSC Syllabus: International Relations
Emissions Gap Report: World set to get warmer by nearly 3°C by end of century
Source: The post is based on the article “Emissions Gap Report: World set to get warmer by nearly 3°C by end of century” published in “Indian Express” on 21st November 2023
Why in the News?
The Emissions Gap Report 2023 titled “Broken Record – Temperatures hit new highs” has been released.
What is the Emissions Gap Report?
Specifications | Details |
Released by | UN Environment Programme (UNEP) |
Purpose | It tracks the gap between where global emissions are heading with current country commitments and where they ought to be to limit warming to 1.5°C. |
What are the key findings of Emissions Gap Report 2023?

Specifications | Details |
Increasing temperatures | In 2022, we had 86 days that surpassed the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature mark due to a record-breaking rise in global greenhouse gas emissions. |
Progress made since Paris Agreement | There has been progress since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. Greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 were projected to increase by 16% at the time of the agreement’s adoption. Today, the projected increase is 3 percent.
However, predicted 2030 greenhouse gas emissions still must fall by 28% for the Paris Agreement 2°C pathway and 42% for the 1.5°C pathway. |
Historical Inequality in emissions | Country wise: The United States of America accounts for 4 percent of the current world population but contributed 17 percent of global warming from 1850 to 2021 including the impact of methane and nitrous oxide emissions. India, by contrast, accounts for 18 percent of the world population, but till date only contributed 5 percent of warming.
Population wise: Globally, the 10 percent of the population with the highest income accounted for nearly half (48 per cent) of emissions with two thirds of this group living in developed countries. The bottom 50 percent of the world population contributed only 12 percent of total emissions. |
Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Global GHG emissions increased by 1.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022 to reach a new record of 57.4 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2e). |
Emissions of biggest emitters | The emissions of three biggest emitters China, United States and India has increased in 2022.
But the emissions of the European Union, Russia and Brazil have gone down a bit. |
Covid-19 impact | The Covid-19 slowdown in 2020 only reduced emissions by 4.7% from 2019, showing the limited impact of this pause. |
Impact of inaction against Climate Change | 1) 2023 all set to emerge as the hottest ever, overtaking the previous record of 2016.
2) Almost every month of the year has set one or the other temperature record, with September emerging as the hottest month ever. 3) According to an assessment by the World Meteorological Organisation, one of the next four years is almost certain to breach the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold for the annual average as well. |
UPSC Syllabus: Environment
Indian researchers detect X-Ray Polarization in Extragalactic black hole
Source: The post is based on the article “Indian researchers detect X-Ray Polarization in Extragalactic black hole” published in “Hindustan Times” on 16th November, 2023
Why in the News?
Researchers from the IIT Guwahati and the UR Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO have achieved a groundbreaking discovery by detecting polarized emissions from a black hole source outside our Milky Way Galaxy.
What are Polarized Emissions?
Polarized emissions are like light waves that prefer to move in a specific direction.
Imagine a crowd of people walking in straight lines instead of all directions. When light or other types of energy travel this way, it means they’re aligned in a particular direction, giving us clues about the source they came from and how they traveled through space.
This helps scientists understand more about what’s happening in distant objects, like black holes, far away in the universe.
How did the researchers detect polarized emissions from a black hole?
Researchers utilized a technique called X-ray polarimetry to study the binary star system ‘Large Magellanic Cloud X-3 (LMC X3)’.
The findings were observed using NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and other missions.
What is Large Magellanic Cloud X-3 (LMC X3)?
Large Magellanic Cloud X-3 (LMC X3) was discovered in 1971. It is a binary star system consisting of a black hole and a ‘normal’ star that is much hotter, bigger, and more massive than the Sun.
It is located in a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way, nearly 200,000 light-years away from Earth.
What is XPoSat Mission?
Specifications | Details |
To be launched by | ISRO |
Full Form | X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) |
Purpose | To study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. |
Payloads | The spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit:
1) POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays): It will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization). 2) XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing): It will give spectroscopic information (on how light is absorbed and emitted by objects).It would observe several types of sources, such as X-ray pulsars, blackhole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron star, etc. |
Significance | It is India’s first and the world’s second polarimetry mission.
The other such major mission is NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) that was launched in 2021. |
UPSC Syllabus: Science and Technology
United Service Institution of India to organize Annual UN Forum 2023 on ‘International Humanitarian Law & Peacekeeping’ in New Delhi
Source: The post is based on the article “United Service Institution of India to organize Annual UN Forum 2023 on ‘International Humanitarian Law & Peacekeeping’ in New Delhi” published in “PIB” on 20th November 2023
Why in the News?
United Service Institution of India (USI) is organizing its Annual UN Forum 2023 on ‘International Humanitarian Law and Peacekeeping’ in New Delhi.
What is the Annual UN Forum?
Specifications | Details |
Organized by | United Service Institution of India in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Centre for UN Peacekeeping Operations. |
Purpose | To discuss the applicability and limitations of implementing International Humanitarian Law frameworks in UN peace operations through an interactive, multi-stakeholder approach. |
What is United Service Institution of India(USI)?
Specifications | Details |
What is it | It is a national security and defence services think tank |
Established in | 1870 (It is India’s oldest think-tank) |
Aim | To research and debate on national security and military affairs. |
Based in | New Delhi |
Significance | The studies and discussions conducted by USI enables deeper examination of national security issues and help in evidence based policy making. |
UPSC Syllabus: Defence