{"id":12948,"date":"2017-12-09T14:34:19","date_gmt":"2017-12-09T09:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=12948"},"modified":"2017-12-04T14:35:36","modified_gmt":"2017-12-04T09:05:36","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 December 8"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/mains-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archives<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.1) Importance of freedom of press has assumed great importance in the present scenario. Critically examine. (GS-1)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">through various mediums, such as electronic media and published materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wherever such freedom exists mostly <\/span><b>implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and its preservation may be sought through <\/span><b>constitutional or other legal protections.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, freedom of the press has been treated as part of the <\/span><b>\u201cfreedom of speech and expression\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">guaranteed by <\/span><b>Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Misuse of freedom of press:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are often wide public outrages following the <\/span><b>negative coverage by press<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The press is often <\/span><b>guilty of exhibiting a marked bias<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> towards a certain political figure or a party or community or group.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Freedom of the press is seen <\/span><b>to block progress and to help businessmen make money<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Freedom of press may <\/span><b>divert attention of the Indian people from the real issues which are socio-economic, to non-issues<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The press is also looked upon by its owners as a <\/span><b>means of making money.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Importance of freedom of the press:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fundamental to a democratic society: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The freedom of press is fundamental to a democratic society like India for it is helpful in strengthening democracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Check on Government and Administrators<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: An independent press and news-media press acts as an important check on Government and Administrators.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Voice against any social ill or wrong<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It is also responsible to raise voice against any social ill or wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Strengthening a nation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It works towards strengthening the sovereignty and integrity of a nation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Acts for the public: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At national, regional and local level, it is the public\u2019s voice, activist and guardian as well as educator, entertainer and contemporary chronicler.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Caution in passing judgments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The press exercises caution in passing judgments, especially on matters where the due process of law is yet to be completed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.2) What is Islamic Banking? Examine the implication of Islamic banking in India. (GS-2)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Islamic or Sharia banking is a finance system based on the principles of not charging interest, which is prohibited under Islam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the modes of Islamic banking\/finance include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mudarabah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Profit and loss sharing), \u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wadiah <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(safekeeping), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Musharaka<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (joint venture), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Murabahah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (cost plus) and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ijar<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (leasing).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Basis of Islamic Banking:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to earn money without charging interest, Islamic banks use <\/span><b>equity-participation systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that if bank loans money to a business, the business pays back the loan without interest, but it gives the bank a share in its profits.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the business defaults on the loan or does not earn any profits, the bank does not receive any profit either.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Salient features:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Collecting interest or \u201criga\u201d is not permitted<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under Islamic law.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since this system of banking is grounded in Islamic principles, <\/span><b>all the undertakings of the banks follow Islamic morals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial transactions within <\/span><b>Islamic banking are a culturally distinct form<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of ethical investing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, investments involving alcohol, gambling, pork, etc. are prohibited.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Impacts of Islamic banking in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is a secular country by Constitution. Thus opening any financial institution with the name of a religion can <\/span><b>raise question among other religious groups<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There would be much of chaos for manpower. There is a <\/span><b>lack of adequate work force<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> trained in Sharia banking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The present banking rules and regulations in India do not allow the operation of Islamic Finance in India for it creates <\/span><b>hurdle in achieving complete financial inclusion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 8 of Banking Regulation Act, mandates that a banking company cannot deal in the <\/span><b>selling or buying or bartering of goods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is prevalent in Shariah-compliant structures such as Murabaha in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Islamic banking may pave the way for the <\/span><b>entry for terrorist<\/b> <b>funding<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.3) Discuss the concept of Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and explain its role in India\u2019s fight against malnutrition. (GS-1)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is a <\/span><b>high-energy, micronutrient enhanced paste used to treat children under age 5 who are affected by severe acute malnutrition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RUTF is a packaged paste of peanuts, oil, sugar, vitamins, milk powder and mineral supplements, which contains 520-550 kilocalories of energy per 100 g.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional ingredients may include nuts, legumes, grains and sweeteners to improve the taste.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The paste is given to <\/span><b>children aged between six months and six years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, usually after a doctor\u2019s prescription.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Malnutrition and India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s hunger situation is worsening with the county slipping from 97th spot in 2016 to 100th position in the latest 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The report revealed that India\u2019s hunger crisis is worse than all its neighboring countries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Role of Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) in India\u2019s fight against malnutrition:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This makes it a <\/span><b>practical solution where cooking facilities and fuel are limited<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RUTF has a <\/span><b>long shelf life and is safe for use even in the absence of clean drinking water<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The use of RUTF allows those <\/span><b>children without medical complications to be cured right in their own homes and communities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this approach, <\/span><b>community health workers are trained in early detection to recognize cases of severe acute malnutrition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and provide RUTF and routine medical care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, <\/span><b>health workers learn to recognize medical complications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and refer those children to hospitals and health centres for further in-patient treatment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The impotance of the community-based approach is that <\/span><b>early detection and early treatment leads to better rates of survival and the treatment of many more children<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also <\/span><b>empowers communities and is much more cost-effective than in-patient treatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Way ahead:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a <\/span><b>need for prevention and long term solutions.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The solutions should involve <\/span><b>dismantling unequal power structures, improving equitable access to health services and nutritious foods, promoting breastfeeding and optimal infant and young child feeding practices, improving water and sanitation, and planning for cyclic food shortages and emergencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) can be useful for The Sustainable Development Goals which aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q.1) Importance of freedom of press has assumed great importance in the present scenario. Critically examine. (GS-1) Introduction: Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through various mediums, such as electronic media and published materials. Wherever such freedom exists mostly implies the absence of interference&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-8\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 December 8<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":2292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mains-marathon-answers","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pen-paper-laptop.jpg?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704884616},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12948\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}