{"id":13323,"date":"2017-12-16T13:32:04","date_gmt":"2017-12-16T08:02:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=13323"},"modified":"2017-12-19T16:13:30","modified_gmt":"2017-12-19T10:43:30","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-15-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-15-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 December 15"},"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) \u201cIt turns out that adultery by men is illegal in India while women is exempted, but gender is not the only point of concern.\u201d Discuss critically. (GS-1)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There has been a long dispute over the constitutional validity of Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, under which men can be prosecuted for adultery.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What is adultery?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adultery is a <\/span><b>voluntary consensual relationship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between a married individual and someone who is not his\/her lawful spouse.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Is adultery an offence?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, adultery is regarded as <\/span><b>illegal in some countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>certain laws have been passed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep a check over adultery.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The act of adultery is a crime which breaches the <\/span><b>marriage vows and is detrimental to public morals.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Legal parameters against adultery:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The legal definition of adultery <\/span><b>varies from country to country<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laws related to adultery <\/span><b>vary from statute to statute<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At some places adultery is <\/span><b>considered a crime and the adulterer may even have to face death penalty.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In few statutes, if either individual is married to someone else, <\/span><b>both parties to an adulterous liaison are culpable to the crime.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Hindu traditions condemn the act of adultery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Islam, the adulterers <\/span><b>especially the female may be stoned to death<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What is the debate over the Indian adultery law?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There has been a long debate over the <\/span><b>constitutional validity of Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, under which men can be prosecuted for adultery.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court has observed that <\/span><b>the provision is outdated<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has further noted that in a case of adultery, <\/span><b>one person is liable for the offence but the other is absolved.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, the <\/span><b>concept of gender neutrality, on which criminal law normally proceeds, is absent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has also noted that once <\/span><b>the consent or connivance of the husband is established, there is no offence of adultery at all<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Indian adultery law challenges Section 198(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the past, the Supreme Court has emphasized that <\/span><b>a married woman is a \u201cvictim\u201d and the man is \u201cthe author of the crime\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has treated the exemption given to women as a special provision that has the <\/span><b>protection of Article 15(3).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has <\/span><b>rejected the argument that it is discriminatory <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by pointing out that neither a man nor a woman can prosecute their disloyal spouses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is <\/span><b>only the \u2018outsider\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the matrimonial relationship who can be prosecuted, and that too by the <\/span><b>aggrieved husband alone<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is <\/span><b>made clear in Section 198(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a provision also under challenge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Conclusion:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The real problem in the Indian adultery law is the very fact that <\/span><b>adultery remains a crime in the form of an archaic colonial era provision. <\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The debate should not be maintained over the <\/span><b>limited boundaries of gender discrimination<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The correct course will be to <\/span><b>dispense with this archaic provision altogether<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It serves <\/span><b>no real purpose<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the criminal statute.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.2) With reference to India\u2019s \u20182+2\u2019 dialogue partners, examine the role of such quadrilateral discussions in preserving, promoting and protecting \u00a0bilateral security and defence cooperation. (GS-2)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australia and India recently discussed the need to maintain the <\/span><b>Asia-Pacific region as a \u201cfree\u201d and \u201copen\u201d zone under the \u20182+2\u2019 dialogue model<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which includes the foreign and defence secretaries of both sides.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Why the dialogue model is called \u20182+2\u2019?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is called a \u20182+2\u2019 dialogue model because it involves<\/span><b> dialogues between the Foreign and Defence Secretaries of both sides.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>India and Japan\u2019s 2 + 2 dialogue:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from Australia, <\/span><b>Japan is also India\u2019s 2+2 dialogue partner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan is India\u2019s <\/span><b>first 2+2 dialogue partner with any country<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India and Japan held discussions to <\/span><b>enhance cooperation key bilateral areas, including maritime, cyber, outer space security and also deliberated on regional and international security situation.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both the nations reviewed <\/span><b>bilateral security and defence cooperation and discussed ways to expand these ties further.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What has been discussed between India and Australia under the \u20182+2 dialogue\u2019?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The major topic of discussion during the meeting is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>New strategic partnership:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The discussion between India and Australia was the first meeting of this level since the <\/span><b>two sides participated in the quadrilateral discussion for a new strategic partnership targeting the Asia-Pacific region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Freedom of navigation:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u20182+2 dialogue\u2019 indicated that <\/span><b>the focus remains on freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, where China has been reclaiming land for infrastructure, boosting its maritime influence.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Inclusive Indo-Pacific region:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both sides agreed that a <\/span><b>free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Strategic and defence relations:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, all aspects of bilateral relations with a<\/span><b> focus on strategic and defence relations between the two countries were reviewed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Other important discussions:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developments in the <\/span><b>Indo-Pacific with China\u2019s rise, India\u2019s prominent role in Australia\u2019s first White Paper on Foreign Policy in 14 years, the road ahead for revived quadrilateral dialogue<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were part of discussions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Conclusion:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These quadrilateral \u20182+2\u2019 discussions usher in an array of<\/span><b> socio-economic potentials for both the countries.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will also enhance the <\/span><b>strategic interests in Asia, our economies are highly complementary, and the values are closely aligned.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.3) What is DNA fingerprinting? Critically examine the concerns raised against implementing DNA based investigations in India. (GS-3)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The law machinery world over is increasingly relying on DNA forensics to solve crime, whereas <\/span><b>India is lagging behind in adoption.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is time to take a serious look at how this technology, that has become crucial in establishing both guilt and innocence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What is DNA fingerprinting?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA fingerprinting is a <\/span><b>method used to identify an individual from a sample of DNA.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It simultaneously <\/span><b>detects lots of minisatellites in the genome to produce a pattern unique to an individual.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The probability of having two people with the same DNA fingerprint<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that are not identical twins <\/span><b>is very small<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>How can DNA fingerprinting be a useful tool in investigating crime?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA fingerprinting as a tool of investigation is <\/span><b>very accurate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It extends to the way it can <\/span><b>separate through crime scene evidence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced DNA fingerprinting can make <\/span><b>separate prints of various individuals even from a sample mixture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found at the crime scene.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example: In a gangrape case, <\/span><b>DNA fingerprinting can identify each of the individuals involved in the act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through one sample.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In such cases, it becomes the <\/span><b>clinching evidence against the accused<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and also helps vindicate those whose samples do not match.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the problems in implementing DNA based investigations?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problems in implementing DNA based investigations are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>sample of DNA can easily be ruined<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during the process, causing the sample to become completely useless for testing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process itself is <\/span><b>complex and tedious<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can give results that may be <\/span><b>hard to interpret<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Privacy issues could occur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if the information isn\u2019t kept secure at the lab.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the problems in implementing DNA based investigations in India?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problems in implementing DNA based investigations in India are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>state police forces are yet to be trained<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in conducting such scientific investigations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is also a <\/span><b>serious scarcity of capacity for DNA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fingerprinting in the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced practices in the technology are <\/span><b>limited to the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Hyderabad.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are also several private labs that offer DNA testing, but <\/span><b>all work under an unregulated environment.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though DNA testing is done in criminal cases in India, the <\/span><b>instances were very low compared to other countries. <\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It <\/span><b>breaches the Right to Privacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, personal information if leaked, could potentially complicate insurance processes, health care and job prospects for an individual.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Way ahead:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The measures to be taken are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government and police should <\/span><b>increase the use of DNA testing in solving crimes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There should be <\/span><b>adequate and high-level training sessions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for DNA investigation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They should <\/span><b>set up a board<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which will lay down procedures and standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>There are recommendations for amendments in Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and Indian Evidence Act, 1872, to include scientific investigation in crimes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q.1) \u201cIt turns out that adultery by men is illegal in India while women is exempted, but gender is not the only point of concern.\u201d Discuss critically. (GS-1) Introduction: There has been a long dispute over the constitutional validity of Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, under which men can be prosecuted for&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-december-15-2\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 December 15<\/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-13323","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":1700127428},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13323","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=13323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13323\/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=13323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}