{"id":14544,"date":"2018-01-17T13:20:21","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T07:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=14544"},"modified":"2018-01-15T13:21:15","modified_gmt":"2018-01-15T07:51:15","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-16-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-16-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 January 16, 2018"},"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)The UDAI, which is facing criticism in the light of alleged data breaches, recently announced a new method of identification called Virtual Identity. In this context, discuss the meaning of Virtual ID. \u00a0What is the rationale behind this decision? (GS-3)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), recently announced a new method of identification called \u201cVirtual Identity\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Virtual Identity:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual ID is the <\/span><b>16-digit randomly<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;<\/span><b>generated number<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that people can share instead of their Aadhaar number. Virtual ID can be used for <\/span><b>authentication of individuals\u2019 identity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Some of the features of Virtual ID are given below:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an extra layer of security to <\/span><b>protect privacy of people<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and does not imply there were gaps in the existing security architecture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual ID <\/span><b>can be changed any number of times.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>No documents or proof will be needed<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to generate a VID. But an Aadhaar numbr will be essential. <\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Rationale behind this move:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This move of government is a well thought out one, following are some of the benefits that government intend to derive out of it:- <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To <\/span><b>address security concerns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over Aadhaar database.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new VID system will hide the Aadhaar number from the <\/span><b>authenticating agency, while still confirming the identity of the user.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These steps will ensure greater <\/span><b>privacy and limit access to its database<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prevent profiling of people by combining dozens of databases linked to Aadhaar in the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual ID would address this concern by giving people the option to generate a random number from a mobile application or the Unique Identification Authority\u2019s website. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will enable users to undergo Aadhaar authentication without having to furnish their 12-digit Unique Identity Number (UID), also known as Aadhaar number.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VID will be a temporary number that will be automatically revoked once the Aadhaar holder generates a new VID or after the validity of the current VID lapses <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only the Aadhaar holder would be able to generate a VID. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new VID system will hide the Aadhaar number from the authenticating agency, while still confirming the identity of the user.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also introduced what it described as a system of \u201cLimited KYC\u201d (Know Your Customer) to reduce the storage of Aadhaar numbers with the Authentication User Agencies (AUAs).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.2) <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is facing very big challenge in gender justice. In this context discuss the reasons behind gender inequality in India. What are the legal and constitutional safeguards against gender inequality? (GS-1)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite rising education levels and declining fertility rate Indian women\u2019s labour force participation is ranked 170 out of the world 188 economies. The reason for low women\u2019s labour force participation is gender inequality in India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Main reasons for gender inequality in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>1-<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><b>Cultural institutions:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cultural institutions in India, particularly those of patrilineality (inheritance through male descendants) and patrilocality (married couples living with or near the husband\u2019s parents), play a crucial role in perpetuating gender inequality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>2-<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><b>Preference for sons:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A culturally ingrained parental preference for sons &#8211; emanating from their importance as caregivers for parents in old age &#8211; is linked to poorer consequences for daughters.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>3-<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><b>Dowry system:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dowry system, involving a cash or in-kind payment from the bride\u2019s family to the groom\u2019s at the time of marriage, is another institution that disempowers women.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The incidence of dowry has been steadily rising over time across all region and socioeconomic classes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>4-<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><b>Patriarchal mindset:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patriarchy is a social system of privilege in which men are the primary authority figures, occupying roles of political leadership, moral authority, control of prosperity and authority over women and children.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>5-<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><b>Poverty and lack of education:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extreme poverty and lack of education are also some of the reasons for women\u2019s low status in society. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty and lack of education derives countless women to work in low paying domestic service, organized prostitution or as migrant laborers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Legal and constitutional safeguards against gender inequality:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1- <\/span><b>Constitutional safeguards:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian Constitution provides for positive efforts to eliminate gender inequality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Preamble<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the Constitution talks about goals of achieving social, economic and political justice to everyone and to provide equality of status and of opportunity to all its citizens.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Article 15<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution provides for prohibition of discrimination on grounds of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sex <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also apart from other grounds such as religion, race, caste or place of birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Article 15(3)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> authorizes the State to make any special provision for women and children.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Directive Principles of State Policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also provides various provisions which are for the benefit of women and provides safeguards against discrimination.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>2- <\/b><b>Legal safeguards:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Various protective Legislations have also been passed by the Parliament to eliminate exploitation of women and to give them equal status in society.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was enacted to abolish and make punishable the inhuman custom of Sati.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to eliminate the practice of dowry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The Special Marriage Act, 1954<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to give rightful status to married couples who marry inter-caste or inter-religion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Bill<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (introduced in Parliament in 1991, passed in 1994 to stop female infanticide and many more such Acts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Section 304-B<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was added to the Indian Penal Code, 1860 to make dowry-death or bride-burning a specific offence punishable with maximum punishment of life imprisonment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.3) <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write a short note on any two of the following terms:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A) Urban heat island effect (GS-3)<\/p>\n<p>B) Model Code of Conduct (GS-2)<\/p>\n<p>C) Chandrayaan-2 (GS-3)<\/p>\n<p><b>A) Urban heat island effect:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The urban heat island is a phenomenon when the heat gets trapped near the earth\u2019s surface as a result of a decline in green cover, rapid urbanisation, energy-intensive activities, and concrete structures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban heat islands can have worse air and water quality than their rural neighbours.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UHIs often have lower air quality because there are more pollutants (being pumped into the air.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These pollutants are blocked from scattering and becoming less toxic by the urban landscape: buildings, roads, sidewalks, and parking lots.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water quality also suffers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When warm water from the UHI ends up flowing into local streams, it stresses the native species that have adapted to life in a cooler aquatic environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>B) Model code of Conduct:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, election manifestos, processions and general conduct.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The objective of Model Code of Conduct is to ensure free and fair elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Commission issued the code for the first time in 1971.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This set of norms has been evolved with the consensus of political parties who have consented to abide by the principles embodied in the said code and also binds them to respect and observe it in its letter and spirit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The salient features of the Model Code of Conduct lay down how political parties, contesting candidates and party(s) in power should conduct themselves during the process of elections i.e. on their general conduct during electioneering, holding meetings and processions, poll day activities and functioning of the party in power etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>C) Chandrayaan-2<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prepare for landing on the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation is planning to conduct landing simulation tests for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft at Mahendragiri in coming weeks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chandrayaan-2 includes soft-landing on Moon and moving a rover on its surface.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It consists of an orbiter, lander and rover configuration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Orbiter spacecraft when launched from Sriharikota will travel to the Moon and release the Lander, which will in turn deploy a tiny Rover to roam the lunar surface \u2014 all three sending data and pictures to Earth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is planned to be launched as a composite stack into the earth parking orbit (EPO) of 170 X 18,500 km by GSLV-Mk II.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q.1)The UDAI, which is facing criticism in the light of alleged data breaches, recently announced a new method of identification called Virtual Identity. In this context, discuss the meaning of Virtual ID. \u00a0What is the rationale behind this decision? (GS-3) The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), recently announced a new method of identification&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-16-2018\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 January 16, 2018<\/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-14544","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":1704787340},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14544","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=14544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14544\/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=14544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}