Economic Times
Business Standard
@UPSC_18
Ø State Oil cos plan capex of Rs 89k crore, 50% for E&P
Ø FPIs infuse Rs 22,000 crore in capital mkts in Jan
Ø Assam all set to get Rs 1,00,000 crore investment
Ø 'Govt working to raise share of exports in GDP to 20%'
Ø NITI Aayog facilitator for Act East Policy: Kant
Ø RCom seeks withdrawal of directive on subscriber refund
Ø DoT to float new draft telecom policy within a week
Ø Cash-strapped government has cut back on budgetary support to PSUs
Ø LTCG tax kitty from stocks to double to Rs 400 bn in FY20: Hasmukh Adhia
Ø Govt expects up to Rs 40-bn surplus fund from Sebi: DEA Secretary
Ø Sterlite Power to invest $10 bn in transmission lines to expand business
Ø No federal financing for Adani's Carmichael rail line: Australian official
Business Line
Mint
Ø Revenue deficit no longer a target of the govt
Ø Central govt jobs go up 2.53 lakh in 2 years
Ø FPI inflows at $3.5-bn in Jan on better earnings expectation
Ø Richest companies have the lowest tax liability
Ø Jaitley to brief SEBI board on Budget proposals
Ø Strides Shasun arm gets USFDA nod for 2 products
Ø Sebi may allow metal ETFs to attract retail investors
Ø Expert panel rules against setting up new category of stents
Ø Mahindra wins an order to supply 1000 e-Veritos to Bhagirathi
Ø JSW Steel-Piramal to bid for Bhushan Steel, JFE Steel opts out
Ø Maruti open to forge partnerships with local tech firms
Financial Express
Financial Chronicle
Ø Central Board of Excise and Customs to be renamed CBIC by April
Ø Godrej Properties sells Rs 700 cr worth office space in Mumbai
Ø India to be manufacturing hub for Middle East & Africa, says Panasonic CEO Tetsuro Homma
Ø ICICI Bank sees March quarter margin settling at 3.5 pct
Ø FM signals fiscal slippage amid revenue uncertainty
Ø Divestment target points to likely consolidation of oil & gas PSUs
Business Standard
@UPSC_18
Ø State Oil cos plan capex of Rs 89k crore, 50% for E&P
Ø FPIs infuse Rs 22,000 crore in capital mkts in Jan
Ø Assam all set to get Rs 1,00,000 crore investment
Ø 'Govt working to raise share of exports in GDP to 20%'
Ø NITI Aayog facilitator for Act East Policy: Kant
Ø RCom seeks withdrawal of directive on subscriber refund
Ø DoT to float new draft telecom policy within a week
Ø Cash-strapped government has cut back on budgetary support to PSUs
Ø LTCG tax kitty from stocks to double to Rs 400 bn in FY20: Hasmukh Adhia
Ø Govt expects up to Rs 40-bn surplus fund from Sebi: DEA Secretary
Ø Sterlite Power to invest $10 bn in transmission lines to expand business
Ø No federal financing for Adani's Carmichael rail line: Australian official
Business Line
Mint
Ø Revenue deficit no longer a target of the govt
Ø Central govt jobs go up 2.53 lakh in 2 years
Ø FPI inflows at $3.5-bn in Jan on better earnings expectation
Ø Richest companies have the lowest tax liability
Ø Jaitley to brief SEBI board on Budget proposals
Ø Strides Shasun arm gets USFDA nod for 2 products
Ø Sebi may allow metal ETFs to attract retail investors
Ø Expert panel rules against setting up new category of stents
Ø Mahindra wins an order to supply 1000 e-Veritos to Bhagirathi
Ø JSW Steel-Piramal to bid for Bhushan Steel, JFE Steel opts out
Ø Maruti open to forge partnerships with local tech firms
Financial Express
Financial Chronicle
Ø Central Board of Excise and Customs to be renamed CBIC by April
Ø Godrej Properties sells Rs 700 cr worth office space in Mumbai
Ø India to be manufacturing hub for Middle East & Africa, says Panasonic CEO Tetsuro Homma
Ø ICICI Bank sees March quarter margin settling at 3.5 pct
Ø FM signals fiscal slippage amid revenue uncertainty
Ø Divestment target points to likely consolidation of oil & gas PSUs
MAINS DUE DATE IS PREPONE
Smart Strategy 🏆🥇
So less time between Pre and Mains and it includes many subjects with currents affairs allot.
So Feb is best time to complete once optional with basic command and answer writing practise. Beacuse all Rankers in top 150, Score more only via Optional Papers.
Smart Strategy 🏆🥇
So less time between Pre and Mains and it includes many subjects with currents affairs allot.
So Feb is best time to complete once optional with basic command and answer writing practise. Beacuse all Rankers in top 150, Score more only via Optional Papers.
UPSC CSE-IAS Exam 2018 ☑️
Notification out
(February 07 to March 06)
June 3rd Exam.
Notification out
(February 07 to March 06)
June 3rd Exam.
There is no change in UPSC Mains Pattern 2018 : Optional subjects are have.
Course on ‘digital citizenship and safety’
@UPSC_18
Google and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) have signed a pact to integrate a course on ‘digital citizenship and safety’ in information and communication technology curriculum
NCERT has curriculum on IT and communication technologies embedded in teachers training programme
The curriculum developed by NCERT in collaboration with Google will be used to train students from class I to class XII across 1.4 million schools in India
Components of curriculum
The curriculum is spread into four themes—being smart, being safe, being a digital citizen and being future ready
This will help student identify good content and bad content
In advance classes, it will focus on privacy, device management, intellectual property and reputation management
National Council of Educational Research and Training
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India established on 1 September 1961
It is registered as a literary, scientific and charitable Society under the Societies’ Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860)
The NCERT was established with the agenda to design and support a common system of education which is national in character and also enables and encourages the diverse culture across the country
It is separate from the National Council for Teacher Education
National Curriculum Framework: The council came up with a new National Curriculum Framework in 2005, drafted by a National Steering Committee. This exercise was based on 5 guiding principles:
connecting knowledge to life outside school
a shift from the rote method of learning
enriching the curriculum for the overall development of children so that it goes beyond textbooks
making examinations flexible and integrating them into classroom life and
nurturing an identity informed by caring concerns.
@UPSC_18
Google and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) have signed a pact to integrate a course on ‘digital citizenship and safety’ in information and communication technology curriculum
NCERT has curriculum on IT and communication technologies embedded in teachers training programme
The curriculum developed by NCERT in collaboration with Google will be used to train students from class I to class XII across 1.4 million schools in India
Components of curriculum
The curriculum is spread into four themes—being smart, being safe, being a digital citizen and being future ready
This will help student identify good content and bad content
In advance classes, it will focus on privacy, device management, intellectual property and reputation management
National Council of Educational Research and Training
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India established on 1 September 1961
It is registered as a literary, scientific and charitable Society under the Societies’ Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860)
The NCERT was established with the agenda to design and support a common system of education which is national in character and also enables and encourages the diverse culture across the country
It is separate from the National Council for Teacher Education
National Curriculum Framework: The council came up with a new National Curriculum Framework in 2005, drafted by a National Steering Committee. This exercise was based on 5 guiding principles:
connecting knowledge to life outside school
a shift from the rote method of learning
enriching the curriculum for the overall development of children so that it goes beyond textbooks
making examinations flexible and integrating them into classroom life and
nurturing an identity informed by caring concerns.
Misuse is not a ground to strike down Aadhaar Act: SC
@UPSC_2018
@UPSC_18
The mere possibility of misuse cannot be a ground for striking down the Aadhaar Act, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud orally observed during a Constitution Bench hearing on the validity of the unique identity scheme.
“There has been a long list of judgments holding that a mere possibility of misuse will not lead to the striking down of legislation.
We have a little bit of a problem with that line of your argument,” Justice Chandrachud, a member of the five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, told the Aadhaar petitioners.
To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said misuse has ceased to be a “possibility.”
“Misuse is happening. Misuse exists. Personal data is already out in the public domain. Once a genie is out of the bottle, it cannot be put back... So, if there is a consistent line of judgments, treat Aadhaar as an exception,” Mr. Sibal, who opened his submissions for petitioners Raghav Tankha and former IAS officer M.G. Devasahayam, submitted.
Justice A.K. Sikri, on the Bench, at one point, observed that if the government wanted information about a person it could access it even without the help of Aadhaar. “No, you cannot.
The government needs a court order,” Mr. Sibal reacted. Justice Sikri responded that “surely there were other ways...”
“On that, less said the better,” Mr. Sibal answered.
Noting that information is power in the digital world, Mr. Sibal said the “Right to Information Act of 2005 made the citizen more powerful, but the Aadhaar Act wants to make the state more powerful.”
Indian Tiger census
India’s tiger census, which began late last year, will see coordination with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh in estimating the territorial spread of the animal in the subcontinent.
While India has engaged with Nepal and Bangladesh in previous tiger counts, this is the first time all countries are uniting in arriving at tiger numbers, particularly in regions with shared borders.
“We’ve had officials from these countries come to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for training,” said Y. Jhala, senior scientist.
“This time we hope it will be a simultaneous exercise and tigers aren’t double-counted.”
Since 2006, the WII — a Union Environment Ministry-funded body — has been tasked with coordinating the tiger estimation exercise.
The once-in-four-years exercise calculated, in 2006, that India had only 1,411 tigers.
This rose to 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in 2014 in later editions on the back of improved conservation measures and new estimation methods.
The survey — divided into four phases — began last winter and is expected to reveal its findings in early 2019.
Commissioned by the Union Environment Ministry’s National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Rs. 10 crore exercise this year involves 40,000 forest guards traversing 4,00,000 sq. km. of forests; wildlife biologists independently assessing them; approximately a year’s duration of field work; 14,000 camera traps; and coordination with 18 States.
Along with tigers, the survey also collects information on the prey population of deer and other animals.
Forest guards have Android phones and an app to storedata.
Officials said one challenge in past censuses was that a sighting, or traces of a tiger’s presence, had to be manually logged in. This led to errors in location data.
Agni-1 successfully test-fired
India successfully test-fired its short-range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-1 with a strike range of over 700 km from a test range off the Odisha coast, Defence sources said.
The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile was launched as a part of a periodic training activity by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army to consolidate operational readiness, they said.
The state-of-the-art missile was launched around 8.30 a.m. from a mobile launcher at Pad 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at the Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, the sources said.
Describing the trial a “complete success”, they said that all the missio
@UPSC_2018
@UPSC_18
The mere possibility of misuse cannot be a ground for striking down the Aadhaar Act, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud orally observed during a Constitution Bench hearing on the validity of the unique identity scheme.
“There has been a long list of judgments holding that a mere possibility of misuse will not lead to the striking down of legislation.
We have a little bit of a problem with that line of your argument,” Justice Chandrachud, a member of the five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, told the Aadhaar petitioners.
To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said misuse has ceased to be a “possibility.”
“Misuse is happening. Misuse exists. Personal data is already out in the public domain. Once a genie is out of the bottle, it cannot be put back... So, if there is a consistent line of judgments, treat Aadhaar as an exception,” Mr. Sibal, who opened his submissions for petitioners Raghav Tankha and former IAS officer M.G. Devasahayam, submitted.
Justice A.K. Sikri, on the Bench, at one point, observed that if the government wanted information about a person it could access it even without the help of Aadhaar. “No, you cannot.
The government needs a court order,” Mr. Sibal reacted. Justice Sikri responded that “surely there were other ways...”
“On that, less said the better,” Mr. Sibal answered.
Noting that information is power in the digital world, Mr. Sibal said the “Right to Information Act of 2005 made the citizen more powerful, but the Aadhaar Act wants to make the state more powerful.”
Indian Tiger census
India’s tiger census, which began late last year, will see coordination with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh in estimating the territorial spread of the animal in the subcontinent.
While India has engaged with Nepal and Bangladesh in previous tiger counts, this is the first time all countries are uniting in arriving at tiger numbers, particularly in regions with shared borders.
“We’ve had officials from these countries come to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for training,” said Y. Jhala, senior scientist.
“This time we hope it will be a simultaneous exercise and tigers aren’t double-counted.”
Since 2006, the WII — a Union Environment Ministry-funded body — has been tasked with coordinating the tiger estimation exercise.
The once-in-four-years exercise calculated, in 2006, that India had only 1,411 tigers.
This rose to 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in 2014 in later editions on the back of improved conservation measures and new estimation methods.
The survey — divided into four phases — began last winter and is expected to reveal its findings in early 2019.
Commissioned by the Union Environment Ministry’s National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Rs. 10 crore exercise this year involves 40,000 forest guards traversing 4,00,000 sq. km. of forests; wildlife biologists independently assessing them; approximately a year’s duration of field work; 14,000 camera traps; and coordination with 18 States.
Along with tigers, the survey also collects information on the prey population of deer and other animals.
Forest guards have Android phones and an app to storedata.
Officials said one challenge in past censuses was that a sighting, or traces of a tiger’s presence, had to be manually logged in. This led to errors in location data.
Agni-1 successfully test-fired
India successfully test-fired its short-range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-1 with a strike range of over 700 km from a test range off the Odisha coast, Defence sources said.
The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile was launched as a part of a periodic training activity by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army to consolidate operational readiness, they said.
The state-of-the-art missile was launched around 8.30 a.m. from a mobile launcher at Pad 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at the Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, the sources said.
Describing the trial a “complete success”, they said that all the missio
n objectives were met during the test.
The sophisticated Agni-I missile is propelled by a solid rocket propellant system and is equipped with a specialised navigation system that ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of precision, the sources said.
The sophisticated Agni-I missile is propelled by a solid rocket propellant system and is equipped with a specialised navigation system that ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of precision, the sources said.
Long Term Capital Gains Tax
@UPSC_2018
Any profit or gain that arises from the sale of a ‘capital asset’ is a capital gain. This gain or profit is charged to tax in the year in which the transfer of the capital asset takes place.
Capital gains are not applicable when an asset is inherited because there is no sale, only a transfer.
Capital asset is defined to include:
a) Any kind of property held by an assesse, whether or not connected with business or profession of the assesse.
b) Any securities held by a FII which has invested in such securities in accordance with the regulations made under the SEBI Act, 1992.
However, the following items are excluded from the definition of "capital asset":
Any stock-in-trade, consumable stores, or raw materials held by a person for the purpose of his business or profession.
Government has introduced long-term capital gains tax of 10 percent if the gains exceed Rs 100,000 without allowing the benefit of indexation. However, all gains till 31st January 2018 will be grandfathered and short term capital gains remains unchanged at 15 percent.
For example, if the equity share is purchased 6 months before 31st January 2018 at Rs100 and the highest price quoted on 31st Jan is Rs120. There will be no tax on the sale, if the stock is sold after 1 year. However, any gains in excess of Rs20 earned after 31st Jan 2018 will be taxed at 10 percent if this share is sold after 31st July 2018.
Long-term capital gains were made tax exempt in 2004.
@UPSC_2018
Any profit or gain that arises from the sale of a ‘capital asset’ is a capital gain. This gain or profit is charged to tax in the year in which the transfer of the capital asset takes place.
Capital gains are not applicable when an asset is inherited because there is no sale, only a transfer.
Capital asset is defined to include:
a) Any kind of property held by an assesse, whether or not connected with business or profession of the assesse.
b) Any securities held by a FII which has invested in such securities in accordance with the regulations made under the SEBI Act, 1992.
However, the following items are excluded from the definition of "capital asset":
Any stock-in-trade, consumable stores, or raw materials held by a person for the purpose of his business or profession.
Government has introduced long-term capital gains tax of 10 percent if the gains exceed Rs 100,000 without allowing the benefit of indexation. However, all gains till 31st January 2018 will be grandfathered and short term capital gains remains unchanged at 15 percent.
For example, if the equity share is purchased 6 months before 31st January 2018 at Rs100 and the highest price quoted on 31st Jan is Rs120. There will be no tax on the sale, if the stock is sold after 1 year. However, any gains in excess of Rs20 earned after 31st Jan 2018 will be taxed at 10 percent if this share is sold after 31st July 2018.
Long-term capital gains were made tax exempt in 2004.
PAIKA REBELLION
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#KARPATHUIAS
@UPSC_2018
Odisha government decided to make a formal demand to the Centre for declaring Paika Rebellion of 1817 as the first war of independence in Indian history.
About Paika Rebellion
The Paik Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.
Paikas were essentially the peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during times of war while taking up cultivation during times of peace. They unfurled the banner of rebellion against the British under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara as early as 1817 to throw off the British yoke.
History behind Paika rebellion
The British, having established their sway over Bengal Province and Madras Province to the north and south of Odisha, occupied it in 1803.The Gajapati King of Odisha Mukunda Deva-ll was a minor then and initial resistance by Jai Rajguru, the custodian of Mukunda Deva-II, was put down brutally and Jai Rajguru was torn apart alive. A few years later, it was the Paikas under Baxi Jagabandhu, the hereditary chief of the militia army of the Gajapati King, who rose in rebellion, taking support of tribals and other sections of society.
Reason for revolt
The Paiks were alienated by the British regime, who took over the hereditary rent-free lands granted to them after the conquest of Khurda. They were also subjected to extortion and oppression at the hands of the company government and its servants.
Initiatives
The Paikas attacked British symbols of power, setting ablaze police stations, administrative offices and the treasury during their march towards Khurda, from where the British fled.
The Paikas were supported by the rajas of Kanika, Kujang, Nayagarh and Ghumusar and zamindars, village heads and ordinary peasants.
@UPSC_18
#KARPATHUIAS
@UPSC_2018
Odisha government decided to make a formal demand to the Centre for declaring Paika Rebellion of 1817 as the first war of independence in Indian history.
About Paika Rebellion
The Paik Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.
Paikas were essentially the peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during times of war while taking up cultivation during times of peace. They unfurled the banner of rebellion against the British under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara as early as 1817 to throw off the British yoke.
History behind Paika rebellion
The British, having established their sway over Bengal Province and Madras Province to the north and south of Odisha, occupied it in 1803.The Gajapati King of Odisha Mukunda Deva-ll was a minor then and initial resistance by Jai Rajguru, the custodian of Mukunda Deva-II, was put down brutally and Jai Rajguru was torn apart alive. A few years later, it was the Paikas under Baxi Jagabandhu, the hereditary chief of the militia army of the Gajapati King, who rose in rebellion, taking support of tribals and other sections of society.
Reason for revolt
The Paiks were alienated by the British regime, who took over the hereditary rent-free lands granted to them after the conquest of Khurda. They were also subjected to extortion and oppression at the hands of the company government and its servants.
Initiatives
The Paikas attacked British symbols of power, setting ablaze police stations, administrative offices and the treasury during their march towards Khurda, from where the British fled.
The Paikas were supported by the rajas of Kanika, Kujang, Nayagarh and Ghumusar and zamindars, village heads and ordinary peasants.
The Union government will hire 782 officers to fill up vacant positions in the prestigious IAS, IFS and IPS through civil services exam 2018.
#KARPATHUIAS
@UPSC_2018
#KARPATHUIAS
@UPSC_2018
What is clinical trial?
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@UPSC_2018
#KARPATHUIAS
Introduction:
• Clinical trials are experiments or observations done in clinical research.
• Such prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants are designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietary choices, dietary supplements, and medical devices).
• Clinical trials generate data on safety and efficacy.
• They are conducted only after they have received health authority/ethics committee approval in the country where approval of the therapy is sought. These authorities are responsible for vetting the risk/benefit ratio of the trial.
• Clinical trials can vary in size and cost, and they can involve a single research center or multiple centers.
• Clinical study design aims to ensure the scientific validity and reproducibility of the results.
Background:
• The current trend is to take clearances from respective ethics committee and start trials without registering with CTRI. The registry was launched in 2007, and trial registration was made mandatory by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2009.
• Trial registration involves public declaration and identification of investigators, sponsors, interventions, patient population etc. before recruitment.
• The data and reports of various trials are often difficult to find and in some cases do not even exist as many trials are abandoned or not published due to negative or equivocal results.
Details:
• Currently, all trials in India are registered on the Clinical Trials Registry India (CTRI).
• Of the trials registered with the CTRI (as on June 30, 2017), 3,318 are prospective and 5,604 are retrospective registrations which means details of these trials were uploaded after the companies conducting them had begun recruiting patients.
• To ensure transparency, safety and quality standards across human trials, India’s apex research body has made it mandatory for all researchers to register trials before they begin.
• Beginning April 1, the Clinical Trials Registry India (CTRI) will register clinical trials/studies prospectively before the first participant is enrolled.
• Under the new rule, any researcher conducting a trial for drugs, surgical procedures, preventive measures, lifestyle modifications, devices, educational or behavioural treatment, rehabilitation strategies, including in the AYUSH system, must register before enrolling the first participant.
• The trials that have already begun will not be registered after April 1, 2018.
• Clinical Trials are of two types:
a. Investigator-origin trials: It is led by an institution/clinician and could be funded by the institution itself or by a government agency.
b. Pharma- or medical-device-driven trials: In this, research is designed by the company, the clinicians are chosen by them and the team of researchers are given a fee by them.
• Bilateral agencies may also fund certain trials, and these may be done through the government or certain NGOs.
• Informed consent is at the heart of enrolment, so it is the participant’s right to know of every aspect of the trial. There is a 16-point check-list for this, including letting the patient know of the nature of the research, what the study is about, what it hopes to prove, what previous studies say on the subject, risks, possible benefits, compensation (life and disability insurance, travel allowance, compensation for loss of wages).
• There is a confidentiality clause that does not allow the person’s name to be disclosed.
• A person can opt out of any study at any point in the process without being penalised and can continue to have the standard of care treatment provided.
• All expenses of the medical treatment are borne by the funding agency, including toxicity management (either due to the new drug or the standard of care, like chemo).
• Every trial will have to be approved by a government-recognised ethics committee, consisting of an amalgam of people, ranging from clinicians, priests,
@UPSC_18
@UPSC_2018
#KARPATHUIAS
Introduction:
• Clinical trials are experiments or observations done in clinical research.
• Such prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants are designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietary choices, dietary supplements, and medical devices).
• Clinical trials generate data on safety and efficacy.
• They are conducted only after they have received health authority/ethics committee approval in the country where approval of the therapy is sought. These authorities are responsible for vetting the risk/benefit ratio of the trial.
• Clinical trials can vary in size and cost, and they can involve a single research center or multiple centers.
• Clinical study design aims to ensure the scientific validity and reproducibility of the results.
Background:
• The current trend is to take clearances from respective ethics committee and start trials without registering with CTRI. The registry was launched in 2007, and trial registration was made mandatory by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2009.
• Trial registration involves public declaration and identification of investigators, sponsors, interventions, patient population etc. before recruitment.
• The data and reports of various trials are often difficult to find and in some cases do not even exist as many trials are abandoned or not published due to negative or equivocal results.
Details:
• Currently, all trials in India are registered on the Clinical Trials Registry India (CTRI).
• Of the trials registered with the CTRI (as on June 30, 2017), 3,318 are prospective and 5,604 are retrospective registrations which means details of these trials were uploaded after the companies conducting them had begun recruiting patients.
• To ensure transparency, safety and quality standards across human trials, India’s apex research body has made it mandatory for all researchers to register trials before they begin.
• Beginning April 1, the Clinical Trials Registry India (CTRI) will register clinical trials/studies prospectively before the first participant is enrolled.
• Under the new rule, any researcher conducting a trial for drugs, surgical procedures, preventive measures, lifestyle modifications, devices, educational or behavioural treatment, rehabilitation strategies, including in the AYUSH system, must register before enrolling the first participant.
• The trials that have already begun will not be registered after April 1, 2018.
• Clinical Trials are of two types:
a. Investigator-origin trials: It is led by an institution/clinician and could be funded by the institution itself or by a government agency.
b. Pharma- or medical-device-driven trials: In this, research is designed by the company, the clinicians are chosen by them and the team of researchers are given a fee by them.
• Bilateral agencies may also fund certain trials, and these may be done through the government or certain NGOs.
• Informed consent is at the heart of enrolment, so it is the participant’s right to know of every aspect of the trial. There is a 16-point check-list for this, including letting the patient know of the nature of the research, what the study is about, what it hopes to prove, what previous studies say on the subject, risks, possible benefits, compensation (life and disability insurance, travel allowance, compensation for loss of wages).
• There is a confidentiality clause that does not allow the person’s name to be disclosed.
• A person can opt out of any study at any point in the process without being penalised and can continue to have the standard of care treatment provided.
• All expenses of the medical treatment are borne by the funding agency, including toxicity management (either due to the new drug or the standard of care, like chemo).
• Every trial will have to be approved by a government-recognised ethics committee, consisting of an amalgam of people, ranging from clinicians, priests,
lawyers, sociologists and social workers.
• This body of people is available for the person enrolled in the study. They also monitor the trial and will take a call on compensation in case of any adverse event.
• This body of people is available for the person enrolled in the study. They also monitor the trial and will take a call on compensation in case of any adverse event.
Prime Minister Research Fellows Scheme
▪️The Union Cabinet has approved implementation of Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme for doctoral students pursuing research in areas related to technology. It aims to realize importance of innovation and technology for progress and development of the nation.
✔️ Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme
▪️The fellowship scheme was announced in the Budget Speech 2018-19. It will be implemented for period of seven years beginning 2018-19 at total cost of Rs. 1650 crore.
▪️Under it, best students who have completed or are in final year of B. Tech/Integrated M.Tech / M.Sc courses in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/IISERs/ NITs/IIITs will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in IITs/IISc. Maximum of 3000 Fellows would be selected in three year period, beginning 2018-19.
▪️Monthly fellowship: Selected students through selection process laid down in PMRF Guidelines will be offered monthly fellowship of Rs.70,000 for first two years, Rs.75,000 for 3rd year and Rs.80,000 in 4th and 5th years.
▪️Research grant: Each selected fellow students will be also provided research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh for period of 5 years to cover their foreign travel expenses for presenting research papers in international conferences and seminars.
✔️ Significance
▪️The scheme will help tapping talent pool of country for carrying out research indigenously in cutting edge science and technology domains. Use Telegram Channel DailyGKZone for update, The research undertaken by fellows under this scheme will address national priorities at one hand and shortage of quality faculty in premier educational institutions of country on the other.
▪️The Union Cabinet has approved implementation of Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme for doctoral students pursuing research in areas related to technology. It aims to realize importance of innovation and technology for progress and development of the nation.
✔️ Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme
▪️The fellowship scheme was announced in the Budget Speech 2018-19. It will be implemented for period of seven years beginning 2018-19 at total cost of Rs. 1650 crore.
▪️Under it, best students who have completed or are in final year of B. Tech/Integrated M.Tech / M.Sc courses in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/IISERs/ NITs/IIITs will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in IITs/IISc. Maximum of 3000 Fellows would be selected in three year period, beginning 2018-19.
▪️Monthly fellowship: Selected students through selection process laid down in PMRF Guidelines will be offered monthly fellowship of Rs.70,000 for first two years, Rs.75,000 for 3rd year and Rs.80,000 in 4th and 5th years.
▪️Research grant: Each selected fellow students will be also provided research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh for period of 5 years to cover their foreign travel expenses for presenting research papers in international conferences and seminars.
✔️ Significance
▪️The scheme will help tapping talent pool of country for carrying out research indigenously in cutting edge science and technology domains. Use Telegram Channel DailyGKZone for update, The research undertaken by fellows under this scheme will address national priorities at one hand and shortage of quality faculty in premier educational institutions of country on the other.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) refers to the single unified tax created by amalgamating a large number of Central and State taxes presently applicable in India.
The salient features of GST are as under:
- GST comes under the broad spectrum of what is known as Value Added Tax which provides for
input credits and taxes only the value addition that happened in the process of production / provision
of service.
- GST would be applicable on supply of goods or services as against the present concept of tax on the
manufacture or on sale of goods or on provision of services.
- GST would be a destination based tax as against the present concept of origin based tax. i.e, tax is
imposed at the point of consumption.
- It would be a dual GST with the Centre and the States simultaneously levying it on a common base.
- The Centre would levy and collect the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on all inter-State supply of goods and services. There will be seamless flow of input tax credit from one State to
another. Proceeds of IGST will be apportioned among the States.
- Import of goods or services would be treated as inter-State supplies and therefore, would be subject to IGST in addition to the applicable customs duties. In other words, all imported goods will be charged integrated tax (IGST) which is equivalent to Central GST + State GST. This will bring equality with taxation on local products.
With reference to Goods and Services Tax (GST), consider the following statements:
1. It is a type of value added tax.
2. The tax under GST regime is imposed at
the point of consumption.
3. It is not applicable on imports of goods
and services.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
The salient features of GST are as under:
- GST comes under the broad spectrum of what is known as Value Added Tax which provides for
input credits and taxes only the value addition that happened in the process of production / provision
of service.
- GST would be applicable on supply of goods or services as against the present concept of tax on the
manufacture or on sale of goods or on provision of services.
- GST would be a destination based tax as against the present concept of origin based tax. i.e, tax is
imposed at the point of consumption.
- It would be a dual GST with the Centre and the States simultaneously levying it on a common base.
- The Centre would levy and collect the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on all inter-State supply of goods and services. There will be seamless flow of input tax credit from one State to
another. Proceeds of IGST will be apportioned among the States.
- Import of goods or services would be treated as inter-State supplies and therefore, would be subject to IGST in addition to the applicable customs duties. In other words, all imported goods will be charged integrated tax (IGST) which is equivalent to Central GST + State GST. This will bring equality with taxation on local products.
With reference to Goods and Services Tax (GST), consider the following statements:
1. It is a type of value added tax.
2. The tax under GST regime is imposed at
the point of consumption.
3. It is not applicable on imports of goods
and services.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Controversy over Article 35A
GS paper II
Why in News?
▪Recently a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) by a Kashmiri woman, who has been denied the right to property in the state by virtue of Article 35A.
▪In its response, the court sent notices to the Centre and the state governments to address her plea.
▪The central government responded in SC that since Article 35A raises several "sensitive questions" so the point about its legality demands a "larger debate".
▪Earlier, an NGO, We the Citizens, had also challenged Article 35A in SC in 2014 on grounds that it was not added to the Constitution through amendment under Article 368. The case is pending in the Supreme Court.
Background
▪J&K became a part of India through instrument of accession signed by its ruler Hari Singh in October 1947.
▪After J&K's accession, Sheikh Abdullah (Sadr-i-Riyasat) negotiated J&K's political relationship with New Delhi, which led to the inclusion of Article 370 in the Constitution.
▪Article 370 guarantees special status to J&K, restricting Union's legislative powers to three areas: defence, foreign affairs and communications.
▪However, under the Delhi Agreement 1952 between Abdullah and JL Nehru, several provisions of the Constitution were extended to J&K via Presidential Order in 1954 including Article 35A.
What is Article 35A?
▪Article 35A was added to the Indian constitution through a presidential order of 1954 with the then J&K government's concurrence.
▪Article 35A allows the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the list of 'permanent residents' of the state, who are eligible to vote, work for the state government, own land, secure public employment and college admissions etc. Non-permanent residents are denied all these rights.
▪A woman from outside the state shall became a permanent resident on marrying a male permanent resident of the state but a daughter who is born state subject will lose the right on marrying an outsider.
What is the significance of Article 35A?
▪J&K's Constitution was framed in 1956 in which permanent residents law was defined. All persons born or settled within the state before 1911 or after having lawfully acquired immovable property resident in the state for not less than ten years prior to that date.
Permanent residents law prohibits non-permanent residents from permanent settlement in the state, acquiring immovable property, govt. jobs, scholarships and aid.
▪It was also interpreted as *discriminatory against J&K women.* It disqualified them from their state subject rights if they married non-permanent residents.
▪In a landmark judgment in October 2002, J&K High Court had held that women married to non-permanent residents will not lose their rights. ▪Though the children of such women will not have succession rights.
▪Article 370 in Part XXI of the Constitution grants a *special status to Jammu & Kashmir* (J&K). According to it all the provisions of the Constitution of India do not apply to J&K.
▪J&K is also the only state in the Indian Union which has its own *separate state Constitution.*
▪Part IV (dealing with *Directive Principles of State Policy*) and Part IVA (dealing with *Fundamental Duties*) are *not applicable to J&K*.
▪The term of the J&K
Assembly is six years unlike other Indian states assemblies.
GS paper II
Why in News?
▪Recently a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) by a Kashmiri woman, who has been denied the right to property in the state by virtue of Article 35A.
▪In its response, the court sent notices to the Centre and the state governments to address her plea.
▪The central government responded in SC that since Article 35A raises several "sensitive questions" so the point about its legality demands a "larger debate".
▪Earlier, an NGO, We the Citizens, had also challenged Article 35A in SC in 2014 on grounds that it was not added to the Constitution through amendment under Article 368. The case is pending in the Supreme Court.
Background
▪J&K became a part of India through instrument of accession signed by its ruler Hari Singh in October 1947.
▪After J&K's accession, Sheikh Abdullah (Sadr-i-Riyasat) negotiated J&K's political relationship with New Delhi, which led to the inclusion of Article 370 in the Constitution.
▪Article 370 guarantees special status to J&K, restricting Union's legislative powers to three areas: defence, foreign affairs and communications.
▪However, under the Delhi Agreement 1952 between Abdullah and JL Nehru, several provisions of the Constitution were extended to J&K via Presidential Order in 1954 including Article 35A.
What is Article 35A?
▪Article 35A was added to the Indian constitution through a presidential order of 1954 with the then J&K government's concurrence.
▪Article 35A allows the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the list of 'permanent residents' of the state, who are eligible to vote, work for the state government, own land, secure public employment and college admissions etc. Non-permanent residents are denied all these rights.
▪A woman from outside the state shall became a permanent resident on marrying a male permanent resident of the state but a daughter who is born state subject will lose the right on marrying an outsider.
What is the significance of Article 35A?
▪J&K's Constitution was framed in 1956 in which permanent residents law was defined. All persons born or settled within the state before 1911 or after having lawfully acquired immovable property resident in the state for not less than ten years prior to that date.
Permanent residents law prohibits non-permanent residents from permanent settlement in the state, acquiring immovable property, govt. jobs, scholarships and aid.
▪It was also interpreted as *discriminatory against J&K women.* It disqualified them from their state subject rights if they married non-permanent residents.
▪In a landmark judgment in October 2002, J&K High Court had held that women married to non-permanent residents will not lose their rights. ▪Though the children of such women will not have succession rights.
▪Article 370 in Part XXI of the Constitution grants a *special status to Jammu & Kashmir* (J&K). According to it all the provisions of the Constitution of India do not apply to J&K.
▪J&K is also the only state in the Indian Union which has its own *separate state Constitution.*
▪Part IV (dealing with *Directive Principles of State Policy*) and Part IVA (dealing with *Fundamental Duties*) are *not applicable to J&K*.
▪The term of the J&K
Assembly is six years unlike other Indian states assemblies.
9 February 2018
@UPSC_18
@UPSC_2018
● Pon. Radhakrishnan inaugurates the Third Global Procurement Summit In New Delhi
● 1,86,777 Affordable Houses Sanctioned for Urban Poor Under Pmay(Urban)
● Rajnath Singh Release Book Titled “Mere Sapnon ka Bharat”
● The opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea
● Indra Nooyi appointed as first independent female Director of ICC
● NITI Aayog unveils Health Index for states, Kerala, Meghalaya top the list
● RK Singh Launches ASH TRACK Mobile App For Better Management Of Fly Ash
● South Central Railway Becomes 1st Rail Zone With 100% LED Lighting At Stations
● India Ranks 44th In Global Intellectual Property Index, US Tops
● Haryana emerges as first champion of Khelo India School Games with 38 gold medals
● Defence Ministry constitutes Vinay Sheel Oberoi Committee to expedite capital acquisition
● IndusInd Bank launched its new Sonic Identity, which is essentially a musical logo called 'MOGO',
● Hardayal Prasad Appointed SBI Card MD & CEO
● Abhilasha Kumari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court
● Justice Antony Dominic sworn in as Chief Justice of Kerala
● NHAI to Launch Pilot Project “Pay as You Use” Tolling on Delhi-Mumbai Highway
● Prince Charles launches 10 Million $ education impact bond for India
● Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana takes over as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air)
● Bangladesh elects Abdul Hamid as president for second consecutive term .
@UPSC_18
@UPSC_2018
● Pon. Radhakrishnan inaugurates the Third Global Procurement Summit In New Delhi
● 1,86,777 Affordable Houses Sanctioned for Urban Poor Under Pmay(Urban)
● Rajnath Singh Release Book Titled “Mere Sapnon ka Bharat”
● The opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea
● Indra Nooyi appointed as first independent female Director of ICC
● NITI Aayog unveils Health Index for states, Kerala, Meghalaya top the list
● RK Singh Launches ASH TRACK Mobile App For Better Management Of Fly Ash
● South Central Railway Becomes 1st Rail Zone With 100% LED Lighting At Stations
● India Ranks 44th In Global Intellectual Property Index, US Tops
● Haryana emerges as first champion of Khelo India School Games with 38 gold medals
● Defence Ministry constitutes Vinay Sheel Oberoi Committee to expedite capital acquisition
● IndusInd Bank launched its new Sonic Identity, which is essentially a musical logo called 'MOGO',
● Hardayal Prasad Appointed SBI Card MD & CEO
● Abhilasha Kumari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court
● Justice Antony Dominic sworn in as Chief Justice of Kerala
● NHAI to Launch Pilot Project “Pay as You Use” Tolling on Delhi-Mumbai Highway
● Prince Charles launches 10 Million $ education impact bond for India
● Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana takes over as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air)
● Bangladesh elects Abdul Hamid as president for second consecutive term .