The prelims is over and multiple answer keys are out, few questions and their answers, as always depends on what UPSC thinks is the right answer to those questions. Meanwhile, lets do an analysis and find out what is in store for PRELIMS 2018.
Geneal analysis of this year Prelims:-
We had a believe that UPSC will change the paper pattern this year. And it did. Whether it is good or bad – that depends and varies from aspirant to aspirant.
The good part is that:-
Many questions are conceptual and analytical rather than straight-forward, which is good for those candidates who have done in-depth study of basic books and really understand them.
The current events based question did take a hit this year, UPSC has asked few of them as compared to last year.
The last year prelims paper was “criticized” in many forums as the questions were not very UPSC like.
However this year, UPSC stuck to its standards and asked those questions that really resonates with the demand of the exam.
For upcoming prelims, there will be no more surprises ( according to our opinion) and the paper will be as analytical as this years. It might be little tougher than this years.
The reason we are certain of this fact is not based on “prediction” or “feeling”, it is based on a news report which we came across few days back (New Report)
It is in tune with the recommendations of the Alagh Committee, which observed that “the standard of testing should be raised incrementally and the questions should be designed to test a broad spectrum of knowledge”
PRELIMS 2018 Strategy
The devil is in the the details:-
Few questions this year such as those related to IPR & DIPP as nodal agency or question related to NPS were asked to check the aspirants “eye for detail”.
Irrespective of which site you follow, do an in-detail reading of the policy at least once and make a note of it (especially those points that seems “odd or out-of-the-box”)
The current events question related to policy and program will not be humongous for next year as all the policy of this government has already been launched, so how many more will be there – not much of course.
Question related to government initiatives and policy will be less going forward for the same reason that all the polices are already launched by the government and there is hardly any new policy coming out these days.
Always look out for the CATCH:-
Always look out for the CATCH, that is look out for those points that can be tricky. For example , UPSC asked a question related to bio-remediation this year, although almost all of you had prepared for the concept of bio-remediation yet the question can be tricky.
A golden rule for this kind of question is – Always find out the limitations of any technology or in-applicability of a policy. The questions are getting very specific, hence this will be very important for next year exam as well.
For example – if you read on bio-remediation, check where it is not very efficient or what are its limitations. That will go a long way in helping you eliminate the options, also as compared to applicability, shortcomings or ineligibility of a concept or policy is usually less and easy to remember.
Focus on the CATCH:-
Last year Start up India program was on the forefront, yet UPSC asked about Stand up India and its application. Similarly this year , UPSC asked about UNNAT BHARAT scheme.
The name of this kind of scheme does not resonate well with their objective. Hence they are the “CATCH” and can confuse an aspirant in real-exam.So focus more on them. The name of the schemes implies something where as their objectives are entirely different.
Don’t solely rely on Current Affairs materials-
The current affairs based question will be comparatively less going forth, so while you prepare current affairs, don’t compromise on static portion. Also if the current affairs is little analytical in nature, spend little time over it to internalize and understand.(For example-Indus water Treaty and which one belong to India exclusively etc).
The days of short-cut seems over, so do a rigorous study of static portion as well.
Substantiate your study with Map:-
Every-time you read a news that has geographical connotation, always refer a map. For example – if you read a news on Syria, check its location, check the map , and its surrounding region. Also check the periphery region as well. For example, if you read on Syria and check the map , do check Mediterranean sea in the map as well. Or if you read a news on India’s rescue mission in Gulf, add knowledge of Map to your study.
This is how all mapping question are framed by UPSC (all the time)
For Environment question- Focus more on organizations-
Environment questions were little tough this year. So prepare a list of organization and initiatives, especially those related to UN.( One should obtain full knowledge on all UN systems and programs). Also focus on few important NGOs and Initiatives that are not sponsored by any formal systems. While UN or govt initiatives are essentially top-down, NGOs and civil society initiatives are bottom-up.
A case in point is water.org , which may sound like part of UN or intergovernmental initiative but it is an initiative by group of individual (Matt Demon is part of it) and it devised the concept of water credit.
If you don’t know it, and a question is asked on water credit , one would be inclined to think that it is an UN initiative or related to some kind of protocol ( For example-Kyoto and carbon credit).
For History and Culture – Don’t miss the woods for the tree:-
For any history related question , develop a strong sense of chronology, as UPSC is asking this kind of questions. Also last year there was a question on Keshab Chandra Sen and this year it was related to Radhakant Deb, and it appears UPSC has been shifting its reference material to frame tougher question on history year after year.
Don’t loose sleep over it because if you invest a huge amount of time to get one question right, chances are that you might miss the woods for the tree. Read the standard material , but read them thoroughly.
To Sum it up , here is what you should do for PRELIMS 2018:-
- Start with basic books, read them thoroughly, solve all previous questions related to static portion. Usually 2 or 3 questions are always repeated by UPSC (Mediterranean question was asked in 2014 as well)
- Build a strong sense of chronology on History, read the standard books thoroughly. Meanwhile allow us do some research and find out the reference sources.
- Develop a strong knowledge on Map. Integrate knowledge of location in all your studies and wherever applicable.
- Culture questions were tough this year (Except the Padmapani question). Apply the golden rule for history and culture- Don’t miss the woods for the trees.
- Don’t restrict your learning to understanding the environmental concepts, do find out their limitations.
- For all policies, check where it is not applicable and the implementing agency/nodal agency.(For example Dept of Pharma is under Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizer- that’s a catch)
- Always have an eye for the “CATCH” and focus more on them. UPSC always goes for the catch.(Example- Brominated Vegetable oil in Soft drinks,NPS, Unnat Bharat, Radhakant Deb and many more)
- Follow PIB regularly (It has taken over the place of “thehindu” this time)
- Lastly, don’t miss a word from the Polity book.
Of course, there are certain other findings/pattern study with us related to PRELIMS and MAINS, we will be soon be releasing them once we finalize. Meanwhile, do remember- “The battle is not over until you win” – that should be your guiding spirit.
Thank You
UPSCTREE
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- Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition, a collective of the United States, United Kingdom and Norway governments, came up with a $1 billion fund.
- LEAF is supported by transnational corporations (TNCs) like Unilever plc, Amazon.com, Inc, Nestle, Airbnb, Inc as well as Emergent, a US-based non-profit.
- The world lost more than 10 million hectares of primary tropical forest cover last year, an area roughly the size of Switzerland.
- Ending tropical and subtropical forest loss by 2030 is a crucial part of meeting global climate, biodiversity and sustainable development goals. Protecting tropical forests offers one of the biggest opportunities for climate action in the coming decade.
- Tropical forests are massive carbon sinks and by investing in their protection, public and private players are likely to stock up on their carbon credits.
- The LEAF coalition initiative is a step towards concretising the aims and objectives of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism.
- REDD+ was created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It monetised the value of carbon locked up in the tropical forests of most developing countries, thereby propelling these countries to help mitigate climate change.
- It is a unique initiative as it seeks to help developing countries in battling the double-edged sword of development versus ecological commitment.
- The initiative comes at a crucial time. The tropics have lost close to 12.2 million hectares (mha) of tree cover last year according to global estimates released by Global Forest Watch.
- Of this, a loss of 4.2 mha occurred within humid tropical primary forests alone. It should come as no surprise that most of these lost forests were located in the developing countries of Latin America, Africa and South Asia.
- Brazil has fared dismally on the parameter of ‘annual primary forest loss’ among all countries. It has lost 1.7 mha of primary forests that are rich storehouse of carbon. India’s estimated loss in 2020 stands at 20.8 kilo hectares.
- Between 2002-2020, Brazil’s total area of humid primary forest reduced by 7.7 per cent while India’s reduced by 3.4 per cent.
- Although the loss in India is not as drastic as in Brazil, its position is nevertheless precarious. For India, this loss is equivalent to 951 metric tonnes worth carbon dioxide emissions released in the atmosphere.
- It is important to draw comparisons between Brazil and India as both countries have adopted a rather lackadaisical attitude towards deforestation-induced climate change. The Brazilian government hardly did anything to control the massive fires that gutted the Amazon rainforest in 2019.
- It is mostly around May that forest fires peak in India. However, this year India, witnessed massive forest fires in early March in states like Odisha, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram among others.
- The European Union’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service claimed that 0.2 metric tonnes of carbon was emitted in the Uttarakhand forest fires.
- Implementation of the LEAF Coalition plan will help pump in fresh rigour among developing countries like India, that are reluctant to recognise the contributions of their forest dwelling populations in mitigating climate change.
- With the deadline for proposal submission fast approaching, India needs to act swiftly on a revised strategy.
- Although India has pledged to carry out its REDD+ commitments, it is impossible to do so without seeking knowledge from its forest dwelling population.
Context:-
At the recently concluded Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April 2021, Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition, a collective of the United States, United Kingdom and Norway governments, came up with a $1 billion fund plan that shall be offered to countries committed to arrest the decline of their tropical forests by 2030.
[wptelegram-join-channel link=”https://t.me/s/upsctree” text=”Join @upsctree on Telegram”]What is LEAF Coalition?
Why LEAF Coalition?
Brazil & India
According to the UN-REDD programme, after the energy sector, deforestation accounts for massive carbon emissions — close to 11 per cent — in the atmosphere. Rapid urbanisation and commercialisation of forest produce are the main causes behind rampant deforestation across tropical forests.
Tribes, Forests and Government
Disregarding climate change as a valid excuse for the fires, Indian government officials were quick to lay the blame for deforestation on activities of forest dwellers and even labelled them “mischievous elements” and “unwanted elements”.
Policy makers around the world have emphasised the role of indigenous tribes and local communities in checking deforestation. These communities depend on forests for their survival as well as livelihood. Hence, they understand the need to protect forests. However, by posing legitimate environmental concerns as obstacles to real development, governments of developing countries swiftly avoid protection of forests and rights of forest dwellers.
For instance, the Government of India has not been forthcoming in recognising the socio-economic, civil, political or even cultural rights of forest dwellers. According to data from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs in December, 2020 over 55 per cent of this population has still not been granted either individual or community ownership of their lands.
To make matters worse, the government has undertaken systematic and sustained measures to render the landmark Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 ineffective in its implementation. The Act had sought to legitimise claims of forest dwellers on occupied forest land.
Various government decisions have seriously undermined the position of indigenous people within India. These include proposing amendments to the obsolete Indian Forest Act, 1927 that give forest officials the power to take away forest dwellers’ rights and to even use firearms with impunity.
There is also the Supreme Court’s order of February, 2019 directing state governments to evict illegal encroachers of forest land or millions of forest dwellers inhabiting forests since generations as a measure to conserve wildlife. Finally, there is the lack of data on novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) deaths among the forest dwelling population;
Tardy administration, insufficient supervision, apathetic attitude and a lack of political intent defeat the cause of forest dwelling populations in India, thereby directly affecting efforts at arresting deforestation.
Way Forward
Tuntiak Katan, a global indigenous leader from Ecuador and general coordinator of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, aptly indicated the next steps at the Climate Summit:
“The first step is recognition of land rights. The second step is the recognition of the contributions of local communities and indigenous communities, meaning the contributions of indigenous peoples.We also need recognition of traditional knowledge practices in order to fight climate change”
Perhaps India can begin by taking the first step.