Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.
In this article we are discussing the types and classification of galaxies.
Galaxy: It is a large congregation of stars bound together by gravitational force. The stars in the respective galaxy keep rotating around its own center of mass. The diameters of individual galaxies range from 80,000-150,000 light years.
Formation of stars:
a) A galaxy begins with the accumulation of a large hydrogen cloud in the form of Nebula.
b) This growing Nebula gets developed into localised clumps of gas.
c) These clumps keep growing into denser gaseous bodies, which eventually begin the process of formation of stars.
Based on their shape, the galaxies can be classified in three categories that are as follows:
Spiral Galaxy :
a) About 70% of galaxies discovered are in spiral shape, including ours i.e. the Milky Way.
b) These are flat and disk-shaped with a bulge in the center. This bulge is produced by tightly packed group of stars in the center of the galaxies. The outer form, a bar-like structure is formed due to the congregation of new stars.
c) Our Sun is a new star. Our solar system is located in the outer periphery of our galaxy the Milky Way. Solar system took around 250 million years to revolve around the center of the Milky Way. So our cosmic year is of 250 million years.
d) The closest galaxy to ours is Andromeda.
Elliptical Galaxy :
a) Elliptical galaxies are more three-dimensional in structure.
b) The stars in these galaxies are located in random orbits around the center. They comprise more older and low-mass stars.
c) These galaxies contain various masses. The ecliptic dwarf type are one of the smallest galaxies with approximately 1 million solar masses, whereas the ecliptic giant type of galaxies are worth ten thousand billion solar galaxies.
d) Around 14% galaxies are elliptical galaxies.
Irregular Galaxy:
a) Such galaxies do not have any distinct or regular shape. Some of these were once spiral or elliptical but were deformed by disorders in the gravitational pull.
b) They contain abundant amount of gas and dust. The amount of gas present in them is around 10-20%.
c) Only 3% of galaxies are irregular.
d) They are divided into 2 major Hubble types.
e) They are Irr I (with some structure) and Irr II (without any structure).
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.
This article gives you a list of important books and authors.
Award-winning
titles
1.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard
Flanagan
Award- Man Booker Prize 2014
2.The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by
Elizabeth Kolbert
Award-Pulitzer
Prize 2015 (general non-fiction)
3.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony
Doerr
Award-Pulitzer Prize 2015 (fiction)
4.
The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of
Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I Kertzer
Award-Pulitzer Prize 2015 (biography)
5.
The Scatter Here is Too Great by Bilal
Tanweer
Award- DSC
Prize for South Asian Literature 2015
6.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Award-DSC Prize for South Asian
Literature 2015
Other important books
1)
Editor Unplugged: Media, Magnates, Netas and Me
by Vinod Mehta
2)
Madhorubhagan by Perumal Murugan
3)
Sourav Ganguly: Cricket, Captaincy and
Controversy was written by Saptarshi Sarkar
4)
The Indian Parliament - A Critical Appraisal by Sudha
Pai and Avinash Kumar
5)
Why I Assassinated Gandhi by Nathuram Vinayak
Godse and Gopal Vinayak Godse
6)
Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing
Everything and Finding It Back by Arunima Sinha
7)
The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years by
Pranab Mukherjee
8)
2014 : The Election That Changed India by
Rajdeep Sardesai
9)
Playing it my way by Sachin Tendulkar
10)
The Substance and the Shadow by Dilip Kumar
11)
Lesson in Leadership: Lal Bahdur Shastri by
Pavan Choudary
12)
Getting India Back on Track by Bibek Debroy,
Ashley Tellis and Reece Trevor
13)
Prem Tirth by Narendra Modi
14)
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw : The Man and His
Times by Behram M Panthaki & Zenobia Panthaki
15)
The Accidental Prime Minister : The Making and
Unmaking of Manmohan Singh by Sanjay Baru
16)
Beyond doubt: A Dossier on Gandhi's Assassination Teesta Setalvad
17)
The China Model by Daniel Bell
18)
Recasting India by Hindol Sengupta
19)
Dealing with China by An insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower by Henry M Paulson
20)
Benazir Bhutto: A Multidimensional Portrait by Dr
Anna Suvorova
General Knowledge is an important for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
As we know, disorders are of various types depending upon the causative factors, this article will cover the third type of disorder known as Autoimmune genetic disorders.
Autoimmune genetic disorders
It is the inability of the immune system to distinguish between healthy cells of the body and the foreign antigens (substances that elicit an immune response).
Autoimmune disorders may result in the destruction of cells/tissues, alteration in the function and/or abnormal growth of an organ.
It can also over activate the immune system or reduce its activity. It also decreases the ability of the immune system to fight invaders thereby making our body more susceptible to infections.
It can affect almost any organ like heart, digestive system, skin, eyes, joints, nerves, blood vessels, brain etc.
The trigger/cause of autoimmune disorders is not known. However, treatment depends upon the type of disorders and it involves the use of drugs that suppress the activity of the immune system.
Examples of autoimmune disorders:
Type - 1 Diabetes
Also known as insulin-dependent diabetes/ juvenile onset diabetes.
This occurs due to the body's inability to produce insulin (vital hormone responsible for utilization of glucose and its conversion to energy) as a result of the autoimmune destruction of beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.
It often begins in childhood, hence known as juvenile. However, this disease can also develop in the late 30's and early 40's.
Typical symptoms of Diabetes type - 1 are: Polydipsia (increased thirst), Polyuria (frequent urination), Polyphagia (increased hunger), unexplained and sudden loss of weight, blurring of vision, fatigue and nausea.
Permanent cure to Diabetes Mellitus type-1 is not known. However, the disease is controlled by insulin therapy. Diet, exercise and self-monitoring of blood glucose levels can make living with the disease easier.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
guys, from what source/sources science(physics, chemistry, and biology) should be prepared for prelims? new ncert or old ncert or any other special issue like pd or wizard ?
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.
This article is rundown on all the important sports tournaments across the world that have taken place till date.
TENNIS GRAND SLAMS
1. 2015 Australian Open- This is the first
Grand Slam tournament of the year and the 103rd edition of the
tournament was held at Melbourne Park this year. It is played on Plexicushion hardcourt.
Following are the players who won in the 2015 Australian Tournament.
Women's Singles-Serena Williams
Men's Singles- Novak Djokovic
Women's Doubles- Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie
Šafářová
Men's Doubles- Simone Bolelli and Italy
Fabio Fognini
Mixed Doubles- Martina Hingis and Leander
Paes
Boys' Singles- Roman Safiullin
Girls' Singles- Tereza Mihalíková
Boys' Doubles- Jake Delaney and Marc
Polmans
Girls' Doubles- Miriam Kolodziejová and Markéta
Vondroušová
Wheelchair Men's Singles- Shingo Kunieda
Wheelchair Women's Singles- Jiske Griffioen
Wheelchair Quad Singles- Dylan Alcott
Wheelchair Men's Doubles- Stéphane Houdet and
Shingo Kunieda
Wheelchair Women's Doubles- Yui Kamiji and Jordanne
Whiley
Wheelchair Quad Doubles- Andrew Lapthorne and
David Wagner
2. 2015 French Open: This is the second
Grand Slam tournament of the year that takes place on clay courts and this year
it was the 114th edition. It was held at Roland Garros stadium in
Paris.
Women's Singles-Serena Williams
Men's Singles- Stanislas Wawrinka (his
first French Open title)
Women's Doubles- Lucie Šafářová and
Bethanie Mattek-Sands
Men's Doubles- Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo
Mixed Doubles- Bethanie Mattek-Sands and
Mike Bryan
Boys' Singles- Tommy Paul
Girls' Singles-Paula Badosa Gibert
Boys' Doubles- Álvaro Lpez San Martín and Jaume
Munar
Girls' Doubles- Miriam Kolodziejová and Markéta
Vondroušová
Wheelchair Men's Singles- Shingo Kunieda
Wheelchair Women's Singles- Jiske Griffioen
Wheelchair Men's Doubles- Shingo Kunieda
and Gordon Reid
Wheelchair Women's Doubles- Jiske Griffioen
and Aniek van Koot
Legends under 45 Doubles- Juan Carlos
Ferrero and Carlos Moyá
Legends over 45 Doubles- Guy Forget and Henri
Leconte
Women's Legends Doubles- Kim Clijsters and Martina
Navratilova
MAJOR TOURNAMENTS
1. Athletics
a. Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) - Held every year on the third Sunday of January, SCMM is the largest
marathon in the whole of Asia. This year Tesfaye Abera from Ethiopia was
declared the men's winner as he completed the full marathon (42.19km) in
2:09:46. Dinesh Mekash, was declared the winner in the women's category for the
second consecutive year. She finished the run in a time limit of 2:30:00.
2. Badminton
a. Malaysian
Open- The Men's title waswon by
Chinese player Chen Long while the Women's title went to Spain's Carolina
Marin. Chinese pair Luo Ying and Luo Yu won the women's doubles whereas men's
doubles was won by Indonesian pair Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. The
mixed doubles title was taken by Chinese pair Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei.
b. All England Open Badminton Championship- This
is one of the oldest championships, having started in 1899. This year the men's
singles title was won by Chen Long of China and the women's title by Spain's
Carolina Marin. The men's and women's doubles titles were won by Danish pair Mathias
Boe and Carsten Mogensen and Chinese pair Bao Yixin and Tang Yuanting respectively.
Mixed doubles was also claimed by Chinese players Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei.
c. India Open Super Series- Srikanth K and
Saina Nehwal won the men's and women's titles. The men's and women's titles were
clinched by Chinese pair Chai Biao and Hong Wei and Japanese pair Misaki
Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi respectively. The mixed doubles was won by Liu
Cheng and Bao Yixin.
3. Football
a. African Cup of Nations- Ivory Coast national
football team was declared the champion.
b. I-League Football Championship- Thisyear one of Kolkata's oldest clubs,
Mohan Bagan Athletic Club won the championship.
c. 2015 Santosh Trophy- Services lifted
the trophy this year after defeating Punjab.
4. Golf
a. Volvo China Open- It is a men's golf
tournament held every year in China. This year Wu Ashen won the event. England
player David Howell was the runner-up.
b. New Zealand Women's Open- It is awomen'sprofessional golf tournament that started in 2009. This year Lydia
Ko from New Zealaand won the championship Hannah Green was the runner-up.
c. Louis Phillippe Cup- TheNavratna Ahmedabad team lead by player
Mithun Perera won the cup this year.
d. Dubai Dessert Classic- Rory Mcllroy of
Northern Ireland was declared the winner. Alex Noren of Sweden was the
runner-up.
e. Phoenix Open- Also known as the Waste
Management Phoenix Open, this is part of the PGA TOUR (it organises all the major
golf events participated by players in the US and North America. This year
Brooks Koepka won this title.
f. Indonesian
Masters- Also known as the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters, this is a
tournament on the Asian tour that began in 2011. This year English player Lee Westwood was declared winner.
Current affairs is an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC-CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the terms/concepts/events that make news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles explaining some of these important concepts/events. In this article we are discussing the Sun and our Solar System.
Our Solar System has the Sun and eight planets that revolve around the Sun in elliptical orbits.
Few of these planets have their own satellites orbiting around them. The following bodies are also part of our Solar System.
Asteroids
Comets
Meteors
Plutoids
Intersteller dust and cloud
Sun:
a) Sun is the only star in our Solar System as it has its own source of light and energy.
b) Mass of the Sun accounts to 99.86% of our Solar System.
c) Its average distance from the Earth is around 149,600,000 km. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes 17 seconds to travel the average distance from the surface of the Sun to the Earth.
d) Sun's energy is produced by controlled nuclear fusion in its core through a series of processes called the p-p (proton-proton) chain. This process converts Hydrogen into Helium.
Composition :
Hydrogen 74.9%
Helium 23.8%
Metals 1.3%
Structure of Sun :
The structure of the Sun can be divided into 5 different layers that are as follows:
a) Core :
The core of the Sun has the highest temperature and pressure among all layers. The temperature of the core is around 15 million degree Celsius.
The core is in an ionised state called plasma, which is also the fourth state of matter (after solids, liquids and gases).
The solar energy is produced in the core by controlled nuclear fusion process.
The high temperature in the core helps in removing the electrons from hydrogen atoms and in creating numerous electrons and protons for nuclear fusion.
The Sun's radiative zone is the section of the solar interior between the innermost core and the outer convective zone. In the radiative zone, energy generated by nuclear fusion in the core moves outward as electromagnetic radiation.
b) Convective zone :
In this zone the density of plasma is low.
This zone transports hot and light density fluids from the core region of high energy & temperature to the outer region of low energy & temperature.
c) Photosphere :
This the first visible layer of the Sun.
The temperature here is around 6000 degree Kelvin (5370 degree Celsius).
The solar spots are formed on this layer. The temperature of a solar spot is around 4500 degrees.
(Solar spot : They are temporary dark spots formed when the magnetic field bursts through the surface. It can slow down the flow of energy from the inside of the Sun - that's what makes the sun spots cooler & darker than the surrounding photosphere.)
d) Chromosphere :
Chromosphere literally mean as 'sphere of colour'. This layer is dominated by emission lines.
e) Corona :
This is the outer layer of the Sun. High temperature in this region gives it an unusual spectral feature of a highly ionised ion.
Both chromosphere & corona are clearly visible only during formation of Diamond Ring during Solar eclipse.
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you. In this article, we are discussing the Planets.
Planet is a a celestial body moving in an elliptical orbit round a star.
Formation of planets :
1) Stars are localised lumps of gas within nebula. The gravitation force within these lumps form a core to this gas cloud.
2) A huge rotating disc of gas and dust develops around this core.
3) Later, this gas cloud starts getting condensed and gets converted into small rounded objects by the process of cohesion. They are called planetesimals.
4) Lastly, these planetesimals accrete together to form larger bodies.
The spherical shape of the planets is maintained by hydrostatic equilibrium.
Hydrostatic Equilibrium or Hydrostatic Balance : Hydrostatic Equilibrium state of a fluid is when a it is at rest, or when the flow velocity at each point is constant over time. This occurs when external forces such as gravity are balanced by a pressure gradient force.
The revolution of planets around the sun is maintained by the conservation of Angular Momentum.
The planets in the solar system can be divided into two different types based on their location
Asteroids :
1.They are small rocky bodies orbiting the Sun. They are also called Dwarf planets. The big sized asteroids are called Planetoids.
2. They are found in different shapes & sizes in numerous numbers.
3. They are located in a belt between Mars & Jupiter.
4. Their orbit is elliptical. But still they are deflected by the gravitational force of Jupiter.
General Knowledge is an important component for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
As we discussed about autoimmune genetic disorders and its first example type 1 diabetes mellitus in the previous article, we will now know various other examples of such disorders.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic (long term) autoimmune disorder. The inflammatory nature of this disease can be characterised by swelling and pain in and around the joints. In severe cases it can permanently damage the tissues and joints causing bone erosion and deformity
It may occur at any age but is seen mostly in the early 40s. Women are more prone to this disorder than men.
Symptoms for RA include tender and swollen joints, morning stiffness in joints that lasts for hours, rheumatoid nodules (firm bumps of tissues under skin), and redness of skin around joints.
Mostly affects hands, feet, wrists and knees. It can also affect the lungs and heart.
The cause of RA is unknown. It is believed to be a hereditary disorder.
Since there is no known cure, treatment focusses on reducing inflammation, pain management, preserving joint function and preventing joint deformity.
Pernicious Anaemia (PA)
In this the body fails to produce healthy red blood cells (RBCs) due to lack of vitamin B12, which arises due to absence of intrinsic factor (IF).
Intrinsic factor is a protein secreted by the parietal cells (mucus secreting cells of the stomach) that combines with vitamin B12 to produce RBCs. However, in most cases of Pernicious Anaemia, the parietal cells are destroyed by the immune system leading to low production of IF i.e. impaired production of RBCs.
Symptoms of PA include severe weakness and fatigue. Long term vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to chronic anaemia, shortness of breath, swollen and bleeding gums and damage to the nervous system.
Its deficiency can be detected by a complete blood count test, vitamin B12 and IF deficiency tests. Treatment for PA includes taking injections of vitamin B12 along with consumption of B12 and having iron-rich diet.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
General Knowledge is an important component for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
The provisional findings of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (Rural) were released by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, Rural Development Minister Birender Singh and Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian early in July 2015 in Delhi.
Let us take a look at the objectives of this census, the ministries involved, key findings and analysis of the same.
Background
Government of India's Rural Development Department commenced a thorough door-to-door Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) in 2011 for both rural and urban India, covering 640 districts. This was conducted to generate information on a range of socio- economic indicators relating to households across the country. This is, in fact, the first caste census to be carried out in independent India as the previous one was conducted in 1932.
Objectives of the SECC 2011
To rank households based on the socio-economic status, so that state governments can make a list of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families or households.
To provide authentic information to enable caste-wise population enumeration of the country.
To provide authentic information regarding the socio-economic conditions, educational status of various castes and sections of society.
To help policy makers fine tune socio-economic policies based on the data/findings of the report.
The Government ministries and offices involved:
Socio - Economic Caste Census is a comprehensive programme involving:
(a)The Department of Rural Development, Government of India - Responsible for overall co-ordination and census of rural areas.
(b) The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA) - Responsible for census in the urban areas.
(c) Ministry of Home Affairs: Registrar General of India (RGI) and Census Commissioner of India - Responsible for administrative control of caste census.
Key Findings of the SECC 2011 (Rural)
1. First caste census since 1932 - Though, the report is titled Socio-Economic and Caste Census 2011, the sensitive caste-break of the rural population has not been revealed. Of the rural households, 18.46per cent are Scheduled Caste (SC) households, 10.97 are Scheduled Tribe (ST) households, with 12.83per cent households headed by single women and 6.09per cent households with disabled persons.
2. Total number of households - As per the census, total number of rural plus urban households stands at 24.39 crore. Of this, 17.91 crore households are in rural areas and 10.69 crore households are considered deprived. Overall, rural India accounts for 73 per cent of the households, out of which the highest number were in Bihar -90 per cent.
3. Broad definition of deprivation - The census takes a multi-dimensional view of deprivation instead of measuring it in terms of monthly income and expenditure alone. The SECC measures deprivation along seven criteria -
(i) Households with only one room with no solid walls and roof
(ii) Those with no adult member aged between 15-59
(iii) Female-headed households with no adult male aged between 15-59
(iv) Those with differently-abled members and no able-bodied member
(v) SC/ST households
(vi) Those with no literate member above the age of 25, and
(vii) Landless households deriving a major portion of their income from manual casual labour.
48. 50per cent of the total rural households surveyed reflected atleast one of above criteria of deprivation.
3. Income - For 51 per cent of the total rural households, the main source of income is manual casual labour while 30 per cent of households earn through agriculture. In terms of salaried income, 5 per cent of the rural households were in government jobs, 1.11 per cent in public sector jobs and 3.57 per cent in private sector jobs. According to the data, only 8 per cent of rural households earns above Rs.10,000 or more every month, while 74.49 per cent of the households earns Rs.5000 or less. Highest number of such households are in Chhattisgarh -90 per cent.
4. Ownership of House - Overall, 94 per cent of rural households own houses. However, only 17.70 per cent of SCs, 10.50 per cent of STs, and 12.09 per cent of women-headed households, have their own houses.
5. Ownership of Land - The findings show that 56 per cent households are landless; 70 per cent of SC households and 50 per cent of ST households fall in this category. Those who do not own land, often earn income through manual casual labour. The highest number of such households are in Tamil Nadu - 55.80 per cent followed by Bihar - 54.33 per cent.
6. Income Tax and Professional tax - The data revealed that only 4.58per cent of rural households pay income tax. While percentage of SC households paying income tax was 3.49 per cent, ST tax-paying rural households were a mere 3.34 per cent. This statistics remained the same with less than five per cent of rural households paying tax even in rich states such as Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
7. Education - Data on education revealed that nearly 36 per cent of rural India is illiterate. While 17. 8 per cent have one or more of their family members who got primary education, only 13.5 per cent made it to middle school. Only 3 per cent of the rural households have a family member with a graduate or post graduate degree. The highest proportion of graduates is in the National Capital Territory and Delhi-9.6 per cent and among the states, Kerala tops with 8 per cent.
8. Possession of Assets - The data revealed that 20.69 per cent of the total households in rural India possess 2/3/4-wheeler vehicles or fishing boat and 11 per cent own a refrigerator. Only one per cent of the rural household owns a landline connection but a whopping 68.35 per cent have connection to mobiles as their only phone. That leaves approximately 28 per cent rural households without any phone. In Chhattisgarh, percentage of such households is particularly high at 71 per cent, mainly due to lack of connectivity and mobile towers.
Analysis
On the release of the Socio-Economic Caste Census provisional data, the Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said that it will help in better reach of government policies. Further, the Ministry of Rural Development has said that it will use this SECC data in all its programmes, to reach out to people across categories and provide solutions according to their needs. The government will use the data for better implementation of the 'Housing for All by 2022' scheme, MGNREGA, National Food and Security Act, among many others.
One noteworthy feature of SECC 2011 is its multi-dimensional understanding of poverty, which does not consider only the level of income but also takes into account several other parameters. Another important aspect is that these multiple estimates of the level of rural poverty are now available with the state government and may facilitate policy targeting and implementation.
However, there are some who point out that the SECC does not reveal anything new, but only highlights the grim reality of rural India which is already known. The National Sample Survey Officer's decadal census, which was conducted in 2011 (collating data on condition of houses, asset ownership, SC/ST families, marital and fertility status and education) has already reflected some of the findings of SECC 2011.
The SECC has also gathered caste-related data of rural households. However, the government has not revealed the information of the same and Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said that it was for the DG Census to take a call about the same. There have been strong views for and against disclosure of caste-based break-up of rural households. Those for it insist that the data will help analyse the success of government policies so far and measure whether there has been any improvement. Those against it fear that it will demand a fresh look at the reservation policy and may escalate an already sensitive issue.
To view the official report of the Socio -Economic Caste Census 2011, click on the following link - http://www.secc.gov.in/welcome
To get fresh updates about Banking, SSC, UPSC Exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will be posting only those exam specific links on these pages:
Current affairs is an important component of several
competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO
& PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the terms/concepts/events
that make news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you series of articles explaining some of these important
concepts/events.
This article is rundown on all the important sports tournaments
across the world that have taken place till date.
MAJOR TOURNAMENTS
& CUPS
1. Cricket
a. 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup - The 11th
Cricket World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand together, the 2015 ICC
Cricket World Cup was played by 14 national teams. The final match between
Australia and New Zealand with the former lifting the cup after making 186 runs
as against New Zealand's 183 runs.
b. 2014-15Ranji Trophy- This wasthe
80th season of Ranji Trophy wherein 27 teams competed. In the final
match, Karnataka emerged victorious, retaining the previous year's title. The
Tamil Nadu team was the runner-up.
2. Chess
a. Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2015- Winner-
Magnus Carlsen (Norway); Runner-up: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France).
b. Grenke Chess Classic 2015- Winner- Magnus
Carlsen;
c. Norway Chess 2015 Super Tournament- Winner-
Sergey Karjakin. Second place- Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Makamura.
d. Women's World Chess Championship- Winner-
Mariya Muzychuk
3. Basketball
a. South Asian Basketball Championship- Indian
team defeats Sri Lanka.
b. National Basketball Championship- Men's
winner-Uttarakhand; Women's winner- Chhattisgarh.
4. Hockey
a. 2015 Hockey India League- Winner-
Ranchi Rays
b. Hero Women's Hockey World League Round 2- Winner-
India
c. Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2015- Winner- New
Zealand
5. Tennis
a. Chennai Open-
Men's Singles- Stanislas Wawrinka
Men's Doubles- Lu Yen-hsun and Jonathan
Marray
b. Open 13, Marseille
Men's Singles-Gilles Simon
Men's Doubles- Marin Draganja and Henri
Kontinen
c. 2015 Open Féminin de Marseille (Women's)
Women's Singles- Monica Niculescu
Women's Doubles- Tatiana Ba and Laura
Thorpe
d. Hopman Cup- Winner- Poland
e. 2015 Rome Masters-
Men's Singles- Novak Djokovic
Men's Doubles- Pablo Cuevas and
David Marrero
Women's Singles- Maria
Sharapova
Women's Doubles- Tímea Babos and
Kristina Mladenovic
f. Memphis
Open-
Men's Singles- Kei Nishikori
Men's Doubles- Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Santiago
González
To get fresh updates about Banking, SSC, UPSC Exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will be posting only those exam specific links on these pages:
General Knowledge is an important component for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
Cases of lifestyle diseases like diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and related obesity have increased in huge proportions in the recent years. We will thus discuss various lifestyle disorders and their causes in this article.
What is a lifestyle disorder?
It is a disorder/series of disorders caused due to changes in lifestyle, diet and the environment we live in.
Sedentary lifestyle and excessive consumption of processed foods are some of the major reasons. However, some people are more prone to such disorders due to its prevalence in their family history i.e. hereditary in some cases.
Mostly, these diseases are interrelated i.e. a person who has one of it has a higher risk of getting the others.
Diabetes Mellitus Type - 2
Also known as noninsulin - dependent diabetes mellitus/ adult - onset diabetes.
It is a metabolic disorder characterised by hyperglycemia, (high levels of glucose circulating in the blood) which is a result of insulin resistance/ low production of insulin in the body (cells, fats and liver do not respond to insulin, thus excess glucose does not get stored in the cells).
Increasing inactivity can cause this type of diabetes at any age, especially in young adults with obesity.
Typical symptoms of Diabetes type - 2: Polydipsia (increased thirst), Polyuria (frequent urination), Polyphagia (increased hunger), unexplained and sudden loss of weight, blurring of vision, fatigue and nausea.
Undiagnosed/ uncontrolled diabetes can lead to several serious complications like diabetic retinopathy (permanent loss of vision due to damage of the retina), strokes, heart disease, kidney failure and diabetic ketoacidosis (abnormally high production of ketone bodies in absence of insulin).
Permanent cure to Diabetes Mellitus type-2 is not known. However, it can be controlled by balanced diet and regular exercise initially. However, if blood sugar levels are not in control, common medications like metformin and insulin therapy are recommended. Careful self-monitoring of blood glucose can make managing diabetes easier.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts that are in the news is critical for aspirants.
New initiatives and socio- economic policies or what are known as flagship programmes announced by the Union Government are often asked in competitive examinations. Therefore, to help you deepen your understanding of the same, we at PaGaLGuY bring you information on such initiatives announced by the Government of India.
In today's article, we will look at some of the highlights of the Government's Digital India initiative.
What is Digital India?
The programme has been envisaged by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology and many other departments, with a vision to transform the country into a digitally-driven knowledge society and economy. The aim is to make technology central to change and ensure that digital India results in public accountability through mandated delivery of government's services electronically.
Nine Pillars of Digital India
Broadband Highways - Broadband connection across rural and urban areas to build the national information infrastructure.
Universal access to mobile connectivity - Increased network penetration across the country and coverage of gaps.
Public Internet Access Programme - Improve reach of government services to all the gram panchayats.
E-Governance reforms through technology - Form simplification, online applications and tracking, interface between departments, use of online repositories eg. School certificates and voter ID cards; all databases and information to be electronic, not manual.
E-Kranti electronic delivery of services - Providing free Wi-Fi in schools, starting digital literacy programmes, online medical consultation, maintaining medical records online, mobile technology for farmers to enable real time price information, online ordering of inputs, among other things.
Information for all - Citizens to have easy access to information and an open data platform. This will ensure engagement of the government with the civil society through social media and web-based platforms.
7. Electronics manufacturing - It also aims at net-zero electronic imports target by 2020, which may require coordination on fronts of taxation, incentives along with elimination of cost disadvantages. The plan also aims to create 5 new electronic manufacturing clusters in the next five years, with the government footing Rs.500 crore.
8. IT for jobs - Train people in small towns and villages for IT sector jobs, set up BPO's/IT/ITES in north eastern states, etc.
9. Early harvest programmes - Target mass messaging, bio-metric attendance, Wi-Fi in all universities and in cities with a population of 1 million or more, school textbooks to e-books etc.
Vision of Digital India focusses on 3 key areas
A. Infrastructure as a utility to every citizen
High-speed internet as a core utility will be made available in all gram panchayats.
Every person to have a
unique, lifelong, online and authentic
digital identity from cradle-to-grave.
Mobile phone and bank account enabling participation in digital and financial space.
Easy access to a Common Service Centre within a locality.
Shareable private space on a public cloud.
Safe and secure cyber-space in the country.
B. Governance and services on demand
Government services available in real time from online & mobile platforms. All citizens' entitlements to be available on cloud, to ensure easy access.
Government services digitally transformed to ease business.
Making financial transactions above the threshold electronic and cashless.
Leveraging Global transaction Systems (GIS) for decision support system and development.
C. Digital Empowerment of citizens
1. Universal digital literacy.
2. Universal access to digital resources.
3. All government documents/certificates to be available on cloud.
4. Availability of digital resources / services in Indian languages.
5. Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance.
6. Portability of all entitlements for individuals through cloud.
Conclusion The Digital India initiative has been designed to pull together a number of other existing schemes and programmes that would be restructured and implemented in a synchronised manner. Each individual project while being a part of the larger Digital India programme in totality, will stand out with their own unique features.
General Knowledge is an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of those concepts/ terms which are of great practical significance in our day to day lives becomes critical for aspirants of most of the competitive examination. With a view to make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomenon, terms, concepts, etc.
The previous article discussed the causes of lifestyle disorders and its first example, diabetes mellitus type 2. This article will cover some more examples.
Hypertension/ High Blood Pressure-
1. Also known as arterial hypertension.
2. It is a condition marked by continuous elevated pressure of blood against the wall of the blood vessels.
3. The normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) and is read as 120 over 80. Hypertension is blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg. The upper number 120 is referred to as 'systolic' and the lower number is referred as 'diastolic'.
4. Causes of hypertension are obesity, smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and salt and lack of exercise. The risk of developing this disease increases as people age.
5. High blood pressure (HBP) is generally symptomless. However problems like severe headache, difficulty in breathing, fatigue and irregular heartbeats are common if the blood pressure is too high.
6. Undiagnosed HBP can weaken the heart making it prone to failure, aneurysms (abnormal bulge in the wall of artery), kidney failure and can cause the blood vessels in the eyes to burst leading to loss of vision.
7. Treatment for HBP includes prescription drugs like Thiazide diuretics (helps eliminate excess sodium), Beta blockers (reduces heart rate) and Calcium channel blockers (relaxes muscles of blood vessels) along with dietary and lifestyle changes.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
Guys I was going across some interviews I came across this do read it .
My IAS Interview 2010 April 24 th
It was the culmination of 4 yrs of sustained , dedicated , hard-work and many many sacrifices ...
I started this endeavor from scratch only to bring good name to Lord Sampath Vigneswara...who provided me all the strength and guidance
My wife has been a rock pillar support through out , we withstood many pressures and made many sacrifices towards achieving this goal...
Mr Hari Kiran rank 16 in cse 2009 gave valuable inputs for mains . He scolded outright my shortcomings and my approach , just one month before the exam . He said as time was too short only miracle can save me .
But soon I learnt the intricate presnting styles and in only 10 days time I mastered the skills he taught to me . On 11 th day I showed him his own material with improvements done from my side and he was so happy and astonished seeing this that he parted with ALL his material . THANK YOU Hari .
I'm putting my interview experience only to make my many well wishers know what exactly happened and for posterity. And to future aspirants the message from me is dont think of IAS / Ips if your heart and mind is crystal clear for developing India .As here only mafia rules... and be prepared to get killed if you dont behave as part of the mafia. Everything else is eyewash
Actual Interview Day
After getting through one of the toughest papers in mains in the recent years , obviously my confidence was enhanced -- and I was aiming to get into service to give No-Nonsense Governance to the People(even if I'm eliminated after brief duration) ; there was no fear of the present nor the future , nor of death in the service to the Lotus Feet of The Lord and My I N D I A; only One Vision -- Vision of Best Governance stood in front of me !
Thoughts maketh man ...and my very intrepid ideas Radiated a Powerful Energy and Glow around me .. this energy on that day was so Peaceful yet so Powerful that my batch mates, staff, support staff, every employee who was lucky enough to be present there in UPSC ..were in awe looking at me ....!!!
This in fact started from the entrance gate ! The security guards gave me very warm alert salute -- they thought that I was an infact an Officer ! I went inside , my own batch-mates thought that I was an Officer and in fact after a while I got used to these reactions .And when the supervisory staff for the interviews each one saluted me as though I was top official from Govt. of India , on duty for the interviews -I started enjoying it !
Deep in my mind I know there are 2 possibilities from here -that I can lose if God hasn't willed to take the risk of joining the services or if I cross this last hurdle , then I decided for myself then and there that no force in future can stop me until I clean the system..,..
With this idea in my mind , and with a volcano of tension inside me , I knocked the door , but was happy that My head was still cool above my shoulders...There was no panic nor fright , but just a flow with the moments ....It all happened very quick from then on one by one ...
First word from my mouth ---" Good Morning Madame... Good morning Sir".
they all look at me ...and are in awe for certain .
Chairman replies -- Please take your seat.
I thank him profusely and drag the chair , careful not to make any noise and sit quietly ..I wait for them to ask ...
Bur they all are taken back by my Energy , Gait , steady head and CONFIDENCE !
They all shuffle in their seats , I noticed it .. !
They pause for few seconds ...again they shuffle in their seats ...!!
They are shell shocked ! Seconds fly ....No voice still ( I can understand their dilemma ... A brave dove has entered into the area of the thugs !
Finally one more empty second , I thought the Interview was mine , just then Chairman ( Mr B )recoups all his strength and just barely blurts weakly --" tell me about yourself"?
Me ;Pause for a while .." Sir I'm an Mbbs Doctor, 5 yrs ago from scratch I aspired to be the top most Administrator for India , and so I'm here at the threshold of achieving my Life time goal , and this itself speaks about myself more than my words do !
Madam nods her head with happiness, 2 other gentlemen also feel the same , I Notice this from my corner of my eyes...!
Chairman - He gets all the joy in the world (sarcastic joy )-- jumps in his seat and with more energy shouts with joy ---" Oh So you are a medical man !
Me - I nod my head -- yes sir !
Chairman-So do you know anything about another medical man --that appeared in today morning newspaper...
Me - yes sir ..the MCI chief was arrested for taking bribes in granting permissions to private medical colleges !
chairman- was he arrested or chargesheeted !
Me-(Pause ) arrested sir ..
Suddenly Chairman becomes more aggressive , shouts with top of his voice , comes forward aggressively unto my face ...and shouts " why you want to come to the services --- are you not wasting money that Govt has spend on you for your medical degree...
I was about to respond -- He stops me , mocks at me , laughs with all the other members - blatantly insults me personally , says" you and your family decisicon see is costing the govt many lakhs ?!!
I was about to respond again --- he interrupts me again ..sarastically laughs ...turns to other memebers , as though they are having evening dinner, leaving me all alone !
Here I do the Unthinkable ! really unthinkable ! he might not have seen such cool reaction in all his career !
I take stock of the whole situation , here is a guy , mean looking , corrupt looking , deriving sadistic pleasure of not giving the opp to reply -- Is the interview fixed ? is there no single seat for real merit ? Should I leave the room , as there is no point sitting there without the right to reply ? I thought of my wife , my future ,is it gone? ...My gut feeling was its Gone ! having felt so i thought i would be going out with a good fight ... Thinking it the last day in my office !
I politely and my heart in my mouth ask him in the midst of his outbursts " Can I reply Sir "
He is shocked , stops! didn't expect such guts to stop him in between and poise a cool question ...he knows that If he gets more angry than this , I would surely walk away and that to morally victoriously... so he has no other choice -- hence hesitatingly says " yes go ahead" , "go ahead"---leans forward unto the table and says " go ahead"
Me - Sir 2ARC, 6 th PAY commission recommends specialization of generalist IAS officer and recommends Training in domain fields. I being already a specialist would fit more aptly into these roles...As far as wasting of money is concerned , I saved infact lot of it by not being part of the BRAIN DRAIN . I would still be serving the people of my country and the benefits i would bring for the next 25-30 yrs would far outweigh the costs borne by the Govt on my medical education.
Moreover Govt of India doesn't think in the first place its waste of money , as they want to tap talent from all fields or else they wouldn't have sought applications from us , and therefore I have every right to be here !
madame and one more gentleman laughs loud with happiness, chairman and other 2 are stunned by this gentle but laser precise rebuke !
Chairman is forced to agree ---" yes you are right , you have every right , you have right to be here !he sincerely appreciates my bold answer ... cools his head off , and tries to see the highest merit in me !
From now on the tone mellows down drastically , it becomes soft , and pleading , they know that the person sitting opposite to them doesn't not come daily in their career but is a rare talent !
Chairman hands over to the member ...he wants to recoup his thoughts I suppose !'
Ist member..." If you become an IAS officer in what 3 fields will you do outstandingly best .
Me -- pause for a while , want to get off the tension , I ask for a glass of water ...
they offer me paper and pen also ...
I reply after a deep pause ..." Sir , as I would be in-charge of many departments , and I would be doing justice if not outstandingly best in all the fields assigned to me - namely law and order , implement policies , coordinate different departments etc.
says very good ...
2nd member -- Do you know whats happening in Myanmar...
me - pause for a while -- yes sir .
2nd member go ahead.
me - (pauses) - sir in Myanmar pro Democratic forces led by Ms Suy ki is bringing in silent support for her cause in the international community and this is making the Military Junta rulers to think of releasing her from her house arrest , just to gain credibility .
2nd member -- very good thank you.
3rd member Lady- You said your hobbies are Meditation -- what is meditation ..
me - According to Pathanjali -- meditation is Ashtanga raja yoga -- ie 8 step path --
lady member- can you name them ..
me - yes madam-- very quickly 1- 8 names asna, pratyahara, dharna, dhyana, samadhi
lady member- very good
lady member- how will you motivate your employees-
me - quick answer with minute pause--- " Integrated holistic approach " systems approach to motivation--- hold out carrots like pay , perks , allowances and also sticks like punishments, censors, reprimands , and also personally set an example and have personal interaction and easy accessibility with them !
lady member -- personal interaction ---?! how much time will you take for this ?
me - bewildered by this cross - question ! take a deep breath and say madam I will take " reasonable" amount of time to meet the representatives of my staff depending on the size , nature of the organisation.
lady member -- feels happy ...
tones down her voice -- asks what books did I follow for Public administration ?
I though this question is for her personal purpose -- maybe to guide her own kids!
Me - madam its Nicolas Henry , mohit bhatachrya , mainly and all other std text books.
4th member- tell me about telengana ...
sir it comprises of 10 districts , ruled by the nizam for 200 yrs and therefore were excluded from any devp that was seen in the British ruled neighboring areas of Andhra and rayalseema.
4th member- what do you think Smaller states should be formed.
me - pause Sir Sri Krishna Sir and his commission is going exactly into this issue holistically .
4th member -- do you think telengana must be given.
me- if the grievance is that of lack of devp. we must ensure that this is rectified in time bound manner . devp projects should be instituted on war- footing basis. if it is for seeking power-- I'm against it --as then every district in India would be seeking a separate state , but having said this the voice of the people of telengana should be listened to and channelized in the right direction Sir.
4th member and chairman--- yes you are right ...India will then be broken into district size states...you are right !
Interview handed over to Chairman...
Chairman---- do you get angry ?
Me - I act angry but to get really angry would take lot of effort from my side Sir !
Chairman--no , we daily see on roads , everybody gets angry with everybody ...do you get angry ---
Me -- no sir ...its not civilized behavior..
Chairman-- do you get angry with your employees...
Me-- no Sir ...
Chairman--but if someone doesn't do the work , We all get angry do you ?
Me- No sir , there are still better ways to make the work completed and anger may be the least resort Sir ...
Chairman---again becomes his original self- spins my answer --- Anger doesn't work in India ...you have got it wrong !
Me -- I pause /stunned I haven't said anger must be encouraged at any time ! he goes to the next question...
Chairman why you preferred Irs over Ips ..
Me - Sir every service is a service to the nation , there is no higher or lower service , but just its an individual preference -- And my aptitude is more for the administrative service -- as I want to give An India --- Hunger Free, Corruption Free, Disease Free, Illiteracy ,Underemployment , poverty free above all a Developed nation to the next generation.
Chairman--- softly with cajoling voice --dont want IPS aa?
Me-- As I said Sir Every Service is a service to the nation ...but my preference is more for IAS.
Chairman--what if you dont get..
me- I'm sure I will get it Sir and I'm confident about it or else can still poke syringes all my life !
Chairman--the interview is over ! now whatever is asked or said will not be used for evaluation.
Chairman- do you have any questions for me ?
me- pause -Sir Can we Discuss Ideas instead?
Chairman--raises tone---if you have qsts you ask or else say sorry sir i dont have any qsts !
Sorry Sir I have Ideas to discuss can we !
your interview is over you can leave now.
me - Sorry Sir , you said interview was over few mts ago ! So as the interview was over how does it matter if I ask a question or discuss an idea?
you can leave now
Reluctantly say thank you sir , thank you madam.( Stereotyped corrupt Board expecting stereotyped answers within 4 closed walls , door locked from inside , with no cameras....just remembering My Father of Public Administration Woodrow Wilson's -" Corruption thrives in secret places"- I walk away far, very far, very very far away thanking God that I did not work with these thugs and mafia all my life !
I excelled in my academic performance -got 30 more marks than the topper of my batch in theory but got 120 marks less than him in the interview !
General Knowledge is an important for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
This article will discuss one of the most common lifestyle disorders - cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
Diseases of the heart and those related to blood vessels are termed as cardiovascular disorders.
Cardiovascular diseases are divided into four categories: coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease.
a. Coronary heart disease occurs when flow of oxygen-rich blood to the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart) is obstructed due to the build-up of atheroma (fatty deposit within the internal lining of arteries). Build-up of atheroma over a long period can cause atherosclerosis, a condition that leads to complete blockage and hardening of the artery.
b. Stroke is a medical condition when blood supply to a part of the brain is stopped. This can lead to rapid death of brain cells and needs immediate treatment.
c. The peripheral arterial disease (also known as peripheral vascular disease) occurs when blood supply to the limbs is restricted due to the presence of fatty deposits in the arteries.
d. Aortic disease - The most common type of aortic disease is aortic aneurysm wherein the wall of the aorta (largest blood vessel in the human body) becomes weak and starts to bulge.
3) Causes for CVD are obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high blood pressure, family history of heart disease and high levels of cholesterol.
4) Diagnosis of CVD is done using various procedures like electrocardiogram, stress testing, chest X-ray, blood tests, echocardiogram and coronary angiography.
5) Depending on the severity of symptoms the treatment options vary between oral medications to surgeries. Class of medicines like diuretics (helps eliminate excess sodium hence lower blood pressure), beta blockers (reduces heart rate), aspirin (blood thinners), nitrates (relieves angina- chest pain due to less oxygen supply to the heart) and Calcium channel blockers (relaxes muscles of blood vessels) along with dietary and lifestyle changes will help in dealing with CVD.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts that are in the news is critical for aspirants.
New initiatives and socio- economic policies or what are known as flagship programmes announced by the Union Government are often asked in competitive examinations. Therefore, to help you deepen your understanding of the same, we at PaGaLGuY bring you information on such initiatives announced by the Government of India.
In today's article, we will look at some of the highlights of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyaan'.
Background:
Indian government's Ministry of Women and Child Development has introduced a new scheme called, 'Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao' to tackle the trend of declining sex ratio in the age group of 0-6 years. It aims to improve the imbalance in sex ratio, uphold the right to education for girls and ensure their welfare in totality.
Why do we need this scheme?
The 2011 census revealed that in the age group of 0-6 years, the number of girls per 1,000 boys was down to 919 as against the previous 927 girls recorded in 2001. Moreover, though sex determination of an unborn child has been declared punishable by law, the practice of female foeticide has become more rampant with availability of easy diagnostic tools thereby complicating the problem.
Scholars and researchers have rightly pointed out that disempowerment of women begins even before the birth of a girl child and continues throughout her life with discrimination in matters of nutrition, access to opportunities (vis-a-vis boys) and other educational and social needs. The government's Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyaan aims to combat these deep rooted problems.
Let us look at some of the key points of the scheme:
The programme is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore. The funds will be used to create awareness and improve efficiency of welfare services meant for women. As the focus is on gender mainstreaming, school curricula will have chapters on this subject to sensitise students from a young age along with the teachers and community at large.
Important activities that will be carried out to this effect are:
* Start school management committees (SMCs) to ensure universal enrollment of girls
* Balika Manch in schools to encourage participation of girls in schools
* Construction of girls toilets
* Repair dysfunctional toilets
* Completion of Kasturba Gandhi Bal Vidyalayas
* Sustained campaign to re- enroll dropout girls from secondary schools
* Construction of girls hostels for secondary and senior secondary level.
Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.
In this article we are discussing various characteristics of planets other than the Earth.
Saturn:
It is the planet with the lowest density.
Saturn has the second highest number of satellites, with 62 in total.
Saturn is specifically known for its rings. It has more than 30 rings around it and these are formed of frozen gases & dust particles.
Uranus:
a) This planet rotates in clockwise direction which is almost horizontal.
b) It is always referred to as an Ice Giant. It has hydrogen & Helium in outer layer. It also has an ice mantle surrounding its outer core. It is thus the secondcoldest planet in the Solar System.
c) Uranus has 13 known rings around it.
d) It has 27 known satellites.
e) Uranus is also called as a green planet. The green colour appears due to the photochemical effect of light on methane.
Neptune:
a) It is the farthest planet in the Solar System.
b) It is the coldest planet in Solar System. (Surface temperature: -218°C)
c) It has 14 moons and 5 rings.
Pluto:
Pluto has been classified as dwarf planet in the 2006 by IAU (International Astronomical Unit).
Factors behind the expulsion of Pluto:
a) Location: It is located beyond Neptune in a belt called the Kuiper Belt. This belt is flooded with comets and objects known as Kuiper Belt objects. So according to the new rules given by IAU, anything beyond Kuiper Belt is not a planet.
b) Orbit : Pluto's orbit is highly elliptical(Eccentric). It intersects with the orbits of other planets.
c) There was a discovery of other cosmic objects like Pluto namely, Chereon and Ceres.
So when the question arose whether to accept or reject these new objects in the Solar System, the IAU decided to reject these objects altogether.
To follow our UPSC portal on Facebook and Twitter, click on the following links:
General Knowledge is important for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, an understanding of the concepts/terms that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
One of the deadliest diseases in India and worldwide, Cancer, continues to mercilessly claim millions of lives every year. Approximately 7 lakh Indians die annually with some form of cancer while more than 10 lakh are newly diagnosed for cancers. This article will discuss the basics of Cancer.
What is a Cancer?
It is a disease caused by rapid and uncontrollable division of abnormal cells in the body.
Normal cells grow and divide after reaching maturity by a process called mitosis and die after certain period in an orderly way termed as apoptosis (programmed cell death). However, cancerous cells do not die but divide rapidly.
This abnormal division gives rise to a lump of cells that contain millions of cells called neoplasm or tumor.
Tumors are of two types: malignant and benign
Benign tumors are non-cancerous forms of cell growths. They divide uncontrollably but do not spread to the other parts and remain localised to their point of origin. For E.g. uterine fibroids, skin moles.
Malignant tumors are cancerous forms of cell growths. Not only do they divide uncontrollably but also spread to the other organs and tissues. This phenomenon is known as metastasis.
To get fresh updates about different exams on your Facebook & Twitter timelines, subscribe to our pages created specifically for them. We will post only exam specific links on these pages:
