Mains Previous Years QuestionsFrom 2013 to 2018:

Science & Technology

By Dr. Roman Saini

Mains 2013

Q 1.What do you understand by Fixed Dose Drug combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits.

Structure-

1. Fixed Dose Drug Combinations (FCDs)

2. Their merits

3. Their demerits

Source-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2432494/

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare in its 59th report on the functioning of the Central Drugs and Standards Control Authority tabled in May 2012 pointed out several loopholes in the approvals of FDCs, and noted that many of these were already banned in western countries.

● A fixed dose combination is one that contains two or more drugs combined in a fixed ratio of doses and available in a single dosage form (tablet, capsule, syrup and so on).

● There are different scenarios regarding the use of FDCs in India—rational use of rational FDCs, irrational use of rational FDCs, and irrational use of irrational FDCs.

Merits-● FDC drug products may be developed by a pharmaceutical company as a

way to extend proprietary rights and marketability of a drug product.● Since FDCs are reviewed by regulating agencies, the active ingredients used

in the FDCs are unlikely to exhibit adverse drug interactions with one another.

● These drugs are popular in India due to many advantages such as increased efficacy, better compliance, reduced cost and simpler logistics of distribution.

● It helps in increasing the patient’s compliance in taking medication as it reduces the pill burden.

Demerits-

● Fixed dose combinations have caused some apprehensions as the side-effects of the combined product — and its effects — are different from those of its individual components, and sometimes, the combination can come with risks that are not there in the components by themselves.

● They can lead to additional toxicity, limit the choice of prescribing physicians, increase the treatment cost and lead to under or overdosage.

● In the case of antibiotics, FDCs can contribute to a rapid development of antimicrobial resistance.

● The added danger is that when an adverse reaction happens in a patient, it is often difficult to find out the ingredient responsible for that reaction.

● Some fixed dose combinations become unsafe and even dangerous when multiple drugs from the same therapeutic group are combined or when centrally acting drugs are clubbed together.

● If the former compounds have the risk of adverse effects, the latter makes it difficult to undertake separate doses of the drugs that are combined.

● Unapproved formulations should be banned immediately, prioritising those withdrawn/banned internationally.

Q2. What do you understand by Umpire Decision Review System in Cricket? Discuss its various components.

Explain how silicon tape on the edge of a bat may fool the system?

Structure -1. Umpire Decision Review System2. Its various components3. Application/use/functioning of silicon tap on the edge of a bat

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/hot-spot-lies-and-silicon-tapes/article4999715.ecehttps://theconversation.com/cricket-finds-itself-in-a-hot-spot-over-silicone-on-bats-16870

● Technology in sports is used with an objective to eliminate human errors that may have earlier affected the course of the game drastically.

● The Decision Review System was introduced in cricket, to give the players an opportunity to review such errors from the on-field umpire.

● The sequence of a typical DRS review involves checking for the front foot no-ball, bat edge detection and then ball tracking in the case of lbw appeals.

● The on-field umpire indicates the original decision and refers it to the third umpire, who makes uses of the available DRS tools before reaching a conclusion that may or may not stand by the on-field umpire’s call.

The different technological tools used in the Decision Review System:Snickometer● The Snickometer technology (Snicko) combines sound and visual evidence

to help the umpires determine whether a batsman has actually nicked the ball – especially in the case of caught behind, bat-pad and lbw appeals.

Hot Spot● Hot Spot is a more accurate solution to detecting edges than the Snickometer

as it is not a sound-based edge detection system.

● The downside is that it is the most expensive technology in the DRS package, making its use in all matches practically difficult. Most cricket boards choose to not include Hotspot in their DRS package due to this reason.

Ultra Edge● The 'Ultra Edge' is the Hawk Eye's upgraded version of the Snickometer for

edge detection as part of the DRS package.

Hawk-eye● The Hawk-eye is a multi-sport ball tracking technology used in sports such

as tennis, football and cricket - among many others.

● In cricket, it is used to determine the predictive path of the ball with respect to the stumps, for making lbw decisions.

● When an appeal for lbw is made by the bowler and the on-field umpire refers it to the TV umpire, the visual representation of this predicted path guides the third umpire in passing his judgement.

● Silicone tape applied to bats can prevent Hot Spot technology picking up faint edges, giving batsmen a potential means of beating the system.

● Hot Spot works by using two powerful thermal imaging cameras behind the bowler’s arm to measure heat generated by friction caused by the ball hitting the bat.

● The cameras detect infrared light given off by the objects. The hotter an object, the more infrared radiation it will emit, and the lighter it will appear in the image.

● So when a ball hits a bat, (or pad) the resulting friction and compression generates a hot spot that is picked up by the thermal imaging camera.

● Silicone is a very poor conductor of heat. So it acts as an insulating layer, keeping the heat in the bat.

● This results in heat getting somehow trapped and not showing up as a hotspot. Hence it can fool ‘hot spot’ technology.

Q3. What is a digital signature? What does its authentication mean? Give various salient built-in features of a digital

signature.

Structure -1. Digital signature2. Its authentication3. Its salient built-in features4. Its usages

Source-https://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-sector-others/the-law-of-digital-signature-113110703614_1.html

● Digital Signature is an electronic form of a signature.

● Just as one authenticates a document with handwritten signature, a digital signature authenticates electronic documents.

● The Information Technology Act, 2000 validates ‘digital signature’ and provides for enabling a person to use it just like the traditional signature.

● Digital signature works on the principle of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) — a cryptography based on a concept of key pairs.

● Public and private key pairs are nothing but large prime numbers generated by a mathematical algorithm.

● Public key of an individual is made known to receivers while the private key is kept confidential.

● Private key helps to prove unequivocally that you are who you claim to be.

● PKI serves four functions to secure electronic transactions — authentication, confidentiality, integrity and legal non-repudiation.

● A sender digitally signs (encrypts) the message using his private key.

● The message is then hashed into a message digest and attached to the original message, and then encrypted using the receiver's public key.

● The first action of signing digitally using his private key makes the sender authenticate his message, as his private key is not known to anybody.

● The receiver has to first use the sender's public key to decrypt the original message and message digest. This ensures authentication.

● Confidentiality is achieved by the sender encrypting the message (original and message digest) using the receiver's public key.

● The receiver has to use his private key to open the message.

● Since nobody knows his private key, the receiver is assured of confidentiality.

● Finally, hashing the message into a message digest ensures integrity.

● DS verifies the authenticity of an electronic document and identifies the sender. It clearly establishes the identity of the sender/filer.

● Since the IT Act 2000 grants a legal seal of approval to such a signature it can be used or considered at par with other signatures so far recognised by law.

Q4. How does the 3D printing technology work? List out the advantages and disadvantages of the technology.

Structure -

1. 3D Printing2. How does it work3. Its advantages4. Its disadvantages

Source-https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/technology-others/nasa-plans-first-3d-printer-space-launch-in-2014/

● 3D printing is a technology which converts information on a digital file into a physical object through a printer.

● 3D printing is based on the method of applying a 2D image on a 3D surface, a system for generating three-dimensional objects by creating a cross-sectional pattern of the object to be formed.

● 3D scanning is the process of analyzing and collecting data of a real object- its shape and appearance and builds digital, three dimensional models.

● 3D Printing employs additive layer processes, where successive layers of materials are laid down in different shapes.

● 3D printing works under computer control and is a limited type of industrial robotics that is capable of carrying out an additive process.

● The 3D printer can print with anything that can be dispensed from a syringe as liquid or paste. 3D printing can be done with materials like wood, plastic or stone.

● The 3D printing technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with applications in architecture, construction, industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military engineering, civil engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewellery, eyewear, education, geographic information systems, food, and many other fields.

Advantages of 3D printing

● Customization – With just a raw material, a blueprint and a 3D printer, one can print any design no matter how complex it might be.

● Constant Prototyping and Increased Productivity – It enables quick production with a large number of prototypes or a small-scale version of the real object in lesser time than using conventional methods.

● Affordability – The initial cost for setting up a 3d printing facility is definitely high; however, it is much cheaper compared to labor costs and manufacturing costs while using the conventional way.

● Storage – Using 3d printing technology, products can be “printed” when needed. Thus, excess products are eliminated and no storage cost is required.

● Employment Opportunities – Opportunities increase for technicians who are skilled at troubleshooting and maintenance and for designers to design blueprints for products.

● Health Care – With the advancement of technology, customizable human body parts and organs can be manufactured. This technology is termed as Bioprinting. This breakthrough will not only address the shortage of organ donors, but also organ rejection since the organs that are built will consist of the patient’s unique characters and DNA.

Disadvantages of 3D Printing

● Decrease in Manufacturing Jobs – The decrease in manufacturing jobs will greatly affect the economy of countries that rely on a large number of low skill jobs.

● Limited Size – The size of objects created with 3D printers is currently limited however, in the near future; large items such as architectural structures can be created using 3D printing.

● Limited Raw Materials – Presently 3D printers can work using up to approximately 100 different raw materials and creating products that use more raw materials are still under development.

● Violation of Copyrights – The biggest disadvantage of 3D printing is Counterfeiting. Anyone who gets a hold of a blueprint will be able to counterfeit products easily.

● Production of Dangerous Items – With 3D printers, plastic knives, guns and any other hazardous object can be created. It makes it easier for terrorists and criminals to bring a weapon without being detected.

Q5. What is an FRP composite material? How are they manufactured? Discuss their applications in aviation and

automobile industries.

Structure -

1. FRP composite material2. Its manufacturing process3. Its application in aviation and automobiles

Source-https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/Composite-materials-sector-seeks-Govt-support-to-boost-demand/article20596481.ece

● Fibre-reinforced plastic (also called fiber-reinforced polymer) is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres.

● The fibres are usually glass (in fibreglass), carbon (in carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer), aramid, or basalt.

● Rarely, other fibres such as paper, wood, or asbestos have been used.

● Fibre-reinforced plastics are a category of composite plastics that specifically use fibre materials to mechanically enhance the strength and elasticity of plastics.

● Composites are established as an alternative material system to traditional materials such as steel, wood, aluminium and concrete.

● Since, it is a wood substitute in buildings, furniture, cooling towers and doors, use of FRP can help save trees.

● FRP involves two distinct processes; the first is the process whereby the fibrous material is manufactured and formed, the second is the process whereby fibrous materials are bonded with the matrix during moulding.

● Fibre preforms are how the fibres are manufactured before being bonded to the matrix.

● Fibre preforms are often manufactured in sheets, continuous mats, or as continuous filaments for spray applications.

● The four major ways to manufacture the fibre preform is through the textile processing techniques of weaving, knitting, braiding and stitching.

● Composite materials are very crucial elements in weight reduction technology in the aviation and automobile sector.

● Composites are versatile, used for both structural applications and components, in all aircrafts and spacecrafts, from hot air balloon gondolas and gliders, to passenger airliners, fighter planes and the Space Shuttles.

● Applications range from complete airplanes such as the Beech Starship, to wing assemblies, helicopter rotor blades, propellers, seats and instrument enclosures.

● FRP is an attractive prospect to manufacturers aiming to reduce the weight and overall performance of a vehicle also.

● Thermoplastic composites have been used extensively on the interior car parts such as sun shades, door panel trim, bumpers and parcel shelves.

Mains 2014

Q1. Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business

professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically

comment.Structure - 1. Explain the reasons for the declining scientific research in Indian

universities2. Its implications or cons3. Some positive signs/initiatives of scientific research done at present4. Way forwardSource-https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-ails-science-in-india/article7202170.ece

● An analysis of research publications around the world has shown that while India is among the world’s top countries in terms of scientific research output, the country’s universities have fallen way behind in providing good scientific research papers.

● The decline in science and technology is in contrast to the growth in the number of educational institutions, new universities and institutes of higher learning in engineering, science and medicine.

● Unfortunately, a craze for engineering is due to the money that it fetches. Same is true for other fields, for instance- business, administration etc., where recognition and money comes within a short time.

● It is a general trend that a Ph.D. student in science gets a lesser stipend than a Ph.D. student in engineering.

● Furthermore, most institutes do not introduce research and innovation opportunities in a proper and attractive way, leaving students without confidence to pursue higher education.

There are a number of reasons to be not only pessimistic but also extremely concerned about the poor state of cutting-edge scientific research and technological innovation in the country.

● First, an economically growing nation cannot sustain its growth dynamism and ambitions without a strong underpinning of cutting-edge science and technology.

● Second, the challenges posed to national security by insignificant investments in indigenous discovery research and new technologies and by depending too much on suppliers from outside are, indeed, enormous.

● Third, universal health in India will become affordable only with the help of investments in modern medical research in areas such as tropical diseases, pre- and post-natal maternal and infant nutrition and other infectious diseases if India’s emerging demographic profile has to avoid a nightmare scenario.

● Finally, the uncertainties of global warming and its impact on the availability of food and water will continue to remain unpredictable challenges to our country, in the absence of a commitment to science and research.

● On the positive side, the number of young scientists being recognized for their achievements, annually, by the Bhatnagar award and several fairly generous government stipends and scholarships is also increasing.

● But there is a severe shortage of credible leaders in science and technology, who are able to influence national policies in a meaningful manner in order to lead India back into cutting-edge excellence.

● In the last few years, the government has announced a number of policies in science and technology which include bills on patents, specialised innovation universities and regulatory measures.

● The years 2010–2020 has been declared as the “Decade of Innovation.”

● The government launched the India Inclusive Innovation Fund (IIIF) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with the government contribution of two per cent of the budget.

● These are supposed to power India’s growth engine via science and technology and, at the same time, enable the country to keep pace with the comity of nations.

Q2. Can overuse and free availability of antibiotics without Doctor's prescription, be contributors to the emergence of

drug-resistant diseases in India? What are the available mechanisms for monitoring and control? Critically discuss the

various issue involved.Structure -1. Need/use of antibiotics2. Implications of overuse and freely available antibiotics without

prescription3. Available mechanisms for monitoring and control4. Various issues involved Source-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/issues-of-antibiotic-resistance/article5983017.ece

● An antibiotic is a powerful medicine containing material from a microorganism that fights bacterial infections by either killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing.

● Used correctly, antibiotics can help in starting our body’s natural defence system.

● But using an antibiotic unnecessarily can cause antibiotic resistance. This is when the bacteria change and become able to resist the effect of antibiotics.

● Among the key factors responsible are the widespread use and availability of practically all the antimicrobials across the counter, increasing and wanton use of antibiotics in livestock production, inappropriate doses, and irrational use of antibiotics in hospitals.

● The Chennai Declaration — a document prepared in 2012 by representatives of stakeholders and experts in India to tackle antimicrobial resistance — has declared a five-year plan for implementing its recommendations effectively by restricting the over-the-counter sale of antibiotic drugs.

● Based on the Declaration, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has restricted the sale of 24 antibiotics by amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and notifying a new Schedule H1 category from March 2014.

● The irony is that, at the same time, the lack of access or delayed access to effective antibiotics is causing more deaths in India than from drug-resistant bacteria.

● Like many other developing countries, India has to turn the spotlight on ensuring sustainable access even while maintaining sustainable effectiveness of all antibiotics.

● The only way to achieve this twin objective is by ensuring that all stakeholders — government, patients, veterinarians, doctors, pharmacists, pharmaceutical companies and health-care facilities — play their respective roles more responsibly.

● Much more needs to be done, including getting doctors to prescribe antibiotics only when essential.

● The biggest challenge for the healthcare sector is to educate people about antibiotics, its side effects, and to encourage them to stop the misuse of antibiotics.

● The lack of knowledge about self-medication is the prime reason for mass antibiotic resistance tragedy.

Q3. In a globalized world, Intellectual property Rights assume significance and are a source of litigation. Broadly distinguish

the terms-Copyrights, Patents and Trade Secrets.Structure -

1. IPR and litigations2. Copyrights3. Patents4. Trade Secrets

Source-http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=107612

● Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect, and primarily encompasses copyrights, patents, and trademarks.

● It also includes other types of rights, such as trade secrets, publicity rights, moral rights, and rights against unfair competition.

● These exclusive rights allow owners of intellectual property to benefit from the property they have created, providing a financial incentive for the creation of an investment in intellectual property, and, in case of patents, pay associated research and development costs.

● The main purpose of intellectual property rights is to encourage the creation of a wide variety of intellectual goods for consumers.

● Another purpose is to give statutory expression to the moral and economic rights of creators in their creations and the rights of the public in accessing those creations.

● The second is to promote, as a deliberate act of Government policy, creativity and the dissemination and application of its results and to encourage fair trading which would contribute to economic and social development.

● Unlike traditional property, intellectual property is indivisible – an unlimited number of people can consume an intellectual good without it being depleted.

● Additionally, investments in intellectual goods suffer from problems of appropriation and inventors from litigations.

● For instance, a producer of information or an intellectual good can usually do very little to stop their first buyer from replicating it and selling it at a lower price.

Patent

● A patent is a form of right granted by the government to an inventor, giving the owner the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, offering to sell, and importing an invention for a limited period of time, in exchange for the public disclosure of the invention.

● To enrich the body of knowledge and stimulate innovation, it is an obligation for patent owners to disclose valuable information about their inventions to the public.

Copyright

● A copyright gives the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time.

● Copyright does not cover ideas and information themselves, only the form or manner in which they are expressed.

Trade Secret

● A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over other competitors and customers.

● There is no formal government protection granted; each business must take measures to guard its own trade secrets.

Mains 2015

Q1. What do you understand by 'Standard Positioning Systems' and 'Precision Positioning Systems' in the GPS era?

Discuss the advantages India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing just seven satellites.

Structure -

1. Standard Positioning Systems2. Precision Positions Systems3. IRNSS and its advantages

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/countdown-begins-for-launch-of-irnss1d/article7035036.ece

● The Global Positioning System (GPS) or Standard Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force.

● It is a global navigation satellite system that provides geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites.

● The GPS does not require the user to transmit any data, and it operates independently of any telephonic or internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the GPS positioning information.

● The GPS provides critical positioning capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world.

● Precise Point Positioning (PPP) system is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning method to calculate very precise positions up to few centimeter levels using a single (GNSS) receiver in a dynamic and global reference framework like International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS).

● This system is different from the standard positioning methods which differentiate errors using one or more reference stations with known positions.

● The PPP approach combines precise clocks and orbits, the so-called precise ephemeris, calculated from a global network to calculate a precise position with a single receiver, which can be double or single frequency.

● With the advent of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), precise positioning has been incorporated into production processes in mining, agriculture and construction.

● IRNSS with an operational name of NAVIC ("sailor" or "navigator" in Sanskrit, Hindi and also standing for NAVigation with Indian Constellation) is designed to provide accurate position information services to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary, which is its primary service area.

● With an accuracy of better than 20 m being claimed by ISRO, the navigation system will offer two types of services such as

○ an open or Standard Positioning Service,which is provided to all the users, and

○ a superior, coded military Restricted Service that is an encrypted service provided only to authorised users.

● The first three satellites in the IRNSS series were launched from Sriharikota in 2013. The IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is now complete.

● This will allow the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to focus on the process of designing front end chips which will receive the navigational signals sent out by the satellites.

● The system will be similar to the Global Positioning System (GPS) operated by the United States with 24 satellites and the Glonass, Galileo and BeiDou systems of Russia, Europe and China respectively.

● India is now one of the five countries to have its own navigation system.

● Our planes will be able to land with ease and accuracy, we can plan disaster relief better and with our own technology.

Structure -

1. Use of robots2. Prohibited labour areas where robots can be employed3. Initiatives to accelerate the research for substantive and gainful innovation

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-luddites-might-have-been-right/article6991180.ece

Q2. What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots? Discuss the initiatives that can propel research in premier research institutes for substantive

and gainful innovation.

● The use of robots in India, as elsewhere, has been largely concentrated in tasks which are very difficult for human workers to do.

● In 2014, the global population of operational industrial robots reached an estimated 1.47 million units.

● Their ability to tirelessly execute dull, repetitive or even dangerous tasks has enabled us to take huge leaps forward in manufacturing accuracy and productivity.

● A large chunk of industrial robots deployed in the country have been in the auto industry to perform two very specific tasks—arc and spot welding—which are hazardous for workers to perform.

● The other task where robots are increasingly being used is that of machine tending or handling, which also involves risks for human workers.

● Robots performing these two tasks account for 84% of industrial robots deployed in the country today.

● If properly managed, the robotic revolution could be a chance to free millions of people from a system of exploitation of labour which is unprecedentedly inhumane.

● Auto companies, for instance, have over the years increasingly used robotics, which they have found to be more cost-efficient and less problematic than labour in the long run.

● IT companies are now betting on automation to deal with a lot of routine stuff. Machine learning, by which software systems learn to make decisions based on data, will only make this significantly better.

Structure -

1. Cloud hosting of servers2. In-house machine-based hosting 3. Their advantages4. Security implications of Cloud hosting of servers

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/indian-it-industry-the-cloud-opens-up/article7141568.ece

Q3. Discuss the advantages and security implications of cloud hosting of servers vis-a-vis in-house machine-based hosting for

government businesses.

● The cloud hosting of servers is akin to outsourcing of computer services and describes users renting or borrowing online software instead of actually purchasing and installing it in their computers.

● It is using web application and/or server services that you pay to access rather than buy and install software or hardware.

● The idea behind cloud hosting is that the user can simply use storage, computing power or specially crafted development environments, without having to worry how they work internally.

● Cloud solutions are usually more expensive than in-house, but the benefits of being in the cloud can far outweigh the costs.

● It may be more susceptible to data loss during disaster situations due to its in-house location.

● How often you take the data offsite will reflect how much data you’ll lose in an emergency.

● However, the cloud is not always superior to building in-house IT infrastructure.

● Cloud providers’ slick marketing materials gloss over the technology’s numerous drawbacks, such as skyrocketing fees, poor performance and cybersecurity issues.

● Additionally, organizations that use a public or shared cloud can experience a cyberattack or performance issue through no fault of their own.

● Public and shared clouds are also plagued by performance and reliability problems in the urgent need of public services.

● Further, since cloud service providers have servers in several dispersed locations, government may experience latency issues and are often forced to pay exorbitant fees to avoid them.

● If government owns its infrastructure, it can have total control over its computing environments.

● And if something goes wrong, or if it wants to implement new features, it can just do it to make the fixes or changes instead of having to depend on their cloud provider to do it.

● An in-house IT infrastructure is probably best for high-scale IT environments and for government businesses that process large amounts of data, especially if the data is constantly growing, and for the security of nation, it is a concern.

Structure -1. India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) 2. Its significance3. Pros of making it available publicly 4. Cons of making it available publicly Source-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/safeguarding-indias-ancient-wisdom/article4179011.ece

Q4. India's Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which has a database containing formatted information on more than 2 million

medicinal formulations is proving a powerful weapon in the country's fight against erroneous patents. Discuss the pros and cons of making this

database publicly available under open-source licensing.

● Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is a pioneer initiative of India to prevent misappropriation of the country’s traditional medicinal knowledge at International Patent Offices.

● It uses the tools of information technology and a novel classification system to make available traditional medical knowledge to patent offices in major developed countries.

● The idea is not to restrict the use of traditional knowledge, but to ensure that wrong patents are not granted due to lack of access to the prior art for Patent examiners. TKDL is proving to be an effective deterrent against it.

● At present, as per the approval of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, access to TKDL is available to nine International Patent Offices under TKDL Access (Non-disclosure) Agreement.

● As per the terms and conditions of the Access agreement, examiners of patent office can utilize TKDL for search and examination purposes only and cannot reveal the contents of TKDL to any third party unless it is necessary for the purpose of citation.

● The problem that plagues the usage of traditional knowledge is its inaccessibility.

● A large part of this knowledge has become inaccessible owing first, to its oral nature and second, to the language barrier involved.

● Allowing access to TKDL for public research institutions would spur research activities but it needs to be cautious in permitting private R&D institutions to access the data as it could lead to misappropriation of knowledge.

● Biopiracy as a problem emerged as a result of an ‘IPR Regime’ that could not include within its scope, the branch of traditional knowledge.

● Therefore, traditional knowledge as well as the required resources continues to be severely misused if it is open publicly.

● In the present model, foreign patent offices have access to the TKDL based on a non-disclosure agreement that is devoid of any monetary benefits.

● Due to the lack of monetary benefits, the present model compromises on other benefits besides protection of Indian traditional knowledge that it could have guaranteed.

● These flaws are primarily: the lack of monetary benefits due to no third party access; absence of financial benefits to the indigenous communities who are the true beneficiaries of traditional knowledge; and the fact that TKDL fails to distinguish traditional knowledge as ‘Publicly Accessible or Available’ and ‘Public Domain’.

Mains 2016

Structure -

1. Renewable energy sources available in the country and their current status2. Targets to be achieved by them3. National Programme on Light Emitting Diodes4. Its importance

Source -http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114328

Q1. Give an account of the current status and the targets to be achieved pertaining to renewable energy sources in the

country. Discuss in brief the importance of National Programme on Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

● There are different types of renewable energy generation possible, of which, the most popular resources in India are wind, solar, hydro and biomass.

● India has an estimated renewable energy potential of about 1096 GW from commercially exploitable sources viz.

○ Wind – 302 GW

○ Small Hydro – 21 GW

○ Bio-energy – 25 GW

○ Solar power - 750 GW

● As on 30th November, 2017, Solar Energy Projects with an aggregate capacity of over 16611.73 MW including 863.92 MW from Solar Roof Top projects have been installed in the country.

● [The share of renewables (excluding hydro above 25 MW) in total generation was around 10 per cent in the year 2018-19 compared to around 6 per cent in 2014-15.]

● At nearly 80 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, India is already the world’s fourth biggest producer of wind-based electricity, after China, the United States and Germany.

● [The cumulative renewable power installed capacity (excluding hydro above 25 MW) has more than doubled as on 31 March 2019.]

● The Government of India has set a target of 175 GW renewable power installed capacity by the end of 2022.

● This includes 60 GW from wind power, 100 GW from solar power, 10 GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydro power.

● In order to achieve the renewable energy target of 175 GW by the year 2022, the major programmes/ schemes on implementation of Solar Park, Solar Defence Scheme, Solar scheme for CPUs Solar PV power plants on Canal Bank and Canal Tops, Solar Pump, Solar Rooftop etc have been launched.

● National LED programme was unveiled on January 5, 2015.

● It was launched with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs.

● The LED based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) was relaunched as UJALA, Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All, in 2016.

● This programme will help in mitigating the climate change by reducing the CO2 emission by 24 metric tonnes annually.

● Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a government company under the administrative control of Ministry of Power, Government of India, has been designated as the implementing agency for this programme.

● It will also facilitate India’s commitment towards reducing its emission intensity per unit of GDP by 33-35 percent by 2030 under its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

● This change-over will have the positive outcomes of a saving of 45,500 crore accruing to domestic consumers and urban local bodies, annual electricity saving of 109 billion units, and a reduction in demand of 21,000 MW annually.

● At present LED bulbs are only assembled in India. The chips and other essential parts are imported from other nations.

● The Government of India, consistent with the Make in India campaign, plans to encourage the manufacture of LED light fixtures in India.

Structure -

1. India’s achievements in Space Science and Technology since independence2. Social development due to application of Space Science and Technology3. Economic development due to application of Space Science and

Technology

Source-http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=102420http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=132224

Q2. Discuss India's achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How has the application of this technology

helped India in its socio-economic development?

India has made remarkable progress in Space Technology and Planetary Exploration since independence and took major strides in utilizing the operational space systems in various fronts of national development - commercial, strategic, societal and economic.

There have been various milestones covered by ISRO since its formation in 1969. Some of them are-

● In 1975, Aryabhatta was launched by India. It was India’s first satellite into space.

● In 1983, ISRO launched Indian National Satellite System which helped them in the field of telecommunications, meteorology, broadcasting along with the rescue operations.

● A leap-frog in Indian Launch Vehicle Technology was achieved in 2007 through the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment Mission SRE-1 which established India’s technological capability to recover an orbiting satellite with precise re-entry trajectories.

● India’s maiden moon exploration mission ‘Chandrayaan-1’ was launched in October 2008 for mapping the lunar surface with high resolution remote sensing and studying the chemical and mineralogical composition.

● The first satellite of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), 7-satellite constellation, IRNSS 1A was successfully launched in July 2013.

● In addition, ISRO and Airports Authority of India have jointly taken up GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) programme.

● India’s first interplanetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was successfully launched on November 5, 2013 onboard PSLV-C25 which made India become one of the four nations in the world to send a space mission to Planet Mars.

● The successful flight testing of indigenous cryogenic stage onboard GSLV-D5 Flight on January 5, 2014 was a major landmark technological milestone in achieving self-reliance in India’s Cryogenic Launch Vehicle technology.

● In 2014, GSLV-MK3 was launched by ISRO in December which carried three astronauts to space. This could carry approx four tonnes of load.

● India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a proven track record of 24 successful flights, has provided the country the crucial autonomy in ‘access to space’.

● On 15th February 2017, ISRO managed to create a world record of launching 104 satellites by using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in a single mission. Out of 104, 101 were foreign satellites.

● The launch included India’s own earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 series.

● The Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) System, with currently 11 satellites in orbit, is one of the largest constellations of remote sensing satellites in operation in the world today.

● India’s Space capability is being marketed globally by Antrix Corporation Limited.

● As the commercial and marketing arm of ISRO, Antrix is engaged in providing Space products and services to international customers worldwide.

The programmes/ missions drawn up and proposed by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the socio-economic development of the country include

● Earth Observation programme for natural resources inventory and management (like agriculture, land and water resources, fisheries), near real time disaster management support, weather forecasting, smart governance, etc.

● Satellite Communication programmes for telecommunication, television broadcasting, Direct-to-Home services, search and rescue, tele-education, telemedicine, etc.

● Satellite Navigation programme for location based services.

● Space technology is a powerful catalyst for social development in the areas of natural resources management, food security, rural development, education and literacy, health-care and environment.

● A vital application of INSAT system in the last decade has been in the field of education with the launch of thematic satellite EDUSAT in 2004.

● INSAT system was also instrumental in taking the benefits of space technology to the doorsteps of common man through the initiatives of telemedicine and Village Resource Centres in the country.

● The Indian national satellite (Insat) system, plays a vital role in delivering cyclone warnings and is used in search and rescue operations.

● The data is used for several applications covering agriculture, water resources, urban development , mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster management.

● The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched more than 70 satellites for various scientific and technological applications.

Structure -1. Nanotechnology as the key technology of the 21st century2. Salient features of Mission on Nano-science and Technology3. Scope of its application in the development (Socio-politico-economic)

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/%E2%80%98Nanotechnology-changing-lives%E2%80%99/article14556821.ece

Q3. Why is nanotechnology one of the key technologies of the 21st century? Describe the salient features of Indian

Government's Mission on Nano-science and Technology and the scope of its application in the development process of the

country.

● Nano Technology is a knowledge-intensive and “enabling technology” which is expected to influence a wide range of products and processes with far-reaching implications for national economy and development.

● Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many technology and industry sectors: information technology, homeland security, medicine, transportation, energy, food safety, and environmental science, and among many others.

Following rapidly growing list of benefits and applications of nanotechnology make it as one of the key technologies of the 21st century:

● Everyday material and processes - Clear nanoscale films on eyeglasses, computer and camera displays, windows, solar energy capture, Lightweighting of cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and spacecraft etc.

● Electronic and IT Application -Transistors, Ultra-high definition displays and televisions, Flexible, bendable, foldable, rollable, and stretchable electronics.

● Medical and Healthcare Application - Nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology in medicine, draws on the natural scale of biological phenomena to produce precise solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

● Energy Applications - Many scientists are looking into ways to develop clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources, along with means to reduce energy consumption and lessen toxicity burdens on the environment.

● Environmental Remediation - Clean drinking water through rapid, low-cost detection and treatment of impurities in water, magnetic water-repellent nanoparticles in oil spills and used magnets to mechanically remove the oil from the water.

● Future Transportation Benefits - Nanotechnology offers the promise of developing multifunctional materials that will contribute to building and maintaining lighter, safer, smarter, and more efficient vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, and ships.

Mission on Nano-Science and technology

The Nano Mission is an umbrella programme for capacity building which envisages the overall development of this field of research in the country and to tap some of its applied potential for the nation’s development. Following are some salient features of the Nano-Mission are:

● Basic Research Promotion – Funding of basic research by individual scientists and/or groups of scientists and creation of centres of excellence for pursuing studies.

● Infrastructure Development for Nano Science & Technology Research

● Nano Applications and Technology Development Programmes- Nano Applications and Technology Development Centres, Nano-Technology Business Incubators etc.

● Special effort will be made to involve the industrial sector into nanotechnology R&D directly or through Public Private Partnership (PPP) ventures.

● Human Resource Development – It is planned to launch M.Sc./M.Tech. programmes, create national and overseas post-doctoral fellowships, chairs in universities, etc.

● International Collaborations – access to sophisticated research facilities abroad, establish joint centres of excellence and forge academia-industry partnerships at the international level wherever required and desirable.

● Capacity-building in this upcoming area of research will be of utmost importance for the Nano Mission so that India emerges as a global knowledge-hub in this field.

● For this, research on fundamental aspects of Nano Science and training of large number of manpower will receive prime attention.

● Equally importantly, the Nano Mission will strive for development of products and processes for national development, especially in areas of national relevance like safe drinking water, materials development, sensors development, drug delivery, etc.

● For this, it will forge linkages between educational and research institutions and industry and promote Public Private Partnerships.

Q 4.What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major cropping systems of irrigated agriculture.

Structure -

1. Allelopathy

2. Its use

3. Role in major cropping system

Source - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4647110/

● Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism produces one or more biochemicals that influence the germination, growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms.

● These biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and can have beneficial (positive allelopathy) or detrimental (negative allelopathy) effects on the target organisms and the community.

● Allelochemicals are a subset of secondary metabolites, which are not required for metabolism (i.e. growth, development and reproduction) of the allelopathic organism.

● Allelochemicals with negative allelopathic effects are an important part of plant defense against herbivory.

● Allelopathy is characteristic of certain plants, algae, bacteria, coral, and fungi.

● Allelopathic chemicals have already been used to defend crop plants against insects, nematodes and diseases. However parallel approaches in control of weeds may be possible by finding compounds that inhibit seed germination, inhibit plant growth or prevent propagule production.

● There is a greater emphasis on the control of weeds in sustainable agricultural systems by reduced or non-chemical means that are compatible with reduced tillage and both traditional and recent weed management practices.

● Allelopathic elements are involved in practically every aspect of plant growth; they can act from stimulants to suppressants.

● The intelligent exploitation of these processes can be a major break-through in the agricultural sector.

● Crop rotation, competitive varieties, allelopathic varieties, cover crops, tillage, relay cropping, dead and living mulches, flame weeding and ridge tillage together with classical biological control agents is being employed.

● Allelopathic interactions between plants and other organisms may become an alternative to herbicides, insecticides and nematicide for weed, disease and insect control.

Mains 2017

Structure -1. Stem Cell Therapy2. Its use in wide variety of medical conditions3. Its advantages over other treatments

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/regulating-stem-cell-therapy/article5774392.ece

Q1. Stem Cell Therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and severe burns. Discuss

briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments?

● Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or a medical condition.

● Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use.

● Stem cells derived from biological materials such as cord tissue, placenta, tooth extract, menstrual blood etc.

● They can divide and multiply rapidly into cells that give rise to the brain, the heart, the spine, the limbs, the muscles, the skin and everything else that constitutes the human body.

● They are the body's hidden biological repair system-the super mechanics with a warehouse stacked with everything we need to make our body new again.

● Embryonic stem cells can renew indefinitely when cultured and have great potential for alleviating symptoms or even curing of paralysis, diabetes, Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases, traumatic spinal cord injury, stroke, severe burns, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, hearing loss, retinal disease, Huntington’s disease, etc.

● Stem cell therapy provides medical benefits in the fields of therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.

● It provides great potential for discovering treatments and cures to a variety of diseases.

● Limbs and organs could be grown in a lab from stem cells and then used in transplants or to help the patients.

● It will help scientists to learn about human growth and cell development.

● Scientists and doctors will be able to test millions of potential drugs and medicine, without the use of animals or human testers.

● Stem cell research also benefits the study of development stages that cannot be studied directly in a human embryo, which sometimes are linked with major clinical consequences such as birth defects, pregnancy-loss and infertility.

● An advantage of the usage of adult stem cells used in this therapy to treat disease is that a patient's own cells can be used to treat a patient.

● In this way, it reduces the risk to failure of treatment because patients' bodies would not reject their own cells.

Structure -1. India’s achievements in unmanned space missions2. Technological and logistics obstacles to launch a manned mission3. Present status of these obstacles and future preparations for the same

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/China-launches-manned-space-mission/article16073838.ece

Q2. India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter

Mission but has not ventured into manned space missions. What are the main obstacles to launching a manned space

mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Examine critically.

● In 2008, India undertook its first mission to moon Chandrayaan-1 and proved its success in unmanned space missions.

● Again, India has created global history by becoming the first Asian nation to reach the Mars orbit in a space mission.

● But, manned space missions are still to be operationalized due to technological deficit that are now developing at a rapid pace by the ISRO.

● The Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (HSP) was created by the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) to develop the technology needed to launch crewed orbital spacecraft into low Earth orbit.

● The first crewed flight is planned with a spacecraft called Gaganyaan for December 2021 on a home-grown GSLV-III rocket.

● The most critical elements of the human mission are the Environment Control and Life Support Systems that make the crew capsule liveable and the flight safe for the astronauts.

● The mission need test capabilities for docking with a space station, aborting the mission in case of an emergency, an external robotic manipulator, and provision for extra vehicular activity.

● Food and hygiene are other aspects. These technologies are getting ready while space suits are being developed at the ISRO.

● The Space Applications Centre which makes electronic devices and instruments for ISRO missions will also get refurbished.

● ISRO on December 18, 2014 successfully tested the experimental flight of the planned manned mission launcher, GSLV Mk-III.

● ISRO has already developed most of the technologies for crewed flight and in 2018 it performed a Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment and a Pad Abort Test for the mission.

● Now, Gaganyaan, the human space flight Programme has been green-flagged and set for 2022 by Prime Minister on the Independence Day, 2018.

● This enables India to develop heat-resistant materials, technology and procedures necessary for human space travel.

● ISRO has also indicated the possibility that the first Indian to go to space on an Indian launch vehicle could be a woman.

Structure -1. Nuclear Science and technology2. Growth and development of Nuclear Science in the country3. Fast breeder Reactor Programme 4. Advantages of this programme

Source-http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=169052https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/ending-nuclear-dependency/article18491521.ece

Q3. Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast

breeder reactor programme in India?

● With limited resources of conventional energy sources, there has always been a quest to develop and harness alternative energy sources. One of the most potential energy sources is nuclear energy.

● Nuclear energy as a viable energy source is gaining more ground with the prospect of conventional energy sources diminishing drastically in the next few decades.

● India has developed nuclear energy sources over the past four decades and today nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity.

● Nuclear power in India has been proved to be a safe, environment friendly and economically feasible source of power generation.

● In the period 2005-2008, the Indian nuclear establishment was focussed on concluding the civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the U.S.

● India then agreed to build about 10,000 MW of nuclear capacity using U.S. technology.

● In 2009, India was placed ninth in the world in terms of the number of operational nuclear power reactors.

● By 2010, India had 5,300 MW with more than 20 nuclear reactors.

● In October 2010, the government drew up a plan to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 MW by 2032.

● India's has developed its own indigenous nuclear power plants and expects to supply 25% of electricity from nuclear power by 2050.

● Following the Indo-US nuclear deal, foreign technology and fuel are expected to boost India's nuclear power sector.

● With its expertise in fast reactors and thorium fuel cycle, India can become the world leader in nuclear technology.

● During 2010-2011, India passed the civil nuclear liability legislation which made the supplier liable for claims under certain circumstances.

● In 2016, India came up with the mechanism of an Indian insurance pool that could extend protection to the supplier.

● India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India.

● FBRs are designed with several safety measures and features which follow redundancy and diversity principles.

● Fast Breeder Reactors are safe and efficient apart from the benefits from environmental considerations.

● Economic viability of FBRs depends on the successful operation of Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and subsequently successful commissioning and operation of FBRs in the country.

● Electricity generated by FBR would be a source of green energy as the waste from the first stage nuclear programme is reprocessed and used as fuel in FBR.

● The spent fuel from this reactor can be fed back into the reactor core several times, till the spent fuel contains only short lived fission products.

● Hence, there is no need of large quantity of fuel materials for the annual external feed and thus eliminates the need for large capacity waste storage spaces with complex construction features.

Mains 2018

Structure -1. Bose-Einstein Statistics2. Revolution in the field of Physics- Impact, Changes, Advancement in

theory3. Appreciation of the workSource-https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/celebrations-to-mark-125th-birth-anniversary-of-eminent-physicist-sn-bose-begins/article10007590.ecehttps://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-are-bosons-and-how-did-they-get-their-name/article22343300.ece

Q 1.Discuss the work of ‘Bose-Einstein Statistics’ done by Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose and show how it revolutionized the field of Physics. (150 Words,

10 Marks)

● The statistical behavior of the particles such as photons, several atoms, and even pairs of electrons was described by Satyendra Nath Bose, and Albert Einstein.

● This work is known by their names as Bose Einstein statistics. Particles obeying these statistics are called Bosons.

● In 1924, the Bose-Einstein distribution predicts that at very low temperatures, very nearly absolute zero, all particles in the system will condense into a single state, called the Bose-Einstein condensate.

● But that time, there were no experimental facilities available which were capable of attaining the low temperatures required to test this prediction.

● It took almost 70 years from the time of the prediction, for experimental facilities to evolve to the stage where it was possible to demonstrate the formation of this condensate.

● In 1995, Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman, demonstrated the formation of the condensate using a small collection of Rb (Rubidium) atoms, which they cooled to a few hundred nano Kelvin.

● For demonstrating the formation of the Bose-Einstein condensate, they were awarded the Nobel prize in Physics for the year 2001 along with Wolfgang Ketterle.

● Bose-Einstein condensation has become an important phenomenon in many areas of physics.

● But until recently the only evidence for condensation came from studies of superfluid liquid helium and excitons in semiconductors.

● For this reason a long-standing goal in atomic physics has been to achieve BEC in a dilute atomic gas.

● That behavior provides physicists with an extraordinary opportunity such as to study bizarre quantum effects on a large scale, instead of having to probe individual particles.

● As part of cutting-edge experiments, researchers are studying BEC in one or two dimensions, or using them to search for entangled atoms.

● BECs may be most interesting because of what researchers don’t yet know about them.

Structure -1. Reasons behind the developments in the field of biotechnology in our

country2. Output from the biopharma through the development of biotechnology3. Some words for future prospect of biotechnologySource-https://www.thehindu.com/education/biotech-beckons/article19938007.ecehttps://www.thehindubusinessline.com/business-wire/government-aims-to-make-india-a-global-biotech-hub-by-2020/article9592696.ece

Q 2. Why is there so much activity in the field of biotechnology in our country? How has this activity benefitted

the field of biopharma? (250 Words, 15 Marks)

● There are a number of areas where the use of biotechnology has had great impact and improved the quality of human life.

● Some areas include biostatistics, bioinformatics, clinical trials to bio-agriculture, animal husbandry, cropping systems, crop management to cell biology, food manufacturing, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, virology, chemistry and engineering.

● Advances in these areas are much visible in the transformation of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

● The most important area is the area of biopharma or biopharmaceuticals where molecular techniques are applied to develop life-saving drugs through a combination of biology and technology.

● Further, biotechnology is likely to have an impact on improving our depleting and polluted water and food resources in the near future.

● Biopharma is the largest contributor to the biotech sector. The demand for talented and trained human resources has increased in this sector due to the conceived notion of the importance of biotechnology.

● Biotechnology allows the development and production of new drugs that were previously beyond the capacity of traditional technologies.

● Biotechnology offers a greater control over the manufacturing process, allowing significant reduction in risks of contamination through infectious pathogens.

● A prime example is the blood products used to treat haemophilia.

● Biotechnology offers better product-targeting for specific diseases and patient groups, through the use of innovative technologies, in particular, genetics. Examples include, amongst others, treatments for rare diseases and cancers.

● Biotechnology makes large-scale production of existing substances possible, for example, insulin in the field of diabetes treatment.

● Biotechnology represents a range of technologies, some suited better to one disease state and others to another in the course of producing the medicines.

● A plethora of technologies are grouped under the umbrella of biotechnology which are targeted at different levels and offer numerous different possibilities to tackle disease under the emerging field of biopharma.

Structure -1. India’s present energy status2. Assessment of expansion of Nuclear Energy programme 3. Necessity for the nuclear energy4. Fears associated with nuclear energySource-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/ending-nuclear-dependency/article18491521.ecehttps://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/nuclear-power-is-our-gateway-to-a-prosperous-future/article2601471.ece

Q 3. With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated

with nuclear energy. (250 Words, 15 Marks)

● Anticipating the future difficulties of our energy requirement, the nuclear community in India has been looking at other options to expand the nuclear capacity through the nuclear energy programme.

● Since its inception, the fleet of pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR), of our own design and construction, have performed well under this programme.

● India has the potential to be the first nation to realise the dream of a fossil fuel-free nation, which will also relieve the nation of about $100 billion annually which we spend in importing petroleum and coal.

● Besides the billions spent on importing coal or oil, we are also importing millions of tonnes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which are a hazard to the environment and human health.

● Further, solar and wind power, despite all their advantages, are not stable and are dependent excessively on weather and sunshine conditions.

● Nuclear power, on the other hand, provides a relatively clean, high-density source of reliable energy with an international presence.

● In the years to come, it will fuel not only our earth-based needs but also our space missions and perhaps even our civilisation's reach to other planets for habitation.

● The Fukushima-Daiichi events in history has been a great example for insecurity and fears associated with the nuclear energy.

● Another argument is that nuclear accidents and the radiation fallout as an aftermath would not only harm the exposed generations but also continue to impact the generations to come.

● So the concern is that of safety against the plant's disaster, and the second relates to the environmental impact and the nuclear waste which the plant generates.

● The other strongest case of human exposure and destruction due to the misuse of nuclear science for energy is the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings of 1945.

● Our current nuclear projects will expand into better and safer materials, like Thorium, and later on, into better reactions like fusion, which once completely developed, will be able to generate hundreds of times more of power than the current fission methods.

● By about 2025 or so, India may itself supply enriched uranium from its own enrichment facilities.

Structure -1. Need of the protection of personal data in cyberspace2. Strengths/positives of the report3. Weaknesses/criticisms of the report4. Relevance of the report for data security

Q 4. Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cyber-crimes. The Justice B. N.

Srikrishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses

of the Report relating to protection of personal data in cyberspace? (250 Words, 15 Marks)

Source-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-fundamental-error/article24566374.ecehttps://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/does-india-s-draft-data-bill-meet-expectations-here-are-the-pros-and-cons-118072800170_1.html

● There have been recent incidents of misuse or breach of data and many attempts to influence some course of action using each type of data.

● The Cambridge Analytica crisis, Facebook data leakage, Google + data breach etc. are some examples.

● Therefore, individual users are increasingly viewed as legitimate targets for mining personal and metadata.

● India had 281.81 million mobile phone internet users in 2016 and would have an estimated 492.68 million mobile phone Internet users by 2022.

● The Justice B. N. Srikrishna Committee had submitted its report in July, 2018 and has recommended the Data Protection Bill for data protection in India.

Following are the seven principles recommended by the committee for data protection:1. Law should be flexible to take into account changing technologies,2. Law must apply to both government and private sector entities, 3. Consent should be genuine, informed, and meaningful, 4. Processing of data should be minimal and only for the purpose for which it is

sought, 5. Entities controlling the data should be accountable for any data processing, 6. Enforcement of the data protection framework should be by a high-powered

statutory authority, and 7. Penalties should be adequate to discourage any wrongful acts.

● The report says that common good and the economy should come first and individuals second.

● But the individual is the focal point of the Constitution because it is in the realisation of individual rights that the collective well being of the community is determined.

● Hence, it ignores the very structure of the Constitution in which the Fundamental Rights have been guaranteed and the State is directed as a welfare state in the Directive Principles of State Policy

● Another weakness is that the proposals for data localisation are quite concerning, especially given such measures serve a surveillance and law enforcement purpose, at the cost of privacy and protecting user data.

● In the absence of adequate regulation of governmental access to citizen data in India, these data localisation measures may make user data in India liable to indiscriminate access by the government.

● There are multiple concerns regarding the independence of the Data Protection Authority.

● The Draft Bill obliges the Data Protection Authority to conduct “‘mandatory” public consultations while making “codes of practices”, but multiple areas of regulation have been put outside the purview of this obligation.

● It is imperative that such consultations are made mandatory with respect to all regulations issued by the Authority in order to be truly user-centric, transparent and accountable.

Thank You !