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How To Prepare For The UPSC Interview 2023?

Preparing for the UPSC interview, also known as the "personality test," can be a daunting task for many candidates. However, with the right approach and mindset, it can be a smooth and enjoyable experience. The UPSC interview is the final stage of the civil service examination process and is a face-to-face evaluation of a candidate’s personality, suitability, and potential for public service. The interview is conducted by a board of experts who assess a candidate’s intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and communication skills. Here are some tips on how to prepare for the UPSC interview in 2023.

1.      Understand the format and purpose of the interview: The UPSC interview is a face-to-face evaluation of a candidate’s personality, suitability, and potential for public service. It is conducted by a board of experts who assess a candidate’s intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and communication skills. The interview lasts for around 30–45 minutes, and candidates are expected to answer a wide range of questions on various topics such as their academic and professional background, current events, and their views on various social, economic, and political issues.

2.    Study your DAF (Detailed Application Form): Your DAF is a comprehensive document that highlights your academic and professional background, and it is the basis for the questions that will be asked during the interview. Make sure you are well-versed in your DAF and can speak confidently about your achievements, experiences, and goals. Review your DAF in detail, and make note of any important points that you want to mention in the interview.

3.    Research current events and general knowledge: The UPSC interview is not just about your personal and professional background, but also about your knowledge of current events and general knowledge. Make sure you stay updated on current affairs and have a good understanding of the social, economic, and political issues facing the country. This will help you to answer questions related to current events and general knowledge with confidence and clarity.

4.    Practice your communication skills: The UPSC interview is also an assessment of your communication skills. Practice speaking clearly and confidently, and be prepared to articulate your thoughts and ideas effectively. Practice answering common interview questions, and work on your body language and non-verbal communication.

5.     Be yourself: The most important thing to remember is to be yourself. The interview board is not looking for a specific type of candidate, but rather someone who is genuine, honest, and passionate about public service. Be honest and open in your answers, and don’t try to be someone you’re not

.Few Things That Every UPSC Aspirant Know Before The Interview:·         Understand the format and purpose of the interview·         

Study your DAF (Detailed Application Form)·         

Research current events and general knowledge·         

Practice your communication skills·         

Be yourself·         

Dress code for the interview

Tips During the Interview Day:·         

Reach the venue well before the scheduled time·         

Be well-groomed and well-dressed·         

Be confident and courteous while speaking·        

Be honest and open in your answers·

Listen to the question carefully and answer it to the best of your knowledge·  

 Avoid giving vague or evasive answers·         

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand the question

IAS Interview Dress code for Men:·         

Dress in formal attire, such as a suit and tie, or a traditional Indian outfit like a kurta-pyjama·        

 Avoid wearing bright colours or loud patterns·         

Make sure your shoes are polished and well-maintained·        

 Keep your hairstyle neat and well-groomed

IAS Interview Dress code for Females:·         

Dress in formal attire such as a saree, salwar kameez or a formal business suit·        

Avoid wearing bright colours or loud patterns·         

Keep your hairstyle neat and well-groomed·         

Avoid excessive jewellery or makeup·         

Make sure your shoes are polished and well-maintained

Tips and Tricks to crack UPSC CSE by one of o toppers Mr.Pruthvinath Goud( AIR 541) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqxY8V8aqc4&t=6s

In conclusion, preparing for the UPSC interview can be a challenging task, but with the right approach, it can be a smooth and enjoyable experience. Understand the format and purpose of the interview, study your DAF, research current events and general knowledge, practice your communication skills, and be yourself. On the interview day, be well-groomed and well-dressed, be confident and courteous while speaking, be honest and open in your answers, and avoid giving vague or evasive answers. The dress code is also an important aspect to keep in mind, so make sure to dress professionally for the interview. Remember that the interview is not just an evaluation of your qualifications, but also an opportunity to showcase your unique personality and potential as a public servant. By following these tips and being well-prepared, you can approach the UPSC interview with confidence and make the best impression possible. Remember that the interview is not just an evaluation of your qualifications, but also an opportunity to showcase your unique personality and potential as a public servant.

So be consistent and give your best, the rest will follow

Good Luck

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Natural Disasters-Earthquake

Natural Disasters

Earthquake

Earthquake is the sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth’s surface.

Earthquakes generally happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another along what is called the fault or fault plane.

The location below the earth’s surface where the seismic energy is released is called the hypocenter or focus.

While, the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicentre.

Magnitude of Earthquakes are recorded by instruments called seismographs on recordings called seismogram.

Types of Earthquakes

Earthquakes are divided into different types based on their cause. They are;

Tectonic earthquakes:

This is the most common type of earthquake and occurs in the fault lines along the plate boundaries.

The continuous motion of tectonic plates results in a steady build-up of pressure in the rock strata on both sides of a fault.

Tectonic Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of stress along these faults in the earth’s crust.

Volcanic earthquakes:

Volcanoes are commonly found in areas where the crust is weak and in addition to that the mass of the volcano itself adds to the regional strain.

Hence when there is a sudden slip of rock masses adjacent to the volcano this results in a sudden release of elastic strain energy.

They are generally not as impactful as tectonic quakes and often occur relatively closer to the surface and hence are only felt in the vicinity of the hypocentre.

Anthropogenic Earthquake or Induced Earthquake

They are typically minor earthquakes and tremors which are caused by human activity which results in changes in the stresses and strains on the Earth’s crust.

Induced earthquakes can have multiple causes and can different levels of intensity.

When the roofs of underground mines collapse in areas of intense mining activity, causing minor tremors, they cause collapse earthquakes.

When the explosion of chemical or nuclear devices results in ground shaking they become known as explosion earthquakes.

The earthquakes that are created due to large reservoirs are referred to as reservoir induced earthquakes.

Read More: https://believersias.com/natural-disasters-earthquake/

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Natural Disasters-Tsunami

The name tsunami is derived from the Japanese word meaning harbour wave.

Tsunami waves have very long wavelengths and are often caused by a large and sudden displacement of the ocean due to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc.

They are one of the most destructive natural disasters and can cause dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents that can last for several hours or days.

Tsunami in the open ocean appear in the form of small waves, but grow rapidly in size as they reach shallow water.

Tsunamis travel at a high speed in deep waters and slowdown in shallow waters.

Tsunamis are not a single wave but come in multiple waves which can take hours to manifest.

Run-up is the temporary rise in sea levels when a tsunami reaches the shore.

Pacific Ocean is home to 80% of the tsunami waves that occur.

Causes of Tsunami formation

Earthquakes

Powerful undersea earthquakes are often responsible for the creation of tsunamis.

According to Seismologists, only earthquakes that measure greater than 7.0 on the Richter scale have the ability to produce a major tsunami.

It should be noted that vertical displacement of the sea floor is the usual cause a tsunami while, horizontal displacement rarely causes tsunamis.

One should also remember that all undersea earthquakes do not create tsunamis, as it depends upon the nature and degree of displacement of the seawater columns.

Landslides

Rock fall, landslides, and icefalls etc which can cause the displacement of seawater can also lead to tsunami waves.

Volcanic eruption

Underwater volcanic eruption, if powerful enough, can lead to a significant amount of seawater being abruptly displaced.

This displacement has the potential of becoming a tsunami wave.

Nuclear Explosion

US in 1940 and 1950s generated Tsunami in Marshall Island through testing their nuclear weapons underwater.

Meteorite Impacts

Geographical evidences point to a meteorite impact about 5 million years ago which produced a major Tsunami leaving deposits along the Gulf Coast of Mexico and the United States.

For More visit : https://believersias.com/natural-disasters-tsunami/

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Reorganisation of States Part 3

Reorganisation of States

Part 3

Formation of States post 1956Gujrat (1960):

The Bombay state was separated into the State of Maharashtra and the State of Gujrat.

This was done under The Bombay Reorganisation Act, of 1960.

Nagaland (1963):

The state of Nagaland was created by taking out the Naga Hills-Tuensang area out of the State of Assam.

This was done under the State of Nagaland Act, 1962.

Haryana (1966):

Haryana was carved out of the Hindi speaking territories of Punjab state as an independent state in 1966.

This was done under the Punjab reorganization act, 1966.

Himachal Pradesh (1971):

Himachal Pradesh was formed into a Union territory under Punjab reorganization act, 1966.

The UT was given statehood in 1971.

This was done under the State of Himachal Pradesh Act, 1970.

Manipur (1972):

Manipur was given the status of Union Territory in 1956.

The UT was given statehood in 1972.

This was done under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act,1971.

Meghalaya (1972):

Meghalaya was initially part of the state of Assam till 1970.

It was given autonomous status on 1970 by the Constitution (22nd Amendment) Act 1969 and was given complete statehood in 1972.

This was done under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act,1971.

Tripura (1972):

Tripura was given the status a Union Territory on 1956

The UT was given statehood in 1972.

This was done under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act,1971.

Sikkim (1975):

Sikkim was Indian princely state ruled by Chogyal dynasty, and became a Protectorate of India from 1947.

Sikkim was given the status of an ‘associate State’ by the Constitution (35th Amendment) Act, 1974.

It gained full statehood by Constitution (36th amendment) Act, 1975.

Goa (1987):

Goa remained as a Portuguese colony post-independence till 1961.

Goa was liberated by the Indian army as part of Operation Vijay in 1961 and was granted the status of a Union Territory.

In 1987, Goa was granted full statehood in the Union of India.

Arunachal Pradesh (1987):

The present state of Arunachal Pradesh was established as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in 1954.

North-East Frontier Agency was renamed into Arunachal Pradesh and granted the status of a Union Territory in 1972.

Arunachal Pradesh gained full statehood on 20 February 1987.

Mizoram (1987):

Mizoram was initially part of the state of Assam.

In 1972 it was declared a Union Territory.

Mizoram got the statehood on 20 February 1987.

Chhattisgarh (2000):

Chhattisgarh was carved out of the territories of the Madhya Pradesh on1 November 2000.

This was done under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000.

Jharkhand (2000):

This state was separated from the tribal dominated areas of Bihar.

Jharkhand got full statehood on 15 November 2000.

This was done under the Bihar reorganization act, 2000.

Uttarakhand (2000):

This state was separated from the hilly areas of Uttar Pradesh.

Uttarakhand got full statehood on 9th of November 2000.

Telangana (2014):

Telangana was created out of Telugu-speaking areas of Hyderabad state.

Telangana full statehood on 2 June 2014.

This was done under the Andhra Pradesh reorganization act, 2014.

Read More : https://believersias.com/reorganisation-of-states-part-3/

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Reorganisation of States Part 2

Reorganisation of States

Part 2

State Reorganisation CommissionsS.K. Dhar Committee

The S.K. Dhar Commission also known as Linguistic Provinces Commission, was established by the Constituent Assembly in 1948.

Its mission was to provide recommendations regarding whether or not the states should be reorganized on a linguistic basis.

It recommended that the state reorganization be done based on administrative convenience rather than linguistic considerations.

The Dhar Commission recommendations caused much protests and led to the appointment of another Linguistic Provinces Committee.

The commission gave the following conditions as the basis for reorganization of States:

Geographical contiguity

Financial self-reliance

Administrative viability

Potential for development

JVP Committee

The committee was named after its members i.e., Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya.

The JVP Committee also known as the “Three Ministers Committee.”

The committee was set up to up to study the recommendations of the Dhar Committee and make new recommendations to the government if required.

The JVP Committee rejected the language as a factor for reorganization of the states.

It recommended security, unity and economic prosperity of the nation as the factors for reorganization of States.

The committee also recommended that the creation of new provinces should be delayed in order to properly identify other issues and problems.

Formation of first Linguistic State

Potti Sriramulu demanding the creation of a separate state from the Telugu-speaking areas from Madras state undertook a 56-day hunger strike which resulted in his death.

This increased the pressure on the government to create a separate state for the Telugu-speakers of Madras state.

The government ultimately caved by creating Andhra Pradesh in 1953.

Fazl Ali Commission

Fazl Ali Commission was also known as the States Reorganization Commission.

It was set up in December 1953 to investigate the viability of the linguistic basis for state separation.

The commission included Justice Fazl Ali as the chairman and K.M. Pannikar, H.N. Kunzru as its members.

The commission gave its final recommendation on 30 September 1955.

It accepted language as the basis for state reorganization but rejected one language one state formulae.

The four major factors that should be considered in any scheme of state reorganization:

Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of the country.

Linguistic and cultural homogeneity.

Financial, economic, and administrative considerations.

Planning and promotion of the welfare of the people in each state as well as of the nation as a whole.

Read More : https://believersias.com/reorganisation-of-states-part-2/

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Reorganisation of States Part 1

Reorganisation of States

Part 1

Provincial Congress Committees of INC were restructured and expanded on linguistic basis following the INC’s Nagpur Session in 1920.

This can be considered as the origin point for the demand for Linguistic division of states.

Post-Independence Period (1947–1950)

The time between 1947 and 1950 was fraught with power struggles between the independent princely states and the Indian union.

The princes wanted to hold on to as much powers as possible and get as many concessions as possible from the Union.

The union government wanted to unify the nation while reducing inequalities and privileges to the few.

The Princely states were integrated into the nation by 1950 and the new constitution was also enacted.

The states in the infant nation were divided into 4 categories.

Part A states

Part B states

Part C States

Part D states

Part A states

These were the former governors’ provinces of British India.

They were to be governed by an elected governor and state legislature.

Part A states were Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madras, Madhya Pradesh (earlier Central Provinces and Berar), Orissa, Punjab (earlier East Punjab), Uttar Pradesh (earlier the United Provinces), and West Bengal.

Part B States

These states were the former princely states or groups of princely states

These states were to be governed by a Rajpramukh.

Rajpramukh usually was the ruler of a constituent state and an elected legislature who would be appointed by the President of India.

Part B states were Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Rajasthan, Saurashtra, and Travancore-Cochin.

Part C States

They were created from both the former chief commissioners’ provinces and some princely states,

These states were to be governed by a chief commissioner

The chief commissioner’s appointment was done by the President of India.

Part C states were Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Cutch, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, and Vindhya Pradesh.

Part D States

This state was administered a lieutenant governor appointed by the central government.

Part D category was created solely for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Read More : https://believersias.com/reorganisation-of-states-part-1/

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Reorganisation of States Part 1

Reorganisation of States

Part 1

Provincial Congress Committees of INC were restructured and expanded on linguistic basis following the INC’s Nagpur Session in 1920.

This can be considered as the origin point for the demand for Linguistic division of states.

Post-Independence Period (1947–1950)

The time between 1947 and 1950 was fraught with power struggles between the independent princely states and the Indian union.

The princes wanted to hold on to as much powers as possible and get as many concessions as possible from the Union.

The union government wanted to unify the nation while reducing inequalities and privileges to the few.

The Princely states were integrated into the nation by 1950 and the new constitution was also enacted.

The states in the infant nation were divided into 4 categories.

Part A states

Part B states

Part C States

Part D states

Part A states

These were the former governors’ provinces of British India.

They were to be governed by an elected governor and state legislature.

Part A states were Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madras, Madhya Pradesh (earlier Central Provinces and Berar), Orissa, Punjab (earlier East Punjab), Uttar Pradesh (earlier the United Provinces), and West Bengal.

Part B States

These states were the former princely states or groups of princely states

These states were to be governed by a Rajpramukh.

Rajpramukh usually was the ruler of a constituent state and an elected legislature who would be appointed by the President of India.

Part B states were Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Rajasthan, Saurashtra, and Travancore-Cochin.

Part C States

They were created from both the former chief commissioners’ provinces and some princely states,

These states were to be governed by a chief commissioner

The chief commissioner’s appointment was done by the President of India.

Part C states were Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Cutch, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, and Vindhya Pradesh.

Part D States

This state was administered a lieutenant governor appointed by the central government.

Part D category was created solely for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Read More : https://believersias.com/reorganisation-of-states-part-1

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Non-Communicable Diseases Part 2

Non-Communicable Diseases

Part 2

Measures taken to reduce NCDs in India:National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS):

The Department of Health & Family Welfare, provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs under NPCDCS, as part of National Health Mission (NHM).

The amount and quality of the support is based on the proposals received from the States/UTs and is subject to the resource envelope.

NPCDCS focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion & awareness generation for Cancer prevention.

It also aims for early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facility for treatment of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including Cancer.

Till now707 District NCD Clinics, 268 District Day Care Centres, and 5541 Community Health Center NCD Clinics have been set up under NPCDCS.

Comprehensive Primary Health Care

A population-based initiative for prevention, control and screening for common NCDs i.e. diabetes, hypertension and common cancers has been rolled out in the country under NHM and also as a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care.

Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening for the three common cancers i.e. oral, breast and cervical.

Screening of these common cancers has also been made into an integral part of service delivery under Ayushman Bharat — Health and Wellness Centres.

Efforts to prevent Cancer is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centre scheme.

This has been achieved by promotion of wellness activities and targeted communication at the community level.

Measures to generate awareness:

Initiatives for increasing public awareness about Cancer includes observation of National Cancer Awareness Day& World Cancer Day.

In addition, NPCDCS gives financial support under NHM for awareness generation activities for Cancer to be taken by the States/UTs.

Measures to promote healthy lifestyle:

Government has also been making use of print, electronic and social media for continued community awareness about and for promotion of healthy lifestyle.

Furthermore, healthy eating is also promoted through Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Fit India movement has been implemented by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and various Yoga related activities are carried out by Ministry of AYUSH.

Treatment of Cancer:

The Central Government implements Strengthening of Tertiary Cancer Care Centres Facilities Scheme in order to enhance the facilities for tertiary care of cancer.

19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Cancer Care Centres (TCCCs) have been approved under the said scheme.

Read More : https://believersias.com/non-communicable-diseases-part-2/

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Non-Communicable Diseases Part 1

Non-Communicable Diseases

Part 1

Non-Communicable Diseases:

A non-communicable disease (NCD) is an infirmity that cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another.

NCDs, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for 74% of all deaths worldwide.

More than 75% of all NCD deaths, and 86% of the 17 million people who died prematurely (before reaching 70 years of age) happens in low- and middle-income countries.

NCDs share four major risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, the excessive use of alcohol and unhealthy diets.

They are also known as chronic diseases and tend to persist for a long duration, often for the lifetime.

Types of NCDs:

The main types of NCD are:

cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke),

cancers,

chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and

diabetes

Risk Factors for NCDs:

Age:

While common perception would tell that these diseases affect the elderly alone, a detailed analysis would show that while age is a factor, it is far from being the deterministic one.

17 million NCD deaths occur before the age of 70 years which shows that children, adults and the elderly are all vulnerable to NCDs.

Behavioural risk factors:

Risky behaviours, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, all increase the risk of NCDs.

Tobacco alone accounts for over 8 million deaths every year, including second hand smoke inhalation.

830 000 deaths can be attributed to insufficient physical activity annually.

Metabolic risk factors:

Metabolic risk factors contribute to four key metabolic changes that increase the risk of NCDs:

raised blood pressure;

overweight/obesity;

hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels); and

hyperlipidemia (high levels of fat in the blood).

NCDs in India:

As per WHO, 66% of all deaths happening in India are caused by non-communicable diseases and 54% of all deaths under the age 70 are due to NCDs.

As per an ICMR survey on mortality among tribals top NCD causes of death were cardiovascular diseases (heart diseases-24%), followed by cancers (11%).

The study has also shown that NCDs have replaced other causes of death (such as infectious diseases), even among tribal population.

Read More : https://believersias.com/non-communicable-diseases-part-1/

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Newspapers in British India Part 4

Part 4

1900 to 1915O Heraldo

O Heraldo was established as the first daily Portuguese newspaper on 21 May 1900 by Aleixo Clemente Messias Gomes in Goa.

It was later transformed into an English daily in 1983, by which time it was ‘the longest-running Portuguese-language newspaper outside of Portugal and Brazil’.

Indian Opinion

The Indian Opinion was a newspaper established by Mahatma Gandhi for the Indian community in South Africa.

The publication was an important tool for the political movement led by Gandhi and the Natal Indian Congress to fight racial discrimination and civil rights.

The newspaper was published in Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil and English.

The Indian Sociologist

The Indian sociologist was an Indian nationalist journal published by Shyamji Krishna Verma in 1905.

The subtitle of the Indian sociologist was “An organ of Freedom, and political, social and religious reform.”

The journal was edited by Shyamji Krishna Verma from 1905 to 1914, then between 1920 and 1922.

Jugantar Patrika

Jugantar Patrika was a Bengali revolutionary newspaper founded in 1906 in Calcutta by Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Abhinash Bhattacharya and Bhupendranath Dutt.

It served as the propaganda organ of Anushilan Samiti which a nascent revolutionary organization that was taking shape in Bengal at the time.

Bhupendranath Dutt served as the editor of the newspaper till his arrest in 1907.

The Leader

The Leader was one of the most influential English-language newspapers in India during British Raj.

It was founded by Madan Mohan Malviya on 24 October 1909 from Allahabad.

The Bombay Chronicle

The Bombay Chronicle was an English-language newspaper, published from then Bombay, started in 1910 by Sir Pherozeshah Mehta.

Jehangir Bomanji Petit had assisted Mehta in launching the newspaper.

The newspaper closed down in 1959.

The Hitavada

The Hitavada is an English daily newspaper circulating mainly in Central parts of India.

It was founded in 1911 by freedom fighter Gopal Krishna Gokhale in Nagpur.

It was the first and the only English daily of Nagpur.

Hindustan Ghadar

Hindustan Ghadar was a weekly publication that was the party organ of the Ghadar Party.

It was published under the auspices of the Yugantar Ashram.

On 1st November 1913 the first issue of Ghadar in Urdu was published and on 9 December, the Gurmukhi edition.

New India

New India was an early 20th century daily newspaper published in India by Annie Besant, to highlight issues related to the Indian freedom struggle.

In June 1914 Annie Besant purchased an existing newspaper called ‘Madras Standard’ and renamed it ‘New India’.

Commonweal

Commonweal was a British socialist newspaper founded in 1885 by Annie Besant.

Commonweal was first published in England founded in 1885 by the new born Socialist League.

Read More : https://believersias.com/newspapers-in-british-india-part-4/

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Indian Paintings Part 4

Indian Paintings

Part 4

Modern Indian Paintings

Many consider that the modern period in Indian art began around 1857 with the Bengal School of Painting.

Raja Ravi Varma is credited as the Father of Modern Indian Art.

The essential characteristics of the modern or contemporary art are a certain freedom from invention, the acceptance of an eclectic approach, a positive elevation of technique and the emergence of the artist as a distinct individual.

The Bengal school of art relying on India’s rich cultural past, resurrected primitivism as a reaction to Western influence.

This was started by Abanindranath Tagore as an attempt to stem the western influence on Indian culture.

Schools of Modern Painting in India

Colonial Painting:

It is a hybrid painting style, combining Rajput, Mughal, and other Indian painting styles with European influences.

These were the results of British Company officers hiring painters who had been schooled in Indian styles.

They were set apart by their use of water colour and the appearance of linear perspective and shading in technique.

These types of paintings ultimately came to be known as ‘Company Paintings’.

Bazaar painting

They differed from the Company paintings in that the company paintings combined European and Indian methods and themes.

However, Bazaar school was influenced by Roman and Greek culture rather than Indian culture.

The depiction of Indian courtesans dancing before British officials was one of the most well-known genres.

Raja Ravi Varma:

Raja Ravi Varma was a remarkable self-taught Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore in modern day Kerala.

He is widely regarded as the founder of the contemporary painting school.

He was unique in that he combined elements of South Indian art with western colour and style techniques.

Because of his bright brush strokes and extremely lifelike paintings, he was dubbed the “Raphael of the East”.

He is most remembered for his paintings of beautiful sari-clad women, who were portrayed as shapely and graceful.

Varma became the best-known allegorist of Indian subjects in his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The Bengal School

The Bengal School arose as a reaction against the western influence in the artistic and cultural sphere of the country.

The Bengal school was founded on the writings of Abhanindranath Tagore in the early twentieth century.

He attempted to infuse Swadeshi values into Indian art and to lessen the influence of Western art styles on artists.

Bharat Mata and other Mughal-themed paintings are among his most well-known works.

Nandlal Bose is another renowned painter from this school, whose works influenced the development of modern Indian art.

Read More : https://believersias.com/indian-paintings-part-4/

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Investment models Part 2

Types of investment models

Part 2

Public private partnership (PPP) Models

PPPs are formal long-term arrangements between government and private companies to share risks and rewards in the delivery of public services and infrastructure.

Large-scale infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, or hospitals, are usually completed with private funding through public-private partnerships.

PPP model maintains the responsibility of the government for providing the services, while ensuring private capital and efficiency as a best of both worlds’ scenario.

Models of PPP

(O&M):

Under this model, the private company is given a contract to manage a part of or the whole of a public facility or a service for a set period of time.

The ownership of the assets remains in the hands of the government, which reduces the financial risk of the private entity since it is not required to make any capital investments.

BOT (Build Operate Transfer):

This is a traditional PPP model in which the private partner is responsible for designing, building, operating for the contracted period while the public entity retains the ownership.

BOT Annuity

This model is commonly adopted by the NHAI, for the building of highways, especially for those projects where the potential for generating revenues is limited.

The responsibility for designing, building, managing, and maintaining the asset lies with the private entity.

However, the risk for the private entity is relatively low as it receives a fixed sum as annuity from the government at regular intervals throughout the duration of the contract.

BOO (Build Own Operate):

Under this model, the private entity will retain the ownership of the newly constructed facility.

BOLT (Build Operate Lease Transfer):

In this approach, the government allows the private entity to build (and possibly design) a facility, which it will own, lease the facility to the public sector enterprise, and then transfer ownership of the facility to the government at the end of the lease period.

DBFOT (Design Build Operate Transfer):

In this model, the private party has the sole responsibility for the project’s design, construction, financing, and operation during the concession period at the end of which it has to transfer the ownership to the government.

Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) Model:

In this model, the private entity is responsible for designing, and building the asset without government funding.

After building the asset, it is transferred to the government which will remain the owner.

The private entity does not have the responsibility of operations and management and is given a lump-sum amount by the government for its role.

Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)

In this model, the government will fund 40% of the project cost, and private entity has to finance the remaining 60%.

The ownership, as well as operations, remain the responsibility of the government while the private entity has to provide their engineering expertise.

For More visit : https://believersias.com/investment-models-part-2/

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Investment models

Part 1

What is meant by Investment?

Investment means exchange of money for a profit yielding asset, the profit from which is again used to invest in other assets.

Investment is extremely important for the economic wellbeing of the country as it contributes to growth and development.

Factors influencing the level of investment:

The performance of agricultural sector has a great bearing on the investment levels of India since the majority of the population in India is engaged either in agriculture or in its allied activities.

The rise in National Income can result in a continuous rising demand for customer goods which in turn can lead to rise in investment levels.

High rates of inflation reduce the purchasing power of consumers, which lowers demand for products which in turn results in lower levels of investment.

Reducing the interest rates can result in increasing availability of loans which in turn means a higher levels of investment.

Rapid expansion in the size of population offers more markets for the goods which can result in higher levels of investment.

Types of investment models

Part 1

Public Investment Model:

In a Public Investment Model, investment in specific goods, services are made by the government through the central or state government or with the help of the public sector.

This is commonly seen in countries where government enjoys immense revenue streams such as the oil rich Gulf Nations or communist nations such as erstwhile USSR.

India cannot develop using this investment model since the present tax revenues of India are not sufficient enough to meet the budgetary expenditures.

Private Investment Model:

When the earnings from the public sector is not enough to make up for certain shortfalls that may come about the government invites private players to invest in some of its ventures.

The private investment can be domestic or foreign in nature, foreign investment can be through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI).

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) model is one of the most sought after when it comes to external investment

For More Details : https://believersias.com/investment-models-part-1/

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Water Scarcity in India

How to define water scarcity

The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro-meteorological and geological factors.

However, water availability per person is dependent on population of a country.

The per capita water availability in the country is reducing due to increase in population.

The annual per-capita water availability of less than 1700 cubic meters is considered as water stressed condition.

Water scarcity in India

Based on the study of “Reassessment of Water Availability in India using Space Inputs” (CWC, 2019), the average annual per capita water availability for year 2031 has been assessed as 1367 cubic meters.

As per Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment 2022, out of the total 7089 assessment units (Block/Taluks/ Mandals/watersheds/Firkas) in the country, 1006 units in 16 States/UTs have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’ where the Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource.

260 units have been categorized as ‘Critical’, 885 units as ‘Semi- critical’, 4780 units as ‘Safe’ and 158 units as ‘Saline’.

Legal Provisions

Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments.

In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes.

Measures to reduce Water Scarcity

Atal Bhujal Yojana:

Atal Bhujal Yojana, is a World Bank aided Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India with an outlay of Rs 6000 crore.

It is being implemented with a focus on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable ground water management in identified water stressed areas.

The scheme is being taken up in seven states, viz. Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh through active participation of the communities in the participating States.

The various activities under the scheme include monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation of Gram-Panchayat wise Water Security Plans & their implementation through convergence of ongoing schemes and IEC activities related to sustainable ground water management.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY):

To ensure optimum utilization of water, Government of India has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) from 2015–16 onwards.

Under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), 99 ongoing major/medium irrigation projects were prioritized during 2016–17, in consultation with States out of which AIBP works of 50 prioritized projects have been reported to be completed.

The Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) Programme has been brought under PMKSY — Har Khet Ko Pani from 2015–16 onwards.

The main objective of taking up CAD works is to enhance utilisation of irrigation potential created, and improve agriculture production on a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Government of India, in partnership with State, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024.

As per the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of JJM, States / UTs have been entrusted with the responsibilities to prepare ‘State Action plan.’

These includes developing of strategies for state-wide rejuvenation and cleaning of village water bodies/traditional water harvesting structures, grey water treatment and reuse.

As such, protection and preservation of water bodies will be helpful in achieving drinking water security

AMRUT 2.0

Government of India has launched AMRUT 2.0 on 1st October, 2021, covering all the statutory towns of the country to ensure universal coverage of water supply & make cities ‘water secure’.

It envisages rejuvenation of water bodies, urban aquifer management, promote recycle & reuse and rainwater harvesting to augment freshwater resources.

The Aquifer Management Plan will also be prepared to focus on maintaining positive groundwater balance in urban aquifer systems.

Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE)

The Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) has been set up for promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, industrial and domestic sector.

The Bureau will be a facilitator for promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries, etc. in the country.

Mission Amrit Sarovar

The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April, 2022 as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with an objective to conserve water for future.

The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) — 2022

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) — 2022 campaign, the third in the series of JSAs, has been launched on 29.3.2022 to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country.

The focused interventions of the campaign include

water conservation and rainwater harvesting

enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation based on it

Setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts

intensive afforestation and

awareness generation.

Read More : https://believersias.com/water-scarcity-in-india/

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Indian Paintings Part 2

Part 2

Miniature Paintings

Miniature paintings are characterised with small and detailed paintings.

Human forms are most commonly seen from the side, with large eyes, a narrow waist, a sharp nose, and so on.

The full flowering of miniature painting began when India came into direct contact with the Islamic Civilisations.

Pala School

The earliest examples of miniature painting in India exist in the form of illustrations to the religious texts on Buddhism executed under the Palas of the eastern India and the Jain texts executed in western India during the 11th-12th centuries A.D.

A large number of manuscripts on palm-leaf relating to the Buddhist themes were written and illustrated with the images of Buddhist deities at centres such as- Nalanda, Odantapuri, Vikramsila and Somarupa

Lonely single figures were commonly found and we can rarely find group figures in this school.

These paintings were also used and patronised by followers of the Vajrayana school of Buddhism.

Pala painting shows a naturalistic style and is characterised by sinuous lines and subdued tones of colour.

The Pala art came to a sudden end after the destruction of the Buddhist monasteries at the hands of Muslim invaders in the first half of the 13th century.

Mughal Paintings

The Mughal paintings combined Safavid school of Persian art and Indian art.

They concentrated their efforts on scenes of hunting, historical events, and other court-related matters.

In the beginning of Akbar’s rule a studio of painting was established under the supervision of two Persian masters, Mir Sayyed Ali and Abdul Samad Khan, who were originally employed by his father Humayun.

It is marked by supple naturalism based on close observation of nature and fine and delicate drawing and is primarily aristocratic and secular.

An illustrated manuscript of theTuti-nama in the Cleveland Museum of Art (USA) appears to be the first work of the Mughal School.

The school reached its peak during the reign of Jahangir.

Some of the famous painters in Akbar’s court other than the two Persian masters already mentioned are Dasvanth, Miskina, Nanha, Kanha, Basawan, Manohar, Doulat, Mansur, Kesu, Bhim Gujarati, etc.

The famous painters of Jahangir are Aqa Riza, Abul Hasan, Mansur, Bishan Das, Manohar, Goverdhan, Balchand, Daulat, Mukhlis, Bhim and Inayat.

To know more about Indian Paintings click here.

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Indian Paintings Part 1

Indian Paintings

Part 1

Pre-Historic Painting

The subjects of their drawings were human figures, human activities, geometric designs and symbols.

In India the earliest paintings have been reported from the Upper Palaeolithic times.

Humans are represented in stick-like forms.

A long-snouted animal, a fox and a multiple legged lizard are the main animal motifs.

Wavy lines, rectangle-filled geometric designs, and groups of dots can also be seen here

The largest pre-historic paintings discovered in India belongs to the Mesolithic period.

Used minerals for pigments Eg: ochre or geru.

They used minerals in different colours.

Examples: Bhimbetka caves, MP; Jogimara caves, Chattisgarh; Narsingarh, MP

Mural Paintings

Murals are works that are painted on the walls or a solid structure.

The wall paintings in India have existed from the 2nd century BC to Medieval times.

Some of the places where this painting is found include- Ajanta, Bagh, Sittanavasal, Armamalai cave, Ravan Chhaya rock-shelter and Kailashnath temple in Ellora caves.

Majority of the themes in these paintings relates to religion- Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism.

Ajanta paintings

The subject matter of these paintings is almost exclusively Buddhist, excepting decorative patterns on the ceilings and the pillars.

They are mostly associated with the Jataka, collection of stories, recording the previous births of the Lord Buddha.

The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani from cave I is one of the masterpieces of Ajanta Painting executed in the late 6th century CE.

Medium of Paintings: Mineral and vegetable dyes.

The paintings depict human values and social fabric, as well as period styles, clothes, and accessories.

Bagh Cave paintings

The paintings from Bagh caves in Madhya Pradesh in terms of design, execution, and ornamentation, are an extension of the Ajanta school.

The earliest Brahmanical paintings so far known, are the fragments found in Badami caves, in cave No.III belonging to circa 6th century A.D.

The painting of Siva and Parvati is found somewhat well preserved.

Rang Mahal, Cave №4, features exquisite murals on the walls illustrating Buddhist and Jataka tales, similar to those found in Ajanta.

Ellora paintings

A number of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples were excavated from Ellora between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D.

Located nearly 100 Kms away from Ajanta caves in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra, it is a group of 34 caves — 17 Brahmanical, 12 Buddhist and 5 Jain.

The most impressive of these, the Kailashnath Temple is a free standing structure which is in fact a monolith which has several fragments of painting on the ceiling of the different parts of this temple.

It was developed under the patronage of Rashtrakuta king Krishna I and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Cave №10 is a Buddhist Chaitya cave known as Vishwakarma Cave or carpenter’s cave wherein Buddha is seated in Vyakhyana Mudra here and Bodhi tree is carved at his back.

Badami cave paintings

Badami was the capital of the early Chalukyan dynasty which ruled the region from 543 to 598 CE.

The inscription in Cave №4 mentions the date 578–579 CE, describes the beauty of the cave and includes the dedication of the image of Vishnu.

The paintings found here are stylistically similar to the ones found in Ajanta.

Vijayanagara Murals

The paintings at Tiruparakunram, near Trichy, done in the fourteenth century represent the early phase of the Vijayanagara style.

In Hampi, the Virupaksha temple has paintings on the ceiling of its mandapa narrating events from dynastic history and episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Lines become still but fluid, compositions appear in rectilinear compartments.

Kerala murals

Kerala painters (during the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century) evolved a pictorial language and technique of their own while discriminately adopting certain stylistic elements from Nayaka and Vijayanagara schools.

More than sixty sites have been found with mural paintings which include three palaces — Dutch palace in Kochi, Krishnapuram palace in Kayamkulam and Padmanabhapuram palace.

Read More : https://believersias.com/indian-paintings-part-1/

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Newspapers in British India Part 2

Part 2

1850 to 1874Rast Goftar

Rast Goftar was an Anglo-Gujarati paper operating in Bombay that was started in 1854 by Dadabhai Naoroji and Kharshedji Cama and championed social reform among Parsis in Western India.

Dadabhai Naoroji started the paper with the purpose of voicing the grievances of the poor and middle class of his people.

By the 1870s Rast Goftar was one of the four daily newspapers operating in Bombay.

Somprakash

Somprakash a weekly newspaper started on 15 November 1858 by Dwarakanath Vidyabhusan.

The original plan was mooted by iswar chandra vidyasagar who continued to advise Dwarakanath in editorial matters.

Somprakash was the first Bangla newspaper to indulge in political discussions.

Neel Darpan

Indian mirror was published in Calcutta, West Bengal.

Started by Devendra Nath Tagore in 1862, the newspaper was published in English.

It was owned by Keshab Chandra Sen, and one of the editors of the newspaper was Manmohan Ghosh.

The Bengalee

The Bengalee was founded in 1862 by Girish Chandra Ghosh as an English language newspaper based in Kolkata.

Surendranath Banerjee served as its editor.

The newspaper developed into two editions, the morning edition was called The Bengalee, which was for metropolitan area, while the evening edition for rural areas was called Calcutta Evening News in 1931.

Amrita Bazar Patrika

Amrita Bazar Patrika was one of the oldest daily newspapers in India.

Originally published in Bengali script, it evolved into an English format published from Kolkata and other locations such as Cuttack, Ranchi and Allahabad.

It debuted on 20 February 1868. It was started by Sisir Ghosh and Moti Lal Ghosh

Tahzeeb-ul-Akhlaq

Tehzeeb-ul-Ikhlaq is a journal established by the Muslim reformer Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1871.

The journal published alternative Muslim perspectives, written in plain language.

It gave voice to the publisher’s religious, social, and reforming opinions, and is credited with establishing him as one of the fathers of Urdu fiction.

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