Category Archives: Inside India

February 27, 2013 · 11:40 am

UPSC Civil Services Examination New Pattern For Mains – Syllabus 2013

 Main Examination – NEW PATTERN

COMPLETE GUIDE TO PRELIMS  

The written examination will consist of the following papers:
Qualifying Papers:
Paper‐ A
(One of the Indian Language to be selected by the
candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth
Schedule to the Constitution). 300 Marks

Paper‐ B

English 300 Marks

Papersto be counted for merit

Paper-I

Essay  250 Marks 

Paper-II

General Studies–I 250Marks
(Indian Heritage and Culture,
History and Geography of the World
and Society)

Paper-III
General Studies –II 250 Marks
(Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice and
International relations)

Paper-IV
General Studies –III 250 Marks
(Technology, Economic Development,
Bio-diversity, Environment, Security
and Disaster Management)

Paper-V
General Studies –IV 250 Marks
(Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude FOR BOOK)

Paper-VI

Optional Subject -

Candidates can choose only one optional instead of two, and there will be two papers from a single optional (Paper VI and Paper VII); Also only students who have graduated with language as a major subject can chose that language  literature as their optional. i.e., people with BE, MBBS or B.Sc., BA (History) can not opt for English/Kannada/Tamil/Telugu or any other language as their optional for mains)

Optional Subject – Paper 1 250 Marks

Paper-VII
Optional Subject – Paper 2 250 Marks
Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks
Personality Test 275 Marks.

Grand Total 2025 Marks

To Download Official UPSC Notification Regarding Changes to Mains exam CLICK HERE

Must Read Books For New Pattern:

1) India 2013 

2) Economic Survey 2012-2013

3) India Since Independence

4) Ideology And Politics in Modern India

5) India‘s Struggle For Independence – Bipan Chandra

6) Pratiyogita Darpan General Studies: Indian Economy

7) Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations 3rd Edition

8) Geography of India

9) Ethics In Governance

10) India After Gandhi : The History of the World

For More Details:

Civil Services Examination Notification 2013

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February 3, 2013 · 9:26 am

Why the Govt's Ordnance is Fraud & Mockery of the Justice Verma Committe Recommendations: Bekhauf Azaadi Campaign

Reblogged from Kafila:

Guest post by BEKHAUF AZAADI CAMPAIGN

The UPA Govt, in a Cabinet meeting held on 1 February, has introduced an ordinance that it claims will address the most urgent concerns on sexual violence. In fact, the Government has been completely reluctant to acknowledge and implement the Justice Verma Committee recommendations: the PM refused to accept it from Justuce Verma, the Ministry of Home Affairs removed it from their website, the Govt never adopted any transparent process of discussion to decide the way forward on implementing the recommendations, rather they said Justice Verma ‘exceeded his brief’.

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January 22, 2013 · 2:58 pm

UNEMPLOYED YOUTH, 42, AGREES TO RUN COUNTRY, HIRES SHERLOCK HOLMES

Reblogged from INDIA UPDATE:

Click to visit the original post

In news that has been described as ‘a ray of hope for the unemployed’, Rahul Gandhi, 42, has agreed to take a job.

“They were ruining my shoes by crying all over them,” said Mr Gandhi. “I couldn’t take it anymore. Plus Kapil Sibal threatened to write me a poem. I had to save the nation from that.”

The Society For Prevention of Cruelty to Idiots has welcomed the move, as have the Global Comedy Council, the Masochist Majority, and Footkissers Anonymous.

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January 2, 2013 · 10:59 am

How Indian Men React When Rapes Occur – A Snippet

Following are the comments made by mostly ‘men’ with pseudonyms reacting to the story of rape perpetrated by two ‘boys’ on an XI class girl. It appeared in Hindustan Times website(02/01/2013). The story is at the bottom.

46 comments

Partha • an hour ago
and why did she agree to go to their flat………………for chanting HANUMAN CHALISA.togather
76 2 •Reply•Share ›

saifuddin Partha • 16 minutes ago
xactly u r write
0 •Reply•Share ›

Salman Partha • 22 minutes ago −
Hanuman Chalisa Great One
0 •Reply•Share ›

AA • an hour ago
After a horrible incident why these girls little bit careful while attending such type of parties.
35 •Reply•Share ›

Adhithan • an hour ago
“given a drink laced with sedatives” -In reality, most of the times these kinds of allegations are not true… so, please don’t compare this incident with the horrible bus incident.
43 2 •Reply•Share ›

sandeep Adhithan • an hour ago
It seems you have done habitual raspiest in this way and so know the fact.
5 1 •Reply•Share ›

Gurpreet Singh Chinda sandeep • 11 minutes ago
Wow ! You mean girls can go to stranger’s houses and get close to them but they should not expect any advances ! Wow ! What a brainless theory !
2 •Reply•Share ›

Jon • an hour ago
Y u people make frndship with unknown persons, Y u go out with them as they call u?.. r u..all that lost?? nutcase??? cant even think by urself??? y u trust them so fast?? where r ur parents??? In every man there is a beast inside him some have control over it, others dont..I’M SORRY most of the Indian men don’t have control over their inner beast..
Show 1 new reply 34 2 •Reply•Share ›

Anil Panda • an hour ago
Rapists must be hanged, but one question how a gal went to meet unknown facebook friend and to his apartment?? And in Delhi after seeing all the incidents happening … verify the incident closely and punish the culprits to level best. for these few people whole country is again again being ashamed.
18 1 •Reply•Share ›

srinu Anil Panda • 26 minutes ago
that is what man girls had to look for they growup physically but not mentally
0 •Reply•Share ›

ginni • an hour ago
in this incident i would say that it was the gurl whose at fault how can u add some one whom u don’t know and moreover even if uve added Mr.x then at least check his or her background…sorry but its the gurl purely at fault….
18 2 •Reply•Share ›

WHAT ginni • an hour ago
Purely??

Perhaps you mean PARTIALLY.

The two rapists should hopefully also take some blame. I pray you just mis-typed.
7 •Reply•Share ›

SJE • an hour ago
India keeps getting better and better.
7 •Reply•Share ›

75sputnik SJE • an hour ago
Man – I just don’t know what to say about our country. Are we Indian men animals???
8 1 •Reply•Share ›

SYE 75sputnik • an hour ago
No. Animals don’t even do such devious, evil, demonic things.
8 1 •Reply•Share ›

Prakash SYE • 26 minutes ago
is she a braveheart too?
0 •Reply•Share ›

sunday 75sputnik • 15 minutes ago
Go dancing with unknown persons and reap its benefits.
0 •Reply•Share ›

FUQU sunday • 14 minutes ago
dancing should not lead to r@pe
even in India.

or maybe you wish to ban dancing, like the Taliban did in Afghanistan.
2 •Reply•Share ›

Guest • 43 minutes ago
The comments are so very disgusting. People in general compare human criminals with ” ANIMALS”
Why !!
Have anyone ever seen an animal behaving like a human criminal !
NEVER !!
Animals are fully disciplined. Always behave as per natural laws.
Be careful with your words – and do not insult poor animals.
6 •Reply•Share ›

ankit kumar • an hour ago
It is very shameful who has done, such people is stringent punishment
6 •Reply•Share ›

Swinder Singh • an hour ago
New year gift by the rapists to the country’s law makers Start on counting. Should have been better if reported on 01.01.2013 as it happened on 31st Dec.
5 •Reply•Share ›

Harshith Swinder Singh • 40 minutes ago
Comparing ourselves to Animals will degrade their dignity! Even animals have rules and policies!
0 •Reply•Share ›

2DFPTYPYVG6N

Siddarth • 39 minutes ago
PRoud to be a Indian citizen :P :D , Mera Bharath Mahan
4 •Reply•Share ›

Sri • 38 minutes ago
why the hell she went to his flat… its mistake of her, not the one who invited for party…
4 1 •Reply•Share ›

gagan • 26 minutes ago
girls of dis daes must b carful nd shud b self concious…… aftr knwng dat delhi’s incident. dat girls shud beware of demslf……………
2 •Reply•Share ›

Ashish • 28 minutes ago
This is Bul**it. On the occasion of new year you are not supposed go to meet your unknown facebook friends in their flat for having drink. I am not extending any justification in favour of culprits and they must be punished but GIRLS please stop acting like “Alice in Wonerland” and before doing anything you must consider the inherent danger.
2 •Reply•Share ›

Lee • 26 minutes ago
India’s name should be changed to Rapistan.
4 1 •Reply•Share ›

ACTUALLY Lee • 26 minutes ago
It is in some publications.
1 1 •Reply•Share ›

incredible • 12 minutes ago
Incredible India
land of female infanticide,
land of Malnutrition,
land of Child Labour,
land of GangR.a.p.e
2 •Reply•Share ›

Kenko Cheznav • 23 minutes ago
We humans must be Better than this.
1 •Reply•Share ›

Ma • 32 minutes ago
in this incident, may be gal or rapists are both wrong….why gal went to boys’s flat nd drunk too much….nd unknow fb frds raped her…delhi is the capital of india….so thats why there is many rape case….our law is weak….how dare the people do these ashameful things
1 •Reply•Share ›

Dr K • 33 minutes ago
Is it possible the girl partied too hard and then made it up?
1 •Reply•Share ›

tamacha • 38 minutes ago
What cheap standard newspaper? Trying to en-cash on public emotions. Fist thing to do is to remove corrupt, sub-standard journalists from media. We need a media clean up, everything will follow
1 •Reply•Share ›

gurcharan • an hour ago
if girls version is true it is a dirty mentality of males in our Indian society . if somebody can tell how police could help preventing such rapes when girls goes to facebook friend’s flat willingly even without telling her parents .
1 •Reply•Share ›

Nidhi • 16 minutes ago
Shame on all you commenting and blaming the girl. You and the rapists have exactly the same mentality. Always looking down on women
0 •Reply•Share ›

man Nidhi • 14 minutes ago
This is India. All men are potential r.a.pists.
2 •Reply•Share ›

San • 18 minutes ago
Incredible India – heaven for criminals and organized mafia.
0 •Reply•Share ›

Faltunews • 21 minutes ago
I suggest this girl to take this type of drinks again and get …………………….. ed rubbish………
0 •Reply•Share ›

Sandip Rana • 22 minutes ago
A major point is that pople make accounts with fake infermations make friends esp with girla in their early teens befool them imotionaly and then take physisal advantage of them allways be very vigilent for social networking site friends as nobody knows what the reality is …
0 •Reply•Share ›

abhi • 25 minutes ago
It looks like the acts has been given the name of ra**.You seem right.But unfortunately there is no technology available to check the difference between ra** and consens*al act.
0 •Reply•Share ›

surendra pal • 25 minutes ago
Not finding fault with the girl I would like to appeal to all youth not to indulge in this dirty game. It is too dangerous. Let us not bring bad names to our ancestors and culture.
0 •Reply•Share ›

Omkar • 27 minutes ago
It was wrong happning
0 •Reply•Share ›

Arindam Saha • 27 minutes ago
What the Hell….!! Worst the animals..!!
0 •Reply•Share ›

SUSEELA • an hour ago
a word of caution before you step out with recent acquaintances .be judicious as predators are lurking in different guises .look out for tell-tale signs in your partners conversations , body languages and other traits that could give out his negative intentions. nonetheless the crime is condemned .a day is not too far wherein our women would be soon applying for firearms licenses .
0 •Reply•Share ›

vkotra SUSEELA • 35 minutes ago
ya right…and we will start seeing shootings in the schools and bus stands…that would be an even better sight….
1 •Reply•Share ›

The Story: (link)

Even before the ashes of the 23-year-old Delhi gangrape victim were immersed in the Ganga on Tuesday, another case of rape has been reported in the media
of a 17-year-old class X1 student by her Facebook friend on New Year’s Eve. According to reports, a class X1 student has alleged

that she was raped by two men on the night of December 31 in south Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave area. The girl said that one of the man had befriended her on social networking site Facebook.
Reportedly, the girl has complained that two men allegedly sedated and then raped her. The two men have been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

According to the complaint, the girl was taken by the accused to their flat where she was given a drink laced with sedatives. The two men allegedly raped her after she fell unconscious.

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November 24, 2012 · 4:02 pm

Mirror

The Horror

Before you,

Is Cunning, Unreal,

Pathetic, and

Narcissistic.

Oh, it is within you too,

It moves in you

And before you,In symphony.

In rhythm.

Believe it not, for

It is surreal, and

Ephemeral.

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September 9, 2012 · 1:11 pm

Dr. Verghese Kurien Passes Away

Tomorrow cartoons will shed tears to this great man. At least.

It is shame that despite two years of sustained campaign by various people, Government of India did not confer Bharat Ratna award to Dr Verghese Kurien. Instead it offered Rajya Sabha seat to Sachin Tendulkar and showed keenness in awarding him this award.

Dr Kurien passed away today. He deserved this award more than any other living Indian today. Sachin can wait for another 20-30 years. He deserves, but is too young and his fans know that there are more deserving people at the moment.

To sum up his achievements: (from this site)

“Dr V Kurien helped to establish the world’s largest dairy cooperative movement on the Amul-model which today has a collective membership of 14 million small and marginal dairy farmers and landless labourers across 23 States of India.

As the founder-Chairman of NDDB, during his tenure (1965-1998), he conceived and implemented the world’s largest dairy development programme ‘Operation Flood’ with the help from FAO/World Bank and others, and helped India surpass the United States of America as the top milk producing nation in the world.

Thanks to the Amul-model dairy cooperatives in India, millions of poor dairy farmers are earning their livelihoods, besides having been empowered socially, politically and most importantly economically.

He is the recipient of enormous number of awards and recognitions from around the world, including the World Food Prize, Merit d’ Agricole from the Govt of France, and Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India, besides so many other awards and honorary degrees.”

Dr Kurien doesn’t need anyone’s certificate for his contribution to India. But nation’s highest award, the purpose for which it was setup would have been fulfilled if government had chosen Dr Kurien when he was alive.

It will definitely confer him this award in coming years. But id definitely lost an opportunity to make the man happy and make vast ignorant Indian aware of his contribution before he died. He deserved our attention and love. New generation of Indians who everyday savour various milk products all across India hardly know the man behind this revolution.

It is again misplaced priorities and an earnest ear to populist choruses which are making government blind and deaf from recognizing and honoring deserving achievers.

I wish every milk cooperative in the country offers him a moment’s silence. I am sad that tomorrow every newspaper will carry a sad Amul ad - but wonder how Amul babies offer their condolences to the man who gave them life, image and butter.

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July 26, 2012 · 1:05 pm

Women and Child Development Ministry Invites Comments on the Draft National Policy for Children 2012 (download PDF)

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has drafted the National Policy for Children 2012 and is inviting comments from the general public

The first National Policy on Children was formulated in 1974. The policy described children as a supremely important asset and made the State responsible for providing them equal opportunities for growth and development of all children. The policy primarily focused on health and education of the children.

Download (pdf)

National CHILD policy 2012

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July 25, 2012 · 10:37 pm

Smt. Omita Paul Appointed Secretary to the President

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointments of Smt. Omita Paul, IIS (73) (Retired) as Secretary to the President on re-employment on contract basis, in the rank and pay of Secretary. Her tenure would be on co-terminus basis with the tenure of the President of India with effect from the date of joining as Secretary to the President or till she ceases to function as Secretary to the President or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

She is the wife of KK Paul, former Delhi Police commissioner who joined the UPSC in 2007 (he will retire in February 2013).

She began career as a lecturer at Chandigarh’s Government Home Science College in 1969. Joined the IIS in 1973 and served in PIB, DD & AIR.

First worked with Pranab Mukherjee when he was minister of commerce, steel and mines in 1980. Worked in senior roles in ministries of finance, commerce, external affairs & defence.

She is counted as powerful bureaucrat in the country despite not being an IAS officer.

Source: PIB and Economic Times

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July 18, 2012 · 8:58 am

Novartis Case – Its Battle Against Poor Patients

Novartis is a behemoth in pharma industry – its net profit was about $9 billion in 2011. This Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company ranks second in sales in the world. In spite of making hell lot of profit, since 2006 it is fighting a legal battle in Indian courts to stop Indian companies from producing affordable version of one of its drugs.

A final hearing is due on August 22, 2012 by the Supreme Court of India, which would decide the fate of millions of cancer patients worldwide.

BACKGROUND

In 2003, Cipla, Indian pharma company produced generic version of Glivec, (a brand name for imitinib mesylate) which is an anti- cancer drug used for treating chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) which is popularly known as blood cancer. This drug is the invention of Novartis and it costs Rs 1,20,000 per month which has to be taken life long. Whereas, Indian generics of the same product cost Rs 8000 per month – which is affordable for millions of patients.

In 2006, Novartis challenged this in Indian patent’s office. The case was rejected on the basis that generic companies were within their rights as guaranteed by Indian patents act 2005 to manufacture such generic versions.

Subsequently the case was rejected in Chennai High Court and then in Intellectual Property Appellate Board. Novartis moved Supreme Court and the case is scheduled to be heard in late August 2012.

Patent office rejected Novartis’ claim on the basis of section 3(d) of the Indian patents act 2005 – which prohibits ‘evergreening‘ of the drug by original manufacturers.

EVERGREENING AND SECTION 3(d)

Pharma companies resort to a the trick of reintroducing same drugs in new ‘forms’ to keep renewing their patents as there will be a time limit on a patented drug beyond which it can be manufactured by anyone. This method is called as ‘evergreening‘. It is like old wine in new bottle without much change in taste.

To avoid misuse of ‘evergreening’ by the companies, Indian Patents act introduced safeguards in the act in the interest of public health.

According to section 3(d) of Indian Petents Act, 2005:

“the mere discovery of a new form of a substance which does not result in the enhancement of the known efficacy of that substance or the mere discovery of any new property or new use for a known substance or of the mere use of a known process, machine or apparatus unless such known process results in a new product or employs at least one new reactant.

Explanation: For the purposes of this clause, salts, esters, ethers, polymorphs, metabolites, pure form, particle size, isomers, mixtures of isomers, complexes, combinations and other derivatives of known substance shall be considered to be the same substance, unless they differ significantly in properties with regard to efficacy“

Section 3(d) requires stringent evidence of proof of significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy if a company wants to continue holding patent rights for a product. So far Indian courts have not been convinced with the argument of Novartis and are aware of catastrophic consequences of their negative ruling for the patients worldwide.

India is the leader in the manufacturing of life saving generic drugs. Africa and South America import 90% of low cost drugs used for treating AIDS from India.

INDIAN PATENTS ACT,2005

This act is an amended version of original Indian Patents Act 1970, which was hailed as most progressive patents act anywhere in the world.

Until 1995 – when India became member of WTO and agreed to abide its rules – India gave patents to only processes of production, unlike for products which is being practiced by West and elsewhere.

This enabled Indian companies to manufacture popular medicines cheaply using new processes.

But after 1995, WTO rules bound India to change its patents act to allow product patent regime.

In accordance with TRIPS (trade related intellectual property rights) agreement of WTO, India amended patents act thrice in 1993, 2002 and 2005.

The 2005 act has safeguards in the form of section 3(d) and compulsory licensing clauses to protect interests of patients.

This amended act has enabled Indian companies to continue to be world leaders in producing affordable generic drugs which have saved millions of lives all around the world.

NOVARTIS MUST NOT WIN THE CASE

If Novartis wins the case, it will be a death knell for millions of patients, especially poor patients in developing and under developed countries which are relying on Indian generics for survival.

pharmaceutical companies like Bayer, GSK, Novartis and many other giant MNCs sell their drugs at exorbitant costs which poor can not afford.

The lives of so many cancer patients rests on the Supreme Court judgement, which we hope upholds the rights of ordinary people for good health.

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July 17, 2012 · 7:16 pm

National Inland Waterways Of India – Maps and Details

On July 16th Prime Minister’s Office announced that it has formed a committee to study how private investment can be attracted to improve infrastructure in the  inland waterways, which are emerging as cost effective transport routes along some of the important industrial corridors.

India is trying to improve their share in national transport.

“In several countries, IWT accounts for a substantial share as a percentage of the total: 32 per cent in Bangladesh, 20 in Germany, 14 in the U.S. and 9 in China. In China, much of the increase has occurred in recent decades, in tandem with its phenomenal industrial-agricultural growth. By contrast, in India only 0.15 per cent of domestic surface transport is accounted for by IWT, compared with 68 per cent for road and 30 per cent for rail.” – (The Hindu)

If you search web for maps of our inland waterways, hardly you will get any thing. Below are the maps of 5 declared national highways and brief information about them.

Inland Waterways of India - Map

Inland Waterways of India – Map

National Waterways

(i) National Waterway-1: Allahabad-Haldia stretch of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river (1620 Km) declared as NW in 1986 in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Inland Waterways of India

(ii) National Waterway-2: Sadiya-Dhubri stretch of the Brahmaputra river (891 Km) declared as NationalWaterway in 1988 in the state of Assam.

National Waterway of India -2

Brahmaputra River – From Sadiya to Dhubri (891km)

(iii) National Waterway-3: Kollam-Kottapuram stretch of West Coast Canal and Champakara and Udyogmandal canals (205 Km) declared as National Waterway in 1993 in the state of Kerala

National Waterway of India -3

West coast canal from Kollam to Kottapuram along with Champakara and Udyogmandal canals (205km)

(iv) National Waterway-4: Kakinada-Pudducherry stretch of canals and Kaluvelly tank, Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry stretch of river Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada stretch of river Krishna (1078 Km) declared as National Waterway in 2008 in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry.

National Waterway of India -4

Kakinada – Puducherry cana system integrated with rivers Krishna and Godavari (1095km)

(v) National Waterway-5: Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi Delta Rivers (588 Km) declared as National Waterway in 2008 in the states of West Bengal and Orissa.

National Waterway of India -5

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