VISION

From being a CBSE topper to studying at Shri Ram College of Commerce and Oxford University and working in the World Bank as a researcher, Sarthak Agrawal is now excited to join the civil services thanks to his 17th rank right in the first attempt of UPSC.

“Didn't do any formal preparation for the exam, just read random stuff;” said Sarthak on his success mantra. He shared that he didn't study for the exams as he was already interested in exam preparation tests.

He was fascinated by anything related to India in economics, politics, and relations with foreign countries that benefitted him to clear the UPSC exams. He didn't take any coaching classes.

UPSC topper 2020: It was in 2014 when Anil Basak, for the first time, surprised his family and relatives by entering the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. But this was just the first stage of his leap to success. Back in the day when he traveled from Bihar to Delhi, Basak had no idea that a few years down the line he would be amongst the top 50 to crack the elite civil service examination.

The boy from Bihar’s Kisanganj couldn’t clear the prelims of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 2018 in his first attempt. The results broke his heart. “I had put a lot of effort and energy between 2016 and 2018. And yet I couldn’t clear the prelims. Possibly because my strategy was wrong and I had become arrogant that if I can clear IIT-Delhi and I can get through any exam,” that's how he summarised the preparation and eventual result of his first attempt.

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 What is the issue?

The Union government notified the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021 allowing recycled plastic in food packaging.

What was the earlier case of recycled plastic?

• The 2016 rule mentions that carry bags or products made of recycled plastic shall not be used for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging ready to eat or drink foodstuff.
• In 2018,the FSSAI banned the use of recycled plastic or newspaper for packaging of food items from July 1, 2019.

What is the new amendment about?

• The new rules provide a moratorium of 10 years to big companies to keep polluting since more single-use plastic products will be added to the phase-out list only after a decade.
• It has also allowed the use of recycled plastics for packing food products.

What are the concerns of using recycled plastic?

• India recycles 60 per cent of its plastic waste and most of this is done by the informal workforce in the country.
• Industrial packaging happens to be the highest user of plastic.
• The unscientific methods used by the informal workforce to produce plastic pellets raise concerns, especially around the contamination and purity of the recycled plastic.
• Plastic is used in a variety of sectors ranging from medicines, electronic equipment to chemical fertilizers and using such plastics in food contact applications is a concern.
• No standards were prescribed for recycling of plastic making it difficult to understand the chemical conformity of the recycled plastic.
• A growing body of research proves there is migration of chemicals (additives) from plastics to the food.

What are the global practices regarding the use of recycled plastics?

• In the U.S., manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the recycled product is of suitable purity.
• The European Union has come up with a ‘plastic strategy’ in 2018 to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled in the EU.
• Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety revised its legislation allowing only chemically recycled resins in parts that do not come into direct contact with food.
• The Chinese agency is now conducting an industry survey and initiating a risk assessment method for recycled food contact materials.

What are the recommendations for India?

 Why in news?

The existing Mid-Day Meal scheme which provides hot meals to students will be renamed as the National Scheme for PM Poshan Shakti Nirman.

What are the key features of the scheme?

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