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Friday, February 16, 2018

Daily Current Affairs, 16th February 2018

18:19






1)  India’s Aadhaar And Umang App Win Award In Dubai
•India’s Umang App was named winner of the Best M-Government Service award in the Accessible Government category while Aadhar won the best emerging technology award at the recently concluded World Government Summit 2018 in Dubai, where India had the status of ‘Guest of Honour’ country.

•The Summit acknowledged technology pioneers for providing global solutions to global challenges. The mobile application Umang App provides users a unified platform that combines government departments and services, facilitating transactions for citizens. The award acknowledged Government of India’s efforts to provide convenient services to its citizens.

2)  India’s Biggest Global Pharma Conference Begins In Bengaluru
•India’s biggest Global Conference on Pharma Industry and Medical Devices began in Bengaluru With the theme, ‘Driving NextGen Pharmaceuticals. Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers Ananth Kumar inaugurated the three-day event.

•The event is being organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). 

3)  Cyril Ramaphosa Sworn In As New President Of South Africa
•Cyril Ramaphosa, head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been sworn in as South Africa's new President. He was elected as the new president of South Africa by the ruling party politicians after the resignation of Jacob Zuma. 

•The country's 400-member parliament, dominated by the ruling African National Congress Party (ANC), elected Ramaphosa  to finish his predecessor's term, which ends with elections in 2019. The ANC has finished first in every national vote since the end of white-minority rule in 1994.

4)  Haruhiko Kuroda Reappointed As Bank Of Japan Chief
•Japan's government has reappointed Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda for another term and chose an advocate of bolder monetary easing as one of his deputies, a sign the central bank will be in no rush to dial back its massive stimulus program.

•The government also submitted to parliament its nomination of Masazumi Wakatabe, a professor at Waseda University and an advocate of aggressive monetary easing, as deputy governor.

5)  Ethiopia's Prime Minister Resigns To Smooth Path For Political Reform
•Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn suddenly resigned in what he described as a bid to smooth reforms, following years of violent unrest that threatened the ruling party's hold on Africa's second most populous nation.

•The resignation has unprecedented in Ethiopia's history - followed a wave of strikes this week in towns near the capital and demonstrations successfully demanding the release of more opposition leaders.

6)  Yes Bank Lists Country’s First $600m MTN Bond On IndiaINX
•Private sector lender, Yes Bank has announced the listing of the Bank’s debut US $600 million bond issue under its maiden US $1 billion medium-term note (MTN) bond on country’s first international exchange BSE’s IndiaINX at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar.

•The Yes Bank’s MTN programme— a debt note that matures or has a payback period of 5 years on Global Securities Market (GSM) became the country’s first capital raising platform for international investors in any currency.



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GK One Liners asked in SSC CHSL 2016 Tier-1 PDF Download

14:48





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The HINDU Notes – 16th February 2018

14:27





📰 Protecting the girl child

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THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 16.02.2018

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Daily Current Affairs, 15th February 2018

19:35






1)  PM Modi Launched Three Key Projects In Arunachal Pradesh
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched several projects in Arunachal Pradesh. He inaugurated the Dorjee Khandu state convention centre at a function in Itanagar. The Centre has an auditorium, conference halls and an exhibition hall.

•Prime Minister's focus was also on the information revolution and now, the newly erected Secretariat building in the state capital is a big step in that direction.The building will have digital technology at its core and will have 2,500 officers and other employees. 

2)  India's First Radio Festival Being Held In Delhi
•India's first radio festival is being held in New Delhi to mark World Radio Day. The festival is being organized by International Association of Women in Radio and Television, in collaboration with UNESCO. 

•The festival includes live performances, an exhibition, and slotted panel discussions. Apart from touching on the theme for World Radio Day 2018 - radio and sports - the festival is also examining the potential of the medium as a platform for social change, ways to make it more creative and will trace the journey of music on the radio.

3)  Government Extends Anti-Narcotics Scheme For 3 More Years
•The government has extended the anti-narcotics scheme for 3 more years to combat illicit trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substance. 

•The purpose of the scheme is to assist states and Union Territories, which are contributing in controlling the inter-state and cross-border drug trafficking.

4)  BHEL Bags Rs 560 Crore Order From NTPC
•Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged an order worth Rs 560 crore from NTPC for setting up a system for emission control.

•BHEL has secured the order for "supply and installation of the flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) system from NTPC for 2x490 MW National Capital Power Station at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.

5)  India To Host 8th Theatre Olympics
•In an effort to put India firmly among the top nations in the world theatre map, the country will play host to the 8th Theatre Olympics, the greatest carnival of thespianism.

•The 51-day theatre extravaganza which will be inaugurated at Red Fort, will see 450 shows including 65 shows by international artistes, 600 ambient performances and 250 youth forum shows.

6)  Tamil Nadu Wins Senior Women's National Football Championship For First Time
•Tamil Nadu has won the Senior Women's National Football Championship for the first time. Tamil Nadu, which was playing its first-ever final, defeated Manipur, 2-1 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. 

•Skipper Indumathi and Indrani found the net for Tamil Nadu, while Ratanbala scored Manipur's only goal. 



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UPSC 2018 Study Notes: Art and Culture

13:14

Art and Culture is one of the varied topics that UPSC prescribes for the Preliminary Examination. It’s a topic where lot of uncertainty is involved. The number of questions asked differed every year from the previous year. So, one should have a holistic strategy to prepare this topic. Here’s a post on Art and Culture that will be helpful in your UPSC prelims preparation. This post is brought to your by Oliveboard, an online exam preparation platform for government, banking and MBA exams.

Syllabus covered under this topic

1.   Religion and philosophy
2.   Architecture and sculptures
3.   Indian Paintings
4.   Indian Music
5.   Indian Dances
6.   Indian Theatre
7.   Indian Cinema
8.   Indian language and literature
9.   Arts and crafts
10.      Indo Islamic culture

Strategy

Before starting preparation, one should keep in mind that the questions asked will not require in depth study but a surface level study. The entire syllabus should be completed as UPSC always pays attention to the unasked part of the syllabus.

To know the pattern and type of questions asked, first and foremost thing is to look at previous questions from all the prelims question papers. After getting an overview of questions asked previously you will have a preformed way of study and can concentrate on the points that are required for the examination.

Religion and Philosophy

The schools of philosophy must be divided into two parts classical (6) and heterodox schools (3).

The classical philosophies (where they believe cycle of karma and rebirth) should all be bunched together and find similarities and differences among them. If possible just make table format so that it can be revised quickly before exam.

Heterodox Philosophies are very important, and questions are asked every year either from Jainism Buddhism or Charvaka.Here too understand the differences and similarities. Many previous questions are also available in this topic.


Architecture
It’s a very important topic and it takes time to complete this part. One should study thistopic chronologically so that one can remember scientifically. Find how art evolved from prehistoric rock cut caves to Chola Pandya temples.

·         Hindu temple architecture and its styles
·         Divide the topics into NAGARA DRAVIDA and VESARA.
·         Memorize different parts of the temple architecture like MANDAPA, VIHARA etc.

Indus valley Civilization

The buildings and their scientific nature. The usage of materials and seals. The geography and its relevance. Also study their faiths.

Jain and Buddhist Architecture

Different universities and Temples are to be studied here. Also, different sects in Buddhism and their respective faiths and architectures belonging to them.


Indo Islamic Architecture

Different styles like imperial style, decani style etc and their influences on Indian Art and Architecture should be studied.

Every topic under this part can be found with exact points in NCERT FINE ARTS Book. It’s a bible for this topic. Make a chronological chart and write different types of architecture prevailed in those times.

Indian Paintings

This is a small topic and different genres of Indian paintings like cave, Mughal, miniature, Rajput are to be studied. Also, Mural paintings need to be stressed. Don’t go deep but find important elements and why such prominence is attributed to each painting.
CCRT Website is an importance source to this topic.

Indian Music

·         Types of Indian music like Hindustani and Carnatic. Different parts and their meaning like Bhajan in Hindustani and Tanam –Pallavi in Carnatic Music.
·         Different Instruments used and their uses.
·         Also, important personalities need to be studied.
·         For this again, CCRT website is a source. Also Facets if Indian culture is an important book.
·         Don’t go into details just find differences and remember the meaning.

Indian Dances

8 Classical dances and some folk dances.
Classical dances are to be read with comparing each other. Find their origins and evolution too. Different parts of dances and their meaning. The dresses used, makeup styles and any peculiar thing related to a dance forms. Famous personalities are also to be studied.
Folk dances like bhangra and any news related topics are to be studied.

Indian Theatre

Not many questions are asked lately but cannot be left keeping in view of UPSC unpredictable nature. See previous papers so that the level of study required can be known. Puppetry, Jatra, koodiyatam, Bhavai are some of the important topics and study with regional importance. Find what each theatre form is associated with and what stories they tell.
CCRT website is a source here too.

Indian Cinema

The origin and important personalities of Indian cinema. The evolution of sound and dialogues is very important in this topic. The Facets of Indian culture is a source on can refer too. Not many questions are asked in the recent times.


Indian Language and Literature

Find the news items if any author is rewarded for any of his work in classical languages. Also know all the classical language names.
Hindi literature and English literature and the ideas of novel and series borrowed from different modern literatures are to be studied.

Famous literatures and personalities like Tagore, Vikram Seth, Anita desai and their works need to be given special importance,Personalities from different languages are to be memorized.

CCRT website is a source
Arts and Crafts

Here the culture of India reflects in the crafts. The history and design should be studied.

Various types like kalamkari have been asked in UPSC and this part with regional importance should be studied.

Best source is the NCERT book Crafts.

Indo Islamic Culture

This involves mostly the previously read above topics but with special attention to Islamic culture. The architecture of tombs and styles, their evolution and the regional differences, Kings who patronized. The materials used, different forts in India, Minars, Masjids etc. need to be given importance. Islamic Music, Sufi and Sufi saints are also to be studied.

NCERT fine arts book again is an important resource.

Summary

Previous questions, textbooks, mock test, revision should summarize the strategy in short.

All the best!

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