Note: Start making current affairs notes for 2024 attempt and Mains 2023😄

🚨June 03 2023 | Saturday🚨

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1. Indian democracy is a global good
- Keyword for use in GS2 Polity and IR

2. Checkout Mekedatu Project details here

Pre related
1. Lake Maggiore
- A lake on international border of Switzerland and Italy
- 2nd largest lake in Italy and largest of South Switzerland

2. Kosovo issue
- 6 countries broke away from erstwhile Yugoslavia in 1992
- These 6 are: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia
- Kosovo is S-W region of Serbia; shares border with North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro
- Declared Independence in 2008 from Serbia (not globally recognized as separate country yet)
- Serbians (Christians) are majority in Serbia while Albanians (Muslims) are in majority in Kosovo
- Countries recognizing Kosovo as separate country: US, Japan, Australia and most in EU
- India, China and Russia do not recognize Kosovo as a separate country

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. Show your carbon content
2. Oil reserves in salt caverns [Understand the science and reserves story]

TH
1. International trade has a carbon problem

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Location of Kosovo wrt Serbia and its neighbors

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Note: Sunday today, take a break! Go out, have fun.😄

🚨June 04 2023 | Sunday🚨

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Pre Related
1. Typhoon Mawar in Central Japan
2. Watch this video to understand Foucault pendulum in action

Quote
Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war - statement by Centre for AI Safety

Reading Recommendations

TH
1. Increased rainfall alone will not help groundwater recovery [GS3: Irrigation]
2. Are safeguards needed to make AI systems safe? [Imp]
3. Earth's rotation on display
4. Why is India rethinking its anaemia policy? [Make 1 page note out of it; read in sync with Sickle Cell Anaemia]

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Friends, in second post of #CSEWhyPlanB posts, I have compiled a list of 10+ paying Fellowships.

These are great opportunities to learn while you prepare for UPSC. I have also talked about the fellowships that I have cracked. I am also open to your queries in case you need help with applications.

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Note: Get Daily CA Compilation from my pinned message point no. 2😄

🚨June 05 2023 | Monday🚨

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1. World Environment Day June 5
- Theme: Beat Plastic Pollution
- Designated by UN General Assembly
- Stockholm Conference on human environment on this day on June 5
- One country hosts it every year
- 2023 Host: Côte d'Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands

2. In today's newspaper, most articles are technical or self explanatory. I have given note on how to tackle on brackets in front of the reading recos

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. Repairing a lifeline [take a look at reforms needed]
2. What law commission said on sedition law [good points on need to retain the law]
3. How AI helped find an antibiotic for a superbug [focus on how AI helped]
4. Can't refuse education loan over student's CIBIL score [Imp from Pre & Mains pov, note the court cases for Mains answers]
5. Behind falling pulses imports [check the trends in imports, focus on graphs given and note efforts leading to the game]

TH
1. Delhi ordinance is an unabashed power-grab [read to hear alternative pov]
2. Understanding the Kavach system [don't lose your sleep over it, just read the involved technology]
3. Why N-Korea want spy satellites? [just the gist]

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Friends, in third post of #CSEWhyPlanB, I have compiled Freenalcing options that can help you make money from Day 1.

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🚨June 06 2023 | Tuesday🚨

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Higgs boson
- A type of boson i.e. force carrying subatomic particle
- Nature of particle's interactions with Higgs boson determines its mass (direct relationship)
- Detrimental in figuring out details of the universe based on particle interaction
- Some known bosons: Protons, Gluon, W and Z Bosons

Solar geoengineering
- Modifying climate to be favourable over one part of the planet, by blocking sunlight
- Invariably, it has planet wide consequences

National Institutional Ranking Framework
- Approved 2015; u/ MoEducation
- First ever govt effort to rank Higher Educational Institutions in the country
- Since 2018, all govt run institutions have to participate mandatorily
- 5 major parameters and 11 categories

Banjul Formula
- A formula where it was 'concluded' that India would invite only 15 countries of Africa for summits.
- Read more on how Indian did away with it here

Quote
If it's wrong they do it, it's wrong when we do it - Noam Chomsky

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. Not so open learning [read for varying rules by UGC for diff universities]
2. It's time for Africa [UPSC loves Africa, do you?]
3. 2000 withdrawal: what's in store for banks, depositors? [read to learn how deposits impact yields]
4. What's adverse possession: what Law Commission has said about it [Imp wrt land disputes in India, take note]

TH
1. In the short term, stabilise the LAC [focus on 'consider the steps' para]
2. A word of advice to the Delhi Police [read to learn rules around FIR/investigation + narco tests]
3. Dealing with deepfakes [Imp]
4. How can woes of Delhi metro users be solved? [Note in GS1 Urbanization]
5. What's affecting trade momentum? [read for macroeconomic understanding wrt global trade]
6. Decade-long search for a rare Higgs boson decay continues [GS3: SnT]


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Friends, for UPSC Mains, two things are paramount: PYQs and Syllabus💪🏻

Be it for 2023 or 2024 Mains, it is important to have syllabus in front of you 24*7. (Both, GS & optional)

I'm sharing GS syllabus here for you to take a print.
I'd recommend you to paste it on a wall in front of your study table.

Make it an integral part of your prep so much so that you have it on your finger tips😄

Click here to download the syllabus

Note: Getting started with Mains for either 2023 or 2024 and need help? Write to whycse@gmail.com😄

🚨June 07 2023 | Wednesday🚨

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Nation State
A territorially bounded sovereign polity in which citizens live

Globally-accepted norm
A quest for 'universal' laws on critical issues like digital transformation and climate change

Digital Health
A 'healthy' environment online driven by policy (framework and ecosystem) where people take personal care as well (in what they consume and how they behave online)

Global Stocktake (GST)
An exercise mandated by 2015 Paris Agreement to:
- asses progress made in fight against the climate change
- decide ways and means to enhance the global effort to bridge the adequacy gap

Spatial Computing
- Human interaction with machine where machine retains and manipulates referents to real objects and spaces
- It characterizes tech used to interact with 3D data (with use case in AR/VR/IoT etc.)
- Used in Apple's Vision Pro

Pre related

1. Varunastra: A ship launched, anti-submarine torpedo testing by Indian Navy
2. Commission of Railway Safety: Only imp point to note: It is u/ Ministry of Civil Aviation (not Railways)
What are Balkan countries and how are they different from Baltic countries?
Read and learn here


Reading Recommendations

IE
1. An arena called Asia
2. What's CRS, the Rail safety body u/ aviation ministry
3. Apple's breakthrough new AR headset, why's it such a big deal [Imp]
4. Taking stock of climate action

TH
1. A global order as technology's much needed pole star [imp]
2. Seeing India's energy transition through its states [Read for State participation in green transition]
3. Why's there trouble in Kosovo again? [nearly 3 decade long issue, read for history and way forward]


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Friends, in the 5th post of #CSEWhyPlanB, I am sharing the Jobs in uniform for those up to 42 years of age (age relaxation as per reservation norms) to serve in the Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard, Territorial Army, State Police etc along with other uniform centric jobs.

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🚨June 08 2023 | Thursday🚨

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Sector-Coupling
Integration of mitigation and adaptation options in multiple sectors; an approach that 'couples' the sectors to work in sync for wide reaching solutions

Energy Poverty
Limited access to the energy due to high energy costs, low incomes, inadequate infra.

Digital Literacy
Basic literacy around technology in day to day use to help everyone access basic internet services

Emi Lo Kan
- A phrase in Yoruba language (Africa)
- Means "It's my turn" (Relate with Apna Time Aaega type)
- Used by newly elected Nigerian President in election campaign

Pre related
- June 8: World Ocean Day
- Cyclone Biparjoy (meaning calamity): named by Bangladesh
- Nigerian currency: Naira; Nigeria is Africa's most populous country & largest economy
- Term B Loan: Debt instrument through which start-ups raise money that allows for a flexible repayment of their dues to creditors, Principal is not required to be paid upfront

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. What's KFON, Kerala's internet services scheme [make a note]
2. Big plans, some key gains [make 1-page note]
3. Why area under cotton cultivation is likely to shrink this kharif season [Develop understanding and note 3 reasons]
4. Ground level ozone in Delhi: What concerns CSE Report Flagged [take a note for Pre]
5. Canada wildfire: how bad it is , which regions are hit, and why [read for geography and causes]

TH
1. Sedition - illogical equation of govt with state [Imp]
2. Nigeria's new President faces old problems [Note the contrasts of Nigeria, 5 point solution and India's stakes]
3. Tackling human-dog conflict [Imp for GS1 Urbanization, note ABC solution]
4. How can we transition to low-carbon city [Imp. solutions for GS1 Urbanization and GS3 Environment]
5. How KFON aims to bridge digital divide in KL [Article on same topic in IE is better]


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Friends, I am hosting IAS Ambica Jain (AIR 69 UPSC 2023) today evening on Twitter Space at 9 pm.

After Prelims 2023, I am sure there are so many questions on your mind. If you have any such question you will want to ask her, please mail it to whycse@gmail.com

There's so much to learn from her, do join at 09:00 pm today on my Twitter.

Note: Looking for a job or work to do along with UPSC prep? Fill this form😄

🚨June 09 2023 | Friday🚨

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Virgin Birth
- A layman term for Facultative Parthenogenesis (FP)
- Reproduction without genetic contribution of males
- Recorded in a crocodile in Costa Rica zoo; seen in fish, birds, lizards, snakes in past
- FP believed to be seen in species on verge of extinction (remember evolution? 😉)

Geographic Keywords
a) Bridge: Two faraway regions interacting in the atmosphere
b) Tunnel: Two remote oceanic regions connecting within the ocean

Pre Related

1. Limits on daily UPI transactions
- ₹1 lac/20 transactions
- ₹2 lac for categories like Capital markets, collections, insurance, remittances etc.
- ₹5 lac for UPI-based ASBA (Application supported by blocked amount) IPO and retail direct schemes
(Imp to note here that there're categories and not one size fit all limits; will help in tackling prelims Qs)

2. Oceans
- Phytoplankton responsible for one of every five breaths a human take: Prochlorococcus
- Longest coastline in the world is that of Canada
- Victor Vescovo: man who reached deep ends of 5 oceans

Stats
- 1 in 4 Indians is diabetic/pre-diabetic
- 1 in 3 Indians is obese

Quote
1. Strong reasons make strong actions - William Shakespeare
2. At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice, he is the worst - Aristotle

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. Biparjoy (read to learn how cyclones are named)
2. What rate hike pause means for EMIs, market, investors [Read for macroeconomics]
3. US-China thaw [With special focus on 'The view from India']
4. What 'onset' of monsoon means, and why a delay is not always bad news [Read to understand conditions and env factors contributing to onset declaration]

TH
1. Bridging the growing trust deficit in Manipur [GS3 Security]
2. What was requirement for limits on UPI transaction
3. Cyclone's effect on monsoon onset [Read it twice if the need be but develop the conceptual understanding]


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Friends, as you start Mains Preparation, it's important to know focus areas of UPSC.

How to do it?
Map every single PYQ to syllabus. It'll tell you from where are most questions asked!

Good News
I have already done it for Qs since 2019 (2022 updated soon)

Click here to access this valuable Google sheet

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🚨June 10 2023 | Saturday🚨

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Keywords for Mains Answers

1. UBI brings Perverse Incentives (said CEA)
- Incentive giving unintended & undesirable result
- Cobra effect (reward to make issues worse) is an example
(read IE report on front page 5 about this, good stuff; use in GS3)

2. India's G20 Presidency: Inclusive, ambitious, and action-oriented
(GS2: IR)

3. Aatma Deepo Bhav
- Buddha's words
- Self realization is 'way forward'
- conclude essays and some GS1 Culture answers using this

Quotes
1. God is not on the side of the biggest armies but the best shots Voltaire
2. Only the strong can be kind, benevolent or generous
3. Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity

Reading Recommendations

IE
1. Becoming our own light (note soft power virtues; GS2: IR)
2. Exercise in Inclusion (Note GS3 Inclusive Growth examples)
3. AI Good, bad and ugly [Imp: GS3]
4. Sexual intent in POCSO, definition of obscenity: What Kerala HC said [Imp]
5. MSP Hike and its impact [V. Imp article for Mains covering all dimensions]
6. Chadha house case [revise committees here, technical info is immaterial for UPSC]
7. El Nino; revise it in Amit Sengupta's video here

TH
1. A pragmatic approach for better India-Nepal ties


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🚨June 11 2023 | Sunday🚨

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Pre related

Arctic Ice
- Maintains cool and energy balance on earth
- Sea ice: light colored, reflects more sunlight back to space than liquid water
- Keeps air cool by being a barrier b/w cold air above and warmer water below
- [Read more in TH article for great article]

cry2Ai
- Gene in cotton seeds making it resistant to pink bollworm (a major pest)
- GEAC: read about GEAC here
- Info: Transgenic cotton is only GM crop approved and cultivated in fields in India

Polar jet streams
Currents of air formed when warm and cold air meet

Reading Recommendations

TH
1. Adapting to living at high altitudes
2. Water as a weapon
3. What's happening to Arctic Sea ice? [focus on first para]
4. Why are crypto exchanges in the line of fire? [focus on last 2 para]

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Working on an exclusive #UPSC Mains GS4 Ethics document with

- Key terms of syllabus: Definition
- Special focus on GS4 PYQ terms
- Real life example(s) to quote in exam

321 ❤️ reactions on this post and I'll release it by June 14 😄

List of Prelims 2023 selected candidates by name 😄