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Adda of Current Affairs, Noida (2026)

03/01/2023

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Why the Indian rupee fell 10% against the US dollar in 2022
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Direction: The article highlights the reasons behind the depreciation of the Indian Rupee and presents an outlook for 2023.

Context: The Indian rupee depreciated by around 10% against the US dollar in 2022.

Depreciation reduces the value of a country’s currency when compared with the currency of other countries (say $), measured by the exchange rate of the local currency (wrt $)

The performance of the Indian rupee in 2022:
----------------------------------------------

Worst-performing Asian currency in 2022:
----------------------------------------It witnessed a fall of around 10% against the US dollar, falling to a lifetime low of 83.2 the dollar.Compared to the rupee, the Chinese Yuan, Philippine Peso and Indonesian .Rupiah fell by around 9% and the South Korean Won and Malaysian Ringgit declined by nearly 7 and 6%, respectively.

Reason for this decline in India:
--------------------------------------The US Fed aggressively raised interest rates (by 425 basis points (bps) in 2022) in its fight against inflation, leading to a higher interest rate differential between the US and IndiaAs a result, investors pulled out money from the domestic market and started investing in the US market to take advantage of higher rates.For example, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulled out Rs 1.34 lakh crore from the Indian markets in 2022, putting pressure on the rupee.The Russian invasion of Ukraine accentuated the FPI withdrawals with the global economic slowdown making inflows tougher.

Steps taken to arrest this decline:
-------------------------------------The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) heavily intervened in the foreign exchange (forex) market to defend the rupee.As a result, the country’s forex reserves have fallen by $70 billion ($562.81 billion as of December 23, 2022) since the beginning of 2022.However, the central bank is now starting to again build up its reserves and that would act as a buffer in times of uncertainty.

The outlook on the rupee for 2023: India remains the fastest-growing economy and Indian Rupee will recover
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02/01/2023

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With a large start-up ecosystem, India is a big market for cloud services
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Direction: The article tries to explain cloud computing, its significance for India and the way ahead to promote the cloud computing ecosystem in India.
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Context: AWS or Amazon Web Services, one of India’s largest providers of cloud-based services, has provided start-up credits that allow aspirant startups to use a suite of services from computing, storage and hosting for free.

Background:

India has the world’s third-largest startup Over the last 5 years, the number of registered startups in India has grown from 452 in 2016 to 84,012.
While startups in India span a variety of industries from financial tech, gaming and health tech, several are based in the cloud – the servers and data storage accessible via the internet.
Data-storage companies are offering a slew of incentives to draw and retain these cloud-based start-ups on their platforms.

What is cloud computing? It is the on-demand delivery of IT resources (computing power, storage, and databases) over the Internet with pay-as-you-go (pay for a service before you use it) pricing, from a cloud provider like AWS.

Who is using cloud computing? Organisations of every type, size, and industry are using the cloud for a wide variety of use cases. For example, video game makers are using the cloud to deliver online games to millions of players around the world.

Types of cloud computing: The three main types of cloud computing include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).

Benefits of cloud computing:
----------------------------Agility: The cloud gives one easy access to a broad range of technologies so that one can innovate faster and build nearly anything that one can imagine.Elasticity: With cloud computing, one doesn’t have to over-provision resources upfront to handle peak levels of business activity in the future.Cost savingsDeploy globally in minutes

Cloud services and their importance in India:
-------------------------------------------------
Potential: The cloud computing market in India is predicted to develop at a rate of 28.1% between now and 2027.

Promoting e-governance:
--------------------------Cloud computing can further the motive of e-governance – service delivery, transparency, citizen awareness and grievance redressal, by providing a faster, easier and cost-effective platform that can be used by multiple government agencies.“GI Cloud” – ‘Meghraj’, by the Government of India to harness the benefits of cloud computing.The focus of this initiative is to accelerate the delivery of e-services in the country while optimising ICT spending of the Government.

Promoting startup ecosystem:
--------------------------------------An increasing number of small and medium-sized businesses in India are rapidly shifting towards cloud computing which is emerging as the major driving factor for the markeAs cloud services can simulate experiments on the cloud, run tests, and learn from failed attempts, it has helped “compress” the lifecycle of a startup, allowing them to become more innovative.For example, HealthifyMe, which developed an app called ‘Vaccinate Me,’ allowed feature phones to book close to 50 million vaccination appointments.Cloud services are increasingly connecting to start-ups located in tier 2 and 3 cities providing training to even those with minimal education in cloud computing skills.

Conclusion: The way ahead lies in taking due care of security, interoperability, licensing, reducing the digital divide, etc, to promote the cloud computing ecosystem in India.
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02/01/2023

-----------------------------------------------------------
With a large start-up ecosystem, India is a big market for cloud services
-----------------------------------------------------------
Direction: The article tries to explain cloud computing, its significance for India and the way ahead to promote the cloud computing ecosystem in India.
--------
Context: AWS or Amazon Web Services, one of India’s largest providers of cloud-based services, has provided start-up credits that allow aspirant startups to use a suite of services from computing, storage and hosting for free.

Background:

India has the world’s third-largest startup Over the last 5 years, the number of registered startups in India has grown from 452 in 2016 to 84,012.
While startups in India span a variety of industries from financial tech, gaming and health tech, several are based in the cloud – the servers and data storage accessible via the internet.
Data-storage companies are offering a slew of incentives to draw and retain these cloud-based start-ups on their platforms.

What is cloud computing? It is the on-demand delivery of IT resources (computing power, storage, and databases) over the Internet with pay-as-you-go (pay for a service before you use it) pricing, from a cloud provider like AWS.

Who is using cloud computing? Organisations of every type, size, and industry are using the cloud for a wide variety of use cases. For example, video game makers are using the cloud to deliver online games to millions of players around the world.

Types of cloud computing: The three main types of cloud computing include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).

Benefits of cloud computing:
----------------------------Agility: The cloud gives one easy access to a broad range of technologies so that one can innovate faster and build nearly anything that one can imagine.Elasticity: With cloud computing, one doesn’t have to over-provision resources upfront to handle peak levels of business activity in the future.Cost savingsDeploy globally in minutes

Cloud services and their importance in India:
-------------------------------------------------
Potential: The cloud computing market in India is predicted to develop at a rate of 28.1% between now and 2027.

Promoting e-governance:
--------------------------Cloud computing can further the motive of e-governance – service delivery, transparency, citizen awareness and grievance redressal, by providing a faster, easier and cost-effective platform that can be used by multiple government agencies.“GI Cloud” – ‘Meghraj’, by the Government of India to harness the benefits of cloud computing.The focus of this initiative is to accelerate the delivery of e-services in the country while optimising ICT spending of the Government.

Promoting startup ecosystem:
--------------------------------------An increasing number of small and medium-sized businesses in India are rapidly shifting towards cloud computing which is emerging as the major driving factor for the markeAs cloud services can simulate experiments on the cloud, run tests, and learn from failed attempts, it has helped “compress” the lifecycle of a startup, allowing them to become more innovative.For example, HealthifyMe, which developed an app called ‘Vaccinate Me,’ allowed feature phones to book close to 50 million vaccination appointments.Cloud services are increasingly connecting to start-ups located in tier 2 and 3 cities providing training to even those with minimal education in cloud computing skills.

Conclusion: The way ahead lies in taking due care of security, interoperability, licensing, reducing the digital divide, etc, to promote the cloud computing ecosystem in India.
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02/01/2023

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NCW issues memo on prevention of sexual harassment
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Direction:
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The article covers the salient features of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Context:
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The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all states to ensure that coaching centres and educational institutes strictly enforce the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The Commission has also asked:
------------------------------To conduct awareness programmes on the Act among all stakeholders in order to ensure that cases of sexual harassment at work are reported responsibly and effectively.To ensure that these coaching centres are registered with the relevant authorities and a background check is conducted on those responsible for running the centres.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013:
---------------------------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Background:
------------The Vishakha Guidelines were issued by the Supreme Court (in Vishakha and others v. The State of Rajasthan 1997) with the primary goal of creating a framework for workplace sexual misconduct redress and grievance processes.The Act of 2013 was motivated by these guidelines.

About the Act of 2013:
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Objective: Its goal is to safeguard women’s rights at work and make the workplace a safer place for them. It also serves as a platform for both avoiding and addressing problems.

Provisions of the Act:
-------------------------------It is applicable to all sectors including organised and unorganised sectors.It defines a workplace as an extended space by covering any place visited by an employee during the course of his or her employment which would include transportation, etc.Internal Complaint Committee (ICC): Any corporation or organisation with more than 10 employees to establish an ICC to hear and address sexual harassment allegations.Local Complaint Committee in each district where there are less than 10 workers.Duties of employer: The employer must disclose the legal repercussions of engaging in sexual harassment-related activities, as well as the composition of the ICC.Penalties: If an employer fails to comply with the regulations, a penalty of Rs. 50000 may be imposed, and the licence may be revoked.

Procedure to be followed:
----------------------------------An aggrieved female has 3 months (according to the SC, this can be extended) to make a written complaint with the ICC.Before initiating an investigation, the committee can try to resolve the matter through mediation.While directing the investigation (to be completed in 90 days), the Committee has the same authority as a civil court and works as per the Natural justice principles.

Loopholes and issues in the law:
------------------------------------Not a gender-neutral law.Legislation is very vague in respect of the ICC constitution .(includes only personnel from the company itself).Necessary steps against malicious complaints would discourage women from coming forward.

Conclusion:
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A law as revolutionary as Sexual Harassment of Women in the Workplace will have huge social implications, if public awareness, sensitivity and robust implementation are ensured.

National Commission for Women (NCW):
----------------------------------------It is a statutory body of the Government of India that was founded on .January 31, 1992, by the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.

Its mandate is to:
--------------------Review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women;Recommend remedial legislative measures;Facilitate redressal of grievances andAdvise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

Functions:.........Investigate and examine all issues concerning the protection provided to women under the Constitution and other legislation.Report on the effectiveness of those safeguards to the Central Government.Make recommendations in such reports for the effective application of those protections.Propose corrective legislative actions to address any flaws in laws.Investigate complaints and take suo moto action in cases involving the denial of women’s rights.
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30/12/2022

A brief history of the INC
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Context: The Indian National Congress (INC), India’s largest opposition party, marked its 138th foundation day on December 28.

How the Congress was founded:
-------------------------------
The English bureaucrat Allan Octavian Hume or AO Hume is credited as the founder of the organization. On December 28, 1885, 72 social reformers, journalists and lawyers congregated for the first session of the INC at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay.

Its objective is often described as providing a “safety valve” as the time, through which Indians could air out their grievances and frustration

Struggle for Independence:
>>>>>-------------------------
As time passed, people within the Congress were influenced by the Swadeshi movement, and wished to follow the concept of ‘home rule’
Finally, by the end of the British Rule, the Congress saw the Quit India, the formation of the Indian National Army Defense Committee, and the unfortunate Partition of India and Pakistan

Important INC Sessions:
------------------>>>>>>>>>>>>First Session:Bombay in 1885. President: W.C. BannerjeeSecond Session: Calcutta in 1886. President: Dadabhai NaorojiThird Session: Madras in 1887. President: Syed Badruddin Tyabji, the first Muslim President.Fourth Session: Allahabad in 1888. President: George Yule, the first English President.1896: Calcutta. President: Rahimtullah Sayani – National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung for the first time by Rabindranath Tagore.1899:President: Romesh Chandra Dutt – Demand for permanent fixation of Land revenue1905:Benaras, President: Gopal Krishan Gokhale – Formal proclamation of Swadeshi movement against the government1906: Calcutta, President: Dadabhai Naoroji – Adopted four resolutions on: Swaraj (Self Government), Boycott Movement, Swadeshi & National Education1907: Surat, President: Rashbihari Ghosh – Split in Congress- Moderates & Extremist1911: Calcutta, President: B.N. Dhar – First recital of Jan-Gan-Man in Congress session1915: President: Sir S.P. Sinha – Constitution of the Congress was altered to admit the delegates from the extremist section1916: Lucknow. President: A.C. Majumdar – Unity between two factions-Moderates and Extremists of CongressLucknow Pact signed between Congress and Muslim League to build political consensus1917: President: Annie Besant, First Woman President of Congress1918 (Special session): Bombay. President: Syed Hasan Imam – The session was convened to deliberate the contentious Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms Scheme1919: Amritsar.President: Motilal Nehru – Congress extended support to Khilafat Movement1920 (Special Session):President: Lala Lajpat Rai – Mahatma Gandhi moved the Non -cooperation resolution1920: Nagpur. President: C. Vijayaraghavachariar – MA Jinnah left the Indian National Congress1922: Gaya. President: C.R. Das – CR Das and other leaders broke away from INC
Formation of Swaraj Party1924: Belgaum. President: M.K. Gandhi – Only Session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi1925: Kanpur. President: Sarojini Naidu, First Indian Woman President1927: Madras. President: Dr M.A. Ansari – Passed a resolution against the boycott of the Simon Commission
>Adoption of resolution on Purna Swaraj1928: Calcutta. President: Motilal Nehru – Formation of All India Youth Congress1929: Lahore. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru – Passed the resolution on ‘Poorna Swaraj.’
>Civil Disobedience movement for complete independence to be launched26 January is to be observed as ‘Independence Day’.1931: Karachi. President: Vallabhbhai Patel – Resolutions on Fundamental Rights and National Economic Programme
>Endorsement of the Gandhi-Irwin pactGandhi was nominated to represent INC in the Second Round Table Conference to be held in London1934: Bombay. President: Rajendra Prasad
1936: Lucknow. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru – Push towards socialist ideas by Jawahar Lal Nehru1937: Faizpur. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru – First Session to be held in a village1938: Haripura. President: Subhas Chandra Bose – National Planning Committee set up under Jawahar Lal Nehru.1939: Tripuri. President: Rajendra Prasad – Subhas Chandra Bose was re-elected but had to resignRajendra Prasad was appointed in his placeSubhash Chandra Bose formed Forward Bloc1940: Ramgarh. President: Abul Kalam Azad – Civil Disobedience movement to be launched at appropriate time and circumstances.1941–45: This Period is marked by events i.e., the Quit India movement, RIN Mutiny & INA trials.The phase of constitutional negotiations such as the Cripps Mission, Wavell Plan and Cabinet Mission.On account of these events during this phase, no congress session was held.1946: Meerut. President: J.B Kripalani – Last session before independence.
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29/12/2022

This was the year that said goodbye to hyper globalisation
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Direction: The article highlights the evolution of globalisation to hyper-globalisation and signs of the end of the era of hyper-globalisation.

Context: Two wars (Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an economic war – a geopolitical confrontation between two superpowers – the US and China) are raging in 2022, which have undermined the assumption of “hyper-globalisation”.

Background:
Though the term “globalisation” refers to the increasing integration of world trade and financial markets, the term “hyper-globalisation” refers to the dramatic increase in international trade.This occurred for about a decade and a half beginning in the early 1990s, resulting in unprecedented capital and human movement across borders.

Ups and downs in the globalisation era:
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The first golden age of globalisation (1870 – 1914): It saw the world trade in goods surging from 9% to 16% of global GDP, leading to the internationalisation of economic and social life.This led the British journalist Norman Angell (in his book ‘The Great Illusion’) to claim in 1910 that war in the modern era was an economic impossibility due to the sheer extent of financial and commercial interdependence between countries.This made conflict as futile for the conqueror as the conquered.The era of world wars and the decline in world trade:In 1914, World War-I broke out and War War II began in 1939.The share of merchandise trade in global GDP had collapsed to 5.5%, recovering gradually to reach the pre-World War-I levels only towards the late-1970s.The second golden age of globalisation – The era of “hyper globalisation”:Between 1990 and 2008, global trade in goods soared from 15.3% to 25.2% of the world GDP.Thomas L Friedman asserted in 1996 that no two countries with Mcdonald’s have ever fought a war against each other.Hyper-globalisation’s chief protagonist was China which emerged as the “world’s factory” and a “mega-trader.”China’s estimated share in world merchandise trade has risen from 1.8% in 1990 to 11.1% in 2012 compared to the US (11.3% to 8.4%).

Characteristics of a hyper-globalised world:
------------------------------------->>>>>>>>>In such societies, there was the absence of wars and economies largely followed the laws established by late-18th/early-19th century economists Adam Smith and David Ricardo.According to Smith (in his book ‘Wealth of Nations), if a foreign country can supply us with a commodity at a lower cost, then we should buy it.Ricardo gave the concept of “comparative advantage” – each country devoting its resources to produce goods most beneficial to each. For example, wine shall be made in France and Portugal, corn shall be grown in America and Poland, etc.The entire system of free trade was founded upon trust and comparative advantage trumping geopolitics. For example, Russia supplied close to 40% of the European Union’s total natural gas consumption in 2021.The end of the era of hyper-globalisation: It formally ended in 2022, which has seen not one, but two wars.

Impact of the end of the era of hyper-globalisation:
----------------------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The greatest collateral damage is to the global trading order. .From production based on comparative advantage and gains from trade, it’s each nation for itself now.For example, India is granting incentives amounting to 30-50% of project cost for semiconductor units manufacturing less-
sophisticated chips that can be used in mobile phones, home appliances and cars.Five years ago, it may not have considered this to be worth spending taxpayer money on.

Conclusion:
------------>>>>>> According to the French philosopher Montesquieu – “Commerce heals the most harmful biases,” and “peace is the inevitable result of trade.” However, rebuilding trust and restoring global trade from the ravages of militarism takes time.

28/12/2022

Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Promotion Task Force report
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Source:

Direction: The article discusses a relatively new sector in India, the AVGC sector, and recommendations to promote the sector given its enormous growth potential.

Context: The AVGC Promotion Task Force (Chaired by I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra) report has proposed a national AVGC-Extended Reality Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion and growth of the sector.

Background:
The Union Budget 2022-23 announced the formation of an AVGC Promotion Task Force to realise and develop – local capacity, and local and global demand, to widen the scope of the AVGC industry.Accordingly, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has established an AVGC Promotion Task Force.The Task Force’s Terms of Reference include:Developing a national AVGC policy.Recommend a national curricular framework for AVGC-related graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral courses.Collaborate on skilling initiatives with academic institutions, vocational training centres and industry.Increase employment opportunities.Increase exports and recommend incentives to attract FDI in the AVGC sector, etc.

About the AVGC sector in India:
-------------------------------------Current situation: The AVGC sector in India, which may have witnessed 28% growth in 2021, contributes about $2.5-3 billion of the estimated $260-275 billion worldwide AVGC market and employs about 1.85 lakh AVGC professionals.Nature (Expanding): India has moved into the global Top 5 in the gaming industry and can witness a growth of 14-16% in the next decade and by 2023, the number of online gamers is expected to reach 45 crores.
Potential:To become a $40 billion industry (5% of the global market) by 2025, with annual growth of 25-30% and the creation of about 1,60,000 new jobs.As a result, it has the potential to become the “Create in India” and “Brand India”. Challenges: Despite the fact that the AVGC sector in India is rapidly growing, there remains a vacuum due to a lack of formal gaming training courses and legal clarity.

Recommendations of the Task Force:
--------------------------------------------------------------------Draft national and State policies: For the promotion of the sector.Launch the ‘Create in India’ campaign: With an exclusive focus on content creation.An international AVGC platform: Aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Co-production treaties and innovation:
-------------------------------------------A Memorandum of Cooperation may be signed between India and other developed global AVGC markets – U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Germany, for providing internships to Indian AVGC professionals.Establishment of AVGC accelerators and innovation hubs in academic institutions.National and regional centres of excellence: For skill development.The skilling and industry outreach for youth in Tier 2 and 3 towns and villages.There should be special incentives for women entrepreneurs in the sector.Leveraging National Education Policy: To develop creative thinking at the school level. The Ministry of Education may advise NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) to create books focusing on subjects relevant to AVGC.A University Grants Commission (UGC)-recognised curriculum: For undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.Standardisation of admission tests: For AVGC-related courses.A framework to protect child rights in the digital world and promotion of local children’s channels for raising awareness.

Way ahead:
------------------Democratising AVGC technologies by promoting subscription-based pricing models for MSMEs, start-ups and institutions.Indigenous technology development through incentive schemes and Intellectual Property creation.Setting up a dedicated production fund for domestic content creation to promote the country’s culture and heritage globally.

Conclusion:
-----------
With an eye on the demand for 20 lakh skilled professionals in the AVGC sector in this decade, there is a need to augment skilling initiatives and enhance industry participation for training purposes and to ensure employment opportunities.

28/12/2022

What is a ‘bomb cyclone’?
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Source:

Direction: The article tries to explain the concept of air masses and fronts and how they impact the weather of a region.

Context: An intense blizzard/snowstorm/bomb cyclone is wreaking havoc across the United States and Canada.

Background:
The air flows from high to low pressure, creating winds. Storms form when a mass of low-pressure air meets a high-pressure mass.Forecasters have dubbed the blizzard a “bomb cyclone,” describing it as distinct from typical weather patterns.While this type of storm is not uncommon, it is extremely powerful (as a result of a blast of Arctic air plunging south), with high winds delivering heavy snow or rain to many regions.
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What defines a bomb cyclone?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bomb cyclones form when the air near Earth’s surface rises quickly in the atmosphere, triggering a sudden drop in barometric pressure — at least 24 millibars within 24 hours This quickly increases the pressure difference or gradient, between the two air masses, therefore making the winds stronger. This process of rapid intensification has an even more ferocious-sounding name: bombogenesis.

Concept
-------------
Types of air masses
--------------------------
Air masses and fronts
----------------------------
● Air masses are enormous bodies of air that have almost consistent physical properties such as temperature and moisture.
● Because of the varying densities of nearby air masses, they do not combine easily.

● As a result, distinctive weather phenomena known as fronts occur at the convergence zone or boundary zone of two air masses.

On the basis of temperatures
-------------------------------
● Cold air mass: When the air mass above is cooler than the surface it is relatively unstable since the land is warmer and the air rises after heating, leading to the formation of Cyclones.
● Warm air mass: It occurs when the air mass is warmer than the surface above it, contributing to atmospheric stability and anti-cyclonic condition

On the basis of moisture
---------------------------
● Continental air masses
● Oceanic air masses: These are moist, resulting in rainfall. The migration of oceanic air masses toward the Indian subcontinent causes monsoon rains in India.

How do they influence the weather?
-------------------------------------------
● Interaction between two different air masses frequently generates atmospheric instability, leading to cyclonic formations.
● According to the polar front hypothesis, the polar front is created at the meeting point of warm humid air masses from the tropics and dry cold air masses from the poles → low pressure is formed near the polar front resulting in the formation of an extratropical or temperate cyclone.

Adda of Current Affairs

03/01/2023

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