Natural Hazards & Disaster Management - GS 1&3

With Disaster Management mentioned in the heading of the syllabus in GS 3, it assumes more importance than earlier. 
Also, in GS1 syllabus "Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc" is there. 

The following document on "Natural Hazards and Disaster management"  by CBSE covers these topics pretty well and would suffice for these topics. Hope you find it useful.

Natural Hazards by divyamittalias

Mechanical Engineering as optional

My friend, Raveesh Gupta , AIR-16, CSE 2011 had cracked the Mechanical engineering optional by scoring 435 marks in it..His views can be read on the link given below..I am re-producing just the list of books here too...

• Mechanics of Rigid Bodies – No particular book – questions are of the same nature as asked in the engineering entrance examinations, and are of much simpler level – may use any XI standard book on Mechanics (Arihant etc.)
• Mechanics of Deformable Bodies – B.C.Punmia (Mechanics of Materials) (many also recommend Sadhu Singh)
• Engineering Materials – Relevant chapters of the book on Manufacturing by E.Paul De Garmo (many recommend V.Raghavan)
• Theory of Machines – S.S.Rattan (Sharma and Aggarwal for Machine Design)
• Manufacturing Processes – E.Paul De Garmo (some inputs from Hazra Chowdhary as well)
• Manufacturing Management – E.Paul De Garmo, various “free view” snippets from Google books*
• Thermodynamics – P.K.Nag
• Gas Dynamics & Turbines – S.M.Yahya
• Heat Transfer – J.P.Holman
• I.C.Engines – Mathur & Sharma (Ganeshan, or Obert might be as useful)
• Steam Engineering – P.K.Nag
• RAC – C.P.Arora

Source: http://raveeshgupta.blogspot.in/2012/10/mechanical-engineering-as-optional.html

Maths for CSE

For Mathematics, the following links provide immense views on how to crack the exam.


Prakash Rajpurohit, AIR-2, CSE 2009, Marks: 427/600

http://prakashrajpurohit.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/mathematics-part-1/

http://prakashrajpurohit.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/mathematics-part-2/

http://prakashrajpurohit.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/mathematics-solutions/


Kashish Mittal, AIR-58, CSE 2010 

http://kashishmittal.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/strategy-for-mathematics/

Electrical Engineering for CSE

For electrical engineering, AIR-2 in CSE 2009 Prakash Rajpurohit's blog provides a booklist. He had scored 418 marks in electrical engineering in CSE 2009.

http://prakashrajpurohit.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/electrical-engg-strategy/

Prince Dhawan, AIR-3, CSE 2011

http://princedhawan.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/strategy-for-electrical-engineering/


Supreet Singh Gulati's blog

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2008/08/electrical-engineering-mains.html

Measures taken by RBI to address Exchange Rate Volatility

The market perception of likely tapering of US Quantitative Easing has triggered outflows of portfolio investment, particularly from the debt segment. Consequently, the Rupee has depreciated markedly in the last six weeks. Countries with large current account deficits, such as India, have been particularly affected despite their relatively promising economic fundamentals. The exchange rate pressure also evidences that the demand for foreign currency has increased vis-a-vis that of the Rupee in part because of the improving domestic liquidity situation.

Against this backdrop, and the need to restore stability to the foreign exchange market, the following measures are announced:

1. The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate is recalibrated with immediate effect to be 300 basis points above the policy repo rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF). Consequently, the MSF rate will now be 10.25 per cent.
2. Accordingly, the Bank Rate also stands adjusted to 10.25 per cent with immediate effect.
3. The overall allocation of funds under the LAF will be limited to 1.0 per cent of the Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) of the banking system, reckoned as Rs.75,000 crore for this purpose. 
4. The overall limit for access to LAF by each individual bank is set at 0.5 per cent of its own NDTL outstanding as on the last Friday of the second preceding fortnight.
5. Currently, banks are allowed to maintain their Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) prescribed by the RBI on an average daily basis during a reporting fortnight, with a minimum of 70 per cent of the required CRR on a daily basis. Effective from July 27, 2013, banks will be required to maintain a minimum daily CRR balance of 99 per cent of the requirement.

2014 CSE exam aspirants

For those appearing in Civil Services Exam 2014, focus just on mains preparation as the preliminary exam would be held pretty late next year, i.e 24 August 2014. The gap between mains and prelims is less than 4 months ( starts 14 Dec 2014) , so focus on making notes and completing your preparation for the optional as well as static parts of GS. The time after prelims should be spent only on current GS and revision.

UPSC time-table for all exams next year can be seen at:

http://upsc.gov.in/exams/calendar/2014/approved-ANNUAL%20PROGRAMME-%202014.pdf

Chemistry optional for CSE

For Chemistry optional, Abhijeet Agarwal's blog should be read as a bible. He is AIR-24 in CSE 2009 exam and had scored 391 marks in Chemistry. The blog not only delineates the chapters of each book to be studied but also has volumes of notes compiled and made by him. It is the most comprehensive blog you can find on Civil Services preparation for Chemistry as well as Physics.

Chemistry Paper- 1

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2010/08/tips-for-chemistry-paper-1.html

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2010/07/strategy-for-chemistry-paper-1.html

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2010/07/strategy-for-chemistry-paper-1_14.html


Chemistry Paper-2

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2010/06/my-strategy-for-chemistry-paper-2.html

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2010/06/chemistry-paper-2-continued.html

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2011/09/chemistry-paper-2-revealed.html

Chemistry Notes

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/2011/09/my-handwritten-notes-of-chemistry-paper.html

Physics optional for Civil Services

I did not have Physics optional myself, but this is an attempt to compile the information available across the internet from various toppers over the years to make it accessible to those who do not know about stalwarts like Supreet Singh Gulati Sir ( AIR-2,CSE 2007), whose notes have become legendary in the Physics community in Delhi. You can also buy the xerox copies of his notes (costs around 700 rupees) from "Jawahar Book Depot" in Ber Sarai, New Delhi.

Supreet Singh Gulati - AIR-2, CSE 2007 

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2008/08/physics-mains-part-i.html

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2008/08/physics-mains-part-ii.html

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2008/08/physics-mains-part-iii.html

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2008/08/physics-mains-part-iv.html

http://piedhornbill.blogspot.in/2009/07/physics-mains-part-v.html   ( Has solutions to CSE 2007 exam from the topper himself)

[Links to how a topper solves the paper and scores P1 :208/300 +P2: 170/300  :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/156386529/physics-cse-paper-solution-2-by-supreet-singh-gulati-ias-rank-2
http://www.scribd.com/doc/156379034/Physics-paper-solution-by-Supreet-Singh-Gulati
]

Kashish Mittal - AIR 58, CSE 2010

http://kashishmittal.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/strategy-for-physics/

Abhijeet Agarwal, AIR-24, CSE 2009

http://abhijeetagrawal.blogspot.in/search/label/Physics

P.S. If you know of any other blogs which would be useful to other aspirants, please let me know so that this post can be updated.

New GS syllabus - Part 1

 The book “India since Independence” by  Bipin Chandra et al is analysed below from the perspective of the new GS syllabus.

The GS- Paper 1 History part has included this new phrase in the syllabus: "Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country"

·         There are 4 chapters on Consolidation of India as a Nation i.e Chapters 7,8,9 & 10. These are a must-read as the term in the syllabus seems to have been picked from here itself..:)

·         Along with this, reorganization would also include formation of new states after 2000 i.e. Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Uttarakhand. You need to study the reasons for their formation and the impact on polity, economy and social development. Other questions might relate to need for smaller states for better administration and the demands for further reorganization as seen in the case of UP etc.

From the syllabus perspective, other important chapters in this book are:

·         Chapter 12: Foreign Policy

·         Chapter 35 & 36: As Communalism word is mentioned in the new syllabus

·         Chapters 29,30 & 31: Land reforms is in the syllabus of GS-3 ( Pages 566-570 provide the gist)

·         Indian Economy chapters 25 to 28 can also be studied

·         Chapter 38 is also important from GS-1 perspective

It is better if you study the while book but I have mentioned the bare minimum ones which are absolutely essential.

Indian Foreign Policy - From Midnight to the Millennium

This is a very precise document on India's foreign policy from 1947 to 2009. It is a lecture delivered by Shri Shiv Shankar Menon, current National Security Advisor and ex-Foreign Secretary of India.

Indias Foreign Policy by divyamittalias

Essay topics for practice

For those who want to practice writing some essays, these are few topics which you can try your hand on..

• “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing mankind”. (J.S.) Mill)Discuss.
• Need of moral standards in International Relations
• Ideological frontiers of India and its preservation
• “There is tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune”
• Is Democracy panacea for all political and economic evils?
• “Freedom of the Press”
• Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty
• Federalism and national integration
• “The concept of national sovereignty is out of date”
• Ideology — a strait-jacket or an instrument of meaningful change
• “The struggle to raise a nation’s living standards is fought first and foremost in the classroom”.
• "The purification of politics is an iridescent dream".
• "Personal liberty is the paramount essential to human dignity and human happiness".
• “Justice delayed is justice denied”.
•  

Rupee depreciation

What is causing rupee depreciation?

•          Currency depreciation both on account of global and domestic factors.

•          External Factors: Eurozone uncertainty, Concern  on US stopping fiscal stimulus

•            Domestic factors - current account

-          Demand pressures at home resulting in higher CAD

-          Oil - inelastic demand given absence of pass through

-          Higher imports of gold - as an investment?

•            Domestic factors - capital account

-          Slow down in capital flows since April 2012  (FDI, FII, ECB)

What has RBI done

•          Intervention consistent with our policy

•          Increase in FII limits in G-Sec and Corporate Debt increased by US$ 5 billion each to US$ 15 billion and US$ 20 billion, respectively

•          Increase in all-in-cost ceiling for ECBs

•          Deregulation of interest rates on NRE and NRO accounts in December 2011

•          Increase in ceiling rate on FCNR(B) deposits

•          Deregulation of ceiling rate on export credit

•          ECB raised for Rupee Outlay to be brought in immediately

•          Banned proprietary trading by banks in FX options and futures ( to curb speculation)

•          Asked oil companies to deal with only 1 bank for $ buying needs ( to curb speculation)

Note making

The previous 2-3 posts are for new-comers to know how to make notes. Brief notes are helpful not only in revision but also provide flexibility in making the preparation exhaustive as 200 pages of brief notes can cover at least 400 topics.

Notes on topics like Science and Technology can be even more brief and should cover various aspects exhaustively.

The links to the posts i have referred above are:

http://divya-mittal.blogspot.in/2013/07/financial-inclusion.html

http://divya-mittal.blogspot.in/2013/07/rupee-depreciation.html

Financial Inclusion

FINANCIAL INCLUSION

Entire national financial system benefits by greater inclusion

1.       when promoted in the wider context of economic inclusion

2.       multiplier effect on the economy through enhanced savings & credit to the people at the bottom of the pyramid

3.       banks benefit by stable deposit base contributed by retail customers

4.       promotes financial stability and discourages informal sectors

5.       facilitates transfer of government benefits without leakages

   Greater participation in the formal financial system makes monetary policy more effective

1.       enhances the prospects of non-inflationary growth

2.       facilitates move towards less cash society

3.       What is financial inclusion? growth and equity; Inequalities exist in socio-economic conditions, literacy, income level, urbanization, infrastructure

4.       Financial inclusion is about ensuring 5A’s:Adequacy, Availability, Accessibility, Awareness, Affordability

5.       Adoption of multi-pronged strategy

a.       network of bank branches ,

b.      tapping SHGs, MFIs, etc.

c.       enhancing network through BCs/BFs & TSPs

d.      wide range of banking products.

6.       Policy approach

a.       Minimalist – a bouquet of basic banking products & services

b.      Expanded - ancillary financial products like insurance, pension, deeper customer engagement, consumer protection and enhanced financial literacy

7.       Need to focus on Policies, Partnership, Processes & Products relating to

a.       SHGs:- SHG Bank Linkage Programme;

b.      MFIs

c.       Business Correspondents

d.      Technology:- Experimentation with mobile based remittance services; use point-of-sale devices in conjunction with magnetic stripe cards

8.       SHG Bank Linkage Programme

a.       ‘Savings-first, credit later’ model; credit discipline ‘social collateral’ made SHGs bankable

b.      For banks dealing with groups of people meant

                                                               i.       reducing in transaction costs,

                                                             ii.      reducing the credit risks through ‘peer pressure’ and

                                                            iii.      making people save

c.       Challenges:-  inadequate outreach in many regions, delays in opening of SHG accounts and disbursement of loans, impounding of savings by banks as collateral

9.       SHG-2

a.       More focus on voluntary savings

b.      Cash credit system of lending over 3 to 5 years cycle to minimize the problem of inadequate finance and non-availability of repeat loans

c.       Enabling creation of Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) within SHGs to scale up economic activities by more entrepreneurial members

d.      Improving risk mitigation systems by bringing in third party audit

e.      Building second tier institutions

f.        Strengthening the monitoring mechanism

g.       Addressing training requirements

2013 vs 1991

1.  Is 2013 going to be a repeat of 1991?

 Basis for this question:

(i)                  1991 crisis triggered by BoP pressures, which in turn were a consequence of fiscal profligacy of the 1980s.

(ii)                Now we are having twin deficits once again

(iii)               Large fiscal and current account deficits are lead indicators of stress building up in the system.

 In 1991, an implosion was imminent. In 2013, an implosion is not imminent. Why?

(i)                  Structure of the economy has changed in fundamental ways. The share of services sector in the economy has increased from 41% in 1991 to 67% in 2012. Performance of the services sector of the economy is less variable than that of agriculture and industry.

(ii)                Today, Indian financial markets are more mature, diverse and deep. Have resilience to absorb shocks.

(iii)               Our regulatory systems and crisis response mechanisms are more robust and sophisticated.

(iv)              In 1991, rupee was overvalued by more than 20%. Today, exchange rate is largely market determined, and therefore able to absorb shocks.

(v)                Foreign exchange reserves are much larger; provide 8 months of import cover as against 2 months of import cover in 1991.

(vi)              External sector vulnerability indicators have deteriorated over the last year, but they are still at safe levels and much better when compared to 1991.