Best Civil services Coaching Institutes in Hyderabad, Best IAS Coaching Institutes in Hyderabad - Pragnya IAS Academy

PLANNING YOUR PREPARATION

Though the exam demands hard work from the aspirant, it should be “intelligent hard work”. Through the current times, hard work seems to be not just sufficient. It has to be supported by a good planning, a lot of selective reading and thorough feedback to yourselves about your preparation.

The most important aspect of the whole preparation is to plan it. Without planning, how much ever you read, how much hard work you invest, they might not be directed towards the goal and it all ends up getting wasted. Most of the hard working people don’t realize this and they fail in the attempt. Others can only see their hard work and feel things are unfair to them. It might not be so all the time!

Plan your preparation. You will always know the date of the examination well before hand. So you know how much time you have with you. You need to then know what your speed is. Unless you know how much time you take to go through a certain topic, it is not possible for you to know whether you can complete all things you want to complete before the exam. We know this speed can vary from subject to subject, but all we want to convey is for you to know your speed. Invest time to observe yourself and come up with some speed numbers for yourself.

Karnataka nuclear power plant second best in world for continuous operation - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Karnataka nuclear power plant second best in world for continuous operation

The Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka has achieved a historic feat.

The Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka has achieved a historic feat. The Unit 1 of the plant, run by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, has the best record of continuous operation among Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and second among all nuclear power stations across the globe. The announcement was made by state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals LImited which provided the hardware of steam turbine generator for the utility unit.
BHEL, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the unit had been functional since May 13, 2016, and crossed the record of 894 days held by Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) in Canada. The unit 1 is an indigenous PHWR and is also fuelled by domestic fuel. Earlier in June, the same unit had set a new record of operating for 766 days continuously, beating Unit 5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (2014). Another 28 units have surpassed the mark of running continuously for one year.
The Kaiga plant had started commercial operations in November 2000, after being commissioned in 1989 and currently supplies power not only to the state but also to neighbouring states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. In all, the plant set up 56 km away from Karwar, currently has four functional units generating 220 MW of power. 33% of the power generated is reserved for Karnataka.
However, the expansion of the plant adding two more units has been opposed by a section of locals and environmentalists owing to environmental and immediate health concerns.
In a study, the Tata Memorial Centre found that in the years 2010 to 2013, the number of cancer patients shot up by 300% in the vicinity of the plant. A compilation of data of 30 plants showed that while there were only 70-80 cancer patients in Karwar prior to 2010, the numbers increased to 316 during 2010-2013. The study was commissioned after the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and the state government gave in to the demands of a public pressure group to conduct population-based cancer registries.(Source:defencenews.in)

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SC to hear plea on govt delays over appointment of judges in higher judiciary after 8 weeks.

Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties

Centre’s efforts have been on cleaning the river, while neglecting steps to ensure its natural flow: activists

The government has banned the construction of jetties, ports or “permanent hydraulic structures” in the Ganga, unless permitted by the National Ganga Rejuvenation Authority, according to a proposed ‘Ganga Act’

The legislation, formally called the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Conservation and Management) Bill, 2018, proposes to create a management structure that will supervise the health of the 2,500-kilometre long Ganga which, the draft Bill defines, as ‘India’s national river.’

In Winter session

The Bill is now being circulated for comments among several Ministries, and proposed to be tabled in Parliament during the Winter session, according to sources.

The Bill lays down a host of restrictions to ensure the “uninterrupted, ecological flow” of the river. Currently, a host of dams in the upper stretches of the river lead to the river’s flow being obstructed, say several activists and researchers, and persistent campaigns — notably led by the late G.D. Agrawal — led to the government finally recognising the need for proposed and existing hydropower projects to change their design plans to ensure minimum flows all through the year.

The legislation looms even as the government is developing a National Waterways Project-1 (River Ganga) from Haldia to Varanasi (1,390 km), with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank, at an estimated cost of ₹5,369 crore. Food and beverage giant PepsiCo has dispatched 16 containers from Haldia containing packaged food and assorted goods, and — in a ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi — they are expected to dock in Varanasi on November 12, according to a statement from the Union Shipping Ministry. This is the first container movement aboard an inland vessel in independent India, according to that Ministry.

The waterways project involves creating permanent and movable terminals that require dredging and frequent de-silting to ensure that minimum river depths — for the smooth movement of the vessels — are maintained. However, the proposed legislation specifies that “unauthorised” activities that cause “…obstruction or discontinuity of water in the River Ganga…due to engineered diversion of water or stoppage of water…could be liable to a prison term of 3 years or fines upto ₹50 crore, or both.”

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Activists say that while the government’s efforts have been largely on cleaning the Ganga — namely, by installing sewage plants in riverine cities such as Allahabad and Varanasi and Kanpur — but neglecting to take steps to ensure the river’s natural flow is maintained through the stretch. “The government’s draft does not keep the interest of the Ganga as prime focus. The intent seems to be to maintain a flow, whereas we have been insisting on achieving natural flow,” said Mallika Bhanot of the Uttarakhand-based NGO Ganga Ahwaan. The NGO was associated with G.D. Agrawal, and his call for a ban on hydropower projects on the Ganga. (Source: The Hindu)

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Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties

Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study

Indians are the most positive about their children taking up a career in teaching

Indians are the most positive about their children taking up a career in teaching, a new global study has revealed.
The UK-based Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 2018' was released on Thursday and is described as the most comprehensive study of how society views teachers across 35 countries around the world.
It revealed that over half (54 per cent) of Indian people polled said they encourage their children to become teachers more than in any other country surveyed, including China (50 per cent).
By comparison, under a quarter of British people (23 per cent) would encourage their child to become a teacher, while only 6 per cent would encourage their child to become a teacher in Russia, the lowest of any country surveyed.
Overall, India ranks eighth among the 35 countries surveyed in the 'Global Teacher Status Index 2018', in which China is the highest-ranked country and Brazil the lowest.
The index reveals, for the very first time, that there is a direct link between teacher status and pupil performance as measured by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores.
"When we conducted the 'Global Teacher Status Index' five years ago we were alarmed by the weight of evidence pointing to the low status of teachers around the world. It was this that inspired us to create the Global Teacher Prize, which shines a light on the extraordinary work that teachers do around the world," said Indian-origin entrepreneur and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation.
The survey is based on in-depth opinion polling and analysis by Professor Peter Dolton and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research of over 35,000 adults aged 16-64 and over 5,500 additional serving teachers across 35 countries. The 2018 index expands upon the first GTSI, which surveyed 21 countries back in 2013 and inspired the Varkey Foundation's annual USD 1-million Global Teacher Prize.
The survey also found that over three-quarters (77 per cent) of Indian respondents think that pupils respect their teachers the third-highest of any country surveyed after Uganda (79 per cent) and China (81 per cent).
By contrast, only 9 per cent of people in Brazil think pupils respect their teachers, lower than any other country polled.
Indians believe strongly in their country's education system rating it 7.11 out of 10 the fourth-highest of any country polled, with only Finland (8), Switzerland (7.2), and Singapore (7.1) higher. By contrast, Egyptians rated their country's education system lower than any other surveyed at 3.8.
When asked to rank 14 professions in order of respect (including headteachers, primary and secondary teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and librarians), Indian respondents ranked headteachers the fourth-highest of all the countries surveyed after Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.
Indians ranked secondary school teachers the seventh-highest of all the countries surveyed, with China ranking them the highest.
The latest index found that teacher status was rising globally and of the 35 countries polled, Asian nations of India, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Korea rank higher in terms of teacher status than every European country and every Western nation including the US, New Zealand and Canada.
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Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study

Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It) - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It)

The S-300 began development in the 1960s as a follow-up to a multitude of prior surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The primary missile it planned to replace is the S-75 (SA-2) missile system, which was famously used against the U-2 spy plane and deployed in Cuba and Vietnam. The missile underwent testing in the 1970s and entered service in 1978.

The S-400 is one of the most controversial missiles in the world currently. The United States has imposed economic sanctions on countries simply for buying the system, but many of the world’s powers are interested in it, with India signing deals in September 2018 and China in April 2018. But what exactly makes the S-400 such a hot ticket item in the world today? How did it evolve from the earlier S-300?
The S-300 began development in the 1960s as a follow-up to a multitude of prior surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The primary missile it planned to replace is the S-75 (SA-2) missile system, which was famously used against the U-2 spy plane and deployed in Cuba and Vietnam. The missile underwent testing in the 1970s and entered service in 1978.
The primary improvement of the S-300 compared to earlier systems would be the ability to be multichannel—to utilize multiple guidance beams to guide missiles to different targets simultaneously. The earlier S-25 system was also multichannel, but it was extremely heavy and only deployed in stationary mounts. The American SAM-D (which would become the MIM-104 Patriot) was the first American land-based SAM with multichannel technology; it entered service three years later in 1981.
The main customer for the new missile was the Soviet PVO or air defense forces. They adopted the first version of the S-300, the S-300PT. All “P” missiles were meant to be to be for the PVO. The S-300PT involved a towable TEL (Transporter, Erector, Launcher) and towable radar that relied on heavy trucks to reposition. The set also included a fire control system. This was good enough for relatively stationary PVO duties but was not an ideal solution.
The Soviet military looked at SAM usage in Vietnam and the Middle East and determined quicker repositioning was the key to maximizing the effectiveness of SAMs. The S-300PT took more than an hour to set up and become operational due to the towed nature of the launchers and radar. This was seen as an area that needed improvement. The original S-300PT utilized the 5V55 with a range of around 75 kilometers.
As a result, the S-300 came into the form that it is now known for: mounted on the heavy MAZ-7910 truck (though variants have been mounted on newer trucks as well in articulated platforms). The TEL, radar and fire control system were all mounted on these trucks. Additional support equipment, such as that to rectify differences between the radar and launcher height were mounted on lighter trucks. The complete system, now known as S-300PS, entered service in 1982. The slightly modified version for export is known as the S-300PMU. The PS utilized the longer 5V55R missile with a range of around 90 kilometers.
While the S-300P in both forms was under development, the S-300F for the Navy and S-300V for the Army were also in development. The S-300V was developed specifically to counter tactical ballistic missiles like the Lance and Pershing in addition to air threats.
One key feature of the S-300V system is that it has two TEL variants, a TEL with four shorter ranged (75 kilometers) 9M83 missiles and a TEL with two longer ranged (100 kilometers) 9M82 missiles. The TEL, radar, and command post sets for the S-300V are mounted on a tracked chassis (the same as the 2S7 artillery piece) for better off road mobility in contrast to the S-300PS. The S-300V was accepted into service in 1985.
Further development happened with both the V and P variants of the S-300. The S-300PM series of missiles was borne out of the desire to integrate the V’s functionality of intercepting ballistic missiles into the P series of missiles. Export versions of the S-300PM are called the S-300PMU, and one can track the more recent evolution of the S-300 in the listed capabilities of these missiles, leading up to the S-400.
Indeed, early versions of the S-400 were called S-300PMU-3, indicating a third modernization of the road-mobile version of the S-300 for air defense. When the system was first showcased at MAKS 2007, it was noted that most vehicles were externally similar to the S-300PMU-2 system.
However, advances in missile and radar technology make the ~2x advance “versus prior missile systems” likely possible in the S-400. The new radars used in the S-400 make it likely very capable versus almost all air targets.
Another key aspect of the S-400 is the ability to use four different types of missiles with different weights and capabilities, allowing the system by itself to form a large portion of a layered air defense. This makes the S-400 a more flexible system. It also can utilize missiles employed by earlier S-300 variants.
The new missiles for the S-400 predictably extend the range even further, out to 240 kilometers versus aerial targets, an incremental upgrade from the S-300PMU-1 which could go out to 150 kilometers, and the S-300PMU-2 which could go out to 200 kilometers. Newer missiles like the 40N6 can even boost the range out to 400 kilometers for the S-400.
What does this mean about the S-400? At its heart, it’s still a relatively road-mobile system designed for air-defense forces. While it represents a significant capability leap (especially compared to fielding first-gen S-300PT/PS systems) and is significantly more flexible than earlier variants of the S-300, the evolution of the S-300 into a more flexible, capable system was already going with the various sub-variants of the S-300PMU.
In contrast, the Russian Army has continued developing the S-300V into the S-300V4 and S-300VM (Antey 2500 for export), which incorporates more modern missile and radar technology to give it the increased (200 kilometers) range of the later S-300PMUs. It also adds a new TEL which has a small missile guidance radar built into the vehicle, possibly reducing the number of vehicles on the field
While the capabilities of the S-400 may appear to be a significant leap, they got there through the slow evolution of earlier S-300 missiles. Many of the advanced features, such as ballistic missile interception, interchangeable, modular missiles and multichannel engagement have been present in the system for a long time, and the S-400 just builds upon the existing strengths of the S-300 to make it an even more deadly threat.(Source:defencenews.in)

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Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It)

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UPSC Civil Services Exam 2019: 10 mistakes most aspirants make

Any aspirant irrespective of their academic background can realise the dream of clearing the Union Public Service Commission’s civil service examination (CSE) and join the most elite services of the country by preparing well.

But there are some mistakes that most UPSC CSE aspirants makes and thus fails to clear the hurdle.

Here are the Common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Not sticking to the syllabus

One of the biggest myths every CSE aspirant carries with him at some point in time is that the syllabus of CSE is unlimited and anything can be asked under the sky. To some extent this is true but taking your eyes completely off the syllabus can prove fatal in long run and can cost you your resources, time, money, and energy. Most of the aspirants start off without going through the syllabus prescribed by the UPSC and within no time find themselves in no man’s land.

The syllabus is the roadmap of preparation. It should be the Bible of any aspirant’s course of preparation for this highly coveted exam. Therefore, it needs to be followed and referred at every step of preparation.

2. Not referring to previous years’ question papers

If the syllabus is the roadmap, referring to previous years question papers is like indicators for the right turn at the right time during the journey of the CSE preparation, which most of the students realise at a very later phase of the time.

Every step of preparation (unit/section/chapter) should be followed by an instant reference to the questions asked in the recent years (both prelims and mains) pertaining to the respective article. This helps the aspirant to mould his/her preparation in accordance with the latest trends of the questions put up by the board.

3. Collecting books

Mukherjee Nagar and Old Rajinder Nagar are often termed as the ‘Mecca and Medina’ of UPSC preparation in India and the local markets of these UPSC hubs are flooded with various books of numerous authors and publications. However, only handpicked books are genuinely relevant for the effective preparation of the examination but due to incomplete knowledge of the UPSC CSE preparations most of the students end up piling books in their room turning it into a junkyard instead of an ideal place of learning.

An aspirant should consult seniors who have cleared the examination (preferable), experienced mentors and genuine/reliable sources and then go for buying of resources and study material so that instead of becoming a ‘waste’ it turns into a proper ‘invest’ment.

4. Underestimating NCERT

This is the most microscopic and grave mistake committed by almost a huge majority of the competing crowd. Ignoring NCERT and directly jumping on a heavyweight book can be the ‘beginning of the end’ of your UPSC CSE preparation.

For example, if an aspirant directly starts up with DD Basu for Indian Polity and Constitution of India, he is bound to end up in a soup. Instead, it has to be steadily initiated with basic reference from Class 8-12 NCERT social science textbooks, a subject which is popularly termed as ‘civics’.

5. Lack of writing practice

The preliminary stage of the examination is not considered as selection criteria for enlisting the final merit list for service selection and cadre allocation. The Mains stage is the ‘main’ part of the whole selection process which does not only require mere writing answers but the aspirant has to equip himself with a fluent flow of knowledge, facts and wisdom in a very precise and skilful manner. Lack of writing skill, which aspirants find it to be the most difficult part to overcome, if not rectified within correct time, is a sure guarantee of failure.

To avoid this, writing practice on daily basis rigorously and religiously is a must. However, for real-time results, aspirants must stick to exam oriented writing instead of blogging which will definitely increase the typing skills instead of writing skills.

6. Illicit manner of choosing optional

Availability of books and study material in the market, ongoing marking and scoring trends of the subject, length and extent of the syllabus and last but not the least, overlapping with the general studies paper. These are the views and opinions which generally run around an aspirant’s mind while choosing an optional which at the end may cause utterly disastrous results.

‘Interest’ and ‘inclination’ towards the subject should be the core entities of thought process while choosing the optional. Have a look at the syllabus, go through the previous year’s question papers and most importantly if you can invest hours after hours with the subject without looking at the ticking clock, your inner conscious itself will give you the answer of UPSC CSE preparation’s most important answer of ‘choosing an optional’.

7. Not understanding the crux of newspapers

Trying to go through multiple newspapers with an overview instead of creatively surfing anyone. Collecting and relying on magazines for current affairs (except The Yojana) as magazines can be a supplement to a newspaper but not a substitute for it. And not understanding ‘how to read’ and ‘what to read’ in a newspaper reaps low yields in the long run.

Every newspaper has 3 components if viewed from examination point of view.

Events: This gives you facts. For example, Booker Prize of the year

Issues: This provides you with views and reviews and helps to develop your individual understanding and opinion over various subjects conventional and contemporary. For example, Syrian war crisis and refugee rehabilitation (IR), Naxalism and insurgency in the northeast (internal security).

In addition to this, newspaper articles can be categorised under various segments of news viz. international, India and the world, national, states, business, science and technology, defence, space, sports, persons in the news, prizes and awards and many more which will also enable an aspirant to frame well structured Essays (Paper I). Therefore, effective utilisation of newspaper can provide soul to the whole body of an aspirant’s UPSC CSE preparation subject to careful and persistent efforts.

8. Not analysing SWAT

In the long run, students not only fail to maintain the tempo and enthusiasm but also often find themselves in the middle of unbalanced wrong directional preparation because they don’t undergo the analysis of their strength and weakness as the nature and the requirement of the examinations demands high dynamism and adaptability from the candidates as every subject has to be approached in their own unique ways (For example, history and geography).

Therefore, it becomes indispensable for an aspirant to consistently keep cross checking the progress and depressions, the grip over strong areas and loose fist over the weaker sections of the syllabus through regular mock tests and classroom test series from time to time.

9. Lack of proper time management

Any ambition without a time frame is nothing more than a fantasy. Since aspirants invest years for this prestigious examination, time management and completing the targets within the stipulated time frame is one of the most essential necessities for clearing this examination which most of the students fail to cope up with due course of time. Time management can act as a horse or a hurdle; it all depends on the rider (the aspirant).

To cleverly clear up with this parameter, every aspirant should have a very sound difference between a task or a target which is ‘URGENT’ and ‘IMPORTANT’. The day an aspirant realised the crystal clear difference between the two, it will eventually result in comfortable prioritising of short-term tasks and targets to gain long term fruits and benefits.

10: Avoiding consistent revision

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. But the essence of reliving information on the examination day is to making a habit of retaining the information first. In simple words, students read, read and read but very often don’t revise what they read which may result in poor information retention and to the point delivery of the facts and figures on the day of examination.

Revision is the key. There has to be a very well maintained cohesion between what you read and ‘revise’ what have you read till date. Video lectures, subject audios and group discussions (group study) can prove to be a boon for an aspirant of UPSC CSE.

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In the civil services exam, some optional subjects are more popular than others. How do you choose the one that suits you best?

Choosing the right optional subject in the civil services exam has been a major concern for aspirants for long, especially those who attempt it for the first time. Although the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) decision to scrap the second optional subject with effect from 2013 has reduced aspirants’ stress levels, choosing one optional subject is an important decision as it comprises two papers of 250 marks each. Choosing the right optional subject can step up your chances of getting selected. Therefore, aspirants should carefully consider several factors before picking one. .

Here are some factors that are usually looked at:

• If a subject has scope for scoring, students tend to select it.
• If a candidate has good command over a subject, naturally it becomes the first preference.
• If a candidate has already mastered a subject in school or in graduation, it becomes easier to understand and it is natural to select it.

Geography, history, political science, public administration or psychology are the most popular choices for first-time aspirants. Statistics reveal that majority of students select geography and public administration as optional subjects. More than 80 per cent of aspirants opt for them as the subjects overlap with general studies, which students usually study while preparing for the preliminary and mains exam. In the past few years, candidates have been scoring above 350 marks in public administration and more than 400 marks in geography, which is pretty good and explains why students go for these subjects.

Why are these subjects popular? Some apparent reasons are:

Public administration is more about having knowledge of administrative traits and involves self-study and self-understanding rather than personal coaching.

Most of the students have a good hold on history, especially students from the arts stream.

Most of the students are interested in map-based questions that are asked in the geography paper, especially the students from engineering or medical background.

When we talk about which paper has more scope for scoring, there is no distinction between any of the optional subjects as it largely depends upon the personal interest of the candidate and their academic background. If a candidate is exceptionally good at a subject, he/she will obviously score more in it. So if geography is your forte, it’s not prudent to pick up history just because it is considered to be a scoring subject.

Most of the students are good at geography, history and sociology as they have studied these subjects at their schools and may have graduated in them. Many students opt for Hindi literature which is not surprising as a large number of candidates from Hindi-speaking States appear for the exam. But again, it completely depends on one’s interest, academic and geographical background and knowledge. Tamil literature is being opted by many candidates from Tamil Nadu, and so on. However, most of the candidates still prefer to opt for subjects such as history, geography, public administration, sociology or psychology rather than language papers.

Best Civil Services Coaching center in Hyderabad and Bangalore, Best IAS coaching center in Hyderabad and Bangalore- Pragnya IAS Academy

Preparation Strategies that must be Followed by an UPSC Aspirant:

• Proper Plan should be maintained.
• Read Newspapers daily.
• Follow the monthly current affairs magazines.
• Proper revision should be done.
• MCQs solving to clear prelims.
• Follow the magazines like Yojana
• Maintain proper Notes which should be useful for revision.
• Before attending the class for any subject, one should read the NCERT books to gain the basic knowledge of the subject. If you read NCERT’s and attend the class you will find the class very interesting. 
• After attending the classes once again go through the NCERTS and prepare the NOTES for each and every subject. Once you are familiar with the NCERTS you can go through the reference books.
• After completion of the reading go through the previous years question papers.
• Practice the answer writing to the previous year question papers and compare the answers written with the Model Answers.

India, Seychelles sign revised agreement for development of Assomption - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India, Seychelles sign revised agreement for development of Assomption

Foreign secretary of India S. Jaishankar and secretary of state of Seychelles Barry Faure signed the agreement for the island’s development of facilities on the island.

India and Seychelles on Saturday signed a revised agreement for the development of facilities on Assomption and held productive bilateral cooperation meetings. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Seychelles in 2015, both countries had inked an agreement to develop infrastructure on Assomption Island, which lies southwest of the mainland of Mahe.
Foreign secretary of India S. Jaishankar and secretary of state of Seychelles Barry Faure signed the agreement for the island’s development of facilities on the island. “Foreign Secretary of India Jaishankar and Secretary of State of Seychelles Faure signed the Agreement between India and Seychelles for the Development, Management, Operation and Maintenance of Facilities on Assomption Island today at the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Victoria, India in Seychelles,” the official twitter account of the High Commission of India in Seychelles, said.
“The process of ratification will ensue. 2018 will see a real acceleration in our cooperation programme,” it said in another tweet. Jaishankar also called on Seychelles President Danny Faure. “The Foreign Secretary of India, Jaishankar called on the Danny Faure at the office of the President in Victoria, Seychelles and discussed issues of bilateral relations and cooperation between India and Seychelles today,” the High Commission said in a tweet.
“Seychelles with its Exclusive Economic Zone spread over 1.3 million square kilometers is particularly vulnerable. Recognising this, India and Seychelles have drawn up a cooperation agenda that covers within its purview joint efforts in anti-piracy operations, and enhanced exclusive economic zone surveillance and monitoring to prevent intrusions by potential economic offenders indulging in illegal fishing, poaching, drug and human trafficking,” the foreign secretary said in a statement.
“The cooperation is further exemplified by the operationalisation of the Coastal Surveillance Radar System in March 2016, and our commitment to augment Seychelles’ defence assets and capability,” it said. “This reinforces our commitment to not only further deepen India-Seychelles relations but also take our partnership to the next level,” it added.

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India, Seychelles sign revised agreement for development of Assomption

India confirms NSAs met in Bangkok - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India confirms NSAs met in Bangkok

The National Security Advisers (NSAs) of India and Pakistan met on December 26 in Bangkok, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday.



MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said it was part of the mechanism to hold Pakistan accountable for the terrorism that emanates from its territory.

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India confirms NSAs met in Bangkok

16-digit virtual identification: UIDAI system to protect privacy - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

16-digit virtual identification: UIDAI system to protect privacy partially

A 16-digit virtual identification (VID) number for authentication instead of a 12-digit unique number



A day after the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) introduced a mechanism to protect the Aadhaar data of 1.2 billion residents in the country, experts and government officials were divided over the effectiveness of the new system.

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16-digit virtual identification: UIDAI system to protect privacy partially

Funds suspended, not cancelled; take decisive action on terror: US to Pak - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Funds suspended, not cancelled; take decisive action on terror: US to Pak

Trump admin demands Taliban, Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven on Pakistani soil

The US on Tuesday asked Pakistan to take decisive action against terror groups, including the Taliban and the Haqqani network, operating from its soil, and said it was ready to work with it to combat terrorism.
"Our expectations are straight forward: Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil," Pentagon Press Secretary Army Col Rob Manning told reporters during an off-camera news conference.

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Funds suspended, not cancelled; take decisive action on terror: US to Pak

Pakistan frees 145 Indian fishermen - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Pakistan frees 145 Indian fishermen

One hundred and forty-five Indian fishermen on Friday crossed the Wagah border into India after Pakistani authorities released them from jail.

The Indian fishermen were brought here on a train from Karachi this morning.Released Indian fishermen wait for buses after crossing the India-Pakistan border at Wagah, about 35 km from Amritsar.

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Pakistan frees 145 Indian fishermen.

Endo-atmospheric interceptor missile successfully tested - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Endo-atmospheric interceptor missile successfully tested

India on Thursday successfully test-fired an Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile, capable of destroying enemey ballistic missiles at low altitude, from a test range in Odisha.

The missile is being developed as part the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system and it was the third successful test this year.

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Endo-atmospheric interceptor missile successfully tested.