Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Jan 12, 2010
ASTRA - Air-to-Air Future Missile Of India.
India test fired
ASTRA twice at its
Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa on Monday,11, January, 2009. It is beyond visual range (BVR) missile with solid fuel as propellent. ASTRA is designed and produced by
DRDO.
But the problem is, with 160 kg weight and 3.7-metre long Astra is very heavy compared to other foreign made BVR missiles and, its integration with Sukhois and other fighter planes poses problems. Moreover, tests on Monday were from underslung ground launchers, not from fighters flying at supersonic speeds.
Furthermore, it will need 20-40 tests for Astra-I, with a 45-km strike range, to be dubbed fully-operational. Then only 80-km range Astra-II will follow.
Consequently, India is forced to import from Russia, France and Israel huge quantities of expensive BVR missiles like AA-12 Adder, Matra Super 530D and Derby to arm its fighters like Sukhoi-30MKIs, Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s.
Meanwhile, IAF desperately needs indigenous BVR missiles since the days of close-range dogfights are fast receding. In modern-day air combat, fighters often use BVR missiles to destroy enemy aircraft at ranges over 40 km away, without coming anywhere close to each other.
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Jan 8, 2010
An official report
'India State of Forest Report 2009' released in New Delhi on Monday by the Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh shows that India's green cover during the period 1997-2007 had grown by 3.13 million hectares.It is based on the work done by the Forest Survey of India
According to the official report, India's net addition is 0.3 million hectares per year. Whereas for Brazil and Indonesia there has been a net loses 2.5 million hectares in the same time period.
Broadly, about 34 per cent of the country's forests fall in the tropical moist deciduous category, 30 per cent in the tropical dry deciduous, 11 per cent in Himalayan temperate, nine per cent in the tropical wet evergreen category, 6 per cent in subtropical pine and about 5 per cent in the tropical thorn category, says the report.
Moreover, for the first time, India's forests have been mapped into 16 forest type groups and forest and tree cover has been estimated with due consideration to altitudinal levels.
One of the Key finding of the report indicates that India seemed to be doing well in protecting its dense forests, but lagged behind where moderately forest areas are concerned. So, it is a matter of concern as our large forest area is under moderately forest area.
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Jan 5, 2010
China - ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The
Free Trade Agreement(FTA) between China and ASEAN comes into force on Friday.
In this agreement China cut tariffs on import from ASEAN from an average of 9.8% to about 0.1%. Original members of ASEAN - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines, Singapore and Thailand have also agreed to cut import duty from an average of 12.8% to just 0.6%. This agreement expands a limited 2005 agreement between these nations.
Impact on India
India had also signed Free Trade Agreement in Goods with ASEAN as part of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement(CECA), in August 2009 in Bangkok. Moreover, currently negotiations on Agreements on Trade in Services and Investment with ASEAN are going on.
So, there is little concern regarding trade with ASEAN countries but story is different when picture of trade with China comes. At present 58% of Indian export to China consists of Iron Ore with very little component of value added goods. India has been trying to widen the trade basket to inclue manufactured goods, fruits and vegetables. This effort might be severely hit because goods from ASEAN nations will now cost much less to Chinese Consumers.
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Jan 3, 2010
On January,2 ,2010 UPSC notified for 965 post for Civil Services 2010. It is the largest number of vacancies in last 10 years. Moreover, the last date for submission of farms is Feburary,1,2010.Also, the prelims exam will be held on May,23,2010.
For more information please visit UPSC 2010 Notification.
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Dec 25, 2009
If we read interviews of successfull Civil Services candidates we will find that their are some common characteristics that bound them together. They are :
1. Determination.
2. Hard Labour.
3. Disipline.
4. Planning.
5. Intelligent Work.
Apart from these qualities they may have some special qualities like social, witty, man with the few words, etc. But the most important are the common characteristics.
While talking with Mr. Vivek Gupta IRS , I found that a person must be determined to achieve the goal. He must have the eye of great Indian Mythological warrior "Arjun".
Civil Service Exam take One whole year and in this long duration candidate may loose focus, so the aim of the candidate is not to loose focus and determined to reach the ultimate aim of clearing the Civil Services Exam.
Once I was in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad and a discussion was with my dear friends Dr. Akash Jindal IPS, Siddharth Jain IPS, Dr. Vikram Rathi IPS and Jatin Narwal IPS. We discussed about the importance of Hard Labour and concluded that hard work is in the direction of achieving the goal and not to read everything. There are lot of things to read but smartness of the candidate is to read what is necessary for the examination and to discard what is not necessary. Our orientation must be towards the syllabus and smart reading.
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Dec 23, 2009
This competitive examination comprises two successive stages :
a). Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination; and
b). Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
2. The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 450 marks in
the subjects .
a). General Studies - 150 Marks
b). Optional Subject - 300 Marks
This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are
declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of
candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be
filled in the year in the various Services and Posts. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the
Preliminary Examination in a year will be eligibe for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for
admission to the Main Examination.
3. The Main Examination will consist of a written examination and an interview test. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of
conventional essay type in the subjects.
a). General Studies -1 - 300 Marks
b). General Studies -2 - 300 Marks
c). English - 300 Marks
d). Essay - 200 Marks
e). Indian Language - 300 Marks
f). Optional 1 - Paper 1 - 300 Marks
g). Optional 1 - Paper 2 - 300 Marks
h). Optional 2 - Paper 1 - 300 Marks
i). Optional 2 - Paper 2 - 300 Marks
4. Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test . However, the papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).
Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and posts.
Now list of optional subjects for Preliminary Examination.
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
Indian History
Law Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Candidate has to chose only one subject from the list.
From the list of optional subjects for Main Examination a candidate has two chose two subjects from the list.
The list is:
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science and International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature of one of the following languages :
Arabic, Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Dogri, Chinese, English, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam,
Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Pali, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.
Note (i) Candidates will not be allowed to offer the following combinations of subjects :–
(a) Political Science & International Relations and Public Administration;
(b) Commerce & Accountancy and Management;
(c) Anthropology and Sociology;
(d) Mathematics and Statistics;
(e) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.
(f) Management and Public Administration;
(g) Of the Engineering subjects, viz., Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering–not more than one subject.
(h) Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science and Medical Science.
For more information click here UPSC
Posted by IAS Vidyalaya
in Dec 16, 2009
Indian Civil Services
is the most coveted and sought after job.It serves as the backbone of India and carries great respect and responsibilities. Due to this challenge India's best brains vie for it as officers. Moreover, prestige and power that comes along with these top-notch jobs is a definite reason for anybody to join this profession. And the large number of professional from various fields (every year 3-4 lakhs fill the form of
UPSC Civil Service Exam) shows that it is still the dream job.
This is blog is started keeping in mind the large number of artcles present on the web and the meagre relevent information present on them. This blog will be updated thrice a week and the motto of the author is to provide short and crisp information for IAS as well as State Civil Services aspirant.
