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The Big Picture: India and the Vaccination Drive

Why in News? India began the "World's Largest Vaccination Program" on January 16, 2021. The Prime Minister of India said that India is entering...

19 Jan 2021 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
5G Technology

Why in News Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sought inputs from telecom companies and other industry experts on the sale and...

18 Jan 2021 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Draft National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

This article is based on “Building a vibrant science ecosystem” which was published in The Indian Express on 12/01/2021. It talks about...

13 Jan 2021 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
COVISHIELD and COVAXIN Approved for Restricted Use

Why in News Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI) approved COVISHIELD and COVAXIN vaccines for restricted use against...

05 Jan 2021 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
EVs: Dream Or Nightmare

This article is based on “Powering up” which was published in The Indian Express on 30/12/2020. It talks about the impact of the pros...

31 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
TiHAN-IIT: Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems

Why in News The foundation stone of ‘TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad’, India’s first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial...

31 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Nanotechnology and Health

Why in News A team of scientists has created a nanomicelle that can be used for effective drug delivery to treat various cancers including breast,...

28 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Mucormycosis Fungal Infection

Why in News Recently, doctors have witnessed increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis. The reduced immunity of Covid-19 patients makes...

15 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Formulation of Policy for 3D Printing

Why in News The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will soon come up with a policy aimed at promoting 3D printing on an...

14 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
FinTech In India

This article is based on “Realising India’s fintech potential: Regulation and tech must evolve” which was published in The...

08 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Havana Syndrome

Why in News Recently, a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS), USA has found directed microwave radiation to be the plausible cause of...

08 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Dust Samples from Hayabusa 2

Why in News Recently, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has received a capsule from the unmanned Hayabusa 2, carrying the first extensive...

07 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Digital Rupee

This article is based on “Encrypting the rupee” which was published in The Hindu Business line on 01/12/2020. It talks about the...

05 Dec 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Mission COVID Suraksha

Why in News The Government of India has announced the stimulus package of Rs. 900 crore for the Mission COVID Suraksha, the Indian Covid-19 Vaccine...

30 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
OTT Platforms

Why in News? The government has brought video streaming over-the-top (OTT) platforms under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and...

30 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
The Big Picture : Draft Spacecom Policy and India's Space Sector

Why in News? The Union government has permitted for the reforms in the space sector by allowing private players' participation, the Indian Space...

25 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Electric Vehicle Development In India

This article is based on “UK’s EV push: India should take note and tie up with British partners” which was published in The Times...

20 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Technological Revolution, Covid-19 & Labour Market

This article is based on “The Future of Work in the Post-COVID-19 World” which was published in The Economic & Political Weekly on...

12 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Thirty Meter Telescope Project

Why in News The design of back-end instruments and other aspects of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project being installed at Maunakea in Hawaii...

11 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries
Pfizer's Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate

Why in News Recently, American pharma company Pfizer has claimed that its vaccine candidate BNT162b2 is more than 90% effective in preventing...

10 Nov 2020 Scientific Innovations & Discoveries

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		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: India and the Vaccination Drive',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LVQqL5w33XM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India began the<strong> "World's Largest Vaccination Program"</strong> on January 16, 2021.</li>
<li>The Prime Minister of India said that India is entering a decisive phase of vaccination in the fight against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-and-medical-solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a>, with the approval of two <strong>made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The PM has also said that two vaccines are more cost-effective than any other in the world and that India&rsquo;s vaccine production &amp; delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is India's <strong>first ever adult vaccination drive.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/no-clinical-trials-in-india-for-new-drugs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)</strong></a> has granted the<strong> emergency-use approval</strong> for two indigenous vaccines: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-iii-clinical-trials-of-covishield" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVISHIELD</strong></a> by <strong>Serum Institute of India</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covaxin-approved-for-human-clinical-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVAXIN</strong></a> by <strong>Bharat Biotech.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two vaccines are found to be safe and no major side effects are expected. However, little pain or redness in the skin can be observed.</li>
<li>The vaccines have gone through preclinical animal experiments on animals like rabbits, mice and hamsters followed by non-human primates.</li>
<li>Out of the two vaccines, <strong>Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine</strong> whereas <strong>Covishield is a live vaccine.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the <strong>first phase of vaccination,</strong> the first 3 crore people to be vaccinated include the healthcare workers and frontline workers.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cost of vaccination of these people will be borne by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inactivated-virus-vaccine-in-focus-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Live and Inactivated Vaccines</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Live Vaccines:</strong> They <strong>use a weakened (or attenuated) form of the germ</strong> that causes a disease.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because these vaccines are so similar to the natural infection that they help prevent, they create a strong and long-lasting immune response.</li>
<li><strong>Note:</strong> As they contain a small amount of the weakened live virus, people with weakened immune systems, long-term health problems, or people who&rsquo;ve had an organ transplant should not be given these vaccines without any prior consultation with the healthcare provider.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inactivated vaccine:</strong> Active pathogens are grown in large numbers and then killed either by a chemical or heat. Although the pathogen is killed, or made to lose its reproduction capacity, various parts of the pathogen are intact. E.g The antigen (the chemical structure) that is recognised by the immune system is left unimpaired.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the pathogen is dead, it cannot reproduce nor cause even a mild disease. Thus, it is safe to administer to even people with lesser immunity, like the old and those who have comorbidity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India and Vaccines</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At present <strong>80-90% of the world&rsquo;s</strong> whole <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/measles-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Measles</strong></a> vaccine is provided by India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India supplies all the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/measles-and-rubella-in-who-sear" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rubella</strong></a> vaccines to <strong>South America.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The indigenous developed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reverse-vaccinology" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>meningococcal vaccine</strong></a> of India is supplied to the entire <strong>Sub-Saharan Africa.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Meningococcal meningitis</strong> is caused by <strong>Neisseria meningitidis bacteria.</strong> It is a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The indigenous <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rotavirus-vaccination-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>rotavirus vaccine</strong></a> is going to 16 countries in the world.</li>
<li>Various novel vaccines have been introduced by India, such as the world&rsquo;s first<strong> subunit rabies vaccine. It</strong> has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Subunit vaccines</strong> are composed of <strong>protein or glycoprotein components of a pathogen</strong> that are capable of inducing a protective immune response and may be produced by conventional biochemical or recombinant DNA technologies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Strategy For Smooth and Effective Drive</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Preparatory measures:</strong> The key preparatory aspects that have been undertaken include the physical infrastructure, human resources and training of the vaccinators.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The digital aspect:</strong> The government has launched the<strong> Co-WIN application</strong> for the registration of the citizens and to generate digital certificates of vaccination.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Community participation:</strong> Besides preparatory aspects, the <strong>community participation</strong> has also been emphasised by the Prime Minister. He has urged all to come forward and help in eliminating <strong>vaccine hesitancy.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Beneficiary identification:</strong> Separate templates have been developed for the healthcare workers and the frontline workers.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People above the age of 50 who have comorbidities will be the next to be vaccinated.</li>
<li><strong>Aadhar</strong> will also be used for the beneficiary identification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Steps Need to be Taken</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Spreading awareness:</strong> Leaders, influential people and healthcare workers who will be vaccinated need to come forward and help spreading awareness about the vaccine.</li>
<li><strong>Effective collaboration:</strong> Effective and decentralised implementation with the collaboration of centre, state, communities and health care workers.</li>
<li><strong>Proper training:</strong> Ensuring proper training of vaccinators and adopting measures to maintain temperature of vaccines.</li>
<li><strong>Monitoring:</strong> Keeping watch of any side effects that may arise due to vaccines and adopting measures to be used in an emergency for such situations.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Co-WIN Application</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To <strong>monitor the inoculation drive and track the listed beneficiaries for vaccination</strong> on a real-time basis, the central government has developed<strong> Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network or Co-WIN application.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Co-WIN will facilitate <strong>real time information of vaccine stocks and storage temperature</strong> during the COVID-19 vaccination drive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The app will be used as a back-end software during COVID-19 vaccination drive, starting from Saturday.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The self-registration module of Co-WIN App has not been released yet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccine hesitancy:</strong> Either they are common people, or the frontline workers, vaccine hesitancy, if exists, it may obstruct the smooth implementation of the vaccination drive.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If the healthcare workers are hesitant about getting vaccinated, it will not create a good impact among common people as they are the role model for the people who will be vaccinated next.</li>
<li>There is uncertainty and suspicion about the side effects of the vaccine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues with the Co-WIN App:</strong> Issues such as loss of internet connectivity are expected to be faced in the app, which could cause problems while tracking the vaccine stocks, or in the updation of data of the beneficiaries.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of experience:</strong> The Covid-19 Vaccination drive is India&rsquo;s first ever large scale immunisation programme. There is a lack of experience due to which the chances of mistakes are likely to happen.</li>
<li><strong>Vaccine wastage:</strong> Each vaccine vial contains 10 doses and must be used within 4 hours of opening. This could lead to vaccine wastage.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Eliminating vaccine hesitancy:</strong> The covid-19 vaccines are for adults, the communication is required in order to resolve the confusions and to eliminate the vaccine hesitancy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Engagement with the community based organisations and spreading awareness by educating people about the vaccine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Janbhagidari:</strong> Community partnership or janbhagidari should be emphasised.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People should take the vaccine and spread the word about the efficacy and security of the vaccine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Preventing vaccine wastage:</strong> organised appointment for vaccinations, ensuring once opened, the vaccine is surely utilised and not wasted.</li>
<li><strong>Continuing the flow of vaccines:</strong> Taking lessons from other countries, India should continue the flow of vaccines.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US got stalled because they started to store the second dose of vaccines too. India should continue the flow of vaccines to the areas where it is required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vaccination + covid-appropriate behaviour:</strong> Neither Covid appropriate behaviour nor vaccination is enough alone. Both have to go hand in hand in order to completely eliminate the pandemic.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Covid-appropriate behaviour:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Wearing the mask properly.</li>
<li>Washing hands regularly as hygiene is very important.</li>
<li>Following the physical distancing of 6 feet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tracking the virus:</strong> The new variants of virus found till date are manageable but it is important to constantly look for emergence of any vaccine resistant virus.</li>
<li><strong>Looking after the immunogenicity:</strong> Looking up at the immunogenicity of the vaccine; how long does the effect of the vaccine lasts and how the cell-mediated immune responses are developing.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has now emerged as a global covid vaccine hub which is done not only by manufacturing or developing vaccines but also ensuring how it will be transported and how the entire vaccination drive has to be done.</li>
<li>For the world&rsquo;s largest vaccination against covid-19, a multi-prong approach is required including educating people, following the vaccination process, keeping a check on new strains of virus, maintaining the records of essential data of the beneficiaries and refining our strategy.</li>
<li>Vaccine hesitancy is the main obstruction in the smooth vaccination drive, in order to defeat the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy should be eliminated first as It is not the vaccine but vaccination that prevents an infection.</li>
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		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Department of Telecommunications (DoT)</strong> has sought inputs from telecom companies and other industry experts on the sale and use of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spectrum-auctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>radio frequency spectrum</strong> </a>over the next 10 years, including the 5G (Fifth Generation) bands.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Features of 5G Technology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Millimeter wave spectrum:</strong> The 5G networks will operate in the<strong> millimeter wave spectrum</strong> (30-300 GHz) which have the advantage of sending large amounts of data at very high speeds because the frequency is so high, it experiences little interference from surrounding signals.</li>
<li><strong>Upgraded LTE:</strong> 5G is the latest upgrade in the<strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5g-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term evolution</a></strong> (LTE) mobile broadband networks.</li>
<li><strong>Internet speed:</strong> In the high-band spectrum of 5G, internet speeds have been tested to be as high as <strong>20 Gbps</strong> (gigabits per second) as compared to the maximum internet data speed in 4G recorded at 1 Gbps.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>5G network speeds should have a<strong> peak data rate</strong> o<strong>f 20 Gb/s</strong> for the downlink and<strong> 10 Gb/s</strong> for the uplink.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bands in 5G:</strong> 5G mainly work in 3 bands, <strong>namely low, mid and high frequency</strong> spectrum &mdash; all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Low band spectrum:</strong> It has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange however the maximum speed is <strong>limited to 100 Mbps</strong> (Megabits per second).</li>
<li><strong>Mid-band spectrum:</strong> It offers higher speeds compared to the low band, but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.</li>
<li><strong>High-band spectrum:</strong> It has the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hurdles in Rolling Out 5G Technology: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Enabling critical infrastructures:</strong> 5G will require a<strong> fundamental change to the core architecture</strong> of the communication system. The major flaw of data transfer using 5G is that it can't carry data over longer distances. Hence, even 5G technology needs to be augmented to enable infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>Financial liability on consumers:</strong> For transition from 4G to 5G technology, one has to upgrade to the latest cellular technology, thereby creating financial liability on consumers.</li>
<li><strong>Capital Inadequacy:</strong> Lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with the suitable telecom companies (like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea) is delaying the 5G spectrum allocation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Utility of 5G Applications:</strong> Combined with<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-must-get-on-the-iot-highway-fast" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> IoT</strong></a>, cloud, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/big-data-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>big data</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AI</strong></a>, and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/edge-computing#:~:text=Edge%20computing%20is%20defined%20as,as%20endpoints%20like%20laptops%2C%20tablets." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>edge computing</strong></a>, 5G could be a critical enabler of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fourth industrial revolution</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For India:</strong> 5G networks could improve the accessibility of services such as<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/payment-revolution-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> mobile banking</a> and healthcare</strong>, and enable exponential growth in opportunities for unemployed or underemployed people to engage in fulfilling and productive work. For this Government has rolled out enabling policies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>5G Enabling Policy:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-national-digital-communications-policy-2018#:~:text=The%20new%20National%20Digital%20Communications,in%20the%20Telecom%20Sector." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s National Digital Communications Policy 2018</strong></a> highlights the importance of 5G when it states that the convergence of a cluster of revolutionary technologies including 5G, the cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics, along with a growing<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> start-up</strong></a> community, promise <strong>to accelerate and deepen its digital engagement,</strong> opening up a new horizon of opportunities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It aims to reach 100% teledensity, high-speed internet highways and delivery of citizen-centric services electronically.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Progress on 5G:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global telecom companies have already started building 5G networks and rolling it out to their customers in many countries: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>5G had been deployed in 50 cities in the United States.</li>
<li>South Korea has rolled out 5G to 85 cities.</li>
<li>Japan and China have too started 5G mobile service on a trial basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-5g-and-how-prepared-is-india-to-adapt-to-this-tech-7150641/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7448,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Draft National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/building-a-vibrant-science-ecosystem-7143793/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Building a vibrant science ecosystem&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 12/01/2021. It talks about the significance of the proposal in the draft National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020).</p>
</div>
<p>Covid-19 pandemic has shown the world that it has to take research in science and technology more seriously than before. In India, the pandemic presented an opportunity for R&amp;D institutions, academia, and industry to work with a shared purpose, synergy, collaboration and cooperation.</p>
<p>With the growing realisation, that science can address many of society&rsquo;s pressing problems, the Government of India has released a draft <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-national-science-technology-and-innovation-policy-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020).</strong></a></p>
<p>The STIP will be guided by the vision of positioning India among the top three scientific superpowers in the decade to come. Apart from it, the policy outlines strategies for strengthening India&rsquo;s STI ecosystem to achieve the larger goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.</p>
<h3>Novel Ideas of the Policy &amp; their Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Open Science Framework &amp; Inclusiveness:</strong> Open Science fosters more equitable participation in science through increased access to research output, greater transparency and accountability in research.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apart from this, it would ensure better resource utilisation through minimal restrictions and a constant exchange of knowledge between the producers and users of knowledge.</li>
<li>This framework will be largely community-driven and supported with necessary institutional mechanisms and operational modalities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>One Nation, One Subscription &amp; Democratization:</strong> The STIP envisions free access to all journals, Indian and foreign, for every Indian against a centrally-negotiated payment mechanism.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the present mechanisms, consumers of knowledge such as line departments, innovators, industry, the society at large, etc., do not have access to these research journals.</li>
<li>Hence, the policy seeks to democratise science by providing access to scholarly knowledge to not just researchers but also to every individual in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Science &amp; Gender Parity:</strong> India has valued women&rsquo;s participation in science and education from ancient times.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some of the earliest women scientists, including Leelavati, Gargi, and Khana, made significant contributions to mathematics, natural science, and astronomy.</li>
<li>Over the last six years, women&rsquo;s participation in S&amp;T has doubled in India; however, women&rsquo;s overall participation in R&amp;D continues to be only about 16%.</li>
<li>Therefore, the policy has envisaged gender parity by addressing career breaks for women by considering academic age rather than biological/physical age.</li>
<li>Apart from this, it proposes an inclusive culture that'll be facilitated through the equal opportunity candidates from rural-remote areas, marginalised communities, differently-abled, Divyangjans, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Traditional Knowledge &amp; Carving Own Niche:</strong> The policy envisages establishing an institutional architecture to integrate Traditional Knowledge Systems (TKS) and grassroots innovation into the overall education, research and innovation system.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This focus on indigenous know-how may help India shine globally, standing on its merit and unique technologies based on timeless ancient wisdom curated/enhanced by modern science and technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaboration &amp; Ease of Doing Research:</strong> The proposed Science Technology Innovation Observatory will have an important governance role in the collaboration networks.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The policy proposes creating a National STI Observatory that will act as a central repository for all kinds of data related to and generated from the STI ecosystem.</li>
<li>Further, an STI Development Bank will be set up to facilitate a corpus fund for investing in direct long term investments in select strategic areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Operationalise Clusters:</strong> When the draft policy takes the shape of the actual procedure, it must acknowledge the cluster-based approach and incorporate it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Clusters consist of multiple organisations including suppliers, producers, customers, labour markets, HEIs, financial intermediaries, professional and industry associations, regulatory institutions and government departments.</li>
<li>They nurture strong science and technology research capabilities in a specific domain and help translate these capabilities into applications.</li>
<li>An example of an electronics hardware cluster is in Silicon Valley.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Funding For Research:</strong> At 0.6% of GDP, India&rsquo;s gross domestic expenditure on R&amp;D (GERD) is relatively low compared to other major economies with a GERD-to-GDP ratio of 1.5% to 3%.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One way to increase R&amp;D spend in the country is to make it attractive for companies to invest.</li>
<li>In this regard, reformed bureaucracy, tax benefits and market access for the infant companies should also be considered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enabling Research in Disruptive technology:</strong> Technologies that are collectively called Industrial revolution 4.0 are undoubtedly the future of science and technology landscape.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India must take advantage of these disruptive and impactful technologies.</li>
<li>More research on these associated technologies may positively impact many industries such as defence, education, health etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Science Diplomacy:</strong> India should indulge in international S&amp;T engagement and STIP diplomacy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will help in achieving collective and inclusive global development through international engagement by maximising the scope of indigenisation and sustainability for national advancement and promotion of global commons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India&rsquo;s STI growth trajectory over recent years has been impressive. Our entry into the club of the top 50 countries in the global innovation Index with a rank of 48 (a massive improvement from 81st place in 2015) speaks volumes for our potential.</p>
<p>To continue this feat, the draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy contains progressive proposals that could be game-changers for the scientific research community and the way ordinary Indians interact with Science.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1610541362_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1610541362_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f7ff;">
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;India needs science that solves, a technology that transforms and innovation that impacts&rdquo;. In light of this statement, discuss the draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 2020.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sot1Ty_08PE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/bridging-the-gulf-on-gulf-reconciliation-summit/article33552856.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Bridging the Gulf: On Gulf reconciliation summit&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on January 12<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7360,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'COVISHIELD and COVAXIN Approved for Restricted Use',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/no-clinical-trials-in-india-for-new-drugs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Drugs Controller General of India&rsquo;s (DCGI)</strong></a> approved <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-iii-clinical-trials-of-covishield" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVISHIELD</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covaxin-approved-for-human-clinical-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVAXIN</strong></a> vaccines for <strong>restricted use</strong> against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>COVISHIELD, COVAXIN</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pfizer-s-covid-19-vaccine-candidate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BNT162b2</strong></a> applied to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-notification-for-medical-implants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)</strong></a>, seeking<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emergency-use-approval-covid-19-vaccines" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> emergency use approval.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Type of Approval:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both vaccines have received a<strong> restricted use approval</strong> in an <strong>emergency situation.</strong></li>
<li>This means the <strong>vaccines have been approved</strong> for use <strong>despite the companies not having completed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-iii-clinical-trials-of-covishield" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trials.</a></strong></li>
<li>This approval is, however, subject to regular submission of<strong> safety, efficacy and immunogenicity data</strong> from their ongoing trials.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>immunogenicity</strong> of a vaccine is its ability to prompt an immune response.</li>
<li>The efficacy, in this case, is a measure of its ability to bring down the number of symptomatic Covid-19 cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for the Emergency Approval:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Given the pandemic, the government wanted a <strong>vaccine ready to use at the earliest.</strong></li>
<li>Another growing concern is the <strong>mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus</strong> in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mutated-novel-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>countries like the UK</strong> </a>which are now starting to spread to other parts of the world, including India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>COVISHIELD:</strong> It is the name given to an <strong>Oxford-AstraZeneca</strong> Covid-19 vaccine candidate which is technically referred to as <strong>AZD1222 or ChAdOx 1 nCoV19.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Produced By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a version of the vaccine<strong> developed by the University of Oxford</strong> in collaboration with <strong>Swedish-British drugmaker AstraZeneca.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Serum Institute of India (SII)</strong> is the manufacturing partner in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constituents and Action:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>based on a weakened version of a common cold virus</strong> or the adenovirus that is found in chimpanzees.</li>
<li>This viral vector <strong>contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein</strong> (protrusions) present on the outer surface of the virus that help it bind with the human cell.</li>
<li>The <strong>body&rsquo;s immune system</strong> is supposed to <strong>recognise this protein</strong> as a threat, and work on <strong>building antibodies against it.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It had triggered an immune response in humans against the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/novel-strain-of-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> novel coronavirus</strong> </a>in early trials and is considered to be one of the global frontrunners for the Covid-19 vaccine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>COVAXIN:</strong> It is India&rsquo;s only indigenous <strong>Covid-19</strong> vaccine.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Produced By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Developed by<strong> Bharat Biotech,</strong> Hyderabad in collaboration with the<strong> Indian Council of Medical Research&rsquo;s National Institute of Virology,</strong> Pune</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constituents and Action:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is an<strong> inactivated vaccine</strong> which is <strong>developed by inactivating (killing) the live microorganisms</strong> that cause the disease.</li>
<li>This <strong>destroys the ability of the pathogen to replicate,</strong> but keeps it intact so that the immune system can still recognise it and produce an immune response.</li>
<li>It is expected to <strong>target more than just the spike protein.</strong></li>
<li>It also<strong> aims to develop an immune response to the nucleocapsid protein</strong> (the shell of the virus that encloses its genetic material).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>COVAXIN</strong> is more likely to work against newer variants of the virus, <strong>including the UK variant,</strong> as it contains <strong>immunogens (epitopes)</strong> from other genes in addition to those from Spike protein.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Immunogen</strong> is a stimulus that produces a humoral or cell-mediated immune response, whereas antigens are any substance that binds specifically to an antibody.</li>
<li>All immunogens are antigens, but all antigens may not be immunogens.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Approval of <strong>COVAXIN</strong> ensures India has an additional vaccine shield especially against potential <strong>mutant strains</strong> in a dynamic pandemic situation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609833450_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609833450_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="456" height="582" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/covid-vaccine-approval-dcgi-coronavirus-emergency-use-covaxin-7131577/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7349,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'EVs: Dream Or Nightmare',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/electric-vehicles-market-india-tesla-7125381/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Powering up&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 30/12/2020. It talks about the impact of the pros and cons of electric vehicle development in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s government has allowed the<a href="/pdf/1594054203-challenges-to-electric-vehicle-adoption-in-india.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Electric Vehicle</strong></a> (EV) significant Tesla to launch its India operations, which are expected to start early next year. This move could revolutionise India&rsquo;s automobile sector.</p>
<p>With Tesla entering into the Indian market, in due course of time, it will lead to more money flowing into research into EVs and India could emerge as the prominent manufacturer of electric vehicles like cars, bikes, and tractors.</p>
<p>The arguments favouring a shift towards electric vehicles are straightforward, arising mainly as a response to pollution and energy security challenges.</p>
<p>However, the shift in favour of EVs has its roadblocks, and therefore, the government&rsquo;s support will be needed to incentivise a change to electric vehicles.</p>
<h3>Advantages of EVs</h3>
<p>An analysis by TERI suggests that shifting towards EVs would reduce pollution, lower oil imports, and cut carbon emissions and road congestion.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Curbing Pollution:</strong> India has 21 of the world&rsquo;s 30 cities with the worst air pollution as per data from IQAir AirVisual&rsquo;s 2019 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-air-quality-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Air Quality Report.</strong></a> Much of the pollution load can be traced to vehicular emissions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, electric vehicles&rsquo; adoption will reduce overall emissions and meet the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-renewed-support-for-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris agreement targets.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Security:</strong> Such a shift would also help lower the country&rsquo;s dependence on oil imports. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the fuel cost has increased across households as the number of people with vehicles is rising.</li>
<li>As there is further up and down in petrol and diesel costs due to fluctuations in the international market price, the electric vehicles come across as a suitable way to save money.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Related to EVs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Charging Infrastructure:</strong> Electric Vehicles are fixed for a specific range; they can&rsquo;t go beyond that. Thus, the biggest problem is the lack of an adequate number of recharge points. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the charging activity itself consumes a lot of time. So it poses a big question mark over the quick adoption by the buyers keeping in mind the convenience of fuel stations which can be found easily.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Cost Associated With EVs:</strong> The cost of EVs is still pretty high compared to conventional fuel vehicles. The primary reason behind it is the use of Li-ion batteries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, most reserves are located in a few countries. For example, 65% of lithium reserves are in Bolivia and Chile, while 60% of cobalt reserves are in Congo.</li>
<li>The short supply of these essentials metals has made EVs expensive.</li>
<li>Moreover, the world&rsquo;s problem does not have enough lithium or cobalt reserves to replace current automobiles with EVs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dependence on China:</strong> India imports 90% of electric scooter components from China. Currently, an Indian car uses 10-15% imported parts. EVs will increase import dependence to 70% or more.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, setting up domestic battery manufacturing units would have its problems, as it would be difficult to match the prices of subsidised imported batteries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disruption to the Automobile Sector:</strong> For switching to EVs, India first needs to prepare for the coming upheaval in the automobile industry.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>EV has 20 moving parts, while regular petrol or diesel vehicles have more than 2,000.</li>
<li>For this reason, when fully adopted, EVs will kill most auto component firms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enabling Charging Infrastructure:</strong> Government&rsquo;s intervention in creating the charging infrastructure is required to facilitate its large-scale adoption. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Affordable and convenient charging will, after all, increase the segment&rsquo;s attractiveness for consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Switching Batteries System:</strong> There is a need to design interchangeable batteries and switching stations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Charging is one of the major concerns for batteries as it takes quite some time to get fully charged. Designing a system where empty batteries of electric cars will replace a fully charged battery in a few minutes, will solve the time and charging point constraint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>R &amp; D in Breakthrough Battery Technology: Investment in</strong> Research &amp; development for quick-charging batteries is required.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the use of fuel cells is another big idea. Fuel cell EVs powered by hydrogen emit only water vapour and warm air.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Securing Supply of Essential Metals:</strong> India can sign various deals and ensure a supply of essential metals with purchases of mines in Congo, Bolivia, Chile and Australia so that it doesn&rsquo;t fall short of raw material in the EVs segment.</li>
<li><strong>Need for Reskilling:</strong> India would also need to reskill many motor mechanics in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/frontier-technologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Industry 4.0 technologies.</strong> </a>They need to learn how to repair EVs which have sophisticated electronics.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Future of electric cars looks bright as it certainly can reduce our dependence on oil and fossil fuel, which can significantly bring down global pollution and help control climate change.</p>
<p>The biggest challenge with electric cars is their energy (or electricity) storage capacity. This was one of the main reasons gasoline (or petrol) cars got prominence in the early 1900s.</p>
<p>Therefore, EVs are the future of mobility, but the end will happen only when an inexpensive next-gen battery is in the market.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffff5;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>EVs are the future of mobility, but the end will happen only when an inexpensive next-gen battery is in the market. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9bay0K1i0E" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/editorials/air-pollution-caqm-s-role-is-still-hazy/story-GTGeiondguWuogDlBEHwsN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Air pollution: CAQM&rsquo;s role is still hazy&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindustan Times on December 29<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7342,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'TiHAN-IIT: Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The foundation stone of<strong> &lsquo;TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad&rsquo;,</strong> India&rsquo;s <strong>first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems</strong> (Terrestrial and Aerial) has been laid recently.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Department of Science and Technology (DST) had sanctioned<strong> Rs. 135 crores</strong> to <strong>IIT Hyderabad</strong> (IIT-H) under the <a href="/printpdf/national-mission-on-interdisciplinary-cyber-physical-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems</strong></a> (NM-ICPS) to set up a <strong>Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems</strong> (UAVs, RoVs, etc.)</li>
<li>The Technology Innovation Hub for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/digital-sky-platform-drone-regulation-1-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unmanned Aerial Vehicles</strong></a> (UAVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (RoVs) at IIT Hyderabad, known as <strong>'TiHAN Foundation'</strong> was incorporated as a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-the-companies-amendment-bill-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Section-8 company</strong></a> by the institute in June 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a multi-departmental initiative including researchers from electrical, computer science, mechanical and aerospace, civil, mathematics, and design at IIT-H with collaboration and support from reputed institutions and industry.</li>
<li>It is a great step towards<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Atmanibhar Bharat&rsquo;</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-problem-of-skilling-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Skill India&rsquo;</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india#:~:text=Initiatives%20launched%20by%20the%20Government,need%20to%20carry%20physical%20documents." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Digital India&rsquo;</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>TiHAN-IIT:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will <strong>facilitate research grounds</strong> to investigate the <strong>functioning of unmanned and connected vehicles</strong> in a controlled environment by replicating different scenarios, ranging from frequently occurring to extreme cases that may ensue in real-life traffic operations.</li>
<li>At present, there is<strong> no such testbed facility in India</strong> to evaluate the autonomous navigation of vehicles. Therefore, it is envisioned to address this gap by developing a fully functional and exemplary testbed facility dedicated to <strong>connected autonomous vehicles</strong> (CAVs).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Connected vehicles</strong> use<strong> technology to either communicate with each other,</strong> connect with <strong>traffic signals, signs, and other road items, or obtain data from a cloud.</strong> This information exchange helps with <strong>safety and improves traffic flow.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This hub focuses on addressing various challenges hindering the<strong> real-time adoption of unmanned autonomous vehicles</strong> for both<strong> terrestrial and aerial applications.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Primary focus includes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Research &amp; Technology development</strong> in the area of Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems (UAVs, RoVs).</li>
<li><strong>Industry Collaborations :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Joint R&amp;D Initiatives, Consultancy, Technology Outreach Schemes, Training of Industry Personnel, Continuing Education.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human resource &amp; Skill development.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Innovation, Entrepreneurship &amp; Start-up Ecosystem:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Start-ups and Incubation in the Technology Vertical, Attracting Private Funding (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/injeti-srinivas-committee-report-on-csr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Corporate Social Responsibility</strong></a>, Voluntary Contributions and equity based), Technology Commercialization.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Collaborations :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Academia &amp; Industry, Faculty/Student Exchange Programs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Features of TiHAN-IIT:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Total Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>2 Acres of land</strong> has already been allocated in the IIT Hyderabad campus and the facilities are planned in phases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Facilities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Test Tracks, Emulation of Real-World Scenarios, State of the Art Simulation Technologies, Road Infrastructure, Drone Runways and Landing Area, Mechanical Integration Facility, Centralized Control Room/Ground Control Station, Smart Poles etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promotion to research:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The developed test bed will be available for use<strong> by all the industries, R&amp;D labs, academia conducting research and development</strong> in the broad areas of <strong>autonomous navigation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609752721_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609752721_image7.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NM-ICPS is a comprehensive Mission aimed at <strong>complete convergence with all stakeholders by establishing strong linkages between academia, industry, Government and International Organizations.</strong> The Mission will work with all the concerned Ministries/Departments to identify their technology needs, develop solutions and technical support in CPS implementation.</li>
<li>It will secure India's future by creation of a<strong> Cyber-Physical System</strong> ecosystem.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Cyber-Physical System (CPS)<strong> combines digital/cyber elements with physical objects</strong> (e.g. machines, autonomous vehicles) and data with capabilities of communication, data collection &amp; processing, computing, decision making and action.</li>
<li>CPS is an integrated system involving <strong>Sensors, Communication, Actuators, Control, interconnected computing networks and data analytics.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Few Potential applications:</strong> Driverless cars that communicate securely with each other on smart roads, Sensors in the home to detect changing health conditions, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Mission has four major activities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Technology Development,</li>
<li>Human Resource &amp; Skill Development,</li>
<li>Innovation, Entrepreneurship &amp; Start-Up Ecosystem and</li>
<li>International Collaborations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1684372" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7320,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Nanotechnology and Health',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A team of scientists has created a<strong> nanomicelle</strong> that can be used for <strong>effective drug delivery to treat various <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/who-highlights-ways-to-reduce-cancer-risk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cancers</a></strong> including breast, colon and lung cancer.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nanotechnology or nanotech is the technology that involves the <strong>manipulation of matter on atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scales.</strong> This includes particles of a scale of <strong>1 to 100 nanometers.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nanomicelles: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Formation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nanomicelles are formed when <strong>amphiphilic</strong> molecules assemble themselves to create a globular structure that is only around<strong> 5 to 100nm</strong> in diameter.</li>
<li>Different agents are used to create nanomicelles, however, they are usually made through surfactant molecules that may be <strong>non-ionic, ionic, and cationic detergents.</strong> Some nanomicelles may also be developed from a mixture of <strong>lipids and detergents. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use in Drug Delivery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They are amphiphilic, i.e. have a<strong> hydrophilic outer shell</strong> and a <strong>hydrophobic interior.</strong> This dual property makes them a <strong>perfect carrier</strong> for delivering <strong>drug molecules.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>hydrophilic shell</strong> makes the <strong>micelle water soluble</strong> that allows for intravenous delivery while the hydrophobic core carries a payload of drug for therapy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Once injected intravenously, these nanomicelles can<strong> easily escape the circulation</strong> and enter the<strong> tumours</strong> where the blood vessels are found to be leaky. These leaky blood vessels are<strong> absent in the healthy organs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of Targeted Delivery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The goal for cancer therapy is <strong>destroying the cancer cells without harming healthy cells</strong> of the body.</li>
<li>Chemotherapeutics approved for treatment of cancer are <strong>highly toxic with various side effects.</strong></li>
<li>Thus the need arises for effective targeted drug delivery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Uses of Nanotechnology in Health Care:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Nanotech detectors </strong>for <strong>heart attack.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Nanochips</strong> to <strong>check plaque in arteries.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Nanocarriers</strong> for eye surgery, chemotherapy etc.</li>
<li><strong>Diabetic pads</strong> for regulating blood sugar levels.</li>
<li>Nanoparticles for<strong> drug delivery to the brain</strong> for therapeutic treatment of neurological disorders.</li>
<li><strong>Nanosponges</strong> are polymer nanoparticles coated with a red blood cell membrane, and can be used for <strong>absorbing toxins</strong> and <strong>removing them from the bloodstream.</strong></li>
<li><strong>NanoFlares</strong> are used for detection of <strong>cancer cells in the bloodstream.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Nanopores</strong> are used in making <strong>DNA sequencing</strong> more efficient.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Use of Nanotechnology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antiviral-nano-coatings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Antiviral nano coating on face masks and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risks of Nanotechnology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since this field is still at its nascent stage, the likely risks are <strong>contentious.</strong></li>
<li>The regulatory authorities like the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate of the European Commission have started<strong> assessing the potential risks posed by the nanoparticles.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Nanotoxicology</strong> is the study of <strong>potential health risks of nanomaterials.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The human body can easily take up the nanomaterials as they are<strong> small in size.</strong> However, there is a need for detailed research on how it would behave inside an organism. The behaviour of nanoparticles based on their size, shape and surface reactivity must be <strong>thoroughly analysed before launching them into the market.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nanopollution</strong> is the generic term that is used to describe the waste generated by the nanodevices or nanomaterials during the manufacturing process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Governmental Initiatives to Promote Nanotechnology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nano Science and Technology Mission</strong> (NSTM):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antiviral-nano-coatings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NSTM</strong></a>, launched in 2007, is an umbrella programme that aims to promote <strong>research and development in nanotechnology.</strong> The objectives include the promotion of research, infrastructure development to support the research, development of nanotechnology, human resources, and international collaborations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nano Science and Technology Initiative</strong> (NSTI):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was set up by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in 2001 to focus on issues related to<strong> infrastructure development,</strong> research and application programmes related to nanomaterials including drugs, drug delivery, gene targeting and DNA chips.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nanomicelles-using-nanoparticles-for-cancer-treatment/article33426073.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7215,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Mucormycosis Fungal Infection',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, doctors have witnessed increased cases of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> triggered Mucormycosis.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> reduced immunity</strong> of Covid-19 patients <strong>makes them more susceptible</strong> to this <strong>fungal infection.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mucormycosis</strong> is also called <strong>Black Fungus</strong> or<strong> Zygomycosis</strong> and is a<strong> serious but rare fungal infection</strong> caused by a <strong>group of molds called mucormycetes.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Types of Mucormycosis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rhinocerebral (Sinus and Brain) Mucormycosis:</strong> It is an infection in the sinuses that can spread to the brain. It is the most common in people with uncontrolled diabetes and in people who have had a kidney transplant.</li>
<li><strong>Pulmonary (Lung) Mucormycosis:</strong> It is the most common type of mucormycosis in people with cancer and in people who have had an organ transplant or a stem cell transplant.</li>
<li><strong>Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis:</strong> It is more common among young children than adults, especially premature and low birth weight infants less than 1 month of age, who have had antibiotics, surgery, or medications that lower the body&rsquo;s ability to fight germs and sickness.</li>
<li><strong>Cutaneous (Skin) Mucormycosis:</strong> It occurs after the fungi enter the body through a break in the skin (for example, after surgery, a burn, or other types of skin trauma). It is most common among people who do not have weakened immune systems.</li>
<li><strong>Disseminated Mucormycosis:</strong> It occurs when the infection spreads through the bloodstream to affect another part of the body. The infection most commonly affects the brain, but also can affect other organs such as the spleen, heart, and skin.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transmission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It occurs through<strong> inhalation, inoculation, or ingestion of spores</strong> from the environment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, the lung or sinus forms of the infection can occur after someone inhales the spores from the air.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Mucormycosis <strong>does not spread between people or between people and animals.</strong></li>
<li>It<strong> usually occurs in people who have health problems or take medicines</strong> that lower the body&rsquo;s ability to fight germs and sickness.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Symptoms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>General symptoms are<strong> one-sided facial swelling and numbness, headache, nasal or sinus congestion, black lesions</strong> on nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth, <strong>fever, abdominal pain, nausea</strong> and <strong>gastrointestinal bleeding.</strong></li>
<li>Disseminated mucormycosis typically occurs in people who are already sick from other medical conditions, so it can be <strong>difficult to know which symptoms are related to mucormycosis.</strong> Patients with disseminated infection in the brain can develop<strong> mental status changes or coma.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diagnosis and Testing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Healthcare providers <strong>consider medical history, symptoms, physical examinations, and laboratory tests</strong> when diagnosing mucormycosis.</li>
<li>If suspected of the infection, healthcare providers collect a <strong>sample of fluid from the respiratory system </strong>or may<strong> perform a tissue biopsy.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In tissue biopsy, a small sample of affected tissue is analysed in a laboratory for evidence of mucormycosis under a microscope or in a fungal culture.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Treatment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It needs to be treated with<strong> prescription antifungal medicine</strong> to prevent mucormycosis and other mold infections.</li>
<li>Often, mucormycosis <strong>requires surgery to cut away the infected tissue.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prevention and Cure:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>no vaccine to prevent</strong> mucormycosis and it is<strong> difficult to avoid breathing in fungal spores</strong> because the <strong>fungi are common in the environment.</strong></li>
<li>For people who have weakened immune systems, there may be some <strong>ways to lower the chances of developing mucormycosis.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These include <strong>avoiding areas with a lot of dust</strong> like construction or excavation sites, avoiding direct contact with water-damaged buildings and flood water after hurricanes and natural disasters and <strong>avoiding activities that involve close contact to soil.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Early detection</strong> can prevent loss of eyesight, nose or jaw through clinical intervention.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mucormycetes<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608030234_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608030234_image7.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="287" height="213" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mucormycetes, the <strong>group of fungi that cause mucormycosis,</strong> are <strong>present throughout the environment,</strong> particularly in soil and in association with decaying organic matter, such as leaves, compost piles, and animal dung. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Several different types of fungi can cause mucormycosis and belong to the <strong>scientific order <em>Mucorales.</em></strong></li>
<li>The most common types that cause mucormycosis are <em><strong>Rhizopus species&nbsp;</strong></em>and<strong></strong><em><strong> Mucor species.</strong></em></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are <strong>more common in soil than in air, </strong>and<strong> in summer and fall than in winter or spring.</strong></li>
<li>These fungi are <strong>not harmful to most people but for people who have weakened immune systems,</strong> breathing in micromycetes spores can cause an infection.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/covid-19-fungal-infection-black-fungus-mucormycosis-7105025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7199,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Formulation of Policy for 3D Printing',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology</strong> (MeitY) will soon come up with a <strong>policy aimed at promoting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/make-it-the-indian-way" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3D printing</a></strong> on an industrial scale in view of its emerging market.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>3D Printing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>3D printing or additive manufacturing</strong> uses computer-aided designing to make prototypes or working models of objects by laying down successive layers of materials such as plastic, resin, thermoplastic, metal, fibre or ceramic.</li>
<li>With the help of software, the <strong>model to be printed is first developed by the computer,</strong> which then gives instructions to the 3D printer.</li>
<li>3D printing and a viable industry around it is mostly in the shape of <strong>additive manufacturing,</strong> wherein <strong>companies make specific products for projects where there are very specific demands</strong> such as lightweight equipment, etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One of the key applications for such products is in the medical and allied sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>USA remains the global leader in 3D printing, </strong>with <strong>more than 35% market share.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>Asia,</strong> about<strong> 50% of its market is cornered by China,</strong> followed by <strong>Japan</strong> at 30%, and <strong>South Korea</strong> at 10%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Features of the Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Encourage market leaders to establish global bases for 3D manufacturing in India,</strong> while <strong>also discouraging imports</strong> of printed material for domestic requirements.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Help develop a <strong>conducive ecosystem</strong> for design, development and deployment of 3D printing and additive manufacturing.</li>
<li>Help domestic companies to overcome technical and economic barriers so that they can build supportive and ancillary facilities for world leaders in the technology, such as the USA and China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Key Areas of Focus and Application:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Auto and ancillary auto and motor spare part business, such as engines, interior and exterior parts of luxury vehicles, or landing gear, complex brackets, and turbine blades.</li>
<li>There can be some application of it in consumer electronics, printed circuit boards, clothing, toys and jewellery as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lack of Standards:</strong> Since 3D printing is <strong>a very niche and new domain,</strong> there are<strong> no global qualifications and certification norms.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Hesitation in Adoption:</strong> Another challenge is <strong>to convince the industry and ministries to push for its adoption</strong> in their respective sectors as any new technology, which is not understood easily, faces a tough time.</li>
<li><strong>Risk of Job Losses:</strong> In the initial meetings on the subject, there was a <strong>lot of resistance on whether this technology would eat into the jobs of highly-skilled workers</strong> in the medical equipment or aerospace technology sectors.</li>
<li><strong>High Costing:</strong> Although actual printing is cheap, <strong>parts to build a 3D printer are very expensive</strong> as the<strong> equipment and manufacturing costs are very high.</strong> In addition, there is a<strong> concern about warranty</strong> hence, resource companies are <strong>hesitant to put 3D-printed parts into their machines if they are not covered for damage</strong> in case the parts fail.</li>
<li><strong>Sector Specific Challenges:</strong> Globally and even in India, the <strong>largest consumer of 3D printing is the automotive industry</strong> and right now it is going through a lot of changes like the introduction of <strong>BS-VI</strong> and <strong>electric vehicles. New vehicle design development has slowed</strong> and so has the demand for 3D printing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Potential Market:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to MeitY&rsquo;s estimates, the <strong>global market for additive manufacturing</strong> is expected to reach <strong>USD 34.8 billion by 2024,</strong> which is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 23.2%.</li>
<li>3D printing<strong> may not lead to an increase in net employment,</strong> but this technology is something which can be pushed ahead.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lack of investment and fewer research and development centres for 3D printing are some of the additional factors that are holding back a large scale adoption. However, a better understanding of 3D printing technology and its applications among users will definitely help increase its adoption in India.</li>
<li>Indian market has a high potential ground as the adoption of 3D printing solutions is continuously rising for the past few years with increased general market awareness and there is still a lot of growth here compared to markets that are more mature such as Japan, Germany or the USA.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govt-readies-3d-printing-policy-local-firms-global-market-7101493/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7165,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'FinTech In India',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/realising-indias-fintech-potential-regulation-and-tech-must-evolve/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Realising India&rsquo;s fintech potential: Regulation and tech must evolve&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Economic Times on 07/12/2020. It talks about the active areas, opportunities and associated challenges of Fintech in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, India has overtaken China as Asia&rsquo;s top<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/daily-updates-news-editorials-the-challenges-for-fintech-adoption-in-India" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> financial technology (FinTech)</strong> </a>market. Having emerged as the world&rsquo;s second-largest fin-tech hub (trailing only the US), India is experiencing the &lsquo;FinTech Boom&rsquo;.</p>
<p>Fintech is used to describe new technology that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. The key segments within the FinTech space include Digital Payments, Digital Lending, BankTech, InsurTech and RegTech, Cryptocurrency.</p>
<p>FinTech now includes different sectors and industries such as education, retail banking, fundraising and nonprofit, and investment management to name a few. FinTech is amongst the most thriving sectors at present in terms of both business growth and employment generation. Apart from this, FinTech can also help in the furtherance of the goal of financial inclusion.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Active Areas of FinTech Innovation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong> and digital cash.</li>
<li><strong>Blockchain technology,</strong> that maintains records on a network of computers, but has no central ledger.</li>
<li><strong>Smart contracts,</strong> which utilize computer programs (often utilizing the blockchain) to automatically execute contracts between buyers and sellers.</li>
<li><strong>Open banking,</strong> a concept that leans on the blockchain and posits that third-parties should have access to bank data to build applications that create a connected network of financial institutions and third-party providers.</li>
<li><strong>Insurtech,</strong> which seeks to use technology to simplify and streamline the insurance industry.</li>
<li><strong>Regtech,</strong> which seeks to help financial service firms meet industry compliance rules, especially those covering Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer protocols which fight fraud.</li>
<li><strong>Cybersecurity,</strong> given the proliferation of cybercrime and the decentralized storage of data, cybersecurity and fintech are intertwined.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Growth Drivers of FinTech in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Widespread identity formalisation (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aadhar</strong></a>): 1.2 bn enrolments.</li>
<li>High level of banking penetration through the Jan Dhan Yojana: 1+ bn bank accounts.</li>
<li>High smartphone penetration: 1.2 bn mobile subscribers.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-digital-push-for-healthcare" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India Stack</strong></a>: Set of APIs for businesses and startups.</li>
<li>Growing disposable income of Indians.</li>
<li>Key government initiatives such as UPI and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India.</strong></a></li>
<li>Wide middle-class expansion: By 2030, India will add 140 mn middle-income and 21 mn high-income households which will drive the demand and growth in the Indian FinTech space.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Opportunities Related to FinTech</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Driving Financial Inclusion in India:</strong> A significant number of people in India remain outside the purview of the formal financial system.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Use of financial technologies can help address the gaps in financial inclusion left by the traditional models of banking and finance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Providing Financial Assistance to the MSMEs:</strong> Lack of capital is one of the biggest threats to their existence. According to the IFC Report, the total addressable credit gap in the MSME segment is estimated to USD 397.5 billion.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is where FinTech comes into the picture, and has the potential to solve the credit availability issues.</li>
<li>With several FinTech start-ups offering easier and quicker access to loans, MSMEs are no longer required to go through the tedious process of documentation, paperwork and multiple visits to a bank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enhancing Customer Experience and Transparency:</strong> FinTech start-ups offer convenience, personalisation, transparency, accessibility and ease of use &ndash; factors that empower customers to a great extent.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The FinTech industry will develop unique and innovative models for assessing risks.</li>
<li>Leveraging big data, machine learning, and alternative data to underwrite credit and develop credit scores for customers with a limited credit history will improve the penetration of financial services in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cyber-Attacks:</strong> Automation of processes and digitization of data makes fintech systems vulnerable to attacks from hackers.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recent instances of hacks at debit card companies and banks are illustrations of the ease with which hackers can gain access to systems and cause irreparable damage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data Privacy Issue:</strong> The most important questions for consumers pertain to the responsibility for cyber attacks as well as misuse of personal information and important financial data.</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Regulation:</strong> Regulation is also a problem in the emerging world of FinTech, especially cryptocurrencies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In most countries, they are unregulated and have become fertile ground for scams and frauds.</li>
<li>Due to the diversity of offerings in FinTech, it is difficult to formulate a single and comprehensive approach to these problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Guarding Against Cybercriminals:</strong> Currently, India majorly relies on import of offensive as well as defensive cybersecurity capabilities. Given the growing scale of adoption of technology, it is imperative for India to attain Atma-Nirbharta (Self-Sufficiency) in this domain.</li>
<li><strong>Educating Consumers:</strong> Apart from establishing technological safeguards, educating and training customers to spread awareness about the benefits of fintech and guard against cyberattacks will also help in democratisation of FinTech.</li>
<li><strong>Data Protection Law:</strong> Established fintech sandboxes by RBI to evaluate the implications of technology in the sector is a step in the right direction.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, there is a requirement for a strong data protection framework in India.</li>
<li>In this context, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>personal data protection bill, 2019,</strong></a> must be passed after thorough debate and deliberation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Fintech has the potential to transform other financial services like insurance, investment, remittances. However, regulation must help, not hinder its evolution.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607429815_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607429815_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="583" height="304" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffa;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Development of financial technology (FinTech) in India can help in the furtherance of the goal of financial inclusion. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3J4OGHVnjY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <strong><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/editorials/a-boost-for-defence-ties-in-west-asia-ht-editorial/story-r6Pr614YiKWRafjvuzHz3O.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;A boost for defence ties in West Asia&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Hindustan Times on December 7<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7163,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Havana Syndrome',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a report by the <strong>National Academies of Sciences</strong> (NAS), USA has found <strong>directed microwave radiation </strong>to be the<strong> plausible cause of the Havana syndrome.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Havana Syndrome:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In late <strong>2016,</strong> USA diplomats and other employees stationed in <strong>Havana (capital of Cuba) </strong>reported<strong> feeling ill after hearing strange sounds and experiencing odd physical sensations.</strong></li>
<li>The symptoms included<strong> nausea, severe headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sleep problems,</strong> and <strong>hearing loss,</strong> which have since come to be known as the <strong>Havana Syndrome.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> more chronic problems</strong> suffered by Havana personnel included mainly <strong>vestibular processing</strong> and <strong>cognitive problems</strong> as well as<strong> insomnia</strong> and <strong>headache.</strong></li>
<li>While the symptoms have <strong>resolved for some of the affected employees,</strong> for <strong>others,</strong> the<strong> effects have lingered and posed a significant obstacle</strong> to their work and affected the normal functioning of lives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NAS report <strong>examined four possibilities</strong> to explain the symptoms viz. <strong>infection, chemicals, psychological factors</strong> and <strong>microwave energy.</strong></li>
<li>So far, <strong>only this report provides the clearest and detailed estimation</strong> of what may have transpired.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>earlier attempts</strong> by various other government agencies, scientists talked about<strong> psychological illness</strong> due to the stressful environment of foreign missions or <strong>brain abnormalities</strong> in the diplomats who had fallen ill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings of the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Directed pulsed microwave radiation energy</strong> appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining the cases of Havana syndrome among those that the committee considered.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By calling it<strong> &ldquo;directed&rdquo;</strong> and<strong> &ldquo;pulsed&rdquo;</strong> energy, the report leaves no room for confusion that the <strong>victims&rsquo; exposure was targeted </strong>and <strong>not due to common sources of microwave energy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The immediate symptoms that patients reported, including sensations of pain and buzzing sound, apparently<strong> emanated from a particular direction,</strong> or<strong> occurred in a specific spot</strong> in a room.</li>
<li>It <strong>warns about the possibility of future episodes and recommends establishing a response mechanism</strong> for similar incidents, adding that future incidents might be more dispersed in time and place, and even more difficult to recognise quickly.</li>
<li>However, the committee<strong> cannot rule out other possible mechanisms</strong> and considers it likely that a <strong>multiplicity of factors</strong> explains some cases and the differences between others.</li>
<li>It also <strong>does not mention the source</strong> and<strong> if the energy was delivered intentionally,</strong> even though it conducted significant research on <strong>microwave weapons.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>USA&rsquo;s Reaction:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA has praised the NAS for undertaking the effort but also highlighted that <strong>each possible cause remains speculative.</strong> It also<strong> flagged the committee&rsquo;s lack of access to some information</strong> because of potential security concerns that limit the scope of the report.</li>
<li>The government also included a<strong> provision in the new defence authorisation bill to provide long-term emergency care benefits</strong> to the government employees affected by the syndrome.</li>
<li>The <strong>USA had accused Cuba</strong> of carrying out &ldquo;attacks&rdquo;, but <strong>Cuba denied</strong> any knowledge of the illnesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Microwave Weapons</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are supposed to be a type of<strong> direct energy weapons,</strong> which <strong>aim highly focused energy</strong> in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.</li>
<li>The high-frequency electromagnetic radiations <strong>heat the water in the human body and cause discomfort and pain.</strong> It<strong> works the same way as the kitchen appliance.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In a microwave oven, an <strong>electron tube called a magnetron produces electromagnetic waves</strong> (microwaves) that bounce around the metal interior of the appliance, and are absorbed by the food.</li>
<li>The <strong>microwaves agitate the water molecules in the food,</strong> and their<strong> vibration produces heat</strong> that cooks the food. <strong>Foods with a high water content cook faster</strong> in a microwave often than drier foods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries with Microwave Weapons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A number of countries are thought to have developed these weapons<strong> to target both humans and electronic systems.</strong></li>
<li><strong>China</strong> had first put on display its microwave weapon, called<strong> Poly WB-1,</strong> at an air show in 2014.</li>
<li>The<strong> USA</strong> has also developed a prototype microwave-style weapon, which it calls the <strong>&ldquo;Active Denial System&rdquo;,</strong> which is the first non-lethal, directed-energy, counter-personnel system with an extended range greater than currently fielded non-lethal weapons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>American diplomats and members of their families in Cuba and China were suspected to have been targeted using &lsquo;microwave weapons&rsquo; <strong>(Havana Syndrome).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>People exposed to high-intensity microwave pulses have <strong>reported a clicking or buzzing sound,</strong> as if seeming to be coming from within the head.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Concerns have been raised on whether they can damage the eyes, or have a carcinogenic impact in the long term.</li>
<li>It is not clear yet whether these can kill or cause lasting damage in human targets.</li>
<li>The USA holds that studies have shown that natural blink reflex, aversion response and head turn all <strong>protect the eyes from the weapon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-havana-syndrome-us-report-russia-7095390/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7149,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Dust Samples from Hayabusa 2',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)</strong> has received a capsule from the <strong>unmanned <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hayabusa-2-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayabusa 2</a></strong>, carrying the <strong>first extensive samples of dust</strong> from the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/asteroid-2018vp1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asteroid</a> Ryugu.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607329365_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607329365_image4.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Hayabusa 2 was launched from <strong>Japan&rsquo;s Tanegashima space centre in 2014</strong> and took<strong> four years to reach</strong> the asteroid Ryugu.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mission builds on the<strong> original Hayabusa mission</strong> that was launched in <strong>2003</strong> and successfully linked up with <strong>asteroid Itokawa in 2005.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It <strong>returned samples to Earth in 2010</strong> marking the <strong>first time when sample materials</strong> from an asteroid were brought back to Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hayabusa is the Japanese term used for the<strong> peregrine falcon,</strong> which is the <strong>fastest bird during its hunting dive</strong> (200 mile per hour).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The space probe <strong>orbited above the asteroid for a few months to map its surface</strong> before landing. Then it used<strong> small explosives to blast a crater, collected the resulting debris</strong> and headed back to Earth in November 2019.</li>
<li>The craft&rsquo;s mission<strong> seeks to answer some fundamental questions</strong> about the <strong>origins of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/length-of-a-day-on-each-planet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solar system</a></strong>and<strong> where molecules like water came from.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Asteroids and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comet-c-2020-f3-neowise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>comets</strong></a> are <strong>primitive bodies</strong> that can be considered to be the <strong>building blocks of the early Solar system</strong> and they hold a <strong>record of the birth and initial evolution.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Larger planets</strong> like Earth went through a <strong>more complex evolution over which the pristine materials were melted and altered significantly.</strong> Due to this change, the materials found on large planets<strong> do not hold information into their early stages of formation.</strong></li>
<li>Asteroids and <strong>comets</strong> retain a record of when, where and in what conditions they were formed. Exploration of these primitive bodies is <strong>essential in gaining insight into the formation of the Solar system.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Gases trapped</strong> in the rock samples could<strong> reveal more about</strong> the <strong>chemical mixture</strong> from the planets formed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Significantly, among all the <strong>reasons that will eventually cause the extinction of life on Earth,</strong> an <strong>asteroid hit</strong> is widely acknowledged as one of the likeliest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Asteroids</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Asteroids are also known as<strong> minor planets</strong> and are made up of <strong>metals and rocks.</strong></li>
<li>They <strong>orbit the Sun</strong> and have <strong>shorter and elliptical orbits.</strong></li>
<li>Most asteroids are<strong> irregularly shaped,</strong> though a<strong> few are nearly spherical.</strong></li>
<li>Many asteroids are known to have a<strong> small companion moon</strong> (some have two moons).</li>
<li>There are also <strong>binary</strong> (double) <strong>asteroids,</strong> in which two rocky bodies of roughly equal size orbit each other, as well as<strong> triple asteroid systems.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Classification of Asteroids:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Main Asteroid Belt:</strong> The majority of known asteroids orbit within the asteroid belt which is a torus-shaped region in the Solar system, located roughly<strong> between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Trojans:</strong> These asteroids <strong>share an orbit with a larger planet,</strong> but do not collide with it because they gather around two special places in the orbit (called the <strong>L4 and L5 Lagrangian points).</strong> There, the gravitational pull from the sun and the planet are balanced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lagrange Points:</strong> These are positions in space where the<strong> gravitational forces of a two body system</strong> like the Sun and the Earth produce <strong>enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion.</strong> These can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Near-Earth Asteroids:</strong> These objects have orbits that <strong>pass close by that of Earth.</strong> Asteroids that actually cross Earth's orbital path are known as <strong>Earth-crossers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/japan-asteroid-samples-return-hayabusa2-7093871/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7144,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Digital Rupee',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/the-rbi-should-start-working-on-an-official-cryptocurrency-for-india/article33223897.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Encrypting the rupee&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu Business line on 01/12/2020. It talks about the prospects of a Central Bank issued Digital Currency in India.</p>
</div>
<p>The growing popularity of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/supreme-court-on-cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> digital currencies (or cryptocurrency)</strong></a> such as Bitcoin, over the last decade, had made most central banks look seriously at launching a digital currency controlled by them that can address the shortcomings of digital currencies while hastening the shift towards a cashless society.</p>
<p>In this context, the European Central Bank has expressed its intention to evaluate a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-to-launch-official-digital-currency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Bank issued Digital Currency (CBDC)</strong></a> for the Euro Zone. The RBI had, in 2018, directed financial institutions against facilitating transactions involving cryptocurrencies, leading to many crypto trading platforms shutting down.</p>
<p>However, recently RBI has indicated that it is conducting a feasibility study of developing a government-backed digital currency. As many countries today explore the prospects of a sovereign digital currency, India should not lag behind in developing Digital Rupee.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note: Digitalisation of Fiat Currency From Digital Currency.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to understand the importance of a Digital Rupee, it is required to distinguish the digitalisation of fiat currency from digital currency.</li>
<li>The digitisation of fiat currency stems from the advent of electronic payment and interbank IT systems, allowing commercial banks to more efficiently and independently generate the credit flows that expand the broad money supply.</li>
<li>By contrast, digital currency, enabled by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/blockchain-technology-in-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>blockchain technology</strong></a>, affects the base currency allowing the central bank to bypass commercial banks and regain control of currency creation and supply end-to-end.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Need For CBDC in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Addressing the Malpractices:</strong> The need for a sovereign digital currency arises from the anarchic design of existing cryptocurrencies, wherein their creation, as well as maintenance, are in the hands of the public.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With no government supervision and ease of cross-border payments, renders them vulnerable to malpractices like tax evasion, terror funding, money laundering, etc.</li>
<li>By regulating digital currency, the central bank can put a check on their malpractices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Addressing Volatility:</strong> As the cryptocurrencies are not pegged to any asset or currency, its value is solely determined by speculation (demand and supply). It is due to this, there has been huge volatility in the value of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As CBDCs will be pegged to any assets (like gold or fiat currency) and hence will not witness the volatility being seen in cryptocurrencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Next Big Thing:</strong> In a survey conducted by <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/basel-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bank for International Settlements</strong></a>, around 80 per cent of the 66 responding central banks said they have begun working on central bank-issued digital currency (CBDC) in some form.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, China is quietly bringing about a revolutionary change to the currency and payment system by launching its Digital Renminbi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Digital Currency Proxy War:</strong> India runs the risk of being caught up in the whirlwind of a proxy digital currency war as the US and China battle it out to gain supremacy across other markets by introducing new-age financial products.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Today, a sovereign Digital Rupee isn&rsquo;t just a matter of financial innovation but a need to push back against the inevitable proxy war which threatens our national and financial security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Dependency on Dollar:</strong> Digital Rupee provides an opportunity for India to establish the dominance of Digital Rupee as a superior currency for trade with its strategic partners, thereby reducing dependency on the dollar.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Digital Proxy War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For too long, the dollar has been unchallenged as the world&rsquo;s reserve currency giving the US leverage over the world&rsquo;s financial system and also enabling it to impose sanctions against countries.</li>
<li>However, in wake of the recent trade war, China is now pushing for a more advanced financial system using Digital Renminbi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Advantages of Digital Rupee</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Complete Transmission of Monetary Policy:</strong> Digital Rupee will empower the RBI by providing it direct tools to control monetary policy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Directly influenced creation and supply flow using a Digital Rupee will immediately reflect the effects of policy changes instead of relying on commercial banks to make those changes when they deem fit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Safeguarding the Interest of Deposit Holders:</strong> The recent <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/shadow-banking-and-the-crisis-in-the-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NBFC crisis</strong> </a>resulting in the current downturn in the economy and the PMC Bank scandal which has locked out depositors from withdrawing their funds due to high NPAs are a testament to the fragility of our current banking model.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Officially backed Digital Rupee will empower the regulators to monitor transactions and credit flow across the economy helping them weed out scams and fraud instantly and secure depositors&rsquo; money.</li>
<li>Moreover, it will help distract investors from the current bunch of crypto assets that are highly risky.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New Paradigm For Banking</strong>: Digital Rupee will turn every large technology company into a fintech company without the need for permission or partnership with a bank.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will create new incentives for companies to bank the unbanked, while also providing financial services to those who have been at the mercy of banks till date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enabler of Cashless Society:</strong> Official digital currencies can play an important role in weaning users away from using cash, which will help control tax evasion.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Digital Rupee will also make cashback, remittances, loans, insurance, stocks and other financial products a natural extension using programmable smart contracts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The creation of a Digital Rupee will provide an opportunity for India to empower its citizens and enable them to use it freely in our ever-expanding digital economy and break free from an outdated banking system. Looking into its impact on macroeconomy and liquidity, banking systems and money markets, it is imperative of policymakers to thoroughly consider the prospects of Digital Rupee in India.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607170284_image0.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1607170284_image0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefff7;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the prospects of Central Bank Issued Digital Currency on the money market in India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T3w6oTOqHT0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/govt-must-get-its-vaccine-talk-right/2142888/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Modi govt must get its vaccine talk right&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Financial Express on December 4<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7096,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Mission COVID Suraksha',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government of India has announced the<strong> stimulus package of Rs. 900 crore</strong> for the <strong>Mission COVID Suraksha,</strong> the Indian Covid-19 Vaccine Development Mission, which will <strong>help the development process of the vaccine candidates.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mission COVID Suraksha is India&rsquo;s <strong>targeted effort to enable the development of indigenous, affordable and accessible vaccines</strong> for the country and will complement the ongoing mission of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Centre had announced this package during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-iii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>third economic stimulus.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Mission with its <strong>end-to-end focus from preclinical development through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation for deployment,</strong> would consolidate all available and funded resources towards accelerated product development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grant:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Phase-I of the Mission has been allotted <strong>Rs. 900 Crore for a period of 12 months.</strong></li>
<li>The grant will be provided to the<strong> Department of Biotechnology</strong> (DBT) for Research and Development (R&amp;D) of Indian <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> vaccines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Stakeholders:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will be<strong> led by DBT</strong> and implemented by a dedicated <strong>Mission Implementation Unit</strong> at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/making-india-a-biotech-hub" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council</strong></a> (BIRAC).</li>
<li>The existing activities under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-biopharma-mission#:~:text=The%20National%20Biopharma%20Mission%20(NBM,funded%20by%20World%20Bank%20loan." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bio Pharma Mission</strong> </a>(NBM) and<strong> Ind-CEPI Mission</strong> will provide complementary strengths to this Mission.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The DBT is supporting the implementation of the Ind-CEPI Mission, &ldquo;Epidemic preparedness through rapid vaccine development: Support of Indian vaccine development aligned with the global initiative of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/thsti-part-of-vaccine-assessment-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations</strong></a> (CEPI)&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The Ind-CEPI Mission was approved in<strong> March 2019.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Accelerating pre-clinical and clinical development.</li>
<li>Licensure of Covid-19 vaccine candidates that are currently in clinical stages or ready to enter the clinical stage of development.</li>
<li>Establishing clinical trial sites.</li>
<li>Strengthening the existing central laboratories and suitable facilities for animal studies, production facilities and other testing facilities to support the vaccine development.</li>
<li>Supporting the development of common harmonized protocols, training, data management systems, regulatory submissions, internal and external quality management systems and accreditations.</li>
<li>Supporting capabilities for process development, cell line development and manufacturing of GMP batches for animal toxicology studies and clinical trials.</li>
<li>Developing suitable<strong> Target Product Profile</strong> so that vaccines being introduced through the mission have preferred characteristics applicable to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vaccine Candidates:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A total of<strong> 10 vaccine candidates have been supported by DBT</strong> so far at both academia and industry and as on date and<strong> 5 vaccine candidates are in human trials.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-iii-clinical-trials-of-covishield" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covishield</strong></a>: The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pneumococcal-conjugate-vaccine-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Serum Institute of India</strong></a> (SII) is conducting the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/drugs-and-clinical-trials-rules-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>phase-3</strong></a> trial of the <strong>Oxford-Astrazeneca</strong> Covid-19 vaccine.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covaxin-approved-for-human-clinical-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a>: The indigenously developed <strong>Bharat Biotech</strong> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-to-test-for-community-transmission-of-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research</strong> </a>(ICMR) vaccine has already started the phase III clinical trial.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/clinical-trial-of-covid-19-vaccine-zycov-d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ZyCoV-D</strong></a>: Indigenously developed vaccine by<strong> Zydus Cadila</strong> has completed the phase-2 clinical trial in the country.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V</strong></a>: The combined phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the<strong> Russian Covid-19 vaccine</strong> Sputnik V in India are about to get started.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pfizer-s-covid-19-vaccine-candidate#:~:text=India%20is%20preparing%20to%20administer,vaccine%20candidates%20in%20the%20future." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BNT162b2</strong></a>: India is focusing on training for conducting phase II and III human clinical trials of the <strong>Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine candidate</strong> along lines of India&rsquo;s regulatory mechanism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Clinical Trials</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>systematic study to generate data for discovering or verifying the clinical and pharmacological profile</strong> (including pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic) or <strong>adverse effects</strong> of a new drug on humans.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>only way of establishing the safety and efficacy</strong> of any drug before its introduction in the market for human use and is preceded by animal trials where the efficacy and side effects are observed in animals and an estimated drug dose is established.</li>
<li>Clinical trials of drugs developed in India<strong> have to undergo all four phases of trials in India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Phase I or clinical pharmacology trials or &ldquo;first in man&rdquo; study.</li>
<li>Phase II or exploratory trials.</li>
<li>Phase III or confirmatory trials.</li>
<li>Phase IV trials or post-marketing phase.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1676998" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7095,
		'category_id' => (int) 28,
		'title' => 'OTT Platforms',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>The government has brought video streaming over-the-top (OTT) platforms under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. These platforms were so far under the purview of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.</p>
<h3>Over-The-Top Platforms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>OTT or Over-the-Top platforms are audio and video hosting and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar etc, which started out as content hosting platforms but soon branched out into the production and release of short movies, feature films, documentaries and web series themselves<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These platforms offer a range of content and use <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Artificial Intelligence (AI)</strong></a> to suggest users the content they are likely to view based on their past viewership on the platform. </li>
<li>Most OTT platforms generally offer some content for free and charge a monthly subscription fee for premium content which is generally unavailable elsewhere. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>OTT Platforms and India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is currently the world&rsquo;s fastest growing OTT (over-the-top streaming) market, and is all set to emerge as the world&rsquo;s sixth-largest by 2024.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At present, the OTT platform&rsquo;s valuation stands at 35 billion INR, with nearly 500 million internet users, expected to grow at 8% per year. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In January 2019, eight video streaming services had signed a self-regulatory code that laid down a set of guiding principles for content on these platforms which prohibited five types of content. This includes: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Content that deliberately and maliciously disrespects the national emblem or national flag.</li>
<li>Any visual or story line that promotes child pornography. </li>
<li>Any content that &ldquo;maliciously&rdquo; intends to outrage religious sentiments. </li>
<li>Content that &ldquo;deliberately and maliciously&rdquo; promotes or encourages terrorism.</li>
<li>Any content that has been banned for exhibition or distribution by law or court.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues with OTT Platforms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Content regulation:</strong> There is no law or autonomous body to monitor and manage the digital contents provided on these OTT platforms and it is made available to the public at large without any filter or screening.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unlike television, print or radio which follow guidelines released by governments, OTT platforms classified as digital media or social media, had little to no regulation on the choice of content they offered, the subscription rates, certification for adult movies and others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Regulation of OTT Content</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a move that will have a far-reaching impact, the Union government has brought Over The Top (OTT) platforms, or video streaming service providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and others, under the ambit of the <strong>Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.</strong></li>
<li>The latest order covers &ldquo;Digital/Online Media&rdquo;, including &ldquo;films and audio-visual programmes made available by online content providers&rdquo; and &ldquo;news and current affairs content on online platforms&rdquo;.</li>
<li>It will give the government control over these platforms, which were unregulated till now as there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content.</li>
<li>Online content providers come under the legal framework of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cyber-security#:~:text=Information%20Technology%20Act%2C%202000,Hacking%20with%20computer%20system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Information Technology Act 2000</strong></a> but, unlike print and broadcast media, were not directly under any Ministry.</li>
<li>However, there are no details yet on how the government will regulate it. But it is learnt that the Programme Code that governs content on TV and which found an outlet in the Cable Television Network Regulation Act, 1995, may serve as a template to frame rules for online content.</li>
<li><strong>Impact of regulation:</strong> The regulation of OTT could also mean that these platforms would have to apply for certification and approval of the content they wish to stream.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This in itself could give rise to many conflicts as most OTT platforms have content that could otherwise be censored by the certification boards in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Digital Awareness:</strong> Consumers should be made aware of the impacts of their streaming and realise if there is really a need to watch these videos multiple times. Every video viewed consumes energy every time. Rather watching the video with a group can save energy. </li>
<li><strong>Viewers&rsquo; Responsibility:</strong> The purpose of creating laws for the OTT content is to prevent the underage people from watching certain contents. Ensuring on our part that kids in our home do not access such contents can help fulfill the very purpose.</li>
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7066,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture : Draft Spacecom Policy and India's Space Sector',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kNVkFhrs_yY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>The Union government has permitted for the reforms in the space sector by allowing private players' participation, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> has released the draft of a new <strong>Spacecom Policy 2020.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The policy will regulate the commercial use of satellites, orbital slots, and ground stations for communication needs. The policy also details how private players can get authorization for setting up new communication satellites and ground stations.</li>
<li>The private players in the space communication sector will also enable India to keep pace with the growing demand for satellite-based broadcasting, network connectivity, and global mobile personal communication.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The space policy has been drafted in the form of spacecom for reforming the Indian space sector.</li>
<li>The policy will regulate the commercial use of satellites, orbital slots, and ground stations for communication needs.</li>
<li>The private players in the space communication sector will enable India to keep pace with the growing demand for satellite-based broadcasting, network connectivity, and global mobile personal communication.</li>
<li>The government wants private players to participate in the space sector not as a vendor but as a partner.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Spacecom Policy - 2020</strong> enables the activities of space based communications under five major statements.</li>
<li>Spacecom Policy-2020 states that the Government of India shall:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Adopt measures to <strong>monitor and authorize use of space assets</strong> for communication to or from Indian territory.</li>
<li><strong>Ensure protection of space assets</strong> already put in place and adopt measures to bring in more space assets under the administrative control for enhancing ability to utilize space based communication for national needs.</li>
<li>Promote increased <strong>participation of commercial Indian industry</strong> to provide space based communications both within the country and outside.</li>
<li>Concentrate on <strong>realization of space based communication systems</strong> for addressing the requirements that <strong>cannot be effectively, affordably and reliably satisfied by the commercial Indian industry</strong> either because of national security concerns or economic factors.</li>
<li><strong>Provide a timely and responsive regulatory environment</strong> for the commercial Indian industry to establish and operate space based communication systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Salient Features</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Governs industries:</strong> The policy will govern the commercial use of orbital slots, satellites, and ground stations used for communication.</li>
<li><strong>Facilitating the private companies:</strong> The policy has been framed to help the private players do the job in the most efficient manner with ease.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will also boost the actions of private players in doing business in the space communication sector, in India as well as doing business outside India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Allowance to only Indian entities:</strong> Only Indian entities will be allowed to seek authorization for orbital slots for new satellites, services based on existing satellites and setting up new ground stations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are no restrictions in terms of satellite owning, ground session setup and providing services to the common people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Owning satellites and responsibilities:</strong> Private industries are allowed to use the ISRO satellites and they can also have their own satellites as well.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The policy also says that any company sending a communication satellite in space will also be responsible for any damages to other objects in space and the environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India and the global spacecom sector:</strong> The new policy will enable India to meet the growing demand for satellite-based broadcasting, network connectivity, and global mobile personal communication, and will help India attain a significant position in the global space communication sector.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Why Private Companies in the Space Sector?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ISRO is over burdened by its regular operations such as launch of satellites, construction of launching vehicles etc which are becoming hurdles in ISRO's way for working in new projects. Hence, ISRO wants these regular operations to be conducted by private players.</li>
<li><strong>Role of Private Players:</strong> The Private players can participate in setting up of ground stations for space crafts which constitute 48% of the space sector budget and also in application of space technology which result in 45% of space economy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>ISRO and its Projects</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gaganyaan-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gaganyaan</strong></a>: Sending humans in space and bringing them safely back to earth.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chandrayaan-3-and-gaganyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chandrayaan 3</strong></a>: To land safely on the moon, Chandrayaan-3 is likely to be launched in early 2021.</li>
<li><strong>Propulsion system in the satellite</strong>: ISRO is working on launching vehicles with "Electric Propulsion System" so that large satellites can be sent into space by the agency.</li>
<li><strong>Heavy lift launcher</strong>: ISRO is conducting preliminary research for the development of a super heavy- lift launch vehicle which is planned to have a lifting capacity of over 50-60 tonnes Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Coordination with Other Space Agencies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a>-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission (NISAR)</strong>: NASA's first global Search And Rescue (SAR) mission, in partnership with ISRO, providing data for studying hazards, changes in glaciers and ice sheets, and global environmental.</li>
<li><strong>TRISHNA</strong>: ISRO, and the French space agency <strong>CNES</strong> have partnered in developing advanced upgradation satellites like TRISHNA to monitor the water cycle to help in finding out proper ways to utilize it.</li>
<li><strong>Gaganyaan project</strong>: The four Indian astronauts training in Russia for the Gaganyaan project &ndash; India&rsquo;s first manned space mission.</li>
<li><strong>Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)</strong>: Collaboration between ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to have a combined mission, to send a lunar rover and lander to explore the south pole region of the Moon in 2024.</li>
<li><strong>Duchifat 3</strong>: Last year, a small remote sensing satellite weighing 2.3 kilogram, built by students in Israel, was part of the nine commercial satellites launched by ISRO along with its own earth observation satellite.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The major concern is to make sure that this high precedent technology should not go in the wrong hand.</li>
<li>The rules regarding use of images taken by a spacecraft for domestic purposes and for other purposes are very stringent and there is need to have very flexible rules for the private people to do the job, at the same time making sure that it is not used in a wrong way.</li>
<li>ISRO is not fully self-sufficient in its launch vehicle. For bigger satellite launches, ISRO is still dependent on foreign countries.</li>
<li>The novel coronavirus pandemic has affected ISRO programs, due to which many programs of ISRO have been delayed including the launch of Chandrayaan-3.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Preventing the misuse of technologies:</strong> The government should make laws regarding the operation of private players in both the commercial as well as the strategic part of the space sector, so that technology can't be misused.</li>
<li><strong>Encouraging the young talent:</strong> Ensuring more opportunities for the youngsters to study science and take part in the space sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their enthusiasm and talent should be used in an effective and holistic manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the new Spacecom Policy 2020, Private players are not only going to serve the country but they are also going to have a big share from the International market.</li>
<li>It is important for all the stakeholders to take India as a technical powerhouse at the global level so that very soon India can lead the global community in the technological area.</li>
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		'article_id' => (int) 7036,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Electric Vehicle Development In India',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/uks-ev-push-india-should-take-note-and-tie-up-with-british-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;UK&rsquo;s EV push: India should take note and tie up with British partners&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Times of India on 20/11/2020. It talks about the impact of electric vehicle development in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the United Kingdom (UK) has decided to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. Also, as part of its green agenda, the UK strives to establish the enabling infrastructure for <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>electric vehicles (EVs).</strong></a></p>
<p>Such a big move that could have a ripple effect on the green movement around the world. In India, the government is also keen on replacing fossil fuel-driven vehicles with EVs. In 2017 began by setting an ambitious target of 100% electric cars by 2030.</p>
<p>However, due to resistance from the automotive industry and fears of job losses forced the government to lower the target. Thus, without government supporting investment in EV infrastructure upfront and passing the buck to the automotive industry and consumers, it would be difficult to bring transformation in the mobility sector.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Necessity For EVs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Controlling Pollution:</strong> According to the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT), an estimated 74,000 premature deaths were attributable to air pollution from transportation tailpipe emissions in India in 2015.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, many top polluted cities in the world are from India. For example, New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mitigating Climate Change:</strong> In December 2019, in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-climate-risk-index-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Risk Index 2020</strong></a> released by the environment think tank, Germanwatch, India&rsquo;s rank has worsened from the 14<sup>th</sup> spot in 2017 to 5<sup>th</sup> in 2018 in the global vulnerability ladder.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This makes it all the more reason for India to make electric cars and vehicles a priority in the fight against the reliance on fossil fuels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainable Energy Options:</strong> Shifting towards EVs will help India to reduce oil dependency while solving the challenge of energy scarcity and moving towards renewable and clean sources of energy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Battery Cell Manufacturing:</strong> There is a complete absence of primary battery cell manufacturing in India which poses the risk of increasing trade deficit.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At the moment, most manufacturers rely on batteries imported from Japan, China, Korea and Europe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Building Charging Infrastructure:</strong> Another big challenge is the development of charging infrastructure which will need to be combined with existing refuelling stations and at alternative locations closer to homes.</li>
<li><strong>Limited Grid Capacity:</strong> According to a Niti Aayog report, India&rsquo;s EVs market needs a minimum of 10 GW of cells by 2022, which would need to be expanded to about 50 GW by 2025.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, currently, India is able to add only 20 GW every year to its grid for all of our other increasing energy needs. Thus, the fulfilment of the requirement of 10GW additional capacity only for EVs would be a huge task.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Local Issues:</strong> Bringing transportation decisions closer to the people is understandable and necessary. Transport challenges such as congestion, affordability, infrastructure and transit systems availability are localized issues, impede the standardization of EVs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, it will be a challenge to create a competitive advantage in electric vehicle manufacturing, or even a market for them, given that India does not have the infrastructure or deep pockets like China (world's current leader in electric mobility).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Current Policy of Indian Government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>FAME Scheme:</strong> The Indian government has created momentum through its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fame-ii-1#:~:text=Background,development%20and%20Manufacturing%20eco%2Dsystem." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &amp;) Electric Vehicles</strong></a> schemes that encourage, and in some segments mandates the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), with a goal of reaching 30% EV penetration by 2030.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If these aims are realised by 2030, they will generate an estimated saving of up to 474 Millions of tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) and 846 million tonnes of net CO2 emissions over their lifetime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fiscal Incentives:</strong> Various fiscal demand incentives have been put in place to spur the production and consumption of EVs and charging infrastructure - such as income tax rebates, exemption from customs duties, etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Increasing R&amp;D in EVs:</strong> The Indian market needs encouragement for indigenous technologies that are suited for India from both strategic and economic standpoint.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since investment in local research and development is necessary to bring prices down, it makes sense to leverage local universities and existing industrial hubs.</li>
<li>India should work with countries like the UK and synergise EV development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sensitising Public:</strong> Breaking away the old norms and establishing a new consumer behaviour is always a challenge. Thus, a lot of sensitisation and education is needed, in order to bust several myths and promote EVs within the Indian market.</li>
<li><strong>Viable Electricity Pricing:</strong> Given current electricity prices, home charging may also be an issue if the generation is from thermal power plants run on coal.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, a shift in the electricity generation landscape as a whole is what is required to facilitate the growth of electric cars.</li>
<li>In this context, India is on track to become one of the largest solar and energy storage markets by 2025.</li>
<li>A combination of solar-powered grid solutions that are organised with a general improvement in grid resilience will ensure adequate charging infrastructure for EV&rsquo;s being a green option.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Creating the Closed-Loop Mobility Ecosystem:</strong> Subsidizing manufacturing for an electric supplychain will certainly improve the EV development in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with charging infrastructure, the establishment of a robust supply chain will also be needed.</li>
<li>Further, recycling stations for batteries will need to recover the metals from batteries used in electrification to create the closed-loop required for the shift to electric cars to be an environmentally-sound decision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Operationalizing mass transition to electric mobility for a country of 1.3 billion people is not an easy feat. Thus, a strong common vision, an objective framework for comparing state policies and a platform for public-private collaboration are needed.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605875490_image0.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605875490_image0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7fcff;">
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Operationalizing mass transition to electric mobility for a country of 1.3 billion people is not an easy feat. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y6IeCqKJpww" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/justice-cant-be-selective-cji-bobde-is-both-right-and-wrong-on-article-32/2131491/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Justice can&rsquo;t be selective&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Financial Express on November 19<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6985,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Technological Revolution, Covid-19 & Labour Market',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.epw.in/journal/2020/44/commentary/future-work-post-covid-19-world.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;The Future of Work in the Post-COVID-19 World&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Economic &amp; Political Weekly on 31/10/2020. It talks about the impact of the fourth industrial revolution and the pandemic on the labour market.</p>
</div>
<p>The emergence of the ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> has caused dra&shy;stic impacts on almost every aspect of human life. One of the large uncertainties is related to the economic impact of this pandemic.</p>
<p>In the economic arena, the impact on the global labour market will undergo many important changes. However, the global labour market was already going through radical changes over the last few decades due to the upcoming <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fourth industrial revolution</strong></a> and the pandemic is likely to &shy;increase this rate.</p>
<p>Future prospects of the labour market are unpromising due to the advances and challenges generated by technologies &shy;related to <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>arti&shy;ficial intelligence (AI)</strong></a>, &shy;machine learning (ML), robotics, and industrial automatisation.</p>
<p>Therefore, the real need right now is to evaluate how the Covid-19 crisis will &shy;affect this ongoing transformation and adequate policy responses.</p>
<h3>Ongoing Changes in Labour Market</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In current times, the role of technology has become self-contradictory. Even if technology has been created to support humankind, there exists an &shy;underlying fear about its impact on the labour market.</li>
<li>Traditio&shy;nally, changes affected only employees in charge of highly repetitive tasks, that is the so-called blue-collar workers.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the recent impact of the fourth industrial revolution is also threatening those that carry out highly skilled tasks, that is, the so-called white-collar workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Labour Organization</strong></a> (ILO) estimated that 1,400 million workers in the world (around 37.5% of the &shy;total workers) worked in vulnerable employment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of 4<sup>th</sup> Industrial Revolution &amp; Covid-19 on Labour Market</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Process of Automation:</strong> According to ILO, the manufacturing sector employs approximately 1,600 million robots at a global scale, a number with exponential growth in recent years.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Covid-19 pandemic will quite likely ensure that companies will strive to organise supply chains that are safe and free from viruses.</li>
<li>For this, deployments of swarm robots, that is &shy;robots linked to each other for coordinated action, present important functional benefits. Therefore, in some way, it is quite likely that Covid-19 will accelerate the process of automation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Polarisation:</strong> The pandemic is also increasing social inequalities due to the disparate impact of the virus on different classes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, before the pandemic, the most vulnerable jobs and with more risk to be automated were precisely the low-&shy;income ones.</li>
<li>The virus has a social &shy;impact that is quite undemocratic, which besides the ongoing robotisation and automation processes will drive up the &shy;levels of social polarisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in Work Culture:</strong> The ongoing technological revolution and the impact of the novel coronavirus might radically change the work conditions.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With this new wave of forced remote working, some tech companies in Silicon Valley (such as Twitter, Square, or Facebook) have already decided to shift to <strong>permanent working from home</strong> even after the pandemic.</li>
<li>These changes will have a vast impact on the urban economies of the regions where these companies are located by affecting &shy;aspects, such as real estate, transpor&shy;tation, leisure, and social diversity, among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Post-Labour Society:</strong> Some theorists predict a post-work scenario where robots would mostly replace human workforces. Among the consequences, it would mean the end of the traditional labour structure, which will require us to redefine the term work itself.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can lead to the emergence of a massive and new unworking class.</li>
<li>In addition, with the pace of technological shifts, the skills required of employees will prob&shy;ably change faster over time, creating a group of people whose skills get constantly outdated.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in Society:</strong> Beyond the real impact of AI and robo&shy;tics on the labour market, strong chan&shy;ges are expected to disrupt societies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Without employment providing a structure in the people&rsquo;s lives and with technology replacing many human activities, the societies are likely to shift towards more individualistic entities with less human interaction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Positive Trends:</strong> There are many studies which signify that the fourth Industrial revolution would create as many jobs as it eradicated, showing a slightly positive trend.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These studies indicate that the healthcare and educational sectors will have a growing job demand, while the manufacturing and transport sectors will suffer the largest &shy;losses of jobs.</li>
<li>Further, technology and automation could lead to a fairer economic model with lower prices, greater social awareness. Thus, there is a need for re-skilling of the workforce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Necessity of Inclusive Development:</strong> Some governments are trying to &shy;develop strategies to face the very negative scenarios that might emerge.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this sense, one of such countermeasures is the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/universal-basic-income" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Universal Basic Income (UBI).</strong></a></li>
<li>However, developing countries like India need to develop alternative strategies. This is because providing UBI in the world's second-largest populous country would not be feasible, especially in the near future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is expected that the ongoing technological revolution, besides the upcoming economic crisis due to the coronavirus, might reduce the level of regulated &shy;employment. In this scenario, the relationship between employer and employee would be reduced to a minimum.</p>
<p>The supporters of this policy argue that it will boost the labour market, while critics argue that the employee will be completely unprotected.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605184704_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605184704_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="737" height="242" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f5faff;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Critically analyse the impact of the fourth industrial revolution and the Covid-19 pandemic on the labour market.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/scVWS-a-Qjg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/road-bumps-the-hindu-editorial-on-fifteenth-finance-commission-report/article33069233.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Road bumps: On Fifteenth Finance Commission report&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on November 11<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6978,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Thirty Meter Telescope Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The design of <strong>back-end instruments</strong> and other aspects of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-change-location-of-tmt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)</strong></a> project being installed at <strong>Maunakea in Hawaii</strong> has been developed by close collaboration between the <strong>2020 <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/nobel-prize-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez</a>&nbsp;</strong>and <strong>Indian astronomers.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Point</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Thirty-meter telescope (TMT) project is an international partnership between the <strong>USA, Canada, Japan, China, and India.</strong></li>
<li>It will allow deeper exploration into space and <strong>observe cosmic objects</strong> with unprecedented sensitivity.</li>
<li><strong>Other Global Projects with Indian Collaboration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Project</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian scientists contributed in several aspects such as <strong>designing algorithms for analysis of signals from gravitational waves,</strong> estimating energy and power radiated from black holes etc.</li>
<li>Now <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/scientists-to-test-land-for-ligo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LIGO-India</strong></a> is a planned advanced gravitational-wave observatory to be located in India as part of the worldwide network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CERN Project</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India became a <strong>full Associate Member</strong> of world&rsquo;s largest particle <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/upgrade-at-cern" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Physics laboratory CERN</strong></a> in 2017, thereby <strong>getting full access</strong> to data generated there.</li>
<li>The contribution of Indian scientists there is mainly in building the<strong> Large Hadron Collider (LHC)</strong> and construction of two significant CERN experiments, <strong>CMS and ALICE.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>FAIR is coming up at <strong>Darmstadt, Germany</strong> for<strong> studying the building blocks of matter and the evolution of the Universe.</strong></li>
<li>FAIR is a sophisticated <strong>accelerator complex</strong> that will <strong>use the high energy and ion beams to mimic the condition inside the core</strong> of the stars and early phase of the universe.</li>
<li>The role of Indian scientists would be to build <strong>NUSTAR</strong> (Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions), <strong>CBM</strong> (Compressed Baryonic Matter) and <strong>PANDA</strong> (Antiproton Annihilation at Darmstadt).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Square Kilometre Array (SKA)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has joined<strong> nine other countries</strong> to build the <strong>world's largest and most sophisticated radio telescope</strong> called Square Kilometre Array (SKA).</li>
<li>The <strong>core of the telescope will be based in Karoo desert in South Africa.</strong> Since the<strong> total detection area</strong> of the receiver dishes would exceed<strong> 1 square kilometer,</strong> it is called Square Kilometre Array.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International-Thermonuclear-Experimental-Reactor (ITER)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The International-Thermonuclear-Experimental-Reactor (ITER) is focused around <strong>creating an environment mimicking the Sun</strong> in laboratory conditions using <strong>nuclear fusion.</strong></li>
<li>India&rsquo;s scientists and institutions such as <strong>Institute for Plasma Research, Ahmedabad</strong> are playing an important role in this.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1671685" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6966,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Pfizer's Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>American pharma company Pfizer</strong> has claimed that its<strong> vaccine candidate BNT162b2 is more than 90% effective</strong> in preventing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> in participants without evidence of prior <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SARS-CoV-2</strong></a> infection.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BNT162b2:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>single nucleoside-modified messenger RNA</strong> (modRNA) vaccine, which is made of a short segment of genetic material (the messenger RNA/mRNA) which <strong>provides instructions for a human cell to make a harmless version of a target protein,</strong> in this case the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, in order <strong>to activate an immune response.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The mRNA vaccine is a new approach to protecting against viral infection.</li>
<li>Unlike traditional vaccines, which work by training the body to recognise and kill proteins produced by pathogens, mRNA tricks the patient's immune system to <strong>produce viral proteins itself.</strong></li>
<li>The proteins are harmless, but sufficient to provoke a robust immune response.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its <strong>phase 3 clinical trial began in July</strong> with 43,538 participants, 38,955 of whom had received a second dose by November. The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a<strong> vaccine efficacy rate above 90%,</strong> at 7 days after the second dose.</li>
<li>It means that <strong>protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination,</strong> which consists of a <strong>2-dose schedule.</strong></li>
<li>Pfizer has become the <strong>first firm to release promising late-stage trial data of a potential vaccine</strong> for Covid-19, even though the announcement <strong>does not have scientifically conclusive evidence</strong> on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine candidate.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>analysis o</strong>f the vaccine candidate by an <strong>external independent Data Monitoring Committee</strong> (DMC) has <strong>not reported any serious safety concerns.</strong></li>
<li>The announcement comes days before the company plans to submit safety and efficacy data from the trial to the American regulator, the <strong>United States Food and Drug Administration</strong> (USFDA) seeking emergency use authorisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vaccines Worldwide:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of mid-October 2020, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization</strong></a> (WHO) has identified <strong>42 candidate vaccines</strong> at the stage of clinical trials, up from 11 in mid-June.</li>
<li><strong>Ten of them</strong> were at the most advanced <strong>phase 3 stage,</strong> in <strong>which a vaccine's effectiveness is tested on a large scale,</strong> generally tens of thousands of people across several continents.</li>
<li>The <strong>USA biotech firm Moderna,</strong> several <strong>state-run Chinese labs,</strong> and a <strong>European project led by the University of Oxford </strong>and<strong> AstraZeneca</strong> are also closing in on potentially viable vaccines.</li>
<li><strong>Two Russian Covid-19 vaccines</strong> have been registered for use even before clinical trials were completed, but have not been widely accepted outside of Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Progress</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is <strong>preparing to administer a vaccine against Covid-19 to its population early in 2021</strong> and for that, it is <strong>working with neighbouring countries</strong> on possible collaborative clinical trials of vaccine candidates in the future.</li>
<li>A specialist team of scientists and researchers from the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-to-test-for-community-transmission-of-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Council of Medical Research</strong> </a>(ICMR) and the <strong>Department of Biotechnology</strong> (DBT) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, has<strong> imparted training to doctors and regulators </strong>in<strong> Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian team has focused its training on conducting crucial <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/drugs-and-clinical-trials-rules-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>phase II and III</strong></a> human clinical trials of the potential vaccine candidate along lines of India&rsquo;s regulatory mechanism.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>phases II/III,</strong> reactogenicity (ability to produce common, adverse reactions), immunogenicity (ability to provoke an immune response), and safety of the vaccine candidate are assessed in a larger population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> current aim is to facilitate a future collaborative clinical trial </strong>but in<strong> future, it will allow India to explore the option of buying</strong> the potential Covid-19 vaccine from these neighbouring countries.</li>
<li><strong>Indigenously Developed Vaccines:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/clinical-trial-of-covid-19-vaccine-zycov-d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ZyCoV-D</strong></a>: Designed and developed by Zydus (a pharmaceutical company) with support from the DBT.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covaxin-approved-for-human-clinical-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a>: Developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Assistance in Global Trails:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-iii-clinical-trials-of-covishield" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covishield</strong></a>: Name given to an Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine candidate which is technically referred to as AZD1222 or ChAdOx 1 nCoV-19.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V</strong></a>: The first vaccine to be officially registered and has been developed by Moscow&rsquo;s Gamaleya Institute in collaboration with the Russia&rsquo;s defence ministry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/pfizer-claims-first-big-breakthrough-test-covid-vaccine-90-effective-in-phase-3-7035285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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