GENERAL STUDIES – I
Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture
from ancient to modern times.
1. MAHARSHI BADRAYAN VYAS SAMMAN’ AWARDS
What to study?
• For Prelims and Mains: About Maharshi Badrayan,
contributions and awards, what is Vedanta philosophy?
Why in News? Vice President recently conferred around
100 ‘President’s Certificate of Honour’ and ‘Maharshi Badrayan
Vyas Samman’ Awards to scholars in Classical Languages.
Who was Maharshi Badrayan?
• He was an Indian philosopher about whom almost no
personal details are reliably known.
• Badarayana is regarded as having written the basic text of
the Vedanta system, the Vedāntasūtra a.k.a. Brahmasūtra.
He is thus considered the founder of the Vedānta system of
philosophy.
• The date of Badarayana and his Brahma Sutras is uncertain. Different scholars have dated the Brahma Sutras
variously from 500 BCE to 450 BCE.
2. HINDU NEW YEAR
Context: Hindu New Year was welcomed in different parts of the country with traditional festivities and
celebrations.
The Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Navareh, Navroz and Chetti Chand are the same festivals in different
names, marking the occasion.
1. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Ugadi.
2. Karnataka: Yugadi /Ugadi.
3. Maharashtra: Gudi Padwa.
4. Sindhis: Cheti Chand.
5. Manipuris: Sajibu Cheiraoba.
6. Hindus of Bali and Indonesia also celebrate their new year on the same day as Nyepi.
7. Kashmir: Navreh.
3. RAJASTHAN’S GUJJAR QUOTA FACES A LEGAL CHALLENGE
What to study?
• For Prelims: Highlights of the Bill
• For Mains: Significance and concerns associated with the reservations, solutions to the problem of
reservation.
Context: The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea challenging the grant of 5% quota to Gujjars and
four other castes in jobs and educational institutions in Rajasthan through an amendment in February.
• SC has dismissed the appeal against a Rajasthan High Court order refusing to grant interim relief on the
petition challenging the quota to Gujjars and others, treating them as socially and economically
backward classes.
What’s the issue?
• Rajasthan government has proposed to give 5% reservation
to Gujjars and four other nomadic communities in jobs and
education in Rajasthan, citing them as being an “extremely
backward class”.
• However, the PIL argues that this law breached the 50%
ceiling on reservation. The PIL had also cited the proportion
of Gujjars’ population as per the last Census instead of
referring to the quantifiable data of backwardness in
education and public employment.
Rajasthan Backward Classes Amendment Bill, 2019:
• The Rajasthan government has passed the Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational
Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Amendment Bill, 2019.
• The bill seeks to provide 5% reservation to Gujjars, Banjaras, Gadia Lohars, Raikas and Gadaria. At present,
the communities are provided 1% reservation under More Backward Classes (MBC).
• The bill has increased the OBC reservation in Rajasthan from the present 21% to 26%. It has also increased
the income limit for defining creamy layer in OBC from Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh/annum.
• The Rajasthan government has also passed a resolution requesting the Centre to include the bill in
Schedule IX of the Indian Constitution. This is because Rajasthan has breached the 50% cap on reservations
set by the Supreme Court.
What are the concerns?
• Multiple commissions appointed by State governments have recommended the implementation of the
5% quota on the basis of the community’s “extreme” or “most” backward nature.
• But the lack of adequate data in the absence of a proper socio-economic caste census to prove this has
led to the policy’s undoing in judicial orders.
• Also, the repeated agitations reveal the shortfall in adequate, gainful and secure job opportunities in
States such as Rajasthan.
Sources: the hindu.
4. KANDHAMAL HALDI
What to study?
• For Prelims: GI tags and about Kandhmal Haldi.
• For Mains: Significance of GI tags.
Context: Odisha’s Kandhamal Haldi (turmeric), famous for its healing properties, has received GI tag.
Key facts:
• The golden yellow spice, named after the district where it is produced, has been cultivated since time
immemorial and is known for its medicinal value.
• Turmeric is the main cash crop of tribal people in Kandhamal. Apart from domestic use, turmeric is also used
for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
• More than 60,000 families (nearly 50% of Kandhamal population) are engaged in growing the variety. The
crop is sustainable in adverse climatic conditions.
About GI tag:
• What is it? A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods)
originating from a definite geographical territory.
• Significance of a GI tag: Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially
attributable to the place of its origin.
• Security: Once the GI protection is granted, no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products. It also
provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product.
• Provisions in this regard: GI is covered as element of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under Paris Convention for
Protection of Industrial Property.
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