Daily Prelims Notes 1 March 2025

Daily Prelims Notes

1 March 2025

Table Of Contents

1. Hamas capabilities misjudged by Israel Army, finds probe
2. Congress Advocates ‘Bottom-Up Approach’ to reduce Inequality
3. Indian digital economy ranked 28th on user spending: report
4. Rahul targets Centre over vacancies in national SC Commission
5. SC sets aside dismissal of two women judicial officers
6. Devastating Avalanche in Uttarakhand
7. India Set to Surpass the U.S. in Scientific Publications by 2029
8. Aditya-L1 Mission: Unlocking Solar Flare Secrets

1. Hamas capabilities misjudged by Israel Army, finds probe

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

• An Israeli military investigation concluded that Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in Israeli history on October 7, 2023, because the Israeli Army underestimated both the group’s intentions and capabilities.

October 7, 2023 Hamas attack:

• Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, infiltrating its borders through various means and firing thousands of rockets. Hamas called the attack “Operation Al Aqsa Flood”.
• The attack prompted a swift military response from Israel and triggered the conflict in Gaza, with the Israeli military conducting airstrikes and ground operations in retaliation.
• In January 2025, a significant ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas, effectively halting a 15-month conflict that had devastated the Gaza Strip.

Underestimation of Hamas’ Capabilities:

• A key misconception within the Israeli military was that Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, was more focused on governing the territory rather than continuing its military conflict with Israel. This misconception led to a lack of preparation for a large-scale offensive and played a significant role in the success of the attack.
• The Israeli military had planned for a potential Hamas attack to involve a ground invasion from up to eight border points. However, Hamas used over 60 attack routes during the assault, vastly exceeding Israeli expectations.
• Intelligence analysis later showed that Hamas had attempted similar offensives three times before but had delayed them for unknown reasons.

About Hamas:

• Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group and one of the two major political parties in the region.
• Currently, it governs more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
• Founded in 1987 during the First Intifada (Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule), Hamas’s stated goal is to establish an Islamic state in the historic land of Palestine.
• Hamas as a whole, or in some cases its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
• In the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas won a surprise victory, securing 74 out of 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council. This victory gave Hamas political control over the Palestinian Authority.

2. Congress Advocates ‘Bottom-Up Approach’ to reduce Inequality

Sub : Eco

Sec: National Income

• The Congress Party has called for a shift in policy making from cronyism (favoring big businesses) to bottom-up empowerment to tackle inequality and low consumption in India.

Key Concerns

• Low Consumption Levels: India’s per capita consumption is ₹1,493—less than one-third of China’s.
• Unequal Consumer Class Structure: 30 million wealthy households (10%) can afford large-scale purchases, whereas 205 million poor households (1 billion people) have no disposable income for non-essential goods.

Proposed Solution: Bottom-Up Economic Empowerment

• Congress suggests boosting rural incomes as a solution to low consumption.
• Recommends hiking MGNREGA wages (rural employment scheme) to outpace inflation.
• Focus on grassroots economic growth rather than benefiting large corporations.

3. Indian digital economy ranked 28th on user spending: report

Sub : Eco

Sec: National Income

Why in News?

• A State of India’s Digital Economy (SIDE) Report, 2025 published by ICRIER Prosus Centre for Internet and Digital Economy (CIDE) highlights that India ranks 28th globally in digital user spending despite being the third-largest economy.
• The report assesses India’s digital progress using the CHIPS framework, considering factors like internet access, AI readiness, and digital investments.

Key Findings:

• India’s Digital Economy Growth:
  • India’s digital economy is expanding at twice the rate of its overall economy.
  • It is expected to contribute 20% of GDP by 2029.
• Disparity Between Economic Size & User Digital Spending:
  • India is the third-largest global economy but ranks 28th in terms of digital user spending, suggesting high digitalization at the national level but low per capita digital consumption.
• Internet Penetration vs. Digital Spending:
  • Internet connectivity is comparable to global standards, but user spending remains low, indicating a gap between digital access and economic participation.
• Global Digital Economy Ranking:
  • India is ranked 8th when combining both economic size and digital user economy rankings.

4. Rahul targets Centre over vacancies in national SC Commission

Sub: Polity

Sec: National Body

Context:

• Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, criticized the BJP-led Union government for the vacancies in the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).
• He termed it as “proof of the anti-Dalit mentality of the BJP government.”
• In a post on X, he stated that the NCSC has been deliberately neglected, with key posts lying vacant for a year.
• He called for the Prime Minister to fill the posts at the earliest.

Status of Vacancies in NCSC

• The 7th National Commission for Scheduled Castes was constituted on March 9, 2024.
• Vacant posts:
  • Vice-Chairperson.
  • One more Member.
• The Constitution mandates that NCSC should have a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three members.
• The last time all top posts were filled was during the 5th Commission (2017-2020), under Ram Shankar Katheria.

Other Key Vacancies in NCSC

• Law Officer for the Legal Cell is vacant.
• Some posts at the Section Officer level are also unfilled.
• An NCSC official stated that the Commission cannot comment on vacancy-related issues.

Vacancies in Other National Commissions

• National Commission for Other Backward Classes (NCBC)
  • Lacks a Vice-Chairperson.
  • Missing at least two members.
• National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
  • Lacks a Vice-Chairperson.
• Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
  • The post has been vacant for over five years.
  • The Disability Department Secretary is holding additional charge.
• National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK)
  • Until January 2025, it was four members short of its mandate.
  • Currently has Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and two members.
  • Requires a total of five members as per mandate.

Constitutional and Governance Concerns

• These commissions are constitutional/statutory bodies tasked with protecting the rights of marginalized communities.
• Persistent vacancies weaken their functioning and affect policy implementation.
• Raises concerns over governance efficiency and administrative neglect.
• The issue has been flagged in Parliament (December 2024) and remains unresolved.

About National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

Introduction

• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is a constitutional body established under Article 338 of the Indian Constitution.
• It is responsible for safeguarding the rights and interests of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in India.

Composition

• As per the Constitution, the NCSC consists of:
  • Chairperson
  • Vice-Chairperson
  • Three Members
• Members are appointed by the President of India.

Functions and Powers

• Investigate and monitor issues related to Scheduled Castes’ safeguards under the Constitution.
• Inquire into specific complaints regarding violations of SC rights.
• Participate in the planning process for SC welfare and advise on policy matters.
• Present annual and special reports to the President on the status of SCs.
• Recommend measures for socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes.

5. SC sets aside dismissal of two women judicial officers

Sub: Polity

Sec: Judiciary

Context:

• The Supreme Court ruled on February 28, 2025, that the judiciary must be more sensitive to the well-being of women judges.
• The case involved two women judicial officers from Madhya Pradesh who were dismissed despite one facing personal trauma, including a miscarriage.
• Justice B.V. Nagarathna emphasized the need for a supportive work environment for women in the judiciary.

Supreme Court’s Observations

• The judiciary must ensure a sensitive and inclusive workplace for women judges.
• Gender cannot excuse inefficiency but must be considered in workplace policies.
• More women in the judiciary can break stereotypes and promote gender equality.
• Women’s visibility in courts can encourage more women to seek justice.
• The Supreme Court reinstated the dismissed judges and termed their removal “punitive, arbitrary, and illegal.”

Legal Provisions for Women’s Workplace Protection

• Article 10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: Provides special protection to mothers before and after childbirth.
• Article 11 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Requires states to prevent workplace discrimination against women.
• The court acknowledged that issues like miscarriage could be physically and mentally exhausting for women judges.

Workplace Challenges for Women in Judiciary

• Long working hours and heavy caseloads create stress for women judges.
• Women often work through menstrual pain, sometimes relying on medication.
• Justice Nagarathna remarked that men would understand the difficulty if they experienced menstruation.
• Lack of institutional support can impact women’s performance and career growth.

Appointment and Removal of District Judges

Appointment:

• Governed by Article 233 of the Indian Constitution.
• District judges are appointed by the Governor in consultation with the High Court.
• Candidates must have at least seven years of experience as an advocate and be recommended by the High Court.

Removal:

• Governed by Article 235, which gives the High Court control over district judiciary administration.
• District judges can be removed by the Governor based on the High Court’s recommendation.
• They can be dismissed for inefficiency, misconduct, or failure to perform duties.
• The Supreme Court can intervene in cases of arbitrary or unfair dismissal.

6. Devastating Avalanche in Uttarakhand

Sub: Geo

Sec: Geomorphology

Why in News

• A massive glacier avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) project site in Mana village, Uttarakhand, leaving 22 workers trapped under ice. The rescue operations, led by the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), have been hampered by continuous snowfall.

Avalanche:

• Avalanche, a mass of material moving rapidly down a slope.
• An avalanche is typically triggered when material on a slope breaks loose from its surroundings; this material then quickly collects and carries additional material down the slope.
• Snow Avalanche is a rapid, down slope movement of large detached mass of snow, ice and associated debris such as rock fragments, soil and vegetation.
• Small avalanches, or sluffs, occur in large numbers whereas large avalanches that may encompass slopes a kilometre or more in length with millions of tons of snow, occur infrequently bust cause lot of damage.
• Common types of ice avalanches are Slab avalanches, loose snow avalanches and powder snow avalanches.
• In India, Himalayan region is well known for occurrence of snow avalanches particularly the Western Himalayan region (snowy regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand).

Slab avalanches:

• A slab avalanche occurs when the weak layer lies lower down in a snowpack. This layer is covered with other layers of compressed snow.
• When the avalanche is triggered, the weak layer breaks off, pulling all the layers on top of it down the slope. These layers tumble and fall in a giant block, or slab.
• The thickness and speed of slab avalanches make them a threat to skiers, snowboarders, mountaineers, and hikers.
• Slab avalanches are, by far, the most dangerous types of avalanches for people.
• A slab will move very quickly downhill, up to 130 km/h, starting off as a cohesive unit and shattering into smaller pieces as it descends.

Loose snow avalanches:

• Loose snow avalanches happen when poorly bonded surface snow slides downhill under its own weight.
• They are common on steep slopes and are seen after a fresh snowfall.
• Since the snow does not have time to settle down fully or has been made loose by sunlight, the snowpack is not very solid.
• Such avalanches have a single point of origin, from where they widen as they travel down the slope.
• Sometimes called sluffs, these types of avalanches are generally smaller and less dangerous than slab avalanches, but they can still pose a hazard in the wrong terrain.

Powder Snow Avalanches:

• Powder Snow Avalanches are a mix of the other forms, Loose Snow and Slab.
• The bottom half of this avalanche consists of a slab or a dense concentration of snow, ice and air.
• Above this is a cloud of powdered snow, which can snowball into a larger avalanche as it progresses down the slope.
• The speed attained by this avalanche can cross 190 miles per hour, and they can cross large distances.

About BRO:

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. 
• BRO develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighbouring countries.
• It is staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Military Police and army personnel on extra regimental employment.
• Engineering Service and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the Border Roads Organisation.

IBEX Brigade:

• The IBEX Brigade is a specialized unit of the Indian Army, known for its expertise in high-altitude operations.
• Recently, led rescue operations in Mana Village, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, following a glacier avalanche.

7. India Set to Surpass the U.S. in Scientific Publications by 2029

Sub: Sci

Sec: IPR

Why in News

• Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, announced that India is projected to surpass the United States in the number of scientific publications by 2029. The statement was made during a public function, to commemorate National Science Day.

Details:

• According to a 2023 ranking by the U.S.-based National Science Foundation, the global leaders in scientific publications are:
  • China: 898,949 publications (1st position)
  • United States: 457,335 publications (2nd position)
  • India: 207,390 publications (3rd position)
• If the current trend continues, India is expected to overtake the U.S. by 2029 in terms of scientific publications.
• A December 31, 2024, compilation of the world’s top 2% scientists included 5,351 Indian scientists.
• India ranks 10th in the world in this list, with the top three countries being:
  • United States: 71,392 scientists (1st position)
  • China: 27,165 scientists (2nd position)
  • India: 5,351 scientists (10th position)

National Science Day:

• Date: February 28th annually.
• Commemorates the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C.V. Raman on February 28, 1928.
• In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) proposed the observance to the Government of India, which was accepted.
• The first National Science Day was celebrated on February 28, 1987.
• Themes 2025: “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science & Innovation for Viksit Bharat.”

Sir C.V. Raman:

• Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.
• Birth: November 7, 1888, in Tiruchirappalli, Southern India.
• Discovered the Raman Effect in 1928, explaining the change in wavelength of light when it passes through a transparent medium.
• Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for the discovery of the Raman Effect, making him the first Asian to receive a Nobel Prize in any branch of science.

8. Aditya-L1 Mission: Unlocking Solar Flare Secrets

Sub : Sci

Sec: Space Sector

Why in News

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the Aditya-L1 mission has captured the first-ever image of a solar flare ‘kernel’ using its Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) payload.

Key Observations:

• The SUIT payload aboard Aditya-L1 captured the image in the lower solar atmosphere, specifically the photosphere and chromosphere.
• The solar flare was detected in the Near Ultraviolet (NUV) wavelength range of 200-400 nm.
• This is the first time a solar flare has been observed in such detail in this spectrum.
• The observation, recorded an X6.3-class solar flare, one of the most intense solar eruptions.
• The observation confirmed that energy released from the flare spreads through different layers of the Sun’s atmosphere.
• The localized brightening in the lower solar atmosphere was found to correspond with an increase in plasma temperature in the solar corona.
• This validates theories linking flare energy deposition to temperature evolution in the Sun’s outer layers.

Aditya-L1 Mission:

• ADITYA-L1 will carry seven different payloads capable of studying various phenomena on the Sun across the electromagnetic spectrum and solar wind. These payloads include:
  • Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)
  • Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)
  • Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)
  • Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX)
  • High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)
  • Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA)
  • Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers

Lagrange Points:

• “L1” refers to the Lagrange point 1. Lagrange points are specific points in space where the gravitational forces of two large bodies, such as the Sun and the Earth, balance the centrifugal force felt by a smaller body.
• Lagrange points can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.
• L1 is one of the five Lagrange points in the Sun-Earth system. Of the five, three are unstable (L1, L2, and L3) and two are stable (L4 and L5).
• The unstable Lagrange points (L1, L2, and L3) lie along the line connecting the two large masses.
• The stable Lagrange points (L4 and L5) form the apex of two equilateral triangles that have the large masses at their vertices. L4 leads the orbit of Earth, and L5 follows.
• The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system provides an uninterrupted view of the sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite.

Solar Flare:

• A solar flare is a sudden, intense burst of energy originating from the Sun’s atmosphere, caused by the reconnection of magnetic fields.
• This phenomenon releases energy in the form of light, radiation, and high-energy particles.
• Kernel: In the context of solar flares, a ‘kernel’ refers to the brightest and most concentrated region observed in the lower layers of the Sun’s atmosphere during a flare event.
• These compact features are sites of rapid heating and plasma up flow during the rise phase of flares.
• Solar Flare Classification: Solar flares are categorized based on their peak X-ray flux in the 1 to 8 Angstrom range, as measured by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). The classification system is as follows:
• A-Class: The weakest flares, with peak flux starting at 10⁻⁸ watts per square meter (W/m²). These flares are barely noticeable above the Sun’s background radiation and have no noticeable consequences on Earth.
• B-Class: Flares with peak flux of 10⁻⁷ W/m². These are ten times more intense than A-class flares but still have minimal impact on Earth.
• C-Class: Minor flares with peak flux of 10⁻⁶ W/m². These flares have few noticeable consequences on Earth.
• M-Class: Medium-sized flares with peak flux of 10⁻⁵ W/m². They can cause brief radio blackouts affecting Earth’s polar regions, and minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare.
• X-Class: The largest flares with peak flux of 10⁻⁴ W/m² and above. They can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. Each numerical increment represents a tenfold increase in energy output; for example, an X2 flare is twice as powerful as an X1 flare.