Daily Prelims Notes 26 July 2020

July 26, 2020
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Table Of Contents

1. Operation Vijay and Vijay Divas

Subject: History

Context:

Every year July 26 is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas to mark the successful completion of “Operation Vijay”

Concept:

India and Pakistan fought the Kargil War between May and July of 1999 in Kargil district under the temperature of minus 10 degree Celsius.
The conflict began after Indian forces detected infiltrations by Pakistani troops and terrorists into Indian territory.
The Pakistani side had a strategic advantage during the start of the conflict as they positioned themselves in key locations and could fire at advancing Indian troops.
The Indian Army was able to ascertain the points of incursion based on information from local shepherds and launched Operation Vijay.
Safed Sagar, the Indian Air Force’s operation, was a major part of the Kargil war. It used air power at the height of 32,000 feet for the first time. From identifying the Pakistani troops and Mujahideens to interdiction, all the actions were performed well by the pilots and engineers.
As the fight came to an end on July 26, 1999, when Indian troops established victory by recapturing all the Indian posts that had been occupied by Pakistani infiltrators.

After Kargil war

After the Kargil War, India increased its defence spending in the budget.
The complete overhaul of India’s intelligence set-up and the creation of a younger and fitter army are among the most significant changes made by the government on the basis of recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee (KRC).
The creation of the post of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was also among them.
The creation of the Defence Intelligence Agency in 2002 and the technical intelligence gathering agency, National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) in 2004, were some of the report’s key outcomes.

2. Latent Viral Infection

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

Some individuals who had tested negative twice for the coronavirus, had, after a few weeks or months, has been tested positive, the second time around albeit with milder symptoms.

Concept:

A latent infection is when the virus in the body is dormant and does not replicate within the host.
It however possesses the capacity to be reactivated at some point, causing a flare-up of the disease much later.
As opposed to active infections, where a virus is actively replicating and potentially causing symptoms, latent infections are essentially static which last the life of the host and occur when the primary infection is not cleared by the adaptive immune response.
Herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus, HIV, Epstein-Barr virus (human herpesvirus 4), and cytomegalovirus are known to cause typical latent infections in humans.

3. Why animals are used for human disease study

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

Researchers have always relied on using animals to understand various human diseases.

Concept:

Major reason to use animals is that they have been the genetic similarity with humans (mice share 98% of DNA with us), and humans have developed tools to edit genes in various animals.
An animal model for a particular disease should fulfill two criteria.
It should be able to “catch” that infection (in case of infectious diseases) and show the clinical outcomes and altered physiology that accompanies the disease.
Then only scientists can try to find the elusive vaccine/drug by attempting to cure experimentally infected lab mice, rats, hamsters and rhesus monkeys

4. Organoids

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

Apart from animal studies, organoids are now used by scientists to develop vaccines.

Concept:

Organoids are tiny, self-organized three-dimensional tissue cultures that are derived from stem cells.
Such cultures can be crafted to replicate much of the complexity of an organ, or to express selected aspects of it like producing only certain types of cells.
It aims to replicate a human organ. They have similar three-dimensional structure and cellular composition as human organs, and thus, are better reflective of human biology compared to animal models.

5. Cabinet decision binding on Governor and Governor’s discretion

Subject: Polity

Context:

Growing crisis in Rajasthan brings into discussion powers of Governor

Concept:

Article 163 states that there shall be a council of Ministers with the chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion
If any question arises whether any matter is or is not a matter as respects which the Governor is by or under this Constitution required to act in his discretion, the decision of the Governor in his discretion shall be final
The advice tendered by Ministers to the Governor shall not be inquired into in any court

6. General Financial rules

Subject: Economy

Context:

Government has amended the General Financial Rules, 2017 to impose curbs on public procurement from bidders of countries that share a land border with India.

Concept:

General Financial Rules (GFRs) are a compilation of rules and orders of Government of India to be followed by all while dealing with matters involving public finances.
These rules and orders are treated as executive instructions to be observed by all Departments and Organisations under the Government and specified Bodies
General Financial Rules were issued for the first time in 1947 bringing together in one place all existing orders and instructions pertaining to financial matters.
These have subsequently been modified and issued as GFRs 1963 and GFRs 2005.