UPSC CSE Why

India is drawing 6 lines on ground to transfer water of Indus River System To cover states of HR, PB, UP, RJ, GJ Canal 2 seems to be coinciding with ancient civilisational river: Saraswati

9. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) - Overview: Highest ranking military officer & Principal Military Authority of Indian Armed Forces - Role and Responsibilities: • Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee; ensure inter-service coordination • Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on tri-services matters & advisor to Nuclear Command Authority • Heads Dept. of Mil Affairs (DMA), manage procurement, training, logistics, & facilitating theatre commands • No military command over service chiefs, "first among equals" with a rank equivalent to a Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. - Historical Context and Evolution: • Proposed post 1999 war by Kargil Review Committee, refined by Naresh Chandra Committee (2012) and Lt. Gen. D.B. Shekatkar Committee (2016) • Purpose: address inefficiencies, enhance combat capability & reduce duplication amid modern warfare challenges - Key Facts • Age: 65 years (no fixed tenure); eligible candidates include retired 4/3 star officers u/ 62 years at appointment • Salary and perks match service chiefs; office ranks 12th in India’s order of precedence • Current CDS, Gen Chauhan is a first instance of a 3 star general becoming 4 star general post retirement (to be elevated as CDS)

Pre note: Read everything with GREAT care today. Worked overtime to fix it for you! 😄 🚨08th June | Sunday🚨

Daily Notes🗒

1. 1. Great Indian Bustard • Conservation Status & Threats: Critically Endangered (IUCN), Schedule I WPA72 w/ <150 individuals. Threatened by habitat loss + power line collisions, hunting & pesticides • Relevance: Flagship species for grasslands, tied to renewable energy conflicts; controls pests, indicates grassland health • In news: New chicks born in RJ, named after Op Sindoor: Vyom, Sofiya, Sindoor, Mishri etc. 2. DigiPIN • Digital Postal Index Number: geospatial reference system developed by Department of Posts, in collab with IIT Hyd & ISRO's NSRC • India's new era of addressing moving beyond JUST Pincode to pin point your exact geographic location 3. Bacteriophages to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance • Overview: AMR causes ~5mn global deaths where bacteriophages (phages) are emerging as an alternative • Mechanism: Phages target specific bacteria (eg E. Coli) [used in Soviet, Georgie & Belgium for ulcers & UTIs] • Strategies: Isolate bacteria, match phased & use engineered phages/banks to eliminate AMR • Challenges: Limited approval, mostly compassionate use; India explores this, facing production and regulatory hurdles. 4. Heaviest Proton Emitter Astatine-188 • What? Finland & Indian collaboration to find Astatine w/ 188 micro-second half life • Function: Advances nuclear stability research, offering insights into proton rich isotop limits, predicting stability drop for future nuclear studies 5. Microgravity [Seen in Pre25] • Definition: Environment w/ low gravitational force, experienced in space where objects appear weightless • Importance: Enables research on physical & cognitive impacts, plant growth & biological processes in space • Applications: Supports studies on muscle dysfunction, bioregenerative life-support systems, and potential food/fuel sources, aligning with India’s space missions like Gaganyaan • Challenges and Future: Poses risks like muscle atrophy and requires advanced tech, influencing future space habitation and interplanetary missions. 6. Axiom-4 (Launch: 10 June) • Crew capsule: Dragon C213, Launch vehicle: Falcon 9 [both SpaceX] • India: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is the pilot while another Indian Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair is on standby • ISRO Payloads on Axiom-4: 8 payloads (covered in next text) 7. Microalgae • What? Microscopic photosynthetic organisms found in aquatic environments (being studied by ISRO in Axiom-4) • Applications: Potential source of food, fuel, oxygen as well as use-case in wastewater treatment & carbon sequestration 8. Tardigrades • Overview: Water bears (microscopic extremophiles 0.05-1.2 mm) surviving extreme conditions (-272°C to 150°C) via cryptobiosis (Axiom-4 is carrying them as ISRO payloads) • Relevance: Research on their revival & gene expression in microgravity aids astrobiology & space exploration

I am working overtime to compensate covering all pointers covered in newspapers + PIB. Fun fact, I spent last 2-3 days working on mapping PRE25 Paper Qs to CSEWhy sources and have 45+ Qs references. Will share soon Long story short, NEVER be in a doubt of quality of CA you get here. Count on me, promise :)

I am seeing lesser interest in daily CA from aspirants despite curated notes on most articles of Newspaper + PIB + other sources Kya hua? Hogaya josh thanda? :)

Pre note: subscribe to CSEWhy CA blog for Free with just your email here 🚨07th June | Saturday🚨

Daily Notes🗒

1. National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) • Statutory body u/ NCISM Act 2020 (replaced Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM)) • Regulates Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa under Ministry of AYUSH • 29 Member team appointed by Search Committee (Cabinet Sec heads this search committee) • Initiatives (PRANA Conference, SMART 2.0, Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan) • Functions: - Regulate Medical education & institutions - Promote research & universal healthcare - Appellate authority for board decisions - Ensure quality & ethics among professionals 2. PM-PRANAM Scheme • In news: Launched to cut synthetic fertilizer use (KA leads the movement) • What's it?: Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother Earth; to reduce chemical fertilizers (2023-2026 FY) • Approach: Encourage balanced use of chemical, biofertilizers, & organic inputs via natural farming • Tech use: tracked using Integrated Fertilizers Management System (iFMS) • Sustainable Practices: Reduces chemical inputs (e.g., DAP, NPK, MOP), minimizing soil degradation, water contamination, and biodiversity loss • Incentives: Centre grants 50% of subsidy savings to states (70% to farmers/panchayats, 30% for organic farming); no separate budget, funded by existing subsidies. • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers 3. Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI) • Objective: Boost electric passenger car manufacturing (to achieve net zero by 2070) • Eligibility: Companies w/ ₹10k crore automotive revenue + ₹3k cr fixed asset investment • Incentive: 15% customs duty on importing 8k EVs annually for 5 yrs • Requirements: ₹4.1k cr invested in 3 years, 25% DVA by year 3, 50% by year 5 4. Learn about World Milk Day here on CSEWhy Blog 5. Revise Monetary Policy Committee here

Revision Recommendations📚

1. Pandyas Kingdom & architecture (new temple unearthed from their time)

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express 🗞 1. After Sindoor, Calculate (GS3: Internal Security + GS2: IR) 2. Bridges to Valley: Lives along the line (GS3: Infrastructure; story of Chenab Bridge) PS: I will soon share images to confirm how you could solve Qs in Pre25 from such daily messages of this group :)

Thank me later :)

The kind of quality content you'd find on CSEWhy blog. Subscribe for FREE with your email: blog.csewhy.com

Pre note: Women in combat roles 🚨06th June | Friday🚨

Daily Notes🗒

1. Khichan & Menar | New Ramsar Sites (total 91, 4 in RJ) • Khichan (Phalodi): famous for migratory Demoiselle cranes • Menar (Udaipur): bird village famous for community led bird conservation efforts 2. Anji Khad Cable Stay Bridge • Reasi, Jammu over Anji river, part of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) • Anji is tributary of Chenab, key part of Indus River system

Quotes💡

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals" - Immanuel Kant

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express 🗞 1. Reimagining the classroom (GS2: Education & Policy) 2. State of ungulates: health of tiger depends on health of its prey (GS3: Environment) 3. Hydrology of the Brahmaputra (GS3: Environment, GS2: IR) PS: What did you study today?

Pre note: Starting Mains Prep? Start here 🚨05th June | Thursday🚨

Daily Notes🗒

1. Malayalam Film Industry & Justice Hema Committee • Justice Hema Committee: Formed in 2017 after a sexual assault case naming a prominent Mallu actor • Finding: The report highlighted pervasive sexual harassment & gender inequality in Malayalam film industry • Issues: 'Culture' of sexual harassment prevails, no casting couch regulations & systematic issues • Response & Challenges: Report was not released till a RTI campaign, released with 63 pages redacted; no concrete outcome 2. Exposomics (study of exposome) • It encompasses all environmental exposures an individual experiences over lifetime and how these exposures interact w/ genetic & biological factors to influence health & disease. • Purpose: Map exposures to understand cumulative impact on health outcomes using tools like biomarkers, sensors & omics tech 3. Census pointers: • First: 1872, first completed: 1881, first caste census: 1931 • Conducted by: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner u/ MHA • Legal basis u/ Census Act 1948 • Next census: conclusion expected by 2027, last census in 2011

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express 🗞 1. What Dhaka needs? (GS2: IR- India Bangladesh relations) 2. The Census of 1931 (GS2; Read for how the last caste census was 1931) PS: What did you study today?

Dams of India | Add Almatti Dam to this for revision :)

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express🗞 1. The great churn in Asia (Miss nothing from this writer) 2. The Centre for the states (GS2: Centre-State Relations) 3. New protections for Ladakh (GS2: Special areas) PS: Avoid speculations around result days.

4. Civil Services Reforms • Historical Context: The UPSC exam format, rooted in the 1854 Macaulay Report, emphasizes merit and talent transferability, with the Kothari Committee (1975) introducing a three-tier structure (pre, mains, interview). • Initial Format Issues: Preliminary exam had optional subjects and General Studies (GS) papers; post-prelims, only shortlisted candidates’ marks were considered, favoring urban students with English proficiency and coaching access. • Concerns with Format: High qualifying marks and Paper-I’s focus on English disadvantaged rural candidates, leading to protests; questions often lacked merit for assessing civil servants. - Reconsider 6 attempts restricting to at-most 3 - Consider upper age limit to 27-29 as against current of 32 - Can include work ex mandatory of 1-2 years before appearing for UPSC CSE Pre - Need more admin focused Qs, feedbacks on scores & optional reforms - Aberration needs to be corrected w/ optional replaced by compulsory subjects for all 5. Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) • Concept: Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) integrates solar panels into buildings to serve dual purpose of building material & power generator (unlike BAPV Building-Applied-Photovoltaics i.e. panels added post construction) • Benefits: Offers energy efficiency (on-site power reduces grid dependency), cost savings (lowers electricity bills), aesthetic appeal, and sustainability (reduces carbon footprint). • Applications: Used in facades (as cladding), roofs (solar tiles/shingles), and windows (semi-transparent panels), replacing conventional materials. • Challenges & Scaling in India: High initial costs; requires policy support (subsidies, tax benefits), awareness campaigns, R&D investment, and integration into urban planning (e.g., smart cities). 6. Metal based nanozyme • Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) at IISc to address abnormal blood clotting in conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). • How?: Nanozyme mimics natural antioxidant enzymes, controlling reactive oxygen species (ROS) to prevent excessive platelet activation and thrombosis (clot formation). • Significance: Targets thrombosis, a major cause of morbidity/mortality, with potential applications in preventing ischemic stroke caused by clogged blood vessels.

Pre note: Did you know about this? 🚨 04th June | Wednesday 🚨

Daily Notes 🗒

1. Axiom-4 (Ax-4) Mission • Overview: 4th pvt astronaut mission to ISS; uses SpaceX Falcon 9 & Crew Dragon • Crew: Astronaut nationalities include US, India, Poland, Hungary • Objectives: Conduct ~60 microgravity experiments, test spacecraft tech, promote commercial space initiatives, and engage in STEM outreach. • Significance: Boosts India's Gaganyaan, supports Axiom's commercial space station vision & fosters global space collab. • ISS Context: Modular LEO station for microgravity research, operated by U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada, Europe. space. 2. Enemy Property Act • Overview: Enemy Property Act 1968 governs properties left by Pak/Chinese nationals post-partition, 62/65/71 war and is managed by Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI). • Definition: Covers movable (shares, gold) and immovable (land, buildings) assets of enemy subjects/firms (Pakistan/China nationals). • Key Provisions: Enacted under Defence of India Rules, 1962; CEPI manages ~13,252 properties worth over Rs. 1 lakh crore, mostly Pakistani-owned. • 2017 Amendment: Expands enemy to include heirs (even Indian citizens); denies succession rights; ensures properties remain with CEPI. • Disposal: CEPI auctions vacant properties, offers occupied ones to occupants, sells movable assets; proceeds to government (e.g., Rs. 3,407 crore from shares, 2018–22). • Significance: Enhances national security, supports economic monetization, resolves legal disputes (e.g., Raja of Mahmudabad case) 3. Mount Etna Eruption • Overview: Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano producing ash, smoke, and rock fragments several kilometers high. • Location: Situated on Sicily’s east coast, Etna is Italy’s highest peak south of the Alps, with five summit craters and frequent flank eruptions. • Eruption Details: Classified as a Strombolian eruption (moderately explosive, gas-driven bursts) by INGV Etna Observatory; some experts argue it was a Plinian eruption (more explosive, reaching stratosphere). • Impact: Spectacular display with no reported injuries, damage, or flight disruptions, despite near-constant activity (60+ flank eruptions since 1600). • Historical Context: Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, has a 500,000-year eruptive history, with documented activity for 2,700 years. • Scientific Insight: Eruptions driven by gas pressure and magma chamber activity; Strombolian eruptions involve sudden gas bursts, while Plinian eruptions are more explosive.

In 2025, people born in • 1993 are 32 • 1994 are 31 • 1995 are 30 • 1996 are 29 • 1997 are 28 • 1998 are 27 • 1999 are 26 • 2000 are 25 You’re no more a kid with potential. Surface that potential! Quit the habits messing up your life

Pre note: Will cover detailed notes tomorrow 🚨 03rd June | Tuesday 🚨

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express🗞 1. entire explained page PS: Avoid speculations around result days.

Pre note: Watch this aspirant's rant on UPSC CSE 2025 🚨 02nd June | Monday 🚨

Daily Notes 🗒

1. Asian Development Bank (ADB) • Estd: 1966, to promote socio-economic dev in Asia-Pacific w/ HQ at Manila, Philippines • India founding members, membership: 69 members (50 Asia-Pacific, 19 non-regional) • Objectives: - Economic growth, poverty reduction, sustainable development. - Regional cooperation and integration. • Functions: - Loans, grants, technical assistance. - Policy advice, private sector support, regional integration. • Governance: - Board of Governors: One per member. - Board of Directors: 12 members (8 regional, 4 non-regional). - President: Masatsugu Asakawa (since Jan 2020, Japan). • Shareholding: - Top: Japan (15.6%), USA (15.6%), China (6.4%), India (6.3%), Australia (5.8%). - Weighted voting based on capital subscriptions. • Finance: - Funds from member contributions, bonds, earnings. - Asian Development Fund (ADF): Low-interest loans for poorest nations. - Focus: Infrastructure, health, education, energy, climate resilience. • ADB & India: - 4th largest shareholder, largest borrower since 1986. - Focus: Metro rails, highways, urban services, renewable energy, climate projects. - Recent: $10B for urban transformation (2025-30), $1.5B for COVID-19 response. - Total aid: $52.6B (as of 2022). • Key Initiatives: - Strategy 2030: Poverty eradication, inclusive growth, climate focus. - IF-CAP: Climate finance facility. - ADB-JSP: Scholarships in 10 countries. • Criticism: - Japan-US dominance. - NGO concerns over local insensitivity. • ADB vs AIIB: - AIIB (2016, Beijing) focuses on infrastructure; ADB broader (poverty, social). - India: 2nd largest AIIB shareholder (7.5%) 2. India’s Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) Revolution Crypto Market Growth in India: • India leads in grassroots crypto adoption for 2nd year (Chainalysis 2024). • $6.6 billion in crypto assets invested, creating 8 lakh jobs by 2030 (NASSCOM). • India ranks high in VDA activity despite regulatory challenges. Regulatory Challenges: • Supreme Court (May 2025): Questions lack of clear crypto regulation; notes banning may not reflect ground reality. • India’s strict capital controls hinder VDA frameworks (RBI). •RBI (2018): Banned VDA-related entities; overturned by Supreme Court (2020). • Government shifted to taxation (2022) instead of a ban. Taxation Policies: • Income Tax Act: 1% TDS on VDA transactions above ₹10,000 (Section 194S); 30% capital gains tax (Section 115BBH). • No offsetting losses between VDAs; transparency measures ineffective. July 2022-Dec 2023: • ₹1.03 trillion traded on domestic platforms; ₹2.63 trillion on offshore platforms. • ₹2,488 crore uncollected tax; offshore trading loss: ₹60 billion. • Offshore platforms: 91% of VDA trades; 9% on domestic exchanges. • 60% of offshore trades non-compliant (e.g., URL blocking ineffective). Impact on VDA Platforms: • Offshore platforms dominate due to tax evasion and fewer restrictions. • Domestic platforms face losses; users shift to VPNs, mirror platforms. • Trade volumes on blocked exchanges rose 57% post-restrictions. India’s VASP Ecosystem: • Indian VASPs (Virtual Asset Service Providers) show resilience. • Collaborate with FIU, FATF to combat money laundering, terror financing. • Post-2024: $230 million loss due to non-compliant offshore trades. • Enhanced cybersecurity measures and industry-wide guidelines proposed. Need for a Framework: • Global bodies (IMF, Financial Stability Board, FATF) advocate harmonized VDA regulation. • Domestic VASPs critical for safer digital asset ecosystem and economic growth. • Current policy: High taxes, lack of regulation; discourages compliance. • Need balanced framework for comprehensive regulation to mitigate risks.

@CSEWhy Newspaper Recommendations📰

Indian Express🗞 1. Inside the 'human-made' hunger crisis in Gaza: scale, causes, effects (GS2: IR) 2. A rain check for our cities (GS1: Urbanisation) PS: Avoid speculations around result days.

First Sunday after Pre25 What did you do? How did you spend it?

Pre note: chill day 🚨 01st June | Sunday 🚨 You can skip reading newspaper today, nothing too significant. PS: Keep smiling.

Friends, I’m recording a new video series documenting experiences of aspirants & struggles away from home Today, I’ll be talking to few aspirants in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi. If you’re in ORN and will want to share your story with me, please drop a YES here. Will DM :)