1 – WHO:

GS II

Topic àHealth Related Issues

·         Context:

·         The Lancet Commission on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which was published in the journal on September 14, criticised the World Health Organization (WHO) for responding “too carefully and too slowly” on a number of critical concerns. The commission also offered some suggestions for future programmes.

·         The UN’s branch for health, the World Health Organization (WHO), was founded in 1948.

·         The company’s main office is in Geneva, Switzerland.

·         There are 150 country offices, 194 Member States, and six regional offices.

·         Through the Ministries of Health, an intergovernmental organisation, it works with its member countries.

·         The WHO is the leader in matters of global health, setting standards and guidelines, presenting evidence-based policy alternatives, providing developing countries with technical assistance, and monitoring and analysing health trends.

·         The day it began operations, April 7, 1948, is now celebrated annually as World Health Day.

·         What objectives exist?

·         acting as the organisation in charge of directing and coordinating operations in international health

·         establishing and upholding productive alliances with the UN, specialised organisations, governmental health administrations, professional associations, and any other organisations deemed necessary.

·         upon request, to assist governments in improving healthcare.

·         to promote cooperation between professional and academic organisations for the improvement of health.

·         How exactly is it run?

·         Representatives from each of the member states of WHO attend the World Health Assembly (WHA), which serves as the organization’s governing body.

·         Each year, it is held at the WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

·         The comprehensive health agenda for the Executive Board remains the main focus of this meeting.

·         The first actual assembly since the Covid-19 outbreak started will take place in 2022.

·         In May 2022, the World Health Organization served as the venue for the 75th World Health Assembly. (WHO).

·         Functions:

·         The Health Assembly determines the rules for the Organization.

·         It reviews and approves the budget in addition to managing the Organization’s financial operations.

·         It makes reports to the Economic and Social Council in line with any agreements made between the Organization and the UN.

·         The Secretariat is comprised of the Director-General and any additional technical and administrative staff members that the Organization may require.

·         The Health Assembly appoints the Director-General following the Board’s nomination, and it does so on the terms that it deems acceptable.

·         Membership and Associate Membership:

·         It is possible for Organization members to also be UN members.

·         Territories or groupings of territories that are not in responsible of overseeing their international relations may be invited to join as Associate Members by the Health Assembly.

·         What positive effects has the WHO had on the world?

·         The main points of contact between the WHO and governments are its country offices.

·         They exchange pertinent international standards and recommendations, transmit government requests and requirements to other levels of WHO, and provide technical help on health-related matters.

·         Additionally, they follow up with the host government after receiving information about disease epidemics abroad.

·         Regarding issues of public health, they advise and oversee regional offices of other UN organisations.

·         Along with governments, the WHO coordinates with funders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the private sector, and other UN agencies.

·         The WHO’s efforts in global health assist all countries, even the most developed ones.

·         For instance, every country has benefited from its contributions to the WHO programmes that supported the promotion of more inexpensive and effective tuberculosis control and the global eradication of smallpox.

·         All kids who need immunizations, which guard against the six major childhood infectious diseases of diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis, tetanus, tuberculosis, and whooping cough, should have access to them, the group contends.

·         The World Health Organization is in charge of a global campaign to provide all children with effective immunizations in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

·         During the first ten years, the WHO focused a lot of attention on a number of infectious diseases that impacted millions of people in developing countries (1948–1958).

·         These included yaws, malaria, venereal diseases, and TB.

·         Services for maternal and child health, environmental cleanliness (especially safe water), medical standards, and immunisation requirements all received a lot of focus.

·         During this time, the WHO and other UN agencies developed strong working relationships.

·         A number of former colonies in Africa that achieved national liberation and joined the Organization as voting members had a considerable influence on the era (1958 to 1968).

·         A severe situation developed in 1960 after practically all foreign physicians fled the newly founded Democratic Republic of the Congo.

·         In partnership with the international Red Cross, WHO hired 200 physicians and other healthcare workers and introduced a brand-new fellowship programme to assist many Congolese “medical assistants” in becoming fully qualified physicians.

·         During this time, fellowships for the development of health professionals became a major WHO policy in almost all countries.

·         Source à The Hindu

2 – Election Commission of India:

GS II

Topic àConstitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies

·         Context:

·         The Election Commission of India (ECI), which disapproves of the idea of a “permanent president” for a party, is enraged by the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), which rules Andhra Pradesh. The party purportedly elected Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to be its president for life in July 2022. The ECI views this action as inherently anti-democratic. In response to the prior letters from the ECI, the YSRCP said that it would conduct a “internal inquiry.” This declaration borders on absurdity. There is considerable appeal in the ECI’s viewpoint and insistence on internal democracy because no one should be appointed as a leader for life. Regular and formal elections for office holders are a requirement for any party that wants to rule and enact legislation through a democratic process. These elections must be a component of the party’s associational structure. Political parties in India exist in a wide variety. Some organisations, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist parties, are structured, cadre-based groups that strive to uphold a particular ideology or set of principles. Others, like the Congress, are looser-knit groupings of people working inside an organisation with fundamental ideas, and even various strands of opinion. Others continue to show social or geographic divisions.

·         About:

·         The Election Commission of India, an independent constitutional agency, is responsible for managing the Union and State election processes in India.

·         The organisation coordinates elections for the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and state legislative assemblies in addition to the President and Vice President of India.

·         What clauses of the Constitution apply to this?

·         Elections are covered under Part XV of the Indian Constitution, which also establishes a commission to deal with these concerns.

·         The Election Commission was established in accordance with the Constitution on January 25, 1950.

·         The authority, function, tenure, eligibility, etc. of the commission and the member are covered in Articles 324 to 329 of the constitution.

·         What Is the Structure of the Commission?

·         The commission is now a multi-member entity thanks to the Election Commissioner Amendment Act of 1989. Previously, it was a single-member body.

·         The commission consists of one Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.

·         The Indian President recently appointed Rajiv Kumar to the position of Chief Election Commissioner (25th CEC).

·         The secretariat of the commission is located in New Delhi.

·         The state electoral commission is assisted by the Chief Electoral Officer, an officer with the IAS rank.

·         The president appoints election commissioners and the chief election commissioner.

·         Their appointed term is for a period of six years, or until they turn 65, whichever occurs first.

·         They have the same privileges and position as Supreme Court of India judges, including the same compensation and perks.

·         What is the procedure for removal:

·         A method akin to that used to dismiss a Supreme Court judge may only be employed by Parliament to remove the Chief Election Commissioner from his or her position.

·         Judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court, the CEC, and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) may be removed from their offices for “Proven misbehaviour or incapacity” using a resolution supported by Parliament.

·         Removal requires both consent from more than half of the entire membership of the house and a special majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting.

·         The Constitution does not employ the word “impeachment” to describe the dismissal of judges, CAGs, or CECs

·         The term “Impeachment” is only used to describe the process of removing the President, which necessitates a special majority of 2/3 of the members of both chambers combined.

·         What are the primary duties of ECI?

·         The entire election process for the offices of President and Vice-President of India as well as the legislatures of each State is overseen, directed, and regulated by superintendents of the Election Commission of India.

·         The commission’s main duty is to determine the election dates so that general or bye-elections can be held on schedule and regularly.

·         It produces voter registration lists and issues electronic picture IDs (EPIC).

·         It determines decisions regarding the placement of polling locations, the distribution of voters among them, the location of counting centres, the preparations that must be made in and around polling locations and counting centres, as well as any other related matters.

·         It recognises political parties, bestows electoral symbols upon them, and settles disputes involving them.

·         The Commission can also offer advice on the subject of state representatives and lawmakers who are currently in office being disqualified after an election.

·         In order to combat unfair practises and the purposeful abuse of power by people in positions of authority, it produces the Model Code of Conduct for use in elections for political parties and candidates.

·         All candidates from all political parties are subject to regulation and expenditure limits on their campaigns.

·         Source à The Hindu

3 – CUET:

Prelims Specific Topic

·         Context:

·         The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) marking scheme worries a lot of pupils. The “normalisation” of marks hinders comparisons between two different disciplines, which disadvantaged students who took Hindi, Math, and Physics in addition to other subjects, according to one of the complaints voiced by the students.

·         Why hold a common entry test?

·         Over time, several governments have attempted to lighten the burden on those pursuing higher education by substituting one exam for multiple admission exams. After a comprehensive investigation, they discovered CUET UG – 2022 as the answer.

·         The updated CUCET, known as CUET UG–2022, is now mandated to be used by all 45 central institutions. Since the new National Education Policy (NEP), which supports the demand for an entrance exam for university admissions, has been public, this has occurred.

·         About:

·         The CUET UG – 2022 (UG) 2022 will be given in computer-based test (CBT) modality. The National Testing Agency will be in responsible of conducting the undergraduate entrance tests for all Central Universities for the academic year 2022-2023. (CUs). The CUET (UG) 2022 will be given in computer-based test (CBT) modality. The National Testing Agency will be in responsible of conducting the undergraduate entrance tests for all Central Universities for the academic year 2022-2023. (CUs). The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) will be given in 13 languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Punjabi, Odia, and English, by the National Testing Agency (NTA). CUET UG – 2022 may be implemented by State, Private, and Deemed Universities as well.

·         There are 27 domain disciplines offered by UGC, such as economics, geography, history, biology, chemistry, computer science, and bookkeeping. There are a total of 27 domains from which a student can choose six.

·         Students from around the country can now anticipate being admitted to the central university of their choice, which was previously simply a luxury available to those with higher Board Examination results, with the introduction of CUET UG – 2022.

·         Source à The Hindu

4 – F – 16 Aircraft:

Prelims Specific Topic

·         Context:

·         According to Ely Ratner, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, they had discussions with India before and during the decision-making process, and the F-16 action was not done to send a message to India because of its relations to Russia.

·         For the US Air Force, General Dynamics created the single-engine, multi-role F-16 Fighting Aircraft (USAF).

·         A multipurpose all-weather aeroplane was developed.

·         The authorization to produce aeroplanes was issued in 1976.

·         These items are no longer being purchased by the US Air Force.

·         Improved versions are being created for export.

·         The following are the main traits:

·         a frameless, translucent bubble canopy.

·         Side-mounted control sticks are utilised to improve control while manoeuvring.

·         The ejection seat was tilted 30 degrees to reduce the pilot’s exposure to g-forces.

·         The aircraft is agile thanks to its fly-by-wire flying control system and slack static stability.

·         There are 11 locations where weapons and other mission tools can be placed, in addition to an internal M61 Vulcan cannon.

·         Source à The Hindu