 A very good evening aspirants. Welcome to the Hindu Newspaper Analysis brought to you by Shankara IAS Academy. Today's date is 26th of October 2023. Displayed here are the list of news articles that we are going to discuss today. So without much delay, let us get into the news article discussion. See, recently there has been controversy over a plague placed in the Vishwa Bharati University which was founded by Rabindranath Thahur. The article here says that the controversial plague was just temporary and it will be replaced once the UNESCO approved plague or received. So in this news article discussion, let us see some of the problems related points about Rabindranath Thahur. See, Rabindranath Thahur was born in Calcutta. His father, Debendranath Thahur, was a prominent social reformer. An interesting fact about Mr. Debendranath Thahur is that he assumed the leadership of the Brahmo Samaj following the passing of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. So now coming back, in his early years, Rabindranath Thahur displayed a disinterest in formal education. It was his sibling who taught him, Thahur is a renaissance man and a polymath. His talents spanned across multiple disciplines including poetry, music and philosophy. He made contributions in various areas. Thahur has been given various titles including Bard of Bengal, Gurudev, Kavi Guru and Vishwa Kavi. These titles reflect the impact he had on Indian and global culture. So with this introduction, now let us see the various contributions made by Thahur. Firstly, let us look at the contributions made by Thahur in literature. See, Thahur's notable literary works include Geetan Shalee, Manasi and Sonar Thari. Thahur was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his work Geetan Shalee becoming the first Asian to achieve this prestigious honour. He modernised Bengali literature and introduced the short story format in Bengali literature. His famous works include The Hungry Stones and Other Stories and The Glimpse of Bengal Life. Now let us look at the contributions made by Thahur in the domain of social activism. See, Thahur actively participated in the Swadeshi movement of 1905. He composed patriotic songs that instilled a spirit of Swadeshi. However, he later distanced himself from the movement. He took this decision after Kudiram Bose killed a woman and a child by accident while attempting to assassinate the magistrate of Mizaharpur. Thahur's perspective on nationalism was firmly rooted in a broader sense of humanity and internationalism. Notably, his works have been adopted as the national anthems of two countries. That is, Jannahana Mana is the Indian National Anthem and Amar Sonar Bangla is the Bangladesh National Anthem. He also inspired a student from Ceylon to compose the National Anthem of Sri Lanka. Thahur also addressed the World Parliament of Religions in 1929 and 1937 while addressing the World Parliament of Religions. He highlighted the importance of maintaining a harmonious relationship between God, human and nature. In 1915, Thahur received a knighthood from King George V which he later renounced in protest of the Jalyan Balabha massacre in 1919. Thahur is also credited with bestowing Mahatma Gandhi with the honorary title Mahatma. Now, talking about the contributions made by Thahur as an educationist Thahur established Shantiniketan as a town in Birbam district of West Bengal in 1901. Shantiniketan literally means abode of peace. Later, the foundations of the famous Vishwa Bharati University was also laid here. Through this university, he challenged conventional educational practices. Through this university, he used education for ensuring self-realization and moral development. Here note that Shantiniketan was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list as the 41st site from India. Lastly, let us see the contributions made by Thahur as a philosopher. See, as a philosopher, he emphasized the importance of empathy, compassion and a holistic approach to human existence. Through his writing, Thahur conveyed his belief in the inherent goodness of humankind. He also believed that human beings can create a harmonious world through mutual understanding and respect. He also mentioned that the end of humankind is peaceful coexistence. So, these are all some of the very important points that you have to remember about Rabindranath Thahur. This year in Mainz, we had a comparison question between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Thahur. So, make note of it. You can use these points in your ethics paper and essay paper as well. So, these learnt points. Now, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Take a look at this editorial article. It talks about female labour force participation. The article says that the number of women participating in the work flows at global level is very low. Only around 47.3% of women are participating in the labour force in 2022. Despite economic progress, there is a decline in women's labour force participation rate in many developing countries as well. In India, female labour force participation dropped from 28% in 1992 to 24% in 2022. There are various factors responsible for this low participation of women in the labour force. One important factor is marriage. See, married women are less likely to participate in the workforce than unmarried women. This is because married women often have to take on more domestic responsibilities and society may disapprove of women working outside the home. Other factors that can affect married women's participation in the workforce include their education level, mobility, religious and caste affiliation, geographical location and household wealth. So, these are all some of the important points mentioned in the editorial article. So, as usual, we will try to approach this topic with the main's answer writing come interactive approach. Now, take a look at this question. India's female labour force participation rate ranks much low and is declining. What are various reasons for low labour force participation of women in India? Suggest some measures to correct the labour market's gender skew. See, this question can be asked in GS paper 1 under role of women and women's urbanisation, population and associated issues. Firstly, let us try to understand this question. See, the question is very straightforward. It asks about the reasons for low labour force participation of women and some measures to improve the labour force participation of women. So, we can divide the body of the answer into two parts. In the first part, we shall list out the major challenges for low labour force participation. And in the second part, we can provide some measures to overcome those challenges. In the end, we have to provide an optimistic conclusion. Now, we'll move on to write the answer. Here, the question is about female labour force participation, right? So, in the introduction part, you have to write what is female labour force participation? It is really appreciable if you have any data or report to reflect the current scenario of female labour force participation in India. So, you can write that the labour force participation rate is a key indicator of women's economic engagement and empowerment within our society. The labour force participation rate is calculated as the labour force divided by the total work age population. According to the World Bank report, the labour force participation rate for women in India is 24% and for men, it is 73.6%. India's female labour force participation rate has declined from 30% to 24% over the past two decades. It is lowest among BRICS countries as well. So, you can write this as your introduction for the question. These were also the points given in the editorial as well. Now, coming to the main body of the answer. See, in the first part, we should write the reason for low female labour force participation rate. Here, we will list out the reasons one by one, some five to six reasons or enough for this part. Firstly, you can write about societal norms. See, India has deeply established traditional gender roles with women primarily responsible for household chores and caregiving. These roles often limit their ability to seek employment outside the house. This burden discourages women from pursuing full-time employment. Secondly, early marriage and childbearing. This can curtail a woman's ability to pursue a career or complete her education. This in turn contributes to declining labour force participation. Thirdly, unequal pay and gender wage gap. See, inequality in wages between men and women for similar jobs discourage women from entering or remaining in the labour force. According to labour bureau data, the median salary for women is roughly 22% lower than the median salary for men. Fourthly, lack of supportive policies. See, while India has made progress in implementing policies to support working women like maternity leave, there is still a need for more comprehensive policies that promote gender equality and support female employees. Fifthly, gender discrimination in the workplace reminds a problem in India. See, women may face harassment in workplaces and limited opportunities for advancement. Safety concerns, especially in urban areas, can deter women from going to work. Lastly, under-reporting. See, while majority of women in the country are engaged in economic activities, their work often goes under-recorded in official data and statistics. So, these are all some of the important reasons for low female labour force participation in India. Now, moving on to the second part of our body of the answer. As I already said, here we have to mention some of the measures to improve the female participation in labour force, especially in India. For that, you can write about educational empowerment for this, reducing dropouts from school and encouraging women to pursue higher education. This can lead to increased female labour force participation. Encouraging girls' education through schemes like Beti Bachao, Beti Padau and the Sarva Seeksha Abhyan plays a crucial role in increasing female workforce participation in the long run. Secondly, helping rural women to access regular jobs through schemes like Digital India and Pradhan Mantri, Gramin Digital, Shaksharta. Government aims to enhance digital literacy among rural women. This helps them to access online work opportunities and resources. Third is maternity and child care support. See, implementing family-friendly policies including paid maternity leave and affordable child care facilities to ease the burden on working mothers can encourage them to continue in workforce even after pregnancy. Fourthly, skill development programs. Traditionally, oppressed women find hard to enter into workforce due to skill mismatches. So, skill development programs targeted at women can improve their employment opportunities. Initiatives like Skill India, Make in India and new gender-based quotas from corporate boards can bring a positive change. Fifthly, ensuring safe transportation and workplace. See, investing in safe and reliable public transportation can ensure working women's safety during travel. Also creating a workplace culture that is gender-sensitive, inclusive and free from discrimination can encourage women to participate in the workforce. Promoting equal pay for equal work to bridge the gender wage gap is also necessary. Lastly, public awareness campaigns must be launched by government to challenge gender stereotypes and promote women's participation in the labor force. So, these are some of the important measures that can be taken to improve the declining female labor force participation in India. See, make note of all these points. Very, very important topic. Now, coming to the conclusion part of the question. Here you can write that according to Gender Gap Report 2022 released by World Economic Forum, India was ranked at 135th position out of 146 countries. In order to bridge this gap, our government is taking many steps to empower women. The government offers financial assistance and support for women entrepreneurs through schemes like Stand Up India and Muthra Yojana. These initiatives aim to reduce the gender gap in entrepreneurial activities. In summary, the goal is not merely to increase female labor force participation, but to provide opportunities for decent work that will in turn contribute to the economic empowerment of women. This way you can conclude this question in an optimistic manner. So, with these learnt points, now let us move on to the next news article discussion. This news article talks about the International Solar Alliance. The Director-General of ISA has announced that the ISA will undertake a solar stock-take. This global solar stock-take report will be published by the ISA in mid-November this year. The report will highlight the efforts taken by various countries in regard to solar energy. The article here also provides various data which can be used as fodder material for your main sensor. So, let me present to you the data provided in the news article. According to the news article in 2022, a total of $380 billion of investment took place in solar energy. Then as of 2022, the total global installed solar capacity touched 1133 gigawatts. China which is not part of the ISA had the highest installed capacity of 350 gigawatt. The USA in the second place with 119 gigawatt and India had 52 gigawatt of installed solar capacity. So, these are all some of the important data that you have to make note of from the news article. Now as part of this discussion, let us revise about the International Solar Alliance. Say the International Solar Alliance or ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France. It was established to mobilize efforts and scale up the deployment of solar energy solutions. It was conceptualized on the silence of the 21st Conference of Parties, COP 21, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC held in Paris in 2015. The headquarters of ISA is located in Gurugram of India. Talking about the member nations, the membership of ISA has been expanding rapidly. All member states of the United Nations are now eligible to join the ISA. At present, 116 countries or signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement. Of the 116 countries, around 94 countries have ratified the agreement. So, what are all the objectives of the alliance? Firstly, it aims to increase the deployment of cost-effective solar energy. Through this, it seeks to achieve energy access, energy security and sustainable energy transition. Then, it is guided by the towards 1000 strategy. Through this strategy, it aims to bring in 1000 billion dollar of investments in solar energy solutions by 2030. Through this investment, it aims to install 1000 gigawatt of solar energy capacity and mitigate 1000 million tons of carbon dioxide every year. Finally, it also provides special focus to countries categorized as least developed countries, LDCs and the small island developing countries, SIDS. So, to achieve these objectives, the ISA has set up the Global Solar Facility. See, the Global Solar Facility or GSF was set up during the fifth assembly of the ISA. The main aim of this facility is to increase the installed solar capacity in underserved regions of the world like Africa. For example, Africa has the highest potential of solar energy, yet it accounts for only close to 1.3% of global installed solar capacity. So, initially the GSF will focus on Africa and later expand to other underserved regions of the world like Latin America, Middle East, Asia and etc. Finally, let us look at the organizational setup of the ISA. So, the ISA is headed by the Director General. The DG or Director General has a term of 4 years and is responsible to the ISA General Assembly. The ISA General Assembly is the decision making body. It has representatives from each member country. Some of the main functions of the assembly are, 1. Selection of the Director General 2. Approval of ISA budget 3. Appeasement of programs implemented by the ISA and finally determining ISA course of action. This is about the organizational setup of ISA. So, in this news article discussion, we saw some of the recent data about global installed solar capacity. Then we saw about ISA, their members, their objective. And finally, we saw about the global solar facility and the organizational structure of ISA. With these learned points, now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Take a look at this news article. This news article is about the Lignite Reserves in India. According to the statistics released by the Union Ministry of Coal, Tamil Nadu is both the largest producer of Lignite and also has the largest Lignite reserves in the country. According to the recent data published by the Office of Coal Controller, Tamil Nadu led in total Lignite production during the 2022-23 period with Gujarat following and Rajasthan securing the third position. This is about the news article given here. So, in our discussion today, we will see a few facts about Lignite, its application and also its distribution. Now, before that, we will just brush up some of the basics. See, coal forms through a process called carbonization. Let me explain the process of carbonization very briefly now. See, millions of years ago, in certain circumstances, prehistoric forest got submerged and buried under the soil due to the process of sedimentation. As they got buried, the natural decomposition of the forest stopped. Instead of decomposition due to increasing pressure and temperature, the elements like hydrogen and oxygen are forced out of the dead plant material. As H2 and O2 were fleshed out of the buried plant materials, they became carbon rich. In addition to this, physical changes also happened due to high pressure and temperature. In time, material that had been previously dead plant became coal. The older the coal, the more time the plant material will be placed under high pressure and temperature and more carbon and oxygen will be forced out. This will result in higher carbon content in it and higher will be the quality of coal. Now, this process is called the process of carbonization. So, depending upon the amount of carbon content, we can classify the coal into three types. As we saw earlier, the older the coal, the amount of carbon content in coal increases. So, we have the anthracite or carboniferous coal, then bituminous or gondwana coal and tertiary or lignite coal. All these are classified based upon carbon content in it. So, in today's discussion, we are going to focus only on the lignite coal. Lignite is also called tertiary coal as this coal belongs to the tertiary period. The tertiary period occurs some 50 million years ago. In other words, lignite is the youngest coal. So, the carbon content in this coal is very low and the moisture content is high. Lignite is also called brown coal due to its colour. In India, lignite deposits are primarily located in the tertiary sediments in the southern and western parts of the Peninsular Shield. It is mainly found in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jemuan Kashmir, Odisha, Kerala and West Bengal according to the professional statistics released by the Union Ministry of Coal. Worldwide, the largest lignite producer is China. The other major lignite producers are Indonesia, Germany, Turkey and the Russian Federation. So, these are all some of the basic facts about lignite. Now we will see applications of lignite. See, firstly, it is used in the production of electricity. For example, in the Naiveli thermal power station, lignite is the primary fuel. Secondly, in European countries, lignite is used in addition to firewoods for home heating during winter. But the use of lignite in home heating is slowly declining recently. Thirdly, in agriculture, lignite is used as a biological pest control. Apart from this, lignite is used in the production of natural gas in gasification plants. Then it is used in the production of fertilizers. It is also used as an industrial absorbent. Finally, it is used in the production of oil well drilling mud. The oil well drilling mud made using lignite reduces fluid loss during drilling. So, these are also some of the applications of lignite. So, these learnt points. Now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Take a look at this opinion page article. As we all know, currently a conflict is going on between Israel and Hamas group that is based in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas group is being supported by the Hezbollah group that is based in Lebanon. While this is on one side, on the other hand, two NGOs has accused the Israeli army of using bombs containing white phosphorus on areas belonging to Gaza Strip and Lebanon. So, based on these allegations only, this news article is written here. The article also speaks about the applications and harmful effects of the white phosphorus. So, in this news article discussion, let us understand some facts about white phosphorus. See, white phosphorus is produced from phosphate containing rocks. When these phosphate containing rocks are heated in a furnace with the presence of carbon and silica, white phosphorus are produced. These white phosphorus is a toxic chemical substance that looks like waxy crystalline solid. It generally appears in white or yellowish color. Sometimes it may also appear colorless. Note that white phosphorus turns dark when it is exposed to light. The smell of white phosphorus sometimes resembles the smell of garlic. Remember, the white phosphorus ignites instantly when it comes into contact with oxygen. Once ignited, white phosphorus is very difficult to extinguish. This is because of the wax-like property of white phosphorus which gets stick-on to the surfaces like skin or cloths. So, with these basic understanding of the white phosphorus, now let us look into the applications of white phosphorus. Firstly, white phosphorus is used in the industries to manufacture certain chemicals like phosphoric acid, phosphates and so on. These chemicals are in turn used in fertilizers, detergents and other cleaning materials. Secondly, white phosphorus is used as a pesticide because of its toxic properties. It is even used as a rodenticide to kill rodents in the agri-fields like rat, mice and chipmunks. Thirdly, white phosphorus is used in ammunition and fireworks as an incendiary agent. Here the term incendiary means the ability to catch fire easily. This is why they are used as an incendiary agent in bombs and fireworks. Fourthly, white phosphorus is used as a smoke agent in battlefields when white phosphorus gets burnt. It produces clouds of irritating white smoke. This white smoke causes a variety of harm to humans. Finally, white phosphorus is used in the manufacturing of computer chips, metal alloys, glowing paints and special glasses. So, these are all the applications of white phosphorus. Now, we will see about the harmful effects of the white phosphorus. See, as I said in the beginning, white phosphorus is a toxic chemical substance. So, white phosphorus is harmful to human and environment by all roots of exposure. Direct exposure to white phosphorus can cause deep and severe burns on the skin and over exposure of the white phosphorus can cause cardiovascular effects, kidney failure and nerve damage in humans. Apart from this, the smoke coming from burning of white phosphorus is harmful to the eyes and respiratory tract. The smoke causes severe irritation in the eyes. Despite all these harmful features of the white phosphorus, it is used in ammunition. White phosphorus is not considered as a chemical weapon because its operational utility is primarily due to heat and smoke rather than toxicity. So, white phosphorus ammunition or not under a blanket ban. So, these are all some of the important points that you have to remember about white phosphorus with these learned points. Now, let us move on to the next news article discussion. The news article says that National Financial Reporting Authority, NFRA, is investigating an audit firm which is responsible for auditing Adani Group. This investigation by NFRA is part of a broader inquiry into Adani Group companies. This is about the news article given here. So, in this context, let us revise about what is this National Financial Reporting Authority, NFRA? See, NFRA is a regulatory body responsible for overseeing and regulating the auditing professions. NFRA was established in 2018 by the central government under Companies Act 2013. It is basically an audit regulator. Its account is monitored by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. It is headquartered in New Delhi. Talking about its objective, it was established to enhance the quality and reliability of financial reporting, especially for companies that are subjected to public interest. The NFRA plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency, accountability and adherence to accounting and auditing standards. Talking about its composition, see, NFRA is headed by a chairperson and has other members not exceeding 15. The chairperson shall be a person of eminence and having expertise in accountancy, auditing, finance or law. Remember, the chairman along with other members are appointed by the central government. Talking about the powers of NFRA, see, it can undertake investigations related to the wide range of companies and corporates, including all listed companies as well as large and listed companies. When professionals or other misconduct is proved in auditing, NFRA has the power to impose the penalty on both individuals and companies. Talking about the functions of NFRA, firstly, NFRA is responsible for formulating and monitoring, accounting and auditing standards to maintain consistency and quality in financial reporting. Secondly, NFRA investigates instances of non-compliance with auditing standards and takes appropriate actions against auditors found guilt of professional misconduct. Thirdly, NFRA supervises the work of auditors, ensuring that they maintain professional standards and ethical conduct in their audits. Fourthly, it promotes transparency and reliability. The NFRA aims to enhance transparency and reliability in financial report, providing stakeholders with accurate and trustworthy financial information. Lastly, it safeguards public interest. By regulating the auditing and accounting professions, the NFRA protects the interest of investors, stakeholders and the public. These are all some of the notable functions of NFRA. So with these learned points, now let us move on to the next part of the news article discussion, which is the preliminary practice question discussion. Now look at this first question. Here four statements are given and you have to find how many statements given here are correct. Here the question asks, why India import coal despite it has abundant coal reserves? Statement one says, non-availability of cooking grade coal. This statement is actually correct. India produces only bituminous coal, which is not a cooking grade coal. So the bituminous coal cannot be used in iron and steel plants. So this statement is correct. Statement two says, imported coal is cheaper than the coal produced in India. This statement is incorrect because imported coal is actually costlier than the coal produced in India. Statement three says, infrastructure bottlenecks and lack of proper connectivity between coal fields and the thermal power plants. Four statement says, majority of coal in India is found in tribal and ecologically sensitive areas, making it difficult to mine. Third and fourth statement are correct here. So the correct answer for the question is, option C only three. Because the second statement here is incorrect. Moving on, this question is about one sun, one world, one grid initiative. Four statements are given and you have to find how many statements given here are correct. Statement one says, ISA will implement the initiative. Statement two says, the OSOWW was conceived during the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance. Statement three says, UK's green grids initiative GGI merged with the OSOWG initiative during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Statement four says, it aims to create a common grid use to transfer renewable energy power. Here all the statements given here are correct. So the correct answer for the question is option D all four. Moving on, look at this question, which of the following national leaders relinquished knighthood? The correct answer for this question is option C one and three only. This is because in the discussion observe, we saw that Tahur gave up his knighthood. Likewise, Subramanya Ayer, he also gave up his knighthood against British government's treatment of home rule leak leaders. So correct answer here is option C one and three only. Now look at this question about NFRA. The question asks, what is the primary objective of establishing national financial reporting authority NFRA in India? See the correct answer here is option C enhancing the quality of auditing. It is the primary objective of NFRA. With this, let us conclude the discussion. If you like the video, hit like, do comment and don't forget to subscribe to Shankar IAS Academy YouTube channel. Now thank you for listening.