Land locked countries of Africa

What is Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC)?

MCC is a chemically inert substance — the human body doesn’t absorb it, and the skin shows no reaction.

It’s widely used as a binder and texturizer in pharma, food, and cosmetics to ensure proper weight and structure of products.

Though safe, its manufacturing involves risks if safety protocols are ignored — highlighting the urgent need for strong safety culture in industrial plants.

One Page Mains Notes -
12) National Sports Policy 2025
13) Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme
14) Caste Census
15) State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu

@upscsupersimplified

👉 Before attempting UPSC Mains PYQs, I recommend solving the questions provided at the end of NCERT chapters. These are easier to solve and many UPSC mains exam questions are directly based on them.

#Book review

Check the complete book here - https://books.upscsupersimplified.com

Sanskrit QUOTATIONS FOR IAS EXAM MUST BOOK FOR ESSAY & ETHICS

For more - click this

🌟 How to Make Ethics Notes for UPSC Mains? 🌟

✅ Start with the Syllabus: Break down each keyword (e.g., integrity, empathy) and define in simple words.

✅ Use Examples: Add 1-2 real-life cases, governance examples, or quotes for each concept.

✅ Make Diagrams & Tables: Flowcharts, mind maps, and tables will help in quick recall & better presentation.

✅ Refer Selectively: Rely on official documents (ARC reports, UN ethics papers) + topper notes + one good book.

✅ Keep Notes Crisp: Aim for 1-2 pages per topic; revise and update with new case studies or laws.

✍️ Consistency beats quantity. Focus on clarity + examples + structure.

4 C Framework for Globalization

Sanjay Prakash & Others vs Union of India

🔹 Context: The Supreme Court had ordered the Union Home Ministry to “progressively reduce” deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to senior posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The aim was to curb IPS dominance and promote internal CAPF officers.

🔹 Current situation: Despite this ruling (May 23 judgment in Sanjay Prakash & Others vs Union of India), the Home Ministry has continued appointing IPS officers to senior CAPF posts (at least eight such appointments).

🔹 SC Order: The Court held that CAPFs’ Group A officers are part of "Organised Services" and IPS deputation posts should be reduced within a maximum of two years.

🔹 Impact: About 13,000 CAPF officers stand to benefit, with expectations of faster promotions and reduced stagnation. CAPF officers currently face long service periods (e.g., 25 years to reach Commandant rank, compared to IPS deputation officers who get promoted faster).

🔹 Next steps: Petitioners have written to authorities alleging contempt of court. They also seek recruitment rule changes to end IPS deputation and promote CAPF officers internally.

🌟 F³ FRAMEWORK = Funds + Functions + Functionaries

👉 Analyze Panchayati Raj issues with these 3 dimensions:

🔹 Funds
👉 Are adequate financial resources devolved?
👉 Is there timely and predictable funding?
👉 Is there dependence on grants vs own revenue?

🔹 Functions
👉 Are clear powers and responsibilities assigned?
👉 Is there actual transfer of subjects (e.g., 11th/12th Schedule items)?
👉 Are there overlaps or gaps in roles?

🔹 Functionaries
👉 Are staff sufficient, skilled, and accountable?
👉 Is there a dedicated administrative or technical cadre?
👉 Are capacity-building efforts adequate?

Stats for mains

One Page Mains Notes -
16. e-Governance and Digital Infrastructure in India
17. Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
18. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Today's class recording - youtu.be/p_Z6G4uGKEM

Important for Mains - GS 3 (Inclusive Development, Poverty), Essay

👉 India is now the fourth ‘most equal’ country globally, says World Bank report.
✅ Key findings:
🔹Inequality in India has significantly reduced between 2011-12 and 2022-23.
🔹India’s Gini Index score is 25.5, ranking it fourth globally for equality after Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Belarus.
🔹Extreme poverty in India dropped from 16.2% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2022-23.

📌 What is Santhara / Sallekhana?

- An age-old Jain religious practice where a person voluntarily undertakes gradual fasting unto death to purge karma and attain spiritual purity.
- It is considered a ritual of renunciation.
- The ritual can only be performed under the guidance of a monk and after a process called Sallekhana (certification).

📌 Legal challenges

In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court declared Santhara illegal:
- Ruled it a form of suicide and thus punishable under Section 309 IPC (attempt to commit suicide) and Section 306 IPC (abetment of suicide).
- Later, the Supreme Court stayed the Rajasthan High Court judgment (important judicial development).
Now, a petition in Madhya Pradesh High Court seeks:
- A ban on Santhara for minors.
- Legal action against those aiding the practice in minors.

Santhara / Sallekhana Debate

📌 Arguments in favour
- Santhara is not suicide but spiritual self-purification.
- It is seen as part of the Jain principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and non-attachment.
- Community members view attempts to ban Santhara as an attack on religious freedom (Article 25 of Constitution).

📌 Opposing arguments
- Santhara, especially in the case of minors, amounts to child abuse or forced suicide.
- The practice may be misused under the guise of religion.

Scam Warning! ⚠️
Fake book PDFs are being shared online.

The book's PDF is not out anywhere. Anyone offering it is trying to steal your money.

If you see someone selling a PDF, please send a screenshot to @dr_gjsontake. Thanks for your help!

Return period & Frequency of occurrence
Relevance - Disaster Management (GS 3)

👉 A return period, also known as a recurrence interval or repeat interval, is an average time or an estimated average time between events such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, or river discharge flows to occur. The reciprocal value of return period is called the frequency of occurrence.

One Page Mains Notes -
19. Anoop Baranwal v Union of India case
20. Challenge of China-Pakistan Collusion
21. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): A Strategic Challenge for India

Meghalaya - Social Audit Success Story For GS 2

For more success stories, mains mnemonics , short notes - https://amzn.to/40Ie0n9