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UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice Test 9 GS 3
Check All Mains Questions
1.Explain the consequences of land degradation in drylands around the world. (10 Marks)
2. Examine the importance of peatlands in maintaining ecological resilience around the globe. (10 Marks)
3. Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyze the impact of sand mining along the Indians coasts, citing specific examples. (10 Marks)
4. Elaborate on the contributions made by the ISRO for the economic development of India. (10 Marks)
5. What is a three-parent baby? Explain the processes and procedures of the same? (10 Marks)
6. What are the major objectives of the Sendai Framework on disaster management? Evaluate whether India’s disaster management systems are in line with the Sendai framework. Suggest measures too. (10 Marks)
7. Discuss the consequences of Climate change on agriculture and food supply and on the coastal livelihood in India. (15 Marks)
8. “Environmental impact assessment in India is a tool to ensure economic development does not impede ecological balance”. In light of this statement, discuss the issues associated with EIA. Also, suggest adequate measures to strengthen the EIA. (15 Marks)
9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are continuing to transform our world. In this light, Analyse the possible consequences of the AI in the social and economic life? (15 Marks)
10. What is ransomware? Do you think India’s Cybersecurity regime is strong enough to curb these attacks? Elaborate. Also, suggest measures to improve cybersecurity regime of India. (15 Marks)
4. Elaborate on the contributions made by the ISRO for the economic development of India. (10 Marks)
5. What is a three-parent baby? Explain the processes and procedures of the same? (10 Marks)
6. What are the major objectives of the Sendai Framework on disaster management? Evaluate whether India’s disaster management systems are in line with the Sendai framework. Suggest measures too. (10 Marks)
7. Discuss the consequences of Climate change on agriculture and food supply and on the coastal livelihood in India. (15 Marks)
8. “Environmental impact assessment in India is a tool to ensure economic development does not impede ecological balance”. In light of this statement, discuss the issues associated with EIA. Also, suggest adequate measures to strengthen the EIA. (15 Marks)
9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are continuing to transform our world. In this light, Analyse the possible consequences of the AI in the social and economic life? (15 Marks)
10. What is ransomware? Do you think India’s Cybersecurity regime is strong enough to curb these attacks? Elaborate. Also, suggest measures to improve cybersecurity regime of India. (15 Marks)
Answer Key
1. Explain the consequences of land degradation in drylands around the world. (10 Marks)
Answer: Drylands are regions faced with deficiency of water yet it supports immensely rich biodiversity, including some of the most iconic and endemic species. The distinct features of the drylands are:
● They cover around 40 per cent of the land surface across the globe.
● Characterized by low and uncertain rainfall usually around 75 cm annual rainfall spread over unevenly throughout the year.
● Semi-arid regions are included under this category.
● Responsible in producing 44 percent of the crops around the world.
● Inhabited by about 2 billion people and almost one half of the world’s livestock according
to Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Report.
● Home to a diverse human culture including some of the world’s largest cities.
Communities in drylands are economically poorer and socially backward than elsewhere and the land is more vulnerable to degradation from climate change and direct human pressures. The major consequences of land degradation in drylands around the world are:
● Poor management of the drylands can lead to desertification.
● Food Security of the world itself will be under risk because these drylands are the breadbaskets of the world. Eg: Steppes of Kazakhstan.
● Drylands store approximately 46% of the global carbon share. Excess degradation of the drylands leads to release of the carbon from the land which will accelerate global warming.
● Stressed Migration: World Water Development Report suggests that land degradation will ultimately result in a water crisis which will displace between 24 million and 700 million people from these areas.
● Millennium Assessment report that the well-being of dryland peoples is lower than that of people in other ecological systems. Infant mortality rates are the highest and gross national product (GNP) per capita is lowest.
Case Study: The part of the Deccan Plateau that extends from Telangana into Karnataka are drylands. Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas report state that close to 35% of drylands of the region are under the threat of degradation. Unsustainable agricultural practises, erratic monsoon pattern etc. contribute to this degradation. Measures like Organic Farming, Zero Budget Natural Farming etc. are steps required to recover from the current situation.
● They cover around 40 per cent of the land surface across the globe.
● Characterized by low and uncertain rainfall usually around 75 cm annual rainfall spread over unevenly throughout the year.
● Semi-arid regions are included under this category.
● Responsible in producing 44 percent of the crops around the world.
● Inhabited by about 2 billion people and almost one half of the world’s livestock according
to Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Report.
● Home to a diverse human culture including some of the world’s largest cities.
Communities in drylands are economically poorer and socially backward than elsewhere and the land is more vulnerable to degradation from climate change and direct human pressures. The major consequences of land degradation in drylands around the world are:
● Poor management of the drylands can lead to desertification.
● Food Security of the world itself will be under risk because these drylands are the breadbaskets of the world. Eg: Steppes of Kazakhstan.
● Drylands store approximately 46% of the global carbon share. Excess degradation of the drylands leads to release of the carbon from the land which will accelerate global warming.
● Stressed Migration: World Water Development Report suggests that land degradation will ultimately result in a water crisis which will displace between 24 million and 700 million people from these areas.
● Millennium Assessment report that the well-being of dryland peoples is lower than that of people in other ecological systems. Infant mortality rates are the highest and gross national product (GNP) per capita is lowest.
Case Study: The part of the Deccan Plateau that extends from Telangana into Karnataka are drylands. Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas report state that close to 35% of drylands of the region are under the threat of degradation. Unsustainable agricultural practises, erratic monsoon pattern etc. contribute to this degradation. Measures like Organic Farming, Zero Budget Natural Farming etc. are steps required to recover from the current situation.
2. Examine the importance of peatlands in maintaining ecological resilience around the globe. (10 Marks)
Answer: Peatlands are regions covered with peats, which are the decayed plant material that accumulates under waterlogged conditions over long time periods. They are well distributed across the globe in permafrost regions towards the poles and at high altitudes, in coastal areas, beneath tropical rainforest and in boreal forests.
Contribution of Peatlands to ecological resilience:
● They are one of the largest natural terrestrial carbon stores. The total carbon storage in this region accounts to about 40% of all soil carbon which is higher than the tropical rain forests.
● Peatlands cover about 3% of the global land surface. It is a pristine ecosystem which helps to purify the wastes in water.
● They support rich biodiversity and wildlife. Eg: Bornean Orangutan lives in the swampy forests of Indonesia.
● Provide vital ecosystem services. They regulate the water flows and thus help to minimise the risk of flooding and drought and prevent seawater intrusion.
• Peatlands supply food, fibre and other local products that sustain local economies.
• They also preserve important ecological and archaeological information such as pollen records and human artefacts
Answer: Peatlands are regions covered with peats, which are the decayed plant material that accumulates under waterlogged conditions over long time periods. They are well distributed across the globe in permafrost regions towards the poles and at high altitudes, in coastal areas, beneath tropical rainforest and in boreal forests.
Contribution of Peatlands to ecological resilience:
● They are one of the largest natural terrestrial carbon stores. The total carbon storage in this region accounts to about 40% of all soil carbon which is higher than the tropical rain forests.
● Peatlands cover about 3% of the global land surface. It is a pristine ecosystem which helps to purify the wastes in water.
● They support rich biodiversity and wildlife. Eg: Bornean Orangutan lives in the swampy forests of Indonesia.
● Provide vital ecosystem services. They regulate the water flows and thus help to minimise the risk of flooding and drought and prevent seawater intrusion.
• Peatlands supply food, fibre and other local products that sustain local economies.
• They also preserve important ecological and archaeological information such as pollen records and human artefacts
Challenges to the peatland conservation include:
● Large areas of peatlands are currently drained for agriculture, forestry, and, to a lesser extent, peat extraction. Drainage in peatlands results in the emission of carbon from the peatlands to the atmosphere.
● Damages and further human interventions in peatlands lead to a decline in plant productivity.
● Peat surface gets subsided due to agriculture and artificial forestry. This can have a significant effect on the carbon emission from the peatlands.
● Damage to peatlands also results in biodiversity loss. The productivity of the ecotone will be affected.
UN Food and Agriculture Organization presented 10 point action plan to conserve and restore the peatlands worldwide. These include assessing the distribution and state of peatlands, measuring and reporting emissions from peatlands, protecting and restoring peatlands with targeted financial support etc. These steps are vital to helping restore global ecological resilience. Recognising the importance of Peatlands, the Brazaville declaration was enacted to protect the peatland ecosystems.
● Damages and further human interventions in peatlands lead to a decline in plant productivity.
● Peat surface gets subsided due to agriculture and artificial forestry. This can have a significant effect on the carbon emission from the peatlands.
● Damage to peatlands also results in biodiversity loss. The productivity of the ecotone will be affected.
UN Food and Agriculture Organization presented 10 point action plan to conserve and restore the peatlands worldwide. These include assessing the distribution and state of peatlands, measuring and reporting emissions from peatlands, protecting and restoring peatlands with targeted financial support etc. These steps are vital to helping restore global ecological resilience. Recognising the importance of Peatlands, the Brazaville declaration was enacted to protect the peatland ecosystems.
3. Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyze the impact of sand mining along the Indians coasts, citing specific examples. (10 Marks)
Answer: At 13 per cent of the world reserves, India has the third-largest stash of beach sand minerals and meets 6-7 per cent of global demand. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has recently advised the private companies to stop mining beach sand minerals Coastal sand mining poses significant threats to the Indian coast:
● Destruction of the beach fauna and flora as the sediments are deeply mined and is, therefore, affecting the beach aesthetics.
● It causes severe coastal erosion along the banks of the coastal regions and it frequently causes environmental damage to other coastal ecosystems associated with the beach
such as wetlands, mangroves etc.
● Another major impact of beach sand mining is the loss of protection from storm surges associated with tropical cyclones and tsunamis. This could affect the livelihood and
prospects of coastal people.
● The removal of large amounts of sand increases water salinity and destroys the habitats of the organisms residing in ecosystem. Eg: Illegal sand mining is thought to be a major
Answer: At 13 per cent of the world reserves, India has the third-largest stash of beach sand minerals and meets 6-7 per cent of global demand. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has recently advised the private companies to stop mining beach sand minerals Coastal sand mining poses significant threats to the Indian coast:
● Destruction of the beach fauna and flora as the sediments are deeply mined and is, therefore, affecting the beach aesthetics.
● It causes severe coastal erosion along the banks of the coastal regions and it frequently causes environmental damage to other coastal ecosystems associated with the beach
such as wetlands, mangroves etc.
● Another major impact of beach sand mining is the loss of protection from storm surges associated with tropical cyclones and tsunamis. This could affect the livelihood and
prospects of coastal people.
● The removal of large amounts of sand increases water salinity and destroys the habitats of the organisms residing in ecosystem. Eg: Illegal sand mining is thought to be a major
cause for several animal species residing in the Ganga—from the iconic Gangetic dolphin to the Gharial and Northern River Terrapin.
● The decline in fish productivity is often witnessed as well. For instance, in
Periyasamypuram in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, fish catch has come down, as the groundwater has turned brackish and the sea has entered the village due to coastal sand mining.
● Seawater intrusion, inundation of coastal land and salinisation of groundwater have been observed along the Western coasts such as Malabar coast. Eg: Alappad in Kerala witnessed a huge people-centric movement against the negative consequences of coastal sand mining. Coastal sand mining also has many negative impacts on society.
● Large-scale sand mining also destabilises the banks and beds, affecting the natural flow of rivers and streams and increasing risks of floods, like in the case of Kerala Floods 2018 and 2019.
Shifting to alternative materials such as oil palm shell, bottom ash, strictly adhering to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), adopting the Shailesh Nayak committee recommendations etc. can help in reducing the negative effects of coastal sand mining.
● The decline in fish productivity is often witnessed as well. For instance, in
Periyasamypuram in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, fish catch has come down, as the groundwater has turned brackish and the sea has entered the village due to coastal sand mining.
● Seawater intrusion, inundation of coastal land and salinisation of groundwater have been observed along the Western coasts such as Malabar coast. Eg: Alappad in Kerala witnessed a huge people-centric movement against the negative consequences of coastal sand mining. Coastal sand mining also has many negative impacts on society.
● Large-scale sand mining also destabilises the banks and beds, affecting the natural flow of rivers and streams and increasing risks of floods, like in the case of Kerala Floods 2018 and 2019.
Shifting to alternative materials such as oil palm shell, bottom ash, strictly adhering to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), adopting the Shailesh Nayak committee recommendations etc. can help in reducing the negative effects of coastal sand mining.
4. Elaborate on the contributions made by the ISRO for the economic development of India. (10 Marks)
Answer: Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India. It aims at bringing space to the service of the common man by developing communication satellites (INSAT) and remote sensing (IRS) satellites. ISRO contributes to the economic development of India through:
Answer: Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India. It aims at bringing space to the service of the common man by developing communication satellites (INSAT) and remote sensing (IRS) satellites. ISRO contributes to the economic development of India through:
ISRO and economic development:
● National Space India Limited is proposed under the Budget 2019 as the new commercial arm of the department of space. The NSIL will help boost the commercialization of India’s space research and enables to raise foreign exchange.
● Geographical Information System is used to integrate information layers like road and infrastructure, topography, land use, soil, geology, etc., and also allows people to generate and use maps required to manage our resources for the benefit of the common man. This will be much helpful in urban planning, rural development project etc.
● Village Resource Centres: To provide the space-based services directly to the rural areas, ISRO/ DOS has launched the Village Resource Centres (VRCs) programme in association with NGOs/ Trusts and state/ central agencies. Eg: Telemedicine, Tele-education, Watershed Management
● Geographical Information System is used to integrate information layers like road and infrastructure, topography, land use, soil, geology, etc., and also allows people to generate and use maps required to manage our resources for the benefit of the common man. This will be much helpful in urban planning, rural development project etc.
● Village Resource Centres: To provide the space-based services directly to the rural areas, ISRO/ DOS has launched the Village Resource Centres (VRCs) programme in association with NGOs/ Trusts and state/ central agencies. Eg: Telemedicine, Tele-education, Watershed Management
Agriculture: ISRO monitors crops via satellites. The production of eight crops such as rice, cotton, sugarcane and jute, are looked at. The constant monitoring helps in its development to forecast the produce for harvest.
● Navigation: IRNSS or NAVIC provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services replacing western GPS technologies. Similarly, Geo Augmented Navigation-GAGAN project is developed to establish, deploy and certify satellite-based augmentation system for safety-of-life civil aviation applications in India.
● Remote Sensing: These details are important in generating natural resources information in a variety of application areas, such as agriculture, forestry, geology and hydrology etc.
● Navigation: IRNSS or NAVIC provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services replacing western GPS technologies. Similarly, Geo Augmented Navigation-GAGAN project is developed to establish, deploy and certify satellite-based augmentation system for safety-of-life civil aviation applications in India.
● Remote Sensing: These details are important in generating natural resources information in a variety of application areas, such as agriculture, forestry, geology and hydrology etc.
5. What is a three-parent baby? Explain the processes and procedures of the same? (10 Marks)
Answer: Three-parent baby is a human offspring produced from the genetic material of one man and two women through the use of assisted reproductive technologies, specifically mitochondrial replacement technologies and three-person in vitro fertilization. Two most significant of the ways in which it is achieved are maternal spindle transfer and pronuclear transfer.
Answer: Three-parent baby is a human offspring produced from the genetic material of one man and two women through the use of assisted reproductive technologies, specifically mitochondrial replacement technologies and three-person in vitro fertilization. Two most significant of the ways in which it is achieved are maternal spindle transfer and pronuclear transfer.
In maternal spindle transfer, the nucleus is removed from a donor egg, leaving behind the cytoplasm. The nucleus from the mother’s egg cell is then inserted into the donor egg. The egg is fertilized with the father’s sperm and then transferred to the mother’s uterus for normal gestation, similar to other IVF procedures.
In pronuclear transfer, the mother’s egg is first fertilized with the father’s sperm, producing a zygote. The pronuclei of the egg and sperm are then removed from the zygote and inserted into a donor egg that has been fertilized and has had its own nucleus removed
In pronuclear transfer, the mother’s egg is first fertilized with the father’s sperm, producing a zygote. The pronuclei of the egg and sperm are then removed from the zygote and inserted into a donor egg that has been fertilized and has had its own nucleus removed
6. What are the major objectives of the Sendai Framework on disaster management? Evaluate whether India’s disaster management systems are in line with the Sendai framework. Suggest measures too. (10 Marks)
Answer: The Sendai Framework is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.
The major objectives of the Sendai Framework are:
Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020-2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.
● Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020 -2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.
● Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to the global gross domestic product by 2030.
● Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.
● Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.
● Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of this Framework by 2030.
● Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030.
India’s disaster management systems are developed in line with the Sendai framework:
● India became the first country to create a National Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction.
● The plans are put forward based on the four priority themes of the “Sendai Framework,
namely: understanding disaster risk, improving disaster risk governance, investing in disaster risk reduction (through structural and non-structural measures) and disaster preparedness, early warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.
● India strives to take along all stakeholders such as local government, NGO, civil society in the efforts to build a disaster-resilient India.
● India put the focus on ensuring that the disaster risk reduction is folded into the work of all parts of the administration at all levels of government.
● It also puts a focus on the need for greater information, education and communication activities in order to prepare communities to cope with disasters.
● The Indian government has laid down institutional, legal, financial and coordination mechanisms at the National, State, District and Local levels to help prepare for any potential disasters in the country.
● Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020 -2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.
● Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to the global gross domestic product by 2030.
● Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.
● Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.
● Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of this Framework by 2030.
● Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030.
India’s disaster management systems are developed in line with the Sendai framework:
● India became the first country to create a National Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction.
● The plans are put forward based on the four priority themes of the “Sendai Framework,
namely: understanding disaster risk, improving disaster risk governance, investing in disaster risk reduction (through structural and non-structural measures) and disaster preparedness, early warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.
● India strives to take along all stakeholders such as local government, NGO, civil society in the efforts to build a disaster-resilient India.
● India put the focus on ensuring that the disaster risk reduction is folded into the work of all parts of the administration at all levels of government.
● It also puts a focus on the need for greater information, education and communication activities in order to prepare communities to cope with disasters.
● The Indian government has laid down institutional, legal, financial and coordination mechanisms at the National, State, District and Local levels to help prepare for any potential disasters in the country.
However, there are certain concerns too such as:
● The government’s disaster response, mitigation and recovery do not have separate sections for most vulnerable sections amongst the disaster-impacted population.
● As per the CAG Audit, NDMA has neither had information and control over the progress of disaster management work in the states.
● The government’s disaster response, mitigation and recovery do not have separate sections for most vulnerable sections amongst the disaster-impacted population.
● As per the CAG Audit, NDMA has neither had information and control over the progress of disaster management work in the states.
NDMA is functioning without the advisory committee of experts in the national, local level.
● Delays are a common practice in the institutional authority while producing vulnerability atlases for disasters like floods, earthquakes and landslides.
● Delays are a common practice in the institutional authority while producing vulnerability atlases for disasters like floods, earthquakes and landslides.
7. Discuss the consequences of Climate change on agriculture and food supply and on the coastal livelihood in India. (15 Marks)
Answer: More than 60% of India’s agriculture is rain-fed and India is yet to sharpen its climate-resilient technologies in agriculture. Even a minimum variation in annual precipitation is affecting India’s agricultural output and coastal ecosystem.
Consequences on Agriculture and Food Supply
● Net Sown Area will get reduced in India due to rising temperature and tropical crops like rice (staple food of India) will be the most affected.
● The shift in monsoon pattern will adversely affect the output rainfed agriculture in India and it will further deteriorate with delay in developing the irrigation infrastructure.
● Climate change induces drastic loss of soil fertility and this leads to increased crop failures especially in the drought-prone regions.
● According to a study conducted by NASA, India’s groundwater level is decreasing 3 metres per year due to climate change and global warming. This will further worsen the
irrigation potential and agriculture output
● Climate change increases the pest attack and also it negatively affects the shelf-life especially for perishable products like vegetables and fruits.
Consequences on Coastal livelihood
● Frequent shifts in long term climatic pattern result in the occurrence of Recent Fani cyclone could destruct the entire coastal infrastructure.
● Due to the rising temperature of the sea surface, fishing grounds are shifting from the traditional regions.
● Increased susceptibility to natural disasters such as Tsunami, storm surges etc. Fishermen cannot move to the deep oceans for their sustenance. Hence, loss of livelihood and poverty among them.
● Seawater intrusion and coastal erosion due to global warming destroys the coastal ecosystem and available habitats
● Global temperature rise and ocean acidification caused the coral bleaching which in turn affects the sustainable exploitation of corals.
India being a climate-vulnerable country is susceptible to global climate change and building a resilient and inclusive society needs long term solutions in the line of SDG 13
8. “Environmental impact assessment in India is a tool to ensure economic development does not impede ecological balance”. In light of this statement, discuss the issues associated with EIA. Also, suggest adequate measures to strengthen the EIA. (15 Marks)
Answer: EIA is the assessment of the possible positive and negative impacts of a proposed project on the environment including social and economic aspects. Although the EIA were used for the multipurpose river valley projects In India, the Environmental Impact Assessment was formally introduced in 1994 through the EIAnotification, a central legislation.
Issues associated with EIA:
● Time constraint is a serious limitation for EIAs. Often not enough time or resources are available for sufficient data collection.
Project proponents of a developmental project tend to work out an EIA. In this case, it will be biased in nature.
● Project proponents tend to implement their project reduces the citizen involvement and thus delay their schedule or force them to revise the project.
● Role of the public in the entire environment clearance process is quite limited. Public consultation happens at a very late stage when the EIA report is already prepared and the proponent is about to present it to the review committee for clearance.
● Lack of monitoring also leads to questionable EIAs with false and incomplete data.
● Exemptions are provided to the projects that require EIA. Some of the reports obtained from the EIA are kept confidential as well. Eg: EIA of Strategic projects.
● The Expert Appraisal Committee is composed of the ex- bureaucrats and politicians who are alleged to have nexus and selfish interests which impede the ecological balance.
Measures to strengthen:
● Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessments (cEIAs) is a promising methodological approach that addresses the environmental issues in a larger spatio temporal scale
unlike the usual EIAs that address individual cases with limited scope.
● Environmental assessments should be more proactive and address the plans, programmes and policies at a higher level of decision making, which would control multiple projects and locations
● Independent third party audit shall be maintained in the case of EIA to make it bias free.
● EIA shall be combined with social impacts of the infrastructure, projects and other development interventions.
● Although SIA is usually applied to planned interventions, the same techniques can be used to evaluate the social impact of unplanned events. Eg: disasters, demographic change and epidemics.
9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are continuing to transform our world. In this light, Analyse the possible consequences of the AI in the social and economic life? (15 Marks)
Answer: Artificial intelligence is used to describe the machines or computers that mimic cognitive functions that humans associate with the human mind, such as learning and problem solving. This is made possible with specific algorithms that make the AI function in a specified scope of activities. As a result, with AI many of our everyday activities can now be carried out effectively by programmed machine technology.
Machine learning is the scientific study of algorithms and statistical models that computer systems use to perform a specific task without using explicit instructions, relying on patterns and inference instead.
Positive consequences of AI and machine learning in socio economic life:
● Health: AI model helps gauge a patient’s risk for heart disease and provides rich insights to doctors on treatment plans and early diagnosis. The adoption of electronic Health
record helps to monitor the patients using AI.
● Agriculture: Farmers receive automated voice calls that tell them whether their cotton
crops are at risk of a pest attack, based on weather conditions and crop stage. Eg: In collaboration with the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Microsoft has developed an AI-Sowing App.
● Education: Amazon’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) has now fast-tracked skilling the young via “AWS Educate” providing them early access to its core Cloud platform.
● Social welfare: To tackle the menacing problems of manual scavenging, Kerala government has built a Bandicoot robot to eliminate the problem.
● Economy: AI has helped to transform the business sector through accurate marketing strategy, it develops electronic virtual assistant to interact with the banking sector.
● Daily life: From the new self driving cars to Siri to Sofia, AI helps to modify our lifestyles as a whole.
Negative consequences of AI and machine learning in socio economic life:
● Economic impacts such as unemployment may emerge due to the complete mechanisation of jobs in industries, manufacturing sector. Eg: Mckinsey report finds that between 75 million and 375 million people around the world may need to change occupational categories and acquire new skills by the year 2030.
● Cybersecurity data breaches are a common occurrence with the advent of AI. European Union alleged the data breaches in this regard and advocated for the adoption of
General Data Protection Regulation to enhance the security standard.
● Political manipulations are a common practise using the technology of AI. Eg: Cambridge Analytica issue is alleged to have played a big role in the run up to the elections of USA and India.
● AI tends to pose a risk about the existence of humans itself. Because AI can self evolve and change the fate of human lives.
10. What is ransomware? Do you think India’s Cybersecurity regime is strong enough to curb these attacks? Elaborate. Also, suggest measures to improve cybersecurity regime of India. (15 Marks)
Answer: Ransomware is a type of malware from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim’s data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. Eg: Ransomware attack.
India’s cybersecurity regime suffers from certain issues such as:
● An exponential increase in the network vulnerability arose in the last 5 years.
● 2019 Global Risk Report by World Econonmic Forum highlights India’s history of malicious cyberattacks and lax cybersecurity protocols.
● Approximately 3.2 million of bank accounts were leaked by cyber thefts in the case of India.
● Two factor authentication is not established for even the critical information infrastructure thus making them vulnerable to cyber attacks.
● As a result, India slipped to 47th rank in the Global Cybersecurity Index.
Cybersecurity regime of India is building up measures to curb these attacks through:
● Policy measures such as National Cybersecurity Policy,2013 to ensure a secure and resilient cyberspace for citizens, businesses and the government.
● Legislative measures such as the amendments in IT Act to curb the growing menace of ransomware attacks.
● Research and Development to tackle the problems of latest cyber security attacks such as Wannacry, Petya etc.
● Mandate Digital security audits among the government, private companies to reduce the threat.
● Establishing National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, National
Cyber Coordination centre.
● International measures like Budapest Convention, Global Centre for Cybersecurity etc. to strengthen future cybersecurity scenarios and help build a secure global cyberspace.
● CERT-in is in place to enhance the security of India’s Communications and Information Infrastructure through proactive action and effective collaboration.
● Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative to strengthen Cybersecurity ecosystem in India. It is first public private partnership of its kind and will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in cybersecurity.