cutoff marks for Civil service exam 2013 (Prelims, mains and interview stage)

UPSC has declared the official cutoff marks for Civil service exam 2013 (Prelims, mains and interview stage)

Original source: http://www.upsc.gov.in/exams/cut-off%20marks/2013/cs/Cut%20off%20cs.pdf

You wont find above link on the FrontPage of UPSC website but if you click on “Examination” section & then scroll down to “cutoff marks”, you’ll see it.

#Subject to minimum of 30 marks in Paper-I and 70 marks in Paper-II.

#Subject to 10% marks in each of the seven competitive papers i.e. Essay, GS-I, GS-II, GS‑III, GS-IV, Optional –I and Optional-II.

[1st] TOPIC ......INDIAN HISTORY........THIS IS ANCIENT INDIAN HISTORY

      [1st] TOPIC ......INDIAN HISTORY........THIS IS ANCIENT INDIAN HISTORY 

        FULLY DETAIL INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

     UPSC/JPSP/PCS/SSC/IBPS ALWAYS ASKED Q FROM THIS PART OF HISTORY  

       

                                                                                                                                WWW.GKEXAMFOREVER.BLOGSPOT.COM

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world slept, India awoke to life and freedom on 15th August 1947. On that day, India emerged as an Independent Nation, a nation proud of its ancient culture and civilization. People believed that Indian civilization began with the advent of Aryans. But the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization proved that a highly developed urban civilization flourished in India much before the arrival of the Aryans.

As early as 1826, Harappa, located in West Punjab (now in Pakistan), attracted the attention of archaeologists. General Cunningham, a British Officer in India, gets credit for preliminary investigation in Harappa. He had visited the place many times and published a report on the Harappa's pictographic unicorn seal in 1875 in the Archaeological Survey of India.

Later on, the two officers of the Archaeological Survey of India, Mr. R.D. Banerjee and Mr. R.B. Daya Ram Sahni, carried on excavations in the Larkana district of Sindh province and the Montgomery district of the Punjab. Mr. Sahni discovered the ruins of Harappa in 1921. Mr. Banerjee dug out the ruins of the pre-historic city of Mohen-jo-Daro in 1922. The ruins in these two cities showed that a rich civilization flourished in the country about 3,000 B.C. As the sites of the excavations were situated along the valley of the river Indus and its tributaries, historians named it 'the Indus Valley Civilization'. It was also called the Harappan culture as the first site of this civilization was discovered in Harappa.

The Harappan culture was a landmark in the history of man's struggle towards a better civilization. It has proved that some five thousand years ago, highly civilized people lived in the region. "The Indus Valley people gave to the world its earliest cities, its first town planning, its first architecture in stone and clay, its first example of sanitary engineering and drainage system." 

*The Indus Valley Civilization was not confined to these two sites in the north-western area of the subcontinent. The influence of this culture extended to the Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier Province (now in Pakistan), Baluchistan, Rajasthan, U.P., Gujarat and even some parts of south India.

This civilization was spread over an area of about 1600 kilometers from West to East and 1100 kilometers from North to South. However, recent excavations in Gujarat have shown that the extent of the civilization is much more than what people had thought it to be earlier. Research scholars are of the opinion that this civilization has spread over an area of 1,300,000 square kilometers, which is more than that of any ancient civilization known so far.

Important Sites : 

Though there are many sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, Mohen-jo-Daro and Harappa are considered more important, as these were the biggest centers of the civilization.

Mohen-jo-Daro in the Sindhi language, means the 'Mound of the Dead'. It was located in the Larkana district of Sindh (now in Pakistan). Here a big city was found buried under the mound. 

Harappa was situated on the bank of the river Ravi in the Montgomery district of West Punjab (now in Pakistan). Mohen-jo-daro type of civilization existed also in this city. 

Other important sites were Chanu daro in Sindh (Pakistan) about 130 kilomatres south of Mohen-jo-daro, Lothal near Ahmedabad in Gujarat, kali bangan in Rajasthan, Alamgir near Hatinapur in U.P. and Ropar in the Punjab, at the foothills of Shivalik. 

*Archaeologists like Sir John Marshall thought that the Indus Valley Civilization belonged to the period between 3250 B.C. and 2750 B.C. It is the period when the Egyptians, Babylonian and Mesopotamian Civilizations flourished.

From the objects discovered at the cities of the Indus Valley Civilizations, historians have made a comparative study of the contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Babylonia. They came to the conclusion that the Indus Valley Civilization was at its height of glory during the period of the contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Babylonia. 

Therefore, it was concluded that the Indus Valley Civilization existed between 3250 B.C. and 2750 B.C. as during this period Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Babylonian Civilizations flourished. However, recently Indian archeologists using the technique of radio carbon dating, are inclined to believe that the period of Harappan culture extended from 2500 B.C. to 1500 B.C. 

*Town Planning: The excavations of the ruins showed a remarkable skill in town planning. The main streets and roads were set in a line, sometimes running straight for a mile, and were varying in width from 4 meters to 10 meters. Most of these roads and streets were paved with fire brunt bricks. On the either side of the street stood houses of various sizes which did not protrude into the streets. The main streets intersected at right angles, dividing the city into squares or rectangular blocks each of which was divided length wise and cross wise by lanes. Some buildings had a lamp post and a well. There was an elaborate drainage system which emptied into the river.

The Drainage System; The Drainage System of the Indus Valley Civilization was far advanced. The drains were covered with slabs. Water flowed from houses into the street drains. The street drains had manholes at regular intervals. Housewives were expected to use pits in which heavier part of the rubbish will settle down while only sewerage water was allowed to drain off. All soak pits and drains were occasionally cleaned by workmen. In every house there was a well-constructed sink, and water flowed from the sink into the underground sewers in the streets. This elaborate drainage system shows that the Indus Valley people were fully conversant with the principles of health and sanitation.

Houses: The houses were of different sizes varying from a palatial building to one with two small rooms. The houses had a well, a bathroom, and a covered drain connected to the drain in the street. The buildings were made of burnt bricks, which have been preserved even to this day. Sun-dried bricks were used for the foundation of the buildings and the roofs were flat and made of wood. The special feature of the houses was that rooms were built around an open courtyard. Some houses were double storied. Some buildings had pillared halls; some of them measured 24 square meters. It is assumed that there also must have been palaces, temples or municipal halls.

Great Bath: One of the largest buildings was the Great Bath measuring 180 feet by 108 feet. The bathing pool, 39 feet long, 28 feet wide and 8 feet deep was in the center of the quadrangle, surrounded with verandahs, rooms and galleries. A flight of steps led to the pool. The pool could be filled and emptied by means of a vaulted culvert, 6 feet and 6 inches high. The walls of the pool were made of burnt bricks laid on edge, which made the pool watertight. The pool was filled with water from a large well, situated in the same complex. Periodic cleaning of the pool was done by draining off the used water into a big drain. The Great Bath building had six entrances. The Great Bath reflected the engineering genius of those ancient days.

Great Granary: Another large building in the city was the Great Granary which was made about 45 meters long and 15 meters wide. It was meant to store food grains. It had lines of circular brick platforms for pounding grain. There were barrack like quarters for workmen. The granary also had smaller halls and corridors.

The Assembly Hall: An important feature of Mohen-jo-daro was its 24 square meters pillared hall. It had five rows of pillars, with four pillars in each row. Kiln baked bricks were used to construct these pillars. Probably, it was the Assembly Hall or the ruler's court. It is said that it also housed the municipal office which had the charge of town planning and sanitation.

*Food: Specimens of wheat and barley show that they were cultivated in that region. Rice was also probably grown. There is evidence to show that date palms were grown in the area. Besides these, the diet of the people consisted of fruits, vegetables, fish, milk and meat of animals i.e. beef, mutton and poultry. 

Dress: From the sculptured figures it can be seen that the dress of men and women consisted of two pieces of cloth-one resembling a dhoti, covering the lower part, and the other worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. Men had long hair designed differently. Women wore a fan shaped head dress covering there hair. The discovery of a large number of spindles showed that they knew weaving and spinning. Similarly it was concluded, by the discovery of needles and buttons, that the people of this age knew the art of stitching. 

Ornaments: Both men and women wore ornaments made of gold, silver, copper and other metals. Men wore necklaces, finger rings and armlets of various designs and shapes. The women wore a head dress, ear rings, bangles, girdles, bracelets and anklets. Rich people wore expensive ornaments made of gold while the poor had ornaments made of shell, bone or copper. 

Cosmetics: The ladies of Mohen-jo-daro were not lagging behind in styles as used by the ladies of the present day, when it came to the use of cosmetics and the attainment of beauty. Materials made of ivory and metal for holding and applying cosmetics prove that they knew the use of face paint and collyrium. Bronze oval mirrors, ivory combs of various shapes, even small dressing tables, have been found at Mohen-jo-daro and other sites. Women tied the hair into a bun and used hair pins made of ivory. Toilet jars, found at Mohen-jo-daro, show that women took interest in cosmetics. 

Furniture and Utensils: The furniture and utensils found at Mohen-jo-daro show a high degree of civilization because of their variety in kind and design. The beautifully painted pottery, numerous vessels for the kitchen, chairs and beds made of wood, lamps of different material, toys for children, marbles, balls and dice, indicate what people manufactured in those days. 

Conveyance A copper specimen found at Harappa resembles the modern Ekka (cart) with a top-cover. Bullock carts with or without the roof was the chief means of conveyance. 

Amusements and Recreation: The Indus Valley people liked more of indoor games than outdoor amusements. They were fond of gambling and playing dice. Dancing and singing were considered great arts. Boys played with toys made of terracotta, while girls played with dolls.

*Agriculture: Agriculture was the main occupation of the Indus Valley people. Crops such as wheat, barley, peas and bananas were raised. In the olden days, there was enough rain in that region and occasional floods brought a great deal of fertile soil to the area. People used to plough the land with wooden ploughshares drawn by men and oxen. From the existence of granaries it is concluded that there were surplus food-grains.

Domestication of Animals: The people of Harappa domesticated animals like oxen, buffaloes, pigs, goats and sheep. Camels and asses were used as means of transport. Dogs and cats were kept as pets. The humped bull was considered a great asset in the farming community. Crafts The discovery of spindles at the sites of Harappan culture shows that the people used to spin and weave. Goldsmiths made jewellery of gold, silver and precious stones. People were also engaged in brick-laying and in the art of sculpture. The making of seals was developed during this period. Bronze-smiths made various types of weapons and tools such as knives, spears, saws and axes which were used in daily life.

Trade: Traders carried on trade in the country as well as with other countries like Egypt, Babylon and Afghanistan. Many seals of Harappa found in Mesopotamia show that trade existed between the two countries. The seals were made of terracotta and were used by merchants to stamp their goods.

The people of the Indus Valley used weights and measures in their business transactions. They used 16 and its multiplies: 64, 160 and 320, in measurement and weight. 

*The discovery of statues, figurines of men and women in terracotta, stone and metal indicate that people of the area were great artists and sculptors.
Sculpture in Stone: Among the stone images found in Harappa two male statues are noteworthy. One of them is artistically decorated while the other is kept naked. The first statue is that of a yogi, draped in a shawl worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. His beard is well-kept and his eyes are half-closed. The other figure is a torso of a human male. It is beautiful piece of sculpture made of red stone. The head and arms of the figure were carved separately and socketed into holes drilled on the torso.

Sculpture in Metal: The Harappan artists knew the art of bronze casting. They used the special lost wax process in which the wax figures were covered with a coating of clay. Then the wax was melted by heating and the hollow mould thus created was filled with molten metal which took the original shape of the object. A figure of a female naked dancer was found at Mohen-jo-daro. Necklaces adorn her breast. One of her arms is fully covered with bangles made of bone or ivory. Her eyes are large, nose is flat and the lips are pendulous. Her hair is braided and her head is slightly thrown back. Her limbs suggest graceful lines. Besides the figurine, bronze figures of a buffalo and a humped bull are very artistically designed.

Sculpture in Terracotta: The Indus Valley people practiced sculpture in terracotta. The teracota figure of the Mother Goddess was discovered in Mohen-jo-daro. The figure, with a punched nose and artistic ornamentation laid on the body and pressed on the figure, shows the Mother Goddess as the symbol of fertility and prosperity.

Pottery and Painting: Pottery found in large quantities shows that with the potter's wheel the craftsman produced pottery of various artistic shapes. The special clay for this purpose was baked and the different designs on pots were painted. Figures of birds, animals and men were depicted on the pots. Paintings on the pots show, that these men were equally good at painting. 

*The Indus Valley people had some knowledge of the art of writing, though in a rudimentary way. No regular documents on stone or baked clay tablets have been found but the numerous seals, representing unicorns and bulls and other objects give us the idea that the people had a language of their own. Some historians are of the view that the script found on the seals are similar to the ones used in Egypt, Sumeria and other countries of Western Asia. The script is pictographic, but still remains un-deciphered though there are nearly four hundred signs.

The writing was generally from left to right, but in some cases it was in the opposite direction i.e., right to left in the first line and left to right in the second. The Indus Valley script resembles the script of the ancient Mesopotamian people. Dr. S.R. Rao in his research work Decipherment of the Indus Script holds that the Indus Valley people used the phonetic script and in the late Harappan period the script evolved itself towards and alphabetic pattern. He says that numerals were shown by corresponding numbers of independent vertical lines. However, the Indus script remains to be a puzzle to the historians and thus the riches of this civilization remain unrevealed until this script is interpreted. 

OUR NEXT ARTICLE 'LL BE THE ARYANS OR VEDIC AGE .......SOON

Bills/ Laws

Bills/ Laws

Draft National Health Bill 2009.

§  It aims to provide “right to health” as a legal right.

§  Regulations related to good treatment, emergency care, etc.

§  No individual should be denied emergency treatment because of he doesn’t have the fees / cannot get police clearance.

§  Compulsory for the hospitals to address patient complaints.

§  patient has the right to know name of doctor / nurse involved in his treatment, summary of the treatment. He can also complaint for over-charging of fees.

§  A body to enforce the right to health.

Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2009

§  Originally the Act was made in  1994: Transplantation of Human organ Act, 1994

§  It’ll rename that act to “Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act”.

§  To regulate the removal, storage and transplantation of human organs and tissues.

§  “near relative” can donate organ

§  If the donor is not a “near relative” of the patient, then permission required from state Committee.

§  Doctor has to inform and seek consent of donor

§  Organ swapping allowed between a pair of donor-recipient. (e.g. family A has donor and willing recipient but their organs donot match medically then they can swap with another family B in similar situation IF donor from familyB’s organ is compatible with patient from family A and vice versa).

§  Increased penalty for illegal organ removal and trade.

PCPNDT 2004

§  Pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic technique (PCPNDT)

§  This act prohibits sex determination tests.

§  Regulating the sale of ultrasound machines.

§  Authorities can search, seizure and seal the machines and equipment of the clinics.

NCHRH Bill 2011

National Commission for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH) Bill

National Commission for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH)	§  This Commission will replace four existing (statutory) bodies for  healthcare professionals viz. 1.      Medical Council of India, 2.      Dental Council of India, 3.      Pharmacists’ Council of India 4.      Nursing Council of India
National Board for Health Education (NBHE)	§  to facilitate academic studies and research. §  conduct a screening test doctors. §  An Indian citizen who wants to study medicine abroad has to obtain an eligibility certificate from NBHE.
National Evaluation and Assessment Council (NEAC)	§  Its recommendation necessary to  open new educational institutions in medical and paramedical  courses.

Bill also provides for

§  Setting up a fund to finance above bodies.

§  Penalties for educational institutes if they run courses without permission etc.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has rejected this bill in late 2012. WHY?

1.     The new regulatory body doesn’t have provides any representation to state governments. (Even when Health is state subject)= federalism ignored.

2.     Members will not be elected but nominated = democracy ignored.

Draft Mental Healthcare bill, 2012

§  Provides the mental patients with right to treatment, information, Confidentiality. Legal aid etc.

§  Provision for regulatory bodies at national and state level to enforce these rights.

§  No punishment for Suicide Attempt

§  Registration of mental healthcare establishments.

Draft DNA profiling Bill, 2012

§  provides for a national database of DNA profiles. This database will be used for

1.     crime detection

2.     as an evidence in judicial proceedings

more details in old article clickme

Policies

National Population Policy 2000 (NPP)

Short term	§  Provide contraception, health care infra, personnel,  childcare
Medium term	§  Bring Total fertility rate to replacement level (=2.1)  by 2010
Long term	§  Achieve stable population by 2045

To achieve above things, NPP policy formed National Socio-Demographic Goals for 2010.

1.     Reduce IMR, MMR, school dropouts

2.     Achieve universal immunization of children against all vaccine preventable diseases.

3.     Promote delayed marriage for girls, not earlier than age 18 and preferably after 20 years of age.

4.     Achieve 80 percent institutional deliveries and 100 percent deliveries by trained persons.

5.     Provide contraceptives, counseling for family planning.

6.     100 per cent registration of births, deaths, marriage and pregnancy.

7.     Reduce the spread of STD, HIV, communicable diseases.

National Blood Policy, 2002

1.     National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) shall be the policy formulating apex body. NACO will give them money.

2.     Similarly bodies @State/UT level

3.     Drugs Controller General India will enforce the standards for blood products.

4.     Trading in blood i.e. Sale & purchase of blood shall be prohibited.

5.     All blood centres shall adhere to guidelines  given by Health ministry

6.     Each blood centre shall create and update a blood donor’s directory which shall be kept confidential.

7.     awareness, education, motivation to promote blood donation

8.     strengthen manpower, encourage research –development, NGO involvement and other filler points.

Drugs & Cosmetics Act provides mandatory testing of blood for five major infections viz. HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis & Malaria. Every unit of blood is tested for all these infections.

National Policy on NDPS 2012

§  NDPS= Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

§  drafted by the Ministry of Finance (and not health ministry)

§  private sector may be allowed production of alkaloids (medical compounds) from opium.

§  At present alkaloids from opium are produced only in Government Opium and Alkaloid Factories

§  Policy also aims to reduce

Reduce	By
supply of narcotic drugs	§  use of satellite imageries to detect illicit cultivation of po -ppy and cannabis §  strategy to address drugs-peddlers at street level.
demand for narcotic drugs	§  periodic surveys of drug abuse §  recognition of de-addiction centers, §  provisions for treatment, rehabilitation and social re-integration of victims of drug abuse.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy (NPPP) 2012

1962	Government started drug price control after China war
2004	Drug policy
2012	New pharmaceutical pricing policy.

§  At present, the government through the National Pharmaceutical Pricing authority (NPPA) controls prices of 74 bulk drugs and their formulations.

§  With this new policy, 348 essential drugs will be put under price control.

Committees related to drugs

Mashelkar	Drugs Regulatory System, spurious drugs.
Pranab Sen	Drug pricing

Departments

Health ministry has only four departments

1.     Health And Family Welfare

2.     AYUSH

3.     Health research

4.     AIDS control

Department of Pharmaceuticals falls under Chemical and fertilizer ministry (and not under Health ministry).