Hi all,

I found an article in The Hindu today that is relevant for UPSC

Continuing our Key Environment Jargons Series

Today the word is Zoopharmacognosy.

​Ever wondered how animals treat their own illnesses?

Zoopharmacognosy is the process by which non-human animals instinctively self-medicate using plants, soils, insects, or fungi to treat or prevent diseases.

Key Points

​Biodiversity Loss:
Deforestation doesn't just reduce food; it destroys the "natural pharmacies" wildlife rely on.

​Ethnobotany:
Many human medicines were discovered by observing these exact animal behaviors.
​
Examples:

Chimpanzees: Swallow rough Aspilia leaves whole. The chemical thiarubrine-A acts as an anthelmintic to expel intestinal worms.

African Elephants: Pregnant females eat Ehretia cymosa leaves to induce labor.

Macaws: Eat riverbank clay (Geophagy) to neutralize toxic alkaloids found in unripe seeds.

Wood Ants: Use conifer resin (rich in terpenes) in their nests for its antimicrobial properties against fungi/bacteria.

Capuchin Monkeys: Rub crushed millipedes on their fur the toxic benzoquinones act as a potent mosquito repellent.

Here is the article link for your reference

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/zoopharmacognosy-when-animals-medicate-themselves/article71248990.ece/amp/

During a violent protest, a District Magistrate orders the police to use tear gas to disperse a mob that is threatening to burn down a public hospital.

The tear gas causes severe respiratory distress to a few elderly protesters, but the hospital and its hundreds of patients are saved.

Which ethical philosophy best justifies the DM's decision?

And I want to make sure that not only Socio but also your GS is THHHHE BEST and super fun to study

I have taken a few steps for that:

- Made all Socio pre-recorded batches as Socio Plus batches (where I have added GS content in our Socio batches where Socio overlaps with GS and helps get us more marks in Mains)

- Giving students tasks in Offline/Live classes which is making their entire prep more aware, engaging and rank oriented

Guys, sirf concepts samjhnaa shall NOT be the end goal

Retaining them
Using them

Will get us ranks

And I will do just that 😊

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The 1991 crisis wasn't just a moment of panic it was the catalyst that dismantled decades of red tape and forged a modern Indian economy.

​𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟏 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭:
A severe 7.6% fiscal deficit and depleted forex reserves (barely enough for two weeks of imports) triggered a massive Balance of Payments crisis.

​𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬:
The 1991 Budget slashed import duties, scrapped industrial licensing, allowed 51% FDI, and launched PSU disinvestment.

​𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬:
These decisive moves delivered decades of strong GDP growth that far outpaced pre-reform levels.

​𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠:
Recent years have seen policy reversals, including tariff hikes since 2018 and political roadblocks slowing comprehensive progress.

​𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡:
India must revive its original reformist zeal, ensure institutional independence, and expand reforms to critical sectors like health, education, and justice delivery.

Hi all,

Today just for our Telegram subscribers, We are sharing one of our Last Minute Revision Sheets.

These Fundamental Rights LMR Sheets are a part of our Paid Modules.

This is the Part 1.

React 👍 if you want the part 2

Hi all,

Today is Day 11 of 30

Prelims Sleepy Series 2026

All 100 questions.

30 days.

A PDF compilation of all 10 days is below.

Going ahead will we be covering 3-5 questions a day to cover our target of 30 days

If you are finding these PDFs useful do react with👍

Download the PDF given below.

Write answers

Because a lot of times it’s less about what you know and more about what is asked

Makes a hell lot of a difference

Sharing an experience from Socio class.. will help you understand better

I remember during a live answer writing session, one student saw the words
“Non-positivist methodologies…”

…and immediately started writing

Five minutes later I asked him:
“Did you read the second half of the question?”

The question actually asked:
“…in addressing sociology’s modern challenges”

Silence……

He knew sociology
He lost marks because he stopped reading he question the moment he saw a familiar word and started writing

He wrote what he knew
And not what was asked

This tiny mistake costs hundreds of aspirants marks every year
That’s why I say write answers
Because it isn’t just about writing

It’s about learning to see 😊

​𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦:
High oil prices and surging gold demand heavily strain India's foreign exchange.

​𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
The 1991 crisis necessitated pledging gold. Later, the 1993 Gold Bonds Scheme attracted idle gold using tax exemptions.

​𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝:
Overcoming public hesitation regarding asset disclosure and taxation remains difficult.

​𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
A voluntary monetization scheme is being explored to channel private gold into economic use, preserving forex reserves.

Thinkers are important
Koi jo marzi kahe, thinkers yaad karne hain.. both of paper 1 and paper 2 🥳

https://youtu.be/MCPF1I5Djdc?si=Grbz0i4isHPcXDYP

Solution of the CSAT Day 12

This is an easy relative speed concept but with long calculation.

Here is the handwritten solution

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺
​𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 & 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:
PDS covers ~800 million people, but rising per capita incomes (up 78% since 2013) and declining poverty mean coverage is much larger than required.

​𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Under-nourishment remains at 9.8%, with high rates of stunting, wasting, and anemia, because the current food basket lacks nutrient-rich items.

​𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻:
The food subsidy has more than doubled since 2019–20 to ₹2.28 trillion, exceeding 4% of the Union budget.

​𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸
​𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘀:
Trimming beneficiaries risks leaving out vulnerable groups who still struggle with food affordability amidst uneven income growth.

​𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲:
Downscaling a massive welfare entitlement covering 800 million citizens faces significant political hurdles.

​𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
​𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
Align coverage with those unable to afford a healthy diet (reducing beneficiaries to ~570 million), cutting the subsidy bill by ~29%.

​𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Reinvest savings to add nutrient-rich foods like pulses to the PDS basket and target child and maternal malnutrition.

​𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆:
Evolve the PDS from a calorie-focused food security model to a comprehensive nutrition security program.