GS PAPER: I

What is Cubism Art Work?

Why in the news?

Recently, October 25, 2023, marked the 142nd birth anniversary of Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

• Picasso, along with his friend and collaborator Georges Braque, pioneered Cubism.

What is Cubism?

• Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture and inspired related artistic movements in music, literature, and architecture.
• In Cubist works of art, the subjects are analysed, broken up, and reassembled in an abstract form—instead of depicting objects from a single perspective, the artist depicts the subject from multiple perspectives to represent the subject in a greater context.

Cubism has been considered the most influential art movement of the 20th century.

GS Paper: II & III

China launched its first SSGNs

Why in the news?

According to a recent report, China has launched its first nuclear-powered guided missile submarines (SSGNs).

• This is a significant development, as it gives China land and sea attack options that were once the sole province of the United States and Russia.
• China’s new SSGNs are expected to be operational by next year.

What are SSGNs and why are they significant?

• Nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) are conventionally armed submarines that are equipped with vertical tubes for launching cruise missiles.
• Cruise Missiles: Cruise missiles are long-range, precision weapons that can be used to target a variety of targets, including aircraft carriers, warships, and land-based targets.
• Significance: SSGNs are significant because they give a navy the ability to project power far from its shores. They can also be used to deter or respond to threats in a wider range of scenarios.

Analysis:

In recent years, China has built a number of new submarines, including nuclear-powered attack submarines and ballistic missile submarines. The SSGNs could have implications for the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

GS PAPER: II

Ethics Committee

Why in the news?

Recently, the accusation on a Member of Parliament (MP) of accepting “bribes” to ask questions in Parliament is examined by the Ethics Committee of Parliament.

• If the Ethics Committee finds that the MP violated parliamentary privilege, she could be expelled from the House.
• The Ethics Committee has the power to recommend a variety of punishments for MPs who violate parliamentary privilege, including suspension and expulsion. If the Committee recommends expulsion, the House will have to vote on the matter.

About the Ethics Committee:

• The Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is a body responsible for overseeing and maintaining the moral and ethical conduct of Members of Parliament (MPs).
• It was first constituted in the Rajya Sabha in 1997 and in the Lok Sabha in 2000, and was made a permanent committee in the Lok Sabha in 2015.
• The Ethics Committee consists of 15 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 members in the Rajya Sabha.
• The members are appointed by the Speaker or Chairman of the respective house for a period of one year.

How does the Ethics Committee work?

• The Ethics Committee has the authority to entertain complaints against MPs submitted by any person, including other MPs.
• Complaints must be accompanied by evidence of misconduct and an affidavit stating that the complaint is not false, frivolous, or vexatious.
• The Committee does not entertain complaints based only on media reports or on matters that are sub judice.
• The Committee makes a prima facie inquiry before deciding to examine a complaint. It makes its recommendations after evaluating the complaint.
• The Committee presents its report to the Speaker, who asks the House if the report should be taken up for consideration. There is also a provision for a half-hour discussion on the report.

Do You Know?

• The Ethics Committee can take up only cases of misconduct that involve MPs.

GS PAPER: II

NCERT Committee Recommends Changing India to Bharat

Why in the news?

Recently, a high-level committee set up by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to revise the social sciences curriculum has recommended that the name of the country be changed from “India” to “Bharat” in school textbooks.

About the committee:

• The committee is chaired by C.I. Issac, a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
• The committee has proposed the name change on the grounds that “Bharat” is the older and more indigenous name for the country.
• Issac has also argued that the name “India” is a colonial legacy and that it is time to shed it.
• The NCERT has clarified that the committee’s recommendation has not been approved yet and that it is too premature to comment on the issue.

However, the recommendation has sparked a debate about the country’s identity and its colonial legacy.