WSDP Bulletin (16-11-2021)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. India launches the 41st Scientific Expedition to Antarctica READ MORE
2. Birsa Munda believed in modern education and speaking out against societal ills: PM READ MORE
3. Bird Flu Spreads in Europe and Asia READ MORE
4. Who was Rani Kamlapati? Gond queen whose name is on railway station opened by PM Modi in Bhopal READ MORE
5. Delhi air pollution: ‘Urban factors, not farm fires, cause of pollution’ READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Recognising the role of tribal communities in Indian Independence READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Exception to the rule: Allowing yearly extensions to heads of CBI, ED will compromise their autonomy READ MORE
2. Pegasus inquiry must reverse the ‘chilling effect’ READ MORE
3. Electoral Bonds Are a Threat to Indian Democracy READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. The other digital divide READ MORE
2. Dismantling Casteism: Role of Law in Protecting Students READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Indo-Pacific: Expand the idea of security READ MORE
2. South Asian Leaders Have Failed their Region READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Structural inequality and the response to global emergencies READ MORE
2. Cryptocurrency Needs Calibrated Policy READ MORE
3. Regional connectivity: An opportunity for India READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. Delhi air pollution: ‘Urban factors, not farm fires, cause of pollution’ READ MORE
2. Time to step up on climate adaptation READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

1. Will India’s digital push in agricultural help farmers or help exploit them? READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Explained | S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Truth is Self-Evident READ MORE
2. Positive actions READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘The greater the inequality of political funding, the greater the chances that public policy is tilted towards the interest of the super rich’. In the light of the statement, discuss, whether Electoral Bonds Are a Threat to Indian Democracy?

2. How far do you agree with the view that the tenure extension of the head of the investigating agencies will make them less independent? Justify your case.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Authority does not come from the loudest voice, but the wisest.
• Human revolution means turning our lives in a positive direction, from unhappiness to happiness. It is the transformation of the tendency to allow ourselves to be swept along by force of habit or to feel ourselves at the mercy of the whims of destiny. The incredible power to do this already exists inside us.
• The Government’s complacency in the snooping case is worse than its alleged involvement under the garb of ‘security’.
• Using criminal spyware is not only a mere violation of Part III rights but is also a serious blow to freedom of the press, expression of dissent by the Opposition, and fearlessness of lawyers to challenge in courts the unconstitutional actions of the state.
• Law can be a transformative tool in socio-legal issues, and the increasing reportage of caste-based violence in educational institutions should prove a catalyst for ensuring newer and better ways for dismantling the casteist structures in place.
• Internalising the basic reality that South Asia is one of the most unequal and strife-torn regions of the world should be the starting point for regional leaders.
• The electoral bonds system allows corporates to anonymously donate theoretically infinite amounts of money to political parties, triggering concerns that the ruling party will return the favour through corporate-friendly public policy.
• The greater the inequality of political funding, the greater the chances that public policy is tilted towards the interest of the super rich, ignoring the interests of the majority, particularly the poor and the vulnerable.
• Glasgow meet failed on climate finance. Delay in relief to deal with climate devastation can wipe out people and ecosystems.

50- WORD TALK

• The Glasgow Pact is a mixed bag. It has aimed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees but disappointed on climate finance. That makes it hypocritical for rich, historical emitters to villianise India over “phase down” of coal and fossil fuel subsidies. Ultimately, some progress is better than no progress.
• Central ordinances to extend CBI and ED chiefs’ tenure up to five years are an abuse of executive powers. Provision of three yearly extensions will keep them insecure and therefore, loyal to political masters. These ordinances will further damage the agencies’ credibility. Supreme Court mustn’t allow mockery of its order.
• Supreme Court’s advice for work-from-home and talk of pollution-induced lockdown in Delhi are no solutions. These are just knee-jerk, lazy and easy band-aids in lieu of sustained government work. Stubble burning, Diwali firecrackers, construction dust – we have heard these reasons for over a decade. Time is running out for Delhi.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.