WSDP Bulletin (21-01-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Supreme Court upholds validity of OBC quota in NEET admissions READ MORE
2. Rare pristine coral reef found off Tahiti coast READ MORE
3. The study by Hyderabad scientists identifies genetic risk factors for heart failure READ MORE
4. India successfully test-fires Brahmos missile READ MORE
5. RBI: Digital payments up 39.6% in Sept 2021 READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Counting trees properly: How to read biennial forest surveys? The best way is decadal data produced by same methods READ MORE
2. Clubhouse and the Fantasy of Sexual Violence Against Muslim Women READ MORE
3. Explainer: Why is marital rape not a crime in India – and can the courts make it one? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Explained: IAS officers and central posting READ MORE
2. Drop the IAS cadre rules amendments: States are right in perceiving the planned amendments to Rule 6(1) to be an infringement of their rights READ MORE
3. Court and compensation: On ex gratia to kin of COVID-19 victims READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Indian Ocean new Chinese sphere of influence READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The formal economy – and not just the informal sector – is in distress READ MORE
2. The centrality of data equity in tech policy and reform READ MORE
3. Govt equity in VodaIdea a poor solution READ MORE
4. Why it seems impossible to actually regulate cryptocurrency READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. India’s new National Water Policy: A paradigm shift READ MORE
2. Green go-ahead: Encouraging hasty eco clearance an unwise step READ MORE
3. New Draft NCR Regional Plan Dilutes Protection for Green Cover in the Aravalli READ MORE

SECURITY

1. India’s N-project going strong: Capable of meeting challenges faced by national security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. About Good Governance READ MORE
2. Has the pandemic fundamentally changed our ethics? READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘In a federal setup, the differences and disputes between the Centre and the States should be resolved in the spirit of cooperative federalism and keeping the larger national interest in mind’. Comment on the statement in the light of recent conflicts between center and states.
2. ‘While examinations are a necessary and convenient method of distributing educational opportunities, marks may not always be the best gauge of individual merit’. Discuss the statement in the light of recent quota related debate.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace.
• States are right in perceiving the planned amendments to Rule 6(1) to be an infringement of their rights.
• States are right in perceiving the proposed amendments as a serious infringement of their rights to deploy IAS officers as they deem best, especially when the cutting edge of policy implementation is mostly at the State level.
• In a federal setup, it is inevitable that differences and disputes would arise between the Centre and the States. But all such quarrels should be resolved in the spirit of cooperative federalism and keeping the larger national interest in mind.
• Data equity focuses on ways in which data is collected, assembled, stored, scrutinised, evaluated, processed, and distributed.
• Only as the inner lives of citizens are transformed will the vision of an aatmanirbhar Bharat and the integrity of governmental and public institutions be safeguarded.
• The government cannot ignore that the treatment of telecom revenues has caused several debilitating disputes of the past.
• Virtual currencies need oversight. But with anonymous transactions spanning country borders and a volatile market, the challenges are significant.
• An open competitive exam only ensures formal equality and does not end widespread ingrained inequalities in the availability of, and access to, educational facilities to certain classes of people, including the OBC.
• The rhetoric surrounding merit obscures the way in which family, schooling, fortune and a gift of talents that the society currently values aids in one’s advancement. Thus, the exclusionary standard of merit serves to denigrate the dignity of those who face barriers in their advancement which are not of their own making.
• While examinations are a necessary and convenient method of distributing educational opportunities, marks may not always be the best gauge of individual merit. If a high-scoring candidate does not use their talent to perform good actions, it would be difficult to call them meritorious merely because they scored high marks

50-WORD TALK

• Giving full authorisation to Covishield and Covaxin but not allowing their sale in the retail market will make the former meaningless. India’s third wave graph is volatile and needs more people to get boosters, and faster. Insisting the process remain restricted seems like health bureaucrats are more interested in control.
• The disruption of global airline operations due to the introduction of 5G services in the US reflects poorly on American planning and foresight. Global travel has suffered enough due to Covid. The last thing it needed was battered airlines having to change altimeters and flyers having to face new uncertainty.

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 main points 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.