WSDP Bulletin (27-01-2022)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Padma Awards 2022 announced READ MORE
2. Spot-billed pelicans dying en masse in Naupada swamp READ MORE
3. Decommissioned INS Khukri to be converted into museum READ MORE
4. Explained: The America COMPETES Act, and how it could increase opportunities for Indians in the US READ MORE
5. Explained: India’s bilateral trade with China in 2021 READ MORE
6. India to look at Brazil, Russia for sunflower oil as invasion threat looms over Ukraine READ MORE
7. Two species of fungi associated with basal stem rot found READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. For a civic solidarity: On citizenship for the Chakma/Hajong people READ MORE
2. Adult marriage isn’t the govt’s business READ MORE
3. Plantations, invasive species… what all India counts as ‘forest’ READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Why Republic Day is celebrated: India is a republic only when its laws result from free public discussion and pass open scrutiny READ MORE
2. IAS cadre issue: Enforce central deputation rules READ MORE
3. Make governance lean & mean: The State comprises vertical hierarchies that coordinate but rarely collaborate READ MORE
4. Election Laws (Amendment) Act Threatens Sanctity of Electoral Rolls READ MORE
5. Why the Supreme Court now thinks it was wrong to claim that reservations undermine the idea of merit READ MORE
6. The Defection Game READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The devastating impact of school closure READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Keeping the faith: On people-to-people initiatives and India-Pakistan ties READ MORE
2. India-Central Asia summit is important. Here’s why READ MORE
3. Central Asia summit needs right outlook READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The credibility of govt accounting READ MORE
2. Indian govt can’t introduce quality reforms because it’s ignoring these three issues READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. Is India’s forest cover growing? Yes, but if you count coffee estates and clumps of trees in cities READ MORE
2. A possible new way to track wildlife trafficking in the Himalayas READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Truth is the biggest immunity booster READ MORE
2. Increase your mental power READ MORE
3. ‘Ethical Concerns Over Rich Countries’ Access to Foreign Nurses During Omicron’ READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Apart from commerce, only a value-driven cultural policy can replace the currently rather ill-defined goals of rebuilding India-Central Asia bonds’. Comment.
2. Prolonged school closure in India during pandemics is unreasonable and unscientific. Critically analyse.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Bad governance is riskier than the woes of a civil war.
• People-to-people initiatives can help build goodwill between India and Pakistan.
• India is a republic only when its laws result from free public discussion and pass open scrutiny.
• By going beyond the mere counting of heads, the term ‘republic’ brings free public discussion to our democratic constitution. It gives depth to our democracy.
• Karma here means to do all that comes our way with all our capacities and as an offering to the Supreme, without looking at the results.
• The All India Services is in urgent need of reforms in several areas and at different levels. Deputation to the Centre is one such and must be enforced. The central government cannot be hamstrung for lack of cooperation from the states.
• Since the Central Asia region is a critical lynchpin to India’s security policy, the summit will have a waterfall impact to facilitate India’s multifaceted approach towards the region.
• Egalitarianism should aim at raising standards to the highest level achievable rather than seeking the lowest common denominator.
• Apart from commerce, only a value-driven cultural policy can replace the currently rather ill-defined goals of rebuilding India-Central Asia bonds.
• India must also maintain a proactive level of consistency in applying its Act East Policy. The lack of momentum in the past has allowed countries like China to monopolize influence over key Southeast Asian countries.
• While the government’s goal of digitising electoral rolls sounds laudable in principle, it should first address how the rights of the people would be protected and how it would control the Aadhaar database’s potential for fraud.
• Democracy demands accountability, and a move that could deprive citizens of their fundamental rights must be addressed to alleviate concerns.
• Defectors contend that anti-defection laws stifle their right to free speech, glossing over the fact that they are not individuals with a free will but representatives of an electorate that voted for them on the basis of certain assurances including that of party affiliation.
• The problem of political defections would persist till we have legislators who are of sterling character and electorates that are not well-disposed towards defectors.

50-WORD TALK

• Delhi first needs to get its big-picture of the region right. When others have drawn their perspectives: China from economic (BRI), Russia from strategic (CSTO), Turkey from ethnic (Turkic Council), and the Islamic world from the religious (OIC), it would be befitting for India to give a poignant cultural and historical perspective to the region through a summit-level annual meet.
• Although many of us may be uncertain about the joys of “veg chicken” and “vegan mutton”, the growth of Indian plant-protein products is good news. Indian people need much more protein. Plant-protein is environmentally sustainable, affordable, and a good option for vegetarians. With R&D support, Indian manufacturers could become world leaders.

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.