WSDP Bulletin (09-05-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Explained | What is the debate around star ratings for food packets mooted by FSSAI? READ MORE
2. President appointments Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia, JB Pardiwala as Supreme Court judges READ MORE
3. Tough anteater leaves forest officials antsy READ MORE
4. DNA samples from Rakhigarhi burial pits sent for analysis READ MORE
5. Future looms dark for 48% of bird species READ MORE
6. Explain Speaking: RBI and the US Fed — The contrasting tale of two central banks READ MORE
7. Explained: What is monkeypox, a smallpox-like disease from Africa that has been reported in the UK? READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Is La Nina a fair weather friend of our country? READ MORE
2. Explained: India Heatwaves and the role humidity plays in making them deadly READ MORE
3. Population control: Gains made but onus remains unfairly on women READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Third and final round: On the tussle over Delhi’s status READ MORE
2. 124A & India: Sedition law has seen too many abuses & a very small conviction rate. Time for it to go READ MORE
3. Reviving the spirit of Centre-state alliance READ MORE
4. Repeal the sedition law READ MORE
5. Systemic reforms for justice delivery READ MORE
6. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act And a Long Way to Justice READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. This is how poverty in rural India came down READ MORE
2. A bold, rights-based stand on marital rape READ MORE
3. Four lessons from online education that should survive the end of the pandemic READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Overcoming differences: India’s new push for stronger ties with Europe comes at a crucial time for both READ MORE
2. India-UK ties and a sustainable global future READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. How to tackle food inflation – and how not to READ MORE
2. Diversification push: Punjab needs all the support to promote alternative crops READ MORE
3. Yes, India needs agrarian reform, but that which is pro-people, not pro-corporate READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. World without diversity would be like a grave READ MORE
2. Equality – Jurisprudential Interest Reurrected READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Europe is willing to end its economic dependence on China and this is a golden opportunity for India to expand its export. In the light of the statement, discuss what policy measures are required for India to expand its trade with European Countries?
2. ‘The recent world bank shows extreme poverty reduction in India in last decade but the recent developments in international politics posed many challenges and can be shocked for this gain’. Discuss how India can address these challenges?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• No woman can call herself free who does not control her own body.
• Prioritising expanding credit and preventing non-performing assets is crucial for an inclusive banking policy.
• RBI’s surprise move to raise repo rate questions over its objective. Its mandate is to target inflation, not shore up rupee.
• The pandemic and the negative terms of trade shock from the Ukraine crisis pose challenges to the gains made in poverty reduction up to 2019.
• The existence of religious diversity shows that human beings think differently, and they are alive to their respective situations.
• For cooperative federalism to survive, empower the moribund Inter-State Council to fulfil its role of mediating Centre-state relations.
• The PM’s emphasis on the use of local language will indeed increase the confidence of the masses in the justice delivery system and they will feel connected with it.
• The FTA between India-UK is the most exciting feature of the rapidly developing economic partnership. Reduction in tariffs will facilitate increased competitiveness in industries like auto and pharma.
• Classes during Covid-19 have highlighted that one-size-fits-all educational approaches fail to address student needs.
• Criminal law jurisprudence in India functions with the basic postulate of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, where the right to fair trial, the right to be heard and the right to a speedy trial form the basic elements of this postulate.

50-WORD TALK

• India’s right to question WHO’s excess Covid deaths estimate. Our official numbers aren’t accurate. But to say fatalities are almost 10 times higher is ludicrous. Just as it is to say fewer people died in China. WHO hasn’t covered itself in glory during Covid. This adds to its list of bungles.
• RBI’s rate increase was a surprise only because it came between two scheduled MPC meetings. RBI was behind the curve on addressing inflation and has caught up. Higher rates will hit consumption and investment. A nudge, if one was needed, for government to focus more on post-pandemic recovery and growth.

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 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.