WSDP Bulletin (23-08-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Lancet warns about ‘Tomato Flu’ in India among children READ MORE
2. India, Iran sign MoU for smooth movement of seafarers between both countries  READ MORE
3. Explained: What are ‘forever chemicals’ that are contaminating rainwater globally? READ MORE
4. Pacific Bluefin Tuna stock to rebound sooner than expected due to global conservation efforts READ MORE
5. Loan defaulters and those facing probe need NOC to invest abroad READ MORE
6. India, Australia to deepen bilateral relations in education, skilling, research READ MORE
7. AIFF suspension| SC dissolves CoA, Indian football body election put off by a week READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Climate crisis driving world to drought READ MORE  

 GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. SC To List Plea Seeking Review of PMLA Judgement READ MORE
2. A Centre-State skew further widened: The share of the States in divisible pool is shrinking despite their carrying a higher burden of expenditure READ MORE
3. Resolve to usher in a new dawn of justice for all READ MORE
4. In the 75th year of Independence, let us not forget the deep liberal roots of modern Indian society READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Not centres of learning yet: The Anganwadi scheme, designed to support children under six, is yet to fulfil its potential READ MORE  

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. UNSC meeting | India asks countries to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and international agreements READ MORE
2. Executions in Myanmar: The window of opportunity is narrow, but India must help bring stability READ MORE
3. India must reassess its maritime strategy READ MORE
4. China & RCEP READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Why the debate around revdi culture is crucial for India READ MORE
2. Jan Dhan, a financial inclusion game-changer READ MORE
3. Skilled people are needed for sustainable growth READ MORE
4. Electricity Bill 2022 is a remedy worse than the disease afflicting India’s power sector READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Factoring in the risk: Development of mountain areas over the years has upset the ecological balance READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Neurology of compassion and empathy READ MORE
2. Destiny or your effort READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘India’s steel frame is getting rusted for lack of competition and disincentives for mediocrity’. In the light of the statement, discuss whether the appointments of non-IAS officers’ to joint and additional secretaries will overhaul this issue.
2. The reach of the Jan Dhan scheme can be extended by improving financial literacy and adopting secure digital technologies. Comment.
3. In light of the current geopolitical scenario wherein the China-USA rivalry is playing out in the Asia-Pacific, the ASEAN holds great significance for India. Analyse the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but conscience of the whole of humanity.
• India’s first modern political leaders did not throw up their hands in despair. Instead of hate, they offered hope, looking to contemporary Western politics for solutions.
• Collaborating with like-minded ASEAN countries; urging Tatmadaw to start a genuine reconciliation process; and preparing the political/administrative resources in Northeast India to provide humanitarian aid to affected people across the border.
• The Constitution grants the Union government more revenue-raising powers while the States are tasked to undertake most of the development and welfare-related responsibilities.
• ‘Strategic play’ must guide India in the coming years — reducing the power gap with China, building the capacity to deter Beijing’s aggressive actions on its land and maritime frontiers, and rebalancing the Indo-Pacific.
• Empathy and compassion are the need of the hour, and the human race perched atop the apex of the evolutionary pyramid, can surely use its power of discretion to inculcate and imbibe these virtues.
• Temperance, compassion, empathy, tolerance are the benchmarks of evolution of the human brain. The brain is capable of not just intellectual evolution but more importantly of emotional evolution.
• An understanding that all duality and diversity is merely a manifestation of a fundamental non-duality. A non-duality that’s forever in a state of blissful awareness.
• The reach of the Jan Dhan scheme can be further extended by improving financial literacy and adopting secure digital technologies.
• Quality, and not quantity, ought to be central to the massive roadway expansion that is under way.
• A liberal, secular and egalitarian democracy, of a nation rooted in a civilisational ethos that celebrates human dignity, confident of its future and proud of its past.
• In light of the current geopolitical scenario wherein the China-USA rivalry is playing out in the Asia-Pacific, the ASEAN holds great significance for India.

50 WORD TALK

• Significant increase in non-IAS officers’ appointments to joint and additional secretaries is good. India’s steel frame is getting rusted for lack of competition and disincentives for mediocrity. IAS needs a drastic overhaul — from recruitment process to performance-based, not assured or time-bound, promotions. Induction of non-IAS officers must also be merit-based.

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.