WSDP Bulletin (23-01-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Charaideo Moidams: India’s latest nominee to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites READ MORE
2. What the dry, cold winter (so far) foretells for the rabi crop READ MORE
3. What is Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), and how it impacts the climate READ MORE
4. Explained | India’s plan to eradicate measles, rubella READ MORE
5. Employment days under Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme at a five-year low READ MORE
6. China builds new dam in Tibet near Indian border READ MORE
7. Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme has less than 50% uptake READ MORE
8. Of a bygone era: excavations reveal Buddhist monastery complex at Bharatpur of Bengal READ MORE
9. PM Modi calls for prison reforms and repeal of obsolete laws READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Digital literacy in Rajasthan bridges gender gaps READ MORE
2. Explained | Why is China’s population shrinking? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Necessary pushback: On the Supreme Court Collegium’s reiteration of recommendations READ MORE  
2. Changing politics, incompatible Governors READ MORE
3. Aspirational Blocks Programme: Building blocks of Viksit Bharat READ MORE
4. Why Delhi has always been political tug-of-war READ MORE
5. A guardrail of democracy READ MORE
6. Respect judiciary READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. It’s time for India’s universities to join the world READ MORE  
2. Taxing the ‘obscenely’ wealthy may not be the right solution READ MORE
3. India is an unequal society. Do we need Oxfam to tell us this? READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The role Italy can play in the Indo-Pacific region READ MORE
2. Hopes for a new world order: Latest tidings from Ukraine conflict are a historic defeat of western hegemony READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Budget should repurpose subsidies while spending more on imparting modern skills to workforce READ MORE
2. Punjab’s agri policy must be all-encompassing READ MORE
3. FREEBIES MUST BE AVOIDED READ MORE
4. Revamping the IBC: Faster insolvency resolution is crucial READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. ‘Climate change can triple flood damage by atmospheric rivers’ READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

1. Why artificial intelligence still has a long way to go READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Rise in attempts to revive militancy in Punjab, say speakers at police meet READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Himalayan challenge: Prioritise sustainable development to save the hills READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Data ethics: What it means and what it takes READ MORE
2. Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think READ MORE
3. Knowing the difference between needs and wants READ MORE
4. Like netas, some players have also abused fame READ MORE
5. Born Free to Break Free READ MORE
6. Jacinda Ardern is a true Gandhian READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘New defense and security cooperation efforts are springing up across the Indo-Pacific’. In the light of statement, analyse how new security grouping in Indo-Pacific are fueling up regional tensions in region?
2. ‘Careful management of hydropower resources is essential to ensure its positive impacts on climate change and avoid transboundary river conflicts’. Comment on the statement in light of transboundary riven conflicts between India and neighboring countries.
3. ‘A system of checks and balances that prevents any one branch gaining the upper hand is essential for democratic functioning’. Comment on the statement in the light of recent stand-off between Judiciary and Executive.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid.
• The increasing number of wild animals and reduction of food and water sources due to the increasing presence of exotic species rather than native varieties lead to wild animals invading human habitats.
• Where the union government is busy stifling with the conduct of state governments through the post of the governor, one can only conclude that good governance is certainly not its top political priority.
• When the RBI governor is emphatic in his view that crypto currency is going to be the instrument for next financial crisis, the policy makers must act quickly to ensure that our economy is insulated from such a crisis.
• A bit of urgency on the part of the top court over the collegium would go a long way in smoothing its relationship with the Government. Two organs of the State bickering with each other all the time is not a good advertisement for either India or democracy.
• The court may have perhaps missed an opportunity to clarify the true extent or limits to the guarantee of the currency by the state.
• Technology can potentially meet the diverse needs of different demographic groups of workers, in terms of location, flexibility and hours of work.
• India’s population presents a chance for growth, but inequality and elderly care need attention.
• Like the larger policy framework within which they are set, the UGC’s draft rules emphasise quality without corresponding measures to safeguard equal access.
• To suggest that the basic structure doctrine is by itself unsanctioned is to place the Constitution at the legislature’s whim.
• A system of checks and balances that prevents any one branch gaining the upper hand is essential for democratic functioning.

50-WORD TALK

• Supreme Court has ushered transparency to some extent by making its position on the reiterated judges’ names public. But this should also extend to all candidates. Making these unsubstantial government arguments public can only intensify the executive-judiciary faceoff. This spat must end now. Larger public interest is at stake here
• The proposed new amendment to IT Rules seeks to give outsized, Orwellian powers to the government over the news media. The State cannot appropriate the right to declare an article false and force publishers and platforms to take it down. It’s shocking that this incredible overreach is even being proposed.
• If a robust national R&D, industrial and manufacturing base was deemed to be a critical determinant of composite military capability in the 20th century, it is axiomatic that in the current era, a high quality national education ecosystem is central to acquiring the kind of technological profile that a major power needs to deal with the complex challenges it will have to grapple with.

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.