WSDP Bulletin (07-02-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. China lodges protest over U.S. shooting down ‘civilian airship’ READ MORE  
2. India to send disaster relief teams to quake-hit Turkey READ MORE
3. India, Canada FMs discuss Indo-Pacific cooperation, trade READ MORE
4. With swearing-in of five new judges, SC now just 2 short of full strength READ MORE
5. Huge chunk of plants, animals in U.S. at risk of extinction -report READ MORE
6. Turkey hit by series of powerful earthquakes: The science behind it READ MORE
7. Atmospheric rivers are hitting the Arctic more often and increasingly melting its sea ice READ MORE
8. China’s demand for Africa’s donkeys is rising. Why it’s time to control the trade READ MORE
9. Fed, ECB hawkishness can impact domestic growth READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. For a new paradigm of growth: Groundwater crises of Arizona and Punjab show how things have gone wrong READ MORE
2. Need to address root-causes of domestic violence READ MORE  
3. Women: Education, employment, empowerment READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. End-of-life decisions: On SC’s leagal status to advance medical directives READ MORE
2. The freedom of speech and an ‘adolescent India’ READ MORE
3. Environment: The problem of the Supreme Court as an ‘approving’ authority READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Why EWS reservation defeats the purpose of reservation READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India’s dilemmas in an Asian century: For status quoist India, the rise of the Asian century might turn out to be too seeped in harsh realpolitik for its comfort READ MORE
2. Why China is happy with Nepal’s new PM READ MORE
3. China’s growing influence in Nepal means India’s diplomacy and project delivery will need to improve READ MORE
4. India must counter China economically READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India’s just energy transition is more than a coal story READ MORE
2. Ashwini Deshpande responds to Surjit Bhalla: Worry over unemployment is not unfounded READ MORE
3. CEO NITI Aayog Param Iyer on Budget 2023-24: An infrastructure push for the people READ MORE
4. Fiscal issues amidst good Budget READ MORE
5. Land misallocation and industrial development READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

1. ChatGPT is an enabler in tech-enabled ecosystem READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Loss of biodiversity and the new Global Biodiversity Framework READ MORE  

SECURITY

1. Combating the menace of narcotics consumption READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Instead of criminalising child marriage, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma should heed PM Modi’s call of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao READ MORE
2. When power empowers and when it does not READ MORE
3. Morality is the starting point of any sadhana READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Data Protection Bill is riddled with arbitrary provisions that violate the Right to Privacy’. Examine.
2. ‘As the gap between women’s education and women’s employment continues to widen, the question arises if women are truly being empowered’. In the light of the statement discuss how the discrimination against women at workplace can be addressed?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.
• While the Bill takes several commendable steps to ensure that it complies with global standards of data protection, it nevertheless suffers from several infirmities that render its constitutionality questionable.
• A greater engagement with Constitution in our everyday workplaces and social conversations will go a long way in refining our understanding of the Constitution – so that in this upcoming cultural collision, if you will, there is a collective sense of the constitutional idea of India.
• As the gap between women’s education and women’s employment continues to widen, the question arises if women are truly being empowered.
• Reservation on the basis of economic disadvantage can only be justified if the provision or policy attempts to eliminate ingrained types of economic disadvantage that cannot be otherwise addressed by welfare measures.
• While the impact of domestic violence on the victim is worrisome, it can also have a traumatic effect on witnesses, especially kids.
• The pursuit of relentless growth of global and national GDP has become a cancer that is sucking water out of the Earth.
• For status quoist India, the rise of the Asian century might turn out to be too seeped in harsh realpolitik for its comfort
• Even the ECI had expressed doubts about the practicality of remote voting rights for migrants in the past. Meanwhile, there is also an active demand for voting rights for Non-Resident Indians. Higher turnout is worth striving for, but not without sufficient safeguards.
• Laws are an imperfect solution to social problems, but to clearly, loudly and unambiguously say something is not okay, signifies something beyond itself. Some lines must be drawn, even if in the sand.
• As India debates the latest border clashes with China, Delhi should keep in mind that China has moved to a security over economics mode, making a Chinese compromise less likely.
• A scheme such as MGNREGS needs to evolve while keeping its core idea of a demand-driven work allocation intact. Treating it as a burden will only hurt genuine beneficiaries.

50-WORD TALK

• India’s China challenge has to be managed through trade and investment rather than by flexing military and diplomatic muscles. India has a diplomatic advantage over China because it is a more westernised country. But India has to find a more substantial way to deal with China and that lies in the economic sphere. India has to carve out its own niche in world affairs, but without using China as a reference point.
• We should gauge the import of the word ‘digital’ added to the present Data Protection Bill. In the digital realm, the magic is created by servers and phones. So, secure and robust data empowerment will happen if loopholes of both are plugged. Cyberspace and telecom platforms should have an overarching regulatory body. To begin with, the Grievance Appellate Committee can be merged with the Data Protection Board.

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.