WSDP Bulletin (28-03-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. NALCO-BARC Releases India’s 1st Bauxite CRM READ MORE  
2. India rejects Johnson & Johnson’s attempt to extend monopoly on lifesaving TB drug READ MORE
3. India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge nearing completion READ MORE
4. Supreme Court gives States, UTs and High Courts three months to set up online RTI portals READ MORE
5. ISRO puts 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit READ MORE
6. Explained | What is Biotransformation technology READ MORE
7. Explained | Understanding IMF bailouts READ MORE
8. Marburg virus disease outbreak kills five in Tanzania: What is this virus? READ MORE
9. Environmental stewards: Sacred Hopi site in Arizona awarded ICOMOS Water and Heritage Shield READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Reform Muslim Personal Law now. It’s communal, sectarian, and anti-Islam READ MORE
2. Water supply improvements in Indian cities READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The disqualification conundrum READ MORE
2. Supreme Court verdict on UAPA is fraught with risk of making it legal for agencies to act lawlessly while claiming to fight terrorism and preserve State’s security READ MORE
3. The balance of free speech and State interests READ MORE
4. Misuse of probe agencies: Oppn parties’ plea in SC raises significant issues READ MORE
5. Rahul Gandhi disqualification poses question. Who owns Constitution: Parliament or courts? READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. NEP and the future of school education READ MORE  

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. A shared G20 vision for the ocean commons READ MORE  
2. Maintain a fine balance: India must ensure that its ties with Japan are insulated from the Ukraine war READ MORE
3. Indo-Pacific focus READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Explained | Will mega textile parks help boost the sector? READ MORE
2. Income Inequality in Indian States READ MORE
3. Balancing Growth with Fiscal Consolidation READ MORE
4. Hydrogen Mission needs solid implementation READ MORE
5. Human resource management is a prerequisite for growth READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Robotic automation is the future READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. UN 2023 Water Conference ends with over 700 commitments to make world water-secure READ MORE
2. Final solution: On giving earth a chance to escape climate change effects READ MORE

SECURITY

1. After failure of insurgency in Kashmir, Pakistan is working on Punjab once again READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Right and Wrong Action READ MORE
2. Awaken your inner Shakti READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Elected representatives must ensure proper and well-informed debates and discussions in Parliament and Assemblies. Comment on the statement in the light of recenet logjam in Parliament?
2. Governance over sci-tech ethics is by no means meant to hinder the development of science and technology, but rather to steer its legitimate direction with obstacles removed. Discuss.
3. Governance over ethics in science and technology is very important, as regulated technologies and ameliorating values can lead to legitimate technological conduct. Comment.
4. GST is a great reform, but its greatness has been severely limited so far due to a patchy and hurried rollout. Examine the statements and suggest way forward.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Hostility and hatred are no match for justice; they offer no pathway to peace.
• When institutions of the Republic are captured by the ruling party the way they are in India today, the opposition is forced to find alternative ways and means.
• The stalling of Parliament functioning in the Budget session by ruling party members can be termed an abdication of legislative duties. Disruption of the House is a tactic often used by the opposition parties to highlight issues.
• The reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran is also a precursor to their induction as BRICS members in the near future. To be sure, there is a Russian-Chinese understanding already on this score.
• The BRICS membership for Saudi Arabia and Iran will radically reset the power dynamic in the international system.
• In a society where agricultural land constituted 99.5% of all property, the Muslim Personal Law totally deprived the Muslim women of whatever limited rights of inheritance they were sanctioned by Islam.
• China made itself indispensable to the United States in its dealing with North Korea, climate initiative, and other global issues. In fact, China was using North Korea as a weapon to browbeat the United States to soften its stand on other issues.
• The truth is that power resides in the people and it is entrusted for the time being to those whom they may choose as their representatives. Parliaments have no power or even existence independently of the people.
• Traditional wisdom is important. But it must be checked for superstition and misconceptions. In a country where the Constitution makes it a duty to develop the spirit of inquiry, experts must battle misinformation.
• Paris Agreement targets cannot be met without negative emissions, or carbon dioxide removal and would entail untested technologies that now appear to be impractically expensive.
• The United States has made many mistakes in West Asia, leading to a decline in its overall influence and, in turn, a policy recalibration by its allies.
• America’s declining ability to shape geopolitical outcomes in the region, China’s continued rise and a growing appetite for the U.S.’s allies to make autonomous foreign policy choices.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Human resource management is a prerequisite for growth

50-WORD TALK

• The attacks on Indian diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom and United States by Khalistan extremists demonstrate the growing danger posed by the movement. Even as India ensures greater security for its missions overseas, it must engage with the Punjabi diaspora in the West to politically marginalise the Khalistan movement.
• CJI DY Chandrachud pushed for transparency by reiterating his disapproval of sealed cover reports in what the government describes as “sensitive cases” and calling an end to it. But it must not be a CJI-confined phenomenon and should be institutionalised. Make the required changes on the court’s administrative side too.
• Fugitive diamond dealer Mehul Choksi’s removal from an Interpol watchlist necessitates a full investigation of the botched attempt to kidnap him from Antigua. Allegations of government involvement in the kidnapping have undermined the credibility of Indian law enforcement. Lawless behaviour will damage India’s reputation, and future efforts to extradite criminals.

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.