WSDP Bulletin (07-04-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. IMF’s Georgieva sees global growth below 3% in 2023, robust recovery ‘elusive’ READ MORE  
2. ‘Natural Justice’ and ‘Proportionality’: Why Supreme Court ruled in Media One’s favour READ MORE
3. Pakistan responds to India’s notice on Indus Waters Treaty review READ MORE
4. Mining of Rare Earth Elements READ MORE
5. Two ways to read RBI’s latest monetary policy: protects growth or surrenders to inflation? READ MORE
6. Pause, not pivot, says RBI governor as repo rate stays unchanged at 6.5% READ MORE
7. FTP opens doors for some second hand goods imports READ MORE
8. Distribution of fortified rice through PDS on track: Centre READ MORE
9. tweaks gas pricing norms; CNG, PNG prices to come down READ MORE
10. Behind RBI’s repo rate pause: Slump in consumption, tepid private investment READ MORE
11. Our target for retail inflation is 4%, we will work towards it: RBI Governor READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Imagining a New Ethic of Sociality: The Non-Brahmin Educated Woman in 19th-Century Western India READ MORE
2. The takeaways from the UN World Water Conference READ MORE
3. How the Arctic has wielded influence on India’s monsoon for at least 1,000 years READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Open justice: On the Supreme Court verdict in the Media One case READ MORE
2. Why we need uniformity in court judgments on free speech READ MORE
3. State’s overreach: SC makes welcome intervention to quash telecast ban READ MORE
4. A case for India decriminalising defamation READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The dream of universal health care can be realized READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Substance and subtext: On India-Bhutan ties READ MORE
2. Is the India-Bhutan relationship intact? READ MORE
3. In Middle East, how once improbable ties are setting a new tone READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Decoding RBI’s pause on repo rate hike READ MORE
2. A pragmatic move by RBI READ MORE
3. The poor are paying for inflation targeting READ MORE
4. Development must be made people-friendly READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Promise & politics of 6G: It is a fact that 35,000 Indian villages do not even have 2G network READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Deadly for oceans but perhaps vital for climate action: Why deep sea mining divides opinion READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Should India make tactical nukes to counter China? Delhi’s no-first-use rule has no room for it READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Investing right READ MORE
2. Four most important existential questions READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The current overemphasis on acquiring skills at the cost of compromising life fundamentals would be counterproductive in the long run and needs a relook. Discuss how work-life balance can be maintained?
2. To achieve its long-term goal of stable inflation and growth, RBI needs to look at different instruments to reduce the impact of supply shock-induced inflation volatility. Critically examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Consciousness is only possible through change; change is only possible through movement.
• As with the shrinkage of Russian space globally, the country that benefits most from this outcome is China, which is able to successfully portray itself as “the leader speaking on behalf of the Global South”.
• India may be face-to-face with China over its Himalayan borders, and it may even be a part of the Quad, a visibly anti-China alliance, but these only matter if the conflict comes to a head.
• Against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, China is playing its cards tactically to expand its own influence at the expense of Russia, its ‘closest ally’.
• Developed, rather than emerging markets, have been the source of financial and economic instability since the 2008 global financial crisis.
• The future of employment might lie, counter-intuitively, in agriculture if India can adopt higher-value, employment-intensive farming practices that will increase productivity, jobs, and wages.
• For success in world-beating manufacturing, India has to invest in firm-level R&D and innovation.
• Integration into joint formation structures is a very important issue professionally impacting the functioning of the armed forces to best meet national security challenges.
• In such a complex scenario, where geoeconomics and geopolitics intersect, Chekunkov’s visit signifies Kremlin’s prioritisation of India as a key partner for the development of Russian Far East, although China is manifestly keen to connect the Arctic to its Belt and Road Initiative.
• The current overemphasis on acquiring skills at the cost of compromising life fundamentals would be counterproductive in the long run and needs a relook.
• In the recent times, there have been many challenges in managing the wildlife. A fresh innovative approach is required to manage the life on the planet.
• The first principle of democracy is to have deference for the views and feelings of others. Without this, democracy cannot endure.
• To achieve its long-term goal of stable inflation and growth, RBI needs to look at different instruments to reduce the impact of supply shock-induced inflation volatility.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Consciousness is only possible through change; change is only possible through movement.

50-WORD TALK

• Former US President Donald Trump’s claims that America is “going to hell” has charged up his base—but his demagoguery is deeply dangerous. Even if the hush-money case against Trump is fake, the place to win the argument is a courtroom. Elected politicians must respect the institutions on which democracies rest.

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.