WSDP Bulletin (07-06-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Unfazed by sanctions, Iran unveils new ‘hypersonic missile’ that can cover 1,400 km READ MORE  
2. Frontline dam blown up in Kherson; Russia, Ukraine blame each other READ MORE
3. Will the WHO’s ‘pandemic treaty’ leave out antimicrobial resistance? READ MORE
4. Why is there trouble in Kosovo again? READ MORE
5. NCB arrests six after huge haul of LSD and marijuana READ MORE
6. Government increases MSP of kharif crops READ MORE
7. What is KFON, Kerala’s scheme for internet connectivity for all households READ MORE
8. Deposit insurance cover for PPIs: How will customers benefit? READ MORE
9. A Shocking Number of Birds Are in Trouble READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. El Nino 2023: Warming this year last seen in 2009; may cause global marine devastation; here’s how READ MORE
2. Why melting glaciers are causing both drought and floods in the Himalayas READ MORE
3. An unfinished task of social justice politics READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A letter to India’s elected representatives READ MORE
2. Classification under SC, ST categories: Recognition needs to go beyond govern-analytics READ MORE
3. Why the Law Fails to Ensure Politicians Don’t Ask for Votes in the Name of Religion READ MORE
4. Govts must heed SC on frivolous cases READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Don’t drop disability questions from NFHS-6. It will create an information gap READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Why Iran reopening its embassy in Saudi Arabia is a big deal READ MORE
2. C Raja Mohan writes on Shangri La Dialogue: Modi and Biden’s New Asia READ MORE
3. Indo-US defence ties: Closer cooperation needed to counter China READ MORE
4. Managing diplomatic contradictions: Decision to hold the upcoming SCO summit in the virtual mode is intriguing READ MORE
5. Economic cooperation in the neighborhood READ MORE
6. Virtual SCO summit plan sends the right signals READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Latest GDP estimates: Recovery is partial and uneven, scars remain READ MORE
2. The great India stack story the world is following READ MORE
3. Easier banking: RBI panel proposals a boost for customer care READ MORE
4. Monetary Policy | Shall we pause for a moment? READ MORE
5. Is AI a boon or bane for Indian IT companies? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Holistic approach makes agrarian systems more climate-resilient: Study READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Is India missing the graphene bus? READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Preventing landslips: NHAI initiates action on Parwanoo-Solan stretch READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Tackling cyber crime READ MORE
2. Cracking down on fraud in cyberspace READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. A cure for insecurity READ MORE
2. Just realise that we all are born initiated READ MORE
3. Think less to live longer READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Democratic values are enshrined by the functioning of constitutional and legal institutions. Comment.
2. ‘An accurate estimate of India’s disabled population would help strengthen their case in Parliament and local elected bodies such as Panchayats’. Discuss the statement in light of government’s decision to drop disability-related questions from the National Family Health Survey-6.
3. Decentralising power and empowering local governments can enhance accountability and promote citizen participation in matters of national importance. Justify the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The principle of give and take is the principle of diplomacy — give one and take ten.
• Parliament has lost its effectiveness as an instrument of oversight and there is a declining process of scrutiny, debate and dissent.
• US initiatives in Indo-Pacific are paying dividends as many Asian nations are developing the political will to confront China.
• The India-Nepal ties are bound to improve after Prachanda’s recent visit, in which seven agreements have been signed at the risk of irritating the dragon.
• An accurate estimate of India’s disabled population would help strengthen their case in Parliament and local elected bodies such as Panchayats.
• Democratic values are enshrined by the functioning of constitutional and legal institutions.
• To ensure that people of high ethical values are elected as representatives of the people of India, the RPA has laid down certain rules of electoral morality and prohibited certain acts which denigrate the purity of the elections.
• It is time we revive our political morality to uphold conventional and constitutional values.
• Many democratic countries, including the UK, have removed sedition as an offence from the statute book. India should follow that. Hopefully the Supreme Court will stick to the right view.
• The Supreme Court’s criticism of the tendency of governments to engage in litigation on the most unnecessary grounds and contribute to the backlog of cases in courts must be paid heed to.
• Governments should review all cases pending before the courts and withdraw all vexatious and unnecessary cases. Such a spring cleaning will be in the interest of justice and governance.
• AI might not impact the revenues and profitability of IT companies if they are proactive in using AI and adapt to the latest developments.
• Developed countries should extend adequate financial and technical assistance to the developing countries to fight climate change.

50-WORD TALK

• US allowing transfer of defence technology for critical systems to India is an indicator of how far bilateral relations between the two countries have travelled from the extreme cynicism of the 1960s. Ignore the rhetoric of de-dollarisation and multilateralism. The bottomline is that India and US are closer than ever.
• Kerala High Court’s order quashing criminal charges against a woman for posting a video of her children painting her semi-nude body is bold, progressive. Nudity and obscenity aren’t synonymous, it said, reaffirming a woman’s right over her body. The POCSO charge was absurd. The court’s right to expose this narrow-mindedness.

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.