WSDP Bulletin (28-06-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. New deadline for Aadhaar-based rural jobs scheme wages READ MORE  
2. Seven products from U.P. get GI tag READ MORE
3. Q4 current account deficit narrows to $1.3 billion as trade deficit shrinks READ MORE
4. Netanyahu’s security risks mount as violence spirals in West Bank READ MORE
5. Sri Lanka will not be used as a base against India: Ranil READ MORE
6. Centre planning new Bill on stray dog issue READ MORE
7. Elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats on July 24 READ MORE
8. Brazil GEF meet: Over half a billion dollars set aside for work on biodiversity READ MORE
9. Minerals Security Partnership: India joins the critical minerals club. Here’s why this is important READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Indian Ocean Dipole: What is it, how it can limit El Nino effects READ MORE
2. Congo: World’s 2nd-largest rainforest continues to vanish with half a million hectares lost in 2022, says report READ MORE
3. Focus on reducing demand for drugs through awareness drives READ MORE
4. Science, humanities and the market forces READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Centre’s Delhi Ordinance disregards constitutional morality. Ambedkar and SC concur READ MORE
2. Why Uniform Civil Code divides politics & people READ MORE
3. Courts and law enforcement must combat hate together READ MORE
4. Collective action can curb the drug menace READ MORE
5. Time to act on police reforms READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. A model for quality and inclusive education READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Explained | Why are U.S. tech firms sceptical about digital trade with India? READ MORE
2. Tracing the arc of American ‘exception-ism’ for India READ MORE
3. Strategic high: On India-U.S. ties and strategic cooperation READ MORE
4. India-US relations: heading north

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Equip SMEs with a robust export policy READ MORE
2. Saving Banks~II READ MORE
3. DC Edit | RBI 4% inflation goal laudable READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Marshall Islands, a nation at the heart of global shipping, fights for climate justice READ MORE
2. SRSB makes push to achieve SDGs READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Jailbreaking generative AI READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Manipur peace process needs to be accelerated READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Transforming India’s disaster management READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Choose good now, bad can wait READ MORE
2. Happiness is not a destination READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Do you agree with this view that EWS judgement undermines the Constitutional code of equality? Analyse your view.
2. A measure of an economy’s competitiveness derives from its human capital. India’s done well to surpass most countries in economic size but henceforth, intellectual capital will be critical in boosting per capita GDP. Critically comment.
3. Recent developments in India-Africa relations provide an opportunity to build on common ground and expand it into new areas and Egypt can play a critical role in it. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.
• Food and grocery delivery apps keep a constant watch over their delivery partners. In this online slavery, these partners have no control or liberty over their basic rights.
• The pandemic has made it clear that virtual learning is here to stay. In the West, the big question is whether it will dilute the quality of the college experience and education. In India, which grapples with digital divide, the question remains whether this will reach most people at all.
• Alternative sources of knowledge and learning are posing challenges to the traditional mission of universities, including online and for-profit universities, non-profits.
• There is much value in defining constitutional morality as a paramount reverence of forms and procedures; however, a mere reverence of procedure is insufficient, as evidenced by the judiciary slowly occupying a more and more powerful position within the State structure.
• The US and India’s collaborations to promote solutions around digital infrastructures will continue to undermine the human rights of people in the Global South. In the case of India too, the government has consistently promised to bring privacy legislation, but has failed to uphold Indian fundamental rights.
• This model of digital identity-based development is gonna make a lot of people invested in this project rich, especially the institutions promoting this project.
• A crisis offers us a rare window of opportunity to implement reforms ~ it is a terrible thing to waste. The temptation will be to overregulate, as we have previously done. This creates a perverse dynamic… Perhaps rather than swinging maniacally between too much and too little regulation, it would be better to think of cycle-proof regulation.
• In a developing country, it is not enough to provide recognition for production. The production itself must be increased with the adoption of improved technology.
• Among the many challenges DM authorities face for the future is the strengthening of the district-level system, professionalisation of disaster management through a cadre of professionals, knowledge capture and management, and a more disaggregated early warning system.
• A measure of an economy’s competitiveness derives from its human capital. India’s done well to surpass most countries in economic size but henceforth intellectual capital will be critical in boosting per capita GDP.

50-WORD TALK

• PM Modi’s heady, historic US trip has now turned into an embarrassing tit-for-tat. The WSJ reporter asked a question, Modi answered, as press conferences go. From the White House statement condemning her harassment to Obama — what should have been a week of celebrating outcomes is now a week of outraging.
• Failure of credit bureaus to maintain up-to-date records deserves exemplary punishment by RBI, not just small fines. It’s inexcusable that these agencies failed to update records even when customers complained. In this credit data lies the reputation and credit-worthiness of people. The management of it requires utmost care and professionalism.

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.