WSDP Bulletin (03-08-2023)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Why room temperature superconductivity remains science’s elusive Holy Grail READ MORE  
2. Fitch downgrades US rating: How will this impact India and other markets? READ MORE
3. What is Akira, a ransomware CERT-In has flagged READ MORE  
4. GST Council sticks to its plan to collect 28% tax on online gaming READ MORE
5. Govt. kicks off contractual dispute settlement scheme READ MORE
6. India passes law allowing private firms to bid for and mine lithium READ MORE
7. Oil drilling threatens the Okavango River Basin, putting water in Namibia and Botswana at risk READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Cause and effect l Winter is here, but it’s not enough READ MORE
2. Why the caste survey matters READ MORE
3. Safeguard children from online harms READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Linear regression: On the government’s response to data on its policies READ MORE   
2. The dangers in the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill: With the executive vastly empowered to draft rules and notifications on a range of issues, India might end up with a law that takes away the right to seek personal information READ MORE
3. Road ahead for more secure AI READ MORE
4. Christophe Jaffrelot, Kalaiyarasan A write: Why delimitation could deepen India’s North-South Faultline READ MORE
5. How Modi government is using data privacy as an excuse to cripple the Right to Information READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. How does a ban on sex-selective abortions affect child health? READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Exercise caution on plans to expand Brics READ MORE
2. C Raja Mohan writes: South Asia, now open to business READ MORE
3. The Russia-China congruence at the UNSC READ MORE
4. India-Sri Lanka Vision Document: Old Wine, New Bottle? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Core comfort: on the policy environment- Government effort to boost infrastructure is yielding results READ MORE  
2. Efforts to create chips ecosystem must persist READ MORE
3. China finds India’s semiconductor goals unrealistic. It is waiting for New Delhi to fail READ MORE
4. Up the economic game with ASEAN READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Big concerns over big cats: An increase in the tiger population could escalate the man-animal conflict READ MORE   
2. Do phrases like ‘global boiling’ help or hinder climate action? READ MORE

SECURITY

1. As UN report warns of rising terrorism in Afghanistan, narcotics activity is picking up in Pakistan READ MORE

DISASTER

1. Floods bring spotlight back on dam safety READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Happiness is God READ MORE
2. Parallel reality READ MORE
3. Hate crime on train: And Nuh’s riots expose majoritarian violence READ MORE
4. Migrant-local harmony a must for lasting peace READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Experience of the use of the RTI Act in India has shown that if people, especially the poor and marginalized, are to have any hope of obtaining the benefits of government schemes and welfare programmes, they must have access to relevant, granular information. How would you justify this statement?
2. Greater strategic engagements with Southeast Asian countries are concomitant with India’s ASEAN-centric vision of the Indo-Pacific Region. Comment.
3. India’s ASEAN-centrism can be successful only if the acceleration in defence outreach is backed by strong economic engagements. Analyse the statement in the light of recent developments.
4. The Rajasthan Gig law is a steppingstone to deal with dynamic income insecurity of gig workers and secure their welfarism. Examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Medicine heals doubts as well as diseases.
• Constructing a land bridge between Sri Lanka and India is technically feasible, as the sea dividing the two countries is shallow. However, it entails exorbitant costs.
• Experience of the use of the RTI Act in India has shown that if people, especially the poor and marginalized, are to have any hope of obtaining the benefits of government schemes and welfare programmes, they must have access to relevant, granular information.
• The proposed amendment through the DPDP Bill would not only legalize and normalize the trend of government departments and officials refusing to disclose information but also give the government greater control.
• Russia-China’s voting congruence at the UNSC on issues relating to Syria and North Korea sets a vexing precedent for cooperative multilateralism.
• With the declining global power image of the US, Russia and China are seen as being more inclined to veto resolutions in the Security Council.
• Greater strategic engagements with Southeast Asian countries are concomitant with India’s ASEAN-centric vision of the Indo-Pacific Region.
• India must continue its negotiations with ASEAN for a better trade and investment deal. India’s ASEAN-centrism can be successful only if the acceleration in defence outreach is backed by strong economic engagements.
• Caste scholars belonging to historically deprived communities and so-called ‘upper-caste’ intellectuals both hold contrary beliefs concerning what counts as merit. While it may appear that they support reservation, they maintain the dominant narrative that says ‘reservation compromises merit’.
• Developed and developing countries alike soon recognised that the heavy dependence on just a few countries for producing chips endangered economic growth.
• Indian policymakers are trying to follow a similar pattern in terms of providing incentives and subsidies to both foreign and domestic companies in this sector.

ESSAY TOPIC

• The wise win before the fight while the ignorant fight to win.
• The measure of our success will be the condition on which we leave the world for the next generation.
• Transparency is the bedrock of democracy.

50-WORD TALK

• A parliamentary review of reservation policy shows there’s a problem at the top. Of the 928 posts of director and above level, just 120 are SC/STs, as against the mandated 208. It’s not enough to fix entry barriers. Reservation isn’t just about jobs, but about distribution of power among communities.
• The Supreme Court’s strong remarks in the Manipur sexual assault case expose the failure of the state’s security apparatus in dealing with the ethnic strife and its ripple effects. They rekindle hope among the distressed. A decisive step will go a long way in restoring people’s faith in the Constitution.
• Myanmar junta pardoning ex-leader Suu Kyi is a good step. The nation’s leadership should focus on stabilising its internal affairs, the spillover effect of which is affecting India’s politics, especially over issues related to the Rohingya and Kukis. Myanmar owes it to its neighbours to set its house in order.

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.