WSDP Bulletin (09-08-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. How did the dinosaurs become birds? Maybe the nose knows READ MORE
2. Govt. looks to develop studded diamond jewellery segment READ MORE
3. Why no disaggregated data on tribal populations, asks House panel READ MORE
4. What is Fitch’s downgrade of U.S. about? READ MORE
5. Thousands of U.S. sailors, Marines reach Red Sea after Iran tensions READ MORE
6. PM Modi lays foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 Amrit Bharat Stations READ MORE
7. 5% of birds in India are endemic, says Zoological Survey of India publication READ MORE
8. What is ECOWAS, the West African bloc that could intervene in Niger’s coup? READ MORE
9. How the current lunar missions differ from the last moon rush READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Not all weeds seen in millet farms are villains but uncultivated crops READ MORE
2. Belem Declaration: Amazon countries fail to agree on protection goals READ MORE
3. Ensuring women’s right to the city READ MORE
4. Social peace vital for India’s progress READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Should Constitution be amended to make Article 370 permanent, asks CJI READ MORE
2. Falling short: On the Digital Data Protection Bill, 2023 READ MORE
3. Neither the right to privacy nor the right to information READ MORE
4. What the fight over Delhi tells us: At the heart of the Centre’s national capital law or any other governance dispute is the inability of politicians to get along. History shows victors in such battles often have to rethink READ MORE
5. Data bill must balance business needs with individual protections READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The grammar of commerce in a new age of geopolitics READ MORE

 GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The quest for a room-temperature superconductor READ MORE
2. Govt alone can’t handle multidimensional poverty READ MORE
3. Does development of transport infrastructure increase rural land inequality? READ MORE
4. The challenge of making farming profitable READ MORE
5. State and Freebies READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate events and an umbrella for urban health READ MORE   

SECURITY

1. Manipur Police register criminal case against Assam Rifles READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Floods in China and Slovenia: Can extreme flooding be prevented? READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Israel protests show that national identity and liberal values can coexist READ MORE  
2. Viveka, power of discernment and phubbing READ MORE
3. Ramanuja’s eighteen guidelines for a disciple READ MORE
4. Intelligence revolutions READ MORE

CASE STUDY

1. Coal India Ltd versus Competition Commission of India: A defeat long in the making READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Setting boundaries in e-social behaviour is a necessary safeguard against personal and social turmoil. Comment.
2. Using social media to create public awareness of important social, political and economic issues is beneficial, but in the case of Civil Servants, it increases their accountability. Justify the statement with examples.
3. Human beings blessed with good intellect and common sense need to acquire the right knowledge and choose wisely from the many options before them – including the how, when and why of using new technology. Evaluate the statement.
4. Scholars may argue that national interests and liberal values are contradictory in nature but sometimes these two values go hand-in-hand. Illustrate with at least two examples.
5. A welfare state gives hope to the people, it gives them opportunities for improving their social standing and the assurance that they are not beholden to anyone’s mercies.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Setting boundaries in e-social behaviour is a necessary safeguard against personal and social turmoil.
• Using social media to create public awareness of important social, political and economic issues is beneficial; it enables exchange of multiple viewpoints, engendering healthy debate, discussion and positive action.
• Human beings blessed with good intellect and common sense need to acquire right knowledge and choose wisely from the many options before them – including the how, when and why of using new technology.
• While it might seem contradictory on the surface, the convergence of national interest and liberal values elements illustrates that a powerful sense of national identity can stand with democratic principles.
• Economics defines public goods as those whose marginal cost of production is zero, meaning that one person’s consumption does not reduce that of the other.
• Reconstruct small-scale farming and ecologically sustainable agriculture to usher in reforms and reduce inequality.
• Science becomes an instrument of the nation-state as it loses plurality and autonomy.
• Unlike universal education, skill development, assured work on community projects, subsidies on food, agricultural inputs, health and transportation which strengthen the economy, freebies do not support any economic activity.
• A welfare state gives hope to the people, it gives them opportunities for improving their social standing and the assurance that they are not beholden to anyone’s mercies.
• A vibrant agriculture is the crying need of the times. There is no other way to wipe the tears of every farmer and wage-earner.
• Considering that agriculture is the largest employer, the best way to reduce the gnawing inequality is to put the resources where the actual need is. Social peace, the absence of fear in any section of society and equal treatment by the state of all, irrespective of their faith, are essential for India’s progress and strategic interests.

50-WORD TALK

• Supreme Court’s order for the inclusion of officers from other states to probe cases of Manipur ethnic violence will ensure impartial and speedy justice. Its decision to set up a panel of three former women HC judges to look into relief efforts and rehabilitation can bring respite for displaced families.
• Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi’s maiden speech in Parliament termed the basic structure doctrine as debatable, inviting flak from several quarters. As head of judiciary, CJI Gogoi had invoked this judicial principle many times in his judgments, including the Ayodhya verdict. To doubt it now means questioning his own judicial decisions.
• It is a good a thing that Indian Parliament is now talking. It doesn’t matter what the outcome of the no-confidence motion would be; what is of importance is that debate and discussions are finally happening. As it is, parliamentary sessions are short and routinely interrupted by adjournments and disruptions.

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.