WSDP Bulletin (10-10-2023)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Harvard professor Claudia Goldin wins Nobel Economics Prize for gender gap research READ MORE
2. Scientists untangle mystery about the universe’s earliest galaxies READ MORE
3. Sri Lanka to take over as Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association READ MORE  
4. Ahead of Bima Vistaar rollout, IRDAI issues guidelines on Bima Vahaks READ MORE
5. ICMR to set up study to develop solutions to remedy childhood undernutrition READ MORE
6. What is multimodal artificial intelligence and why is it important? READ MORE
7. Joint Statement during the State Visit of the President of Tanzania to India and launch of Strategic Partnership between India and Tanzania (8-10 October 2023) READ MORE  
8. Appointment of Manipur HC CJ to be notified soon, Centre tells apex court READ MORE
9. Unemployment rate drops to 6.6% in urban areas in Q1 READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Mental health and the floundering informal worker READ MORE
2. Socio-economic takeaways from Bihar caste survey READ MORE
3. Does India need a caste census? READ MORE
4. Extreme weather impact: 20,000 children displaced every day in last 6 years READ MORE  
5. How climate crisis will trigger more water wars in India READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The state of India’s Scheduled Areas READ MORE
2. Uncertain timing, Census and delimitation hurdles cast shadow over women’s reservation READ MORE
3. Law Commission age of consent recommendations threaten to criminalise the young READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The ‘invisible’ disability of mental illness: Challenges of social security access READ MORE
2. Fundamental health services for women: Analysing gender disparities READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The end of the two-state solution: Hamas’s spectacular terrorism will push back Palestinian statehood by a generation READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. With food inflation limited to dal roti, why govt policy may need changes READ MORE  
2. Economics Nobel 2023: How Claudia Goldin shed light on the status of women in the workforce READ MORE
3. Is RBI heading in the right direction? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Why India is launching a national framework for climate services Extreme weather impact: 20,000 children displaced every day in last 6 years READ MORE
2. Natural disasters occur due to our apathy towards environment READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. More people moved into high flood zones, exposing larger populations to water disasters: World Bank READ MORE
2. Sikkim’s Chungthang dam collapse signals the need for dam safety & emissions reduction READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Back to square one on theatre commands READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. It’s okay to be not okay READ MORE
2. Only we can reform our society READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Empowering women with the right to a safe and inclusive online environment is a crucial step toward a more equitable and just society in the digital age. Comment.
2. There is a need to redefine the relationship between the State and universities for a truly autonomous and thriving academic environment. Comment on the statement in light of recent developments.
3. While constitutional safeguards and legal protection for Dalits exist, caste-based discrimination has taken on new forms in the modern era. Discuss why the safeguards and legal protection are failed to address the issue of discrimination in higher educational institutions?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Palestine is the cement that holds the Arab world together, or it is the explosive that blows it apart.
• The disturbing trends seen in women’s mental health call for immediate gender mainstreaming action in mental health policies.
• Policy neglect, uncertain job market, and increased contractualisation are making labourers’ economic condition worse. Inflation is negating purchasing power too.
• Wages of informal labourers neither become an election issue nor do they count as a measure of poverty.
• ]The only way to protect the Indian rupee is through price stability. Assured stability through firmer anti-inflationary measures sends an effective message to overseas investors.
• We need to enhance our responsibility and responsiveness towards climate cure and healing; we must investment in climate-pro solutions.
• Enhance cooperation for mitigation efforts, and develop sustainable and viable ecosystems for a crisis-free society.
• A caste census is deemed discriminatory and opposed by those who seek equal rights for all. Besides, opinions are sharply divided on its impact.
• The release of the socio-economic profile of various SRCs can bring back the lost focus on the ‘economic’ aspect of social justice.
• The promise of a caste census could influence outcomes in the upcoming assembly elections but not do much for the cause of universal welfarism.
• India and South Korea, guided by universal values, should build beyond bilateralism as they refuse to be bystanders amid global disorder.
• Law Commission recommendations on age of consent sidestep key question of how to protect the young from sexual abuse, while ensuring they are not punished for consensual sexual activity with peers.
• Informal workers, despite their significant contribution to national income, are perennially exposed to economic, physical, and, in turn, mental vulnerabilities.
• The only way forward is for a Palestinian leadership that can credibly signal to the Israeli people that it will not use the freedoms it gains from any peace deal to hurt Israel. The prospects for that seem dim.

50-WORD TALK

• The shocking failure of Israel’s security services to preempt Hamas’ brutal strikes illustrates the damage caused when elected dictators operate without scrutiny and the perils of emulating Erdogan-style rule. PM Netanyahu’s politics undermined Jerusalem’s military and intelligence leadership. Israel will prevail—but at a price that need not have been paid.
• Army signing contracts worth Rs 18,000 crore under emergency procurement and asking it be institutionalised shows how convoluted military procurement has become. It is a shame that Services have to use EP to fill up critical gaps. This piecemeal approach should be stopped and procurement systems decluttered for faster procurement.

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.