WSDP Bulletin (18-11-2023)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. HC quashes Haryana law for 75% quota in pvt sector jobs READ MORE
2. Indian market for technical textiles targeted to touch $40 billion by 2030:Saxena READ MORE
3. What is the BDS movement, led by Palestinian groups against Israel? READ MORE
4. Windfall profit tax on crude oil, diesel exports cut READ MORE
5. How fractals offer a new way to see the quantum realm | Explained READ MORE
6. Extreme weather events may be driving replacement of native species with exotic ones READ MORE
7. In India, 191 billion potential labour hours were lost due to heat exposure in 2022: Lancet READ MORE
8. World needs to limit global warming to 1.5°C to protect cryosphere, 2°C too high: Report READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. What can a domestic violence survivor do when the justice system lets her down? READ MORE
2. A predator & conspiracy of silence READ MORE  
3. Why water reserves in southern India are fast depleting in 2023 READ MORE
4. What Determines Groundwater Exploitation in India? READ MORE 

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Regulating content READ MORE
2. EC should be above partisanship, suspicion READ MORE
3. Governors sitting on Bills is a dangerous scribbling of the ‘grammar of anarchy’ READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Skills intelligence and workforce optimisation READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The geopolitical fallout of the Israel-Hamas war READ MORE  
2. Building the floor: On the U.S.-China summit meeting, lessons for India READ MORE
3. Why peace in West Asia matters to India READ MORE
4. India-Bangladesh connectivity blessing for both READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. State of the economy — temper the euphoria READ MORE
2. Supply chain pact: Opportunity for India to maximise economic gains READ MORE
3. NPAs: Setting the record straight READ MORE
4. Inflation fall hiding slump? READ MORE
5. Unpacking Inequality READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate change: Are we close to collective action? READ MORE
2. Empowering women to be harbinger of climate change READ MORE
3. Act fast to clean air, or economy will take a hit READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Is AI the future of human relationships? READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Widening divide: Peace in Manipur cannot be restored by half-measures READ MORE
2. Do it via UIDAI: States shouldn’t create separate biometric databases. Multiple datasets increase security risk READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Nature can kill READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The ethics of war: Proportionality and nationalism READ MORE
2. Do we really have any free will? READ MORE
3. The original sin in conflicts READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Public funding of elections will certainly bring transparency in the poll process. Critically examine.
2. State governments’ committed expenditure under OPS would shrink their commitment to the FRBM Act. Critically comment.
3. Increasing debt is not only creating fiscal imbalance but affects the ability of state governments to run welfare schemes and blocks the path for the development of the country. In the light of the statement anslyse why freebies schemes are a recipe for fiscal disaster.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.
• India’s position on Israel–Palestine conflict reflects its priority to work towards a political solution and durable peace in West Asia.
• The ‘skills-first’ model of talent acquisition and management is the key to thrive in the evolving landscape for tech-driven enterprises.
• The priority for now is the safety of the trapped workers, but broader implications underscore the importance of balancing development with environmental preservation.
• The delicate ecosystem of lower Himalayas requires a well-considered approach to ensure the wellbeing of both the locals and the region.
• With the constitutionality of electoral bonds being contested more strongly, the citizen must push for a more level-playing field in the next round of elections.
• The recourse to a money bill to amend the relevant laws subverted the legislative scheme envisaged in the Constitution.
• Training of rural women as entrepreneurs and imparting them with the knowledge to adapt to a changing environment is crucial for climate action.
• Empowering women, and placing them at the centre of clean energy transitions is not only improving people’s lives but also garnering increased attention as effective agents towards more inclusive systems.
• The concern for nature in Indian scriptures is not just a cultural or religious tenet but a profound philosophy that underscores the intrinsic connection between humans and the environment.
• The EC is a constitutional body charged with and empowered to conduct free and fair elections. If it appears to be partisan and loses credibility, India’s elections and democracy, too, will lose credibility.
• While the growth in exports augurs well for the economy, boosting domestic demand is imperative for continued economic growth of the country.
• There are many strong arguments for keeping air quality better, even from an economic growth perspective. The poor quality and related health conditions results in increased worker absenteeism and reduced workforce output, and thus adversely impacting economic growth.
• It does not bode well for federalism and democracy in India that the Supreme Court has to intervene in the routine procedure of governors clearing the Bills passed by state assemblies.
• The principle of equal sovereignty of the States as the basis of all international relations is inconsistent with the status quo, where the international tribunals should have the right to prosecute the defeated countries and their leadership for war crimes.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent.

50-WORD TALK

• RBI has finally decided to curb rapidly growing unsecured lending, and not a moment too soon. Societal damage inflicted by banks and NBFCs through unscrupulous recovery practices needs an immediate stop. Finance Minister has spoken in Parliament about this. RBI must introspect on why it took so long to act.
• Modi government is right in expressing concern about the rise of AI and deepfakes in public sphere. Regulation is needed to ensure this doesn’t poison social relations. But there needs to be abundant caution on how much control and authority citizens end up ceding to the government in this process.

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.