WSDP Bulletin (08/01/2024)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1.  CJI DY Chandrachud nominates five lawyers as members of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee READ MORE

2.  SVAMITVA Scheme wins Best Innovation Award for Innovation Sandbox presentation during Public Policy Dialogues–2024 at Indian School of Business, Hyderabad READ MORE

3.  New Discovery Overcomes Major Hurdle in Hydrogen Energy Economy READ MORE

4.  African raptor population declines 88% in 40 years, many crossing IUCN threshold: Report READ MORE

5.  How AI can help detect cancer and why India’s biggest cancer treatment hospital is utilising it READ MORE

6.  From red ant chutney to black rice, the 7 Odisha products that have bagged GI tags READ MORE

7.  GST revenues reveal a dissonance in consumption growth across States READ MORE  

8.  First Advance Estimates of India’s GDP out: What are they, and what do the data show? READ MORE

9.  Dining on wild foodstuffs READ MORE

10.  Should India study wastewater to track malaria, dengue? READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Why is child marriage still high in West Bengal? READ MORE

2. Education: Why rich and poor kids are growing apart READ MORE

3. Weather anomalies driven by climate change cause scanty rain, snow in post-monsoon India READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Telecom Bill — bridging the digital divide READ MORE

2. A nation and its migrants READ MORE

3. CAA Rules READ MORE

4. The Alarming Provisions of India’s New Telecommunications Act READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Structured negotiation as a boost for disability rights READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. What’s changed between 2015’s displeasure and 2023’s much valued power deal READ MORE

2. Litmus test for India’s politico-diplomatic acumen READ MORE

3. Diplomatic challenges for India in 2024 READ MORE

4. India & China: Of power, performance & posturing READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Distrust of employers is bred into Indian policy. It needs to end READ MORE   

2. Attaining self-sufficiency: More interventions needed to boost pulses output READ MORE

3. The pros and cons of digital loan apps READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Politics oblivious to climate change woes READ MORE

2. Loss & damage: 85% of costliest climate-linked disasters in 2023 were floods & storms; mostly affected poor READ MORE

3. IISc study in Arunachal Pradesh reveals how logging and climate change impact montane birds READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. A new high: On the Aditya-L1 mission and ISRO outreach READ MORE

2. How graphene semiconductors can revolutionise electronics and computing READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. ULFA’s long and winding road to peace READ MORE  

2. Increasing role of the Indian Navy READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Let us Learn from Disasters READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Ethics and morality READ MORE

2. Transcend dukkha with mindfulness, self-belief READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Morality is more subjective than ethics. Comment.

2. Discuss the impacts of financial globalisation on labour activities in India. Do you think that initiatives like Universal Basic Income should be promoted to achieve the goal of social democracy?

3. Discuss how along with addressing food-security concerns, increased production of pulses can help India address environmental challenges?

4. India’s rapid GDP growth has lifted millions out of poverty but it neglects the environmental costs of growth, the social value of natural resources, and the widening chasms of socio-economic inequalities. Examine.

5. The BRICS grouping has strived to democratise the global financial system by reforming the functioning of the Bretton Woods institutions; moreover, against the trends towards an increasingly unequal world order, reforming multilateral institutions remains the primary focus of the group. Discuss in the light of recent developments.

6. Indian Constitution is a binding legal document not a statement of political intent to be enforced at the discretion of the government of the day. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • Morality is more subjective than ethics.
  • Peace is not just the mere absence of violence. Peace is the manifestation of human compassion.
  • It is high time that businesses prioritised the needs of disabled users, and exhibiting openness to enter into a structured negotiation would be a powerful step in this direction.
  • India’s flagship disability legislation, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides that any non-compliance with its provisions may be reported to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (‘CCPD’).
  • Ethics, on the other hand, is more universal for it is all about what is right and what is wrong in absolute terms. Morality is often shaped by your prejudices and beliefs, your upbringing, tradition and culture.
  • India is aspiring to become the world’s third largest economy and be counted among the great powers, but this cannot be realised if its military capability remains dependent on external infusion.
  • Security concerns apart, the economic impact of disruptions along the Red Sea trade route are being felt worldwide.
  • Bhutan has smooth relations with India but China’s growing influence could pose a security threat, especially in the Doklam plateau which happens to be a strategic area near the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.
  • The recent incidents of hijacking on high seas and numerous maritime threats underscore the need for an increased involvement of the Indian Navy in addressing these challenges.
  • In the intricate web of India’s socio-political landscape, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) has emerged as a contentious thread, weaving through public discourse, protests, and legal battles since its passage in December 2019.
  • Along with addressing food-security concerns, increased production of pulses can help India address environmental challenges.
  • Climate change can turn out to be the biggest disruptor of economy and society, and can do more damage than wars.
  • BRICS needs to get its economic act together to match its growing political salience and become an alternative platform where the aspiration of the developing world is better realised.
  • BRICS has become an alternative platform to Braton Woods Institutions, which is realizing the aspirations of developing countries in better ways.
  • Judicial intervention is not the silver bullet that can solve all the ills of Indian democracy, making the politician accountable is.
  • Quantum computers can solve problems in seconds that would take ordinary supercomputers millennia to do, but they’re still in development.
  • Educational inequality cannot be solved through social and emotional learning.

ESSAY TOPIC

  • The truly happy ones, understand life.

50-WORD TALK

  • It’s always good to hear our economy is doing well, as the latest UN report says. But tags like ‘fastest-growing’ shouldn’t encourage complacency. In fact, further acceleration is needed. Just government-led investment won’t address India’s needs. Unless private sector pitches in, large parts of India will remain unemployed and poor.

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.
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