Table of Contents
(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)
Prelim and Main
1. Global economy’s weakest half-decade performance in 30 years likely by end of 2024, warns World Bank READ MORE
2. Scramble for the Sahel — why France, Russia, China and the United States are interested in the region READ MORE
3. Over 100 active permafrost structures identified in Jhelum basin, can cause catastrophic disasters in future: Study READ MORE
4. US study finds hundreds of thousands of nanoplastic particles in bottled drinking water READ MORE
5. Supreme Court Collegium recommends appointment of three new judges to Madhya Pradesh High Court READ MORE
6. Majority of cities far from clean air target, says study READ MORE
7. Indian companies took on larger forex risk in 2023 counting on RBI support READ MORE
8. 2023 was hottest year on record; critical 1.5C limit nearly breached: EU climate monitors READ MORE
9. Privileges panel to seek responses from 11 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs READ MORE
10. What is the Square Kilometer Array project, significance of India joining it READ MORE
11. Regulation by statute does not rob a varsity of minority status, says SC READ MORE
Main
GS Paper- 1
1. Why is child marriage still high in West Bengal? READ MORE
2. India has entered a new era of reservation devoid of social justice READ MORE
3. Global warming, sea level rise, ageing flood defence systems: Why European countries have been flooded READ MORE
4. A looming crisis: How India can balance its water demand and supply across sectors? READ MORE
GS Paper- 2
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. After ECI guidelines, charting a path to disability inclusion in politics READ MORE
2. Justice for Bilkis Bano, questions on remission READ MORE
3. In Bilkis Bano order, the rule of law is upheld READ MORE
4. Ensuring proper utilisation of funds READ MORE
5. Third-party litigators and fight for justice READ MORE
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Structured negotiation as a boost for disability rights READ MORE
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. Why international law matters READ MORE
2. Is India refusing to lead active non-alignment? READ MORE
GS Paper- 3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. Good growth, low demand: On the NSO projection READ MORE
2. The factory of the future will be data-driven and AI-optimised READ MORE
3. India’s poverty riddle: Despite impressive growth, poverty fell just 0.3% per annum READ MORE
4. India stands out as an outlier worldwide on the positive side READ MORE
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. Why 2023 was the warmest year ever, and what happens now READ MORE
2. Carbon Farming: Sustainable Farming Technique That Keeps Soil Healthy, Combats Climate Change READ MORE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Trust in the digital world during the time of deepfakes READ MORE
2. Confronting cancer: Are we winning the war against it? READ MORE
INTERNAL SECURITY
1. Cybersecurity Threats in Online Gaming: Learnings for India READ MORE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Let us Learn from Disasters READ MORE
GS Paper- 4
ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY
1. An ambitious push for values, ethics in higher education READ MORE
2. Ethics and morality READ MORE
3. Is there a hidden purpose to our existence? READ MORE
Questions for the MAIN exam
1. If the Central government wants to improve the financial transparency and efficiency, the number of Central Sector schemes and Centrally Sponsored Schemes must come down drastically. Comment.
2. The merger of a public account with the cash balance leads to the problem of over-borrowing. Examine.
3. India’s success in ensuring food security by 2030 is depend on its approach to managing water and understanding water as a part of a nexus while drafting and amending policies is key to a food-secure future. Comment.
4. Multi-dimensional poverty Index is largely based on the social-sector indicators but it is crucial to address income poverty and policy needs to focus on spurring employment-intensive growth. Discuss.
5. Human values, professional ethics, and legal framework are the three main constituents that give direction to the appropriate human behaviour and decision-making guidelines in an organization. Comment.
6. India requires a comprehensive and coordinated effort from the Government and industry players to become global manufacturing hub. Discuss the role of Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to promote domestic manufacturing and increase India’s share of global exports.
QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS
- The solution of present-day problems lies in re-establishing a harmonious relationship between man & nature.
- In the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, a chapter on political inclusion should be incorporated. This will align with the principles of Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of PwD.
- With the rural economy struggling under the impact of the monsoon vagaries and the resultant weakness in farm output, demand for producers of a range of goods from soaps and detergents to packaged foods and two-wheelers is yet to regain any kind of vigour in the hinterland.
- The SC has resisted the temptation to issue a sweeping moral condemnation or to undermine the law on remission while addressing the plea for justice in the case.
- Legislative action and judicial activism had raised the guardrails protecting India’s remaining forest cover, which is around 23 per cent of its total area.
- Moving AI to the manufacturing edge promises a lot of tantalizing benefits, but it also poses some unique challenges that need to be overcome for manufacturing-edge AI deployments to be successful.
- By drawing on the power of AI at the edge, smart manufacturers are realizing the very tangible and measurable business benefits that come with better, faster insights at the point of need.
- The merger of a public account with the cash balance leads to the problem of over-borrowing.
- If the Centre is serious about improving financial transparency and efficiency, the number of such schemes must come down drastically.
- While the borrowing under a Consolidated Fund can be adjusted according to needs, the surplus in the Public Account is totally beyond the Government’s control, and this is what leads to over-borrowing.
- A foreign policy in constant search of opportunities in a changing world, evaluating each of them on their merits.
- The exercise of discretion by the state of Gujarat is nothing but an instance of usurpation of jurisdiction and an instance of abuse of discretion.
- The food, land, water and energy sectors are critically interlinked, and action on one of these sectors without careful consideration of the trade-offs in the other sectors could lead to detrimental impacts.
- India’s success in ensuring food security by 2030 will largely depend on its approach to managing water. Understanding water as a part of a nexus while drafting and amending policies will be key to a water and food-secure future.
- Multi-dimensional poverty Index is largely a result of improved access to sanitation, schooling, cooking fuel, etc. While this is very welcome, it is crucial to address income poverty, which is still very high and has remained defiant over the last five years.
- Policy needs to focus on spurring employment-intensive growth. Skill formation in rural areas to enable people move out of agriculture to jobs in urban areas, coupled with direct income transfers to the most vulnerable (antyodaya), can help.
- As the climate gets warmer and the frequency and severity of flooding increases, permeable soil is more important than ever to absorb the heavier rainfall.
ESSAY TOPIC
- The truly happy ones, understand life.
50-WORD TALK
- The release of 11 men sentenced for Bilkis Bano’s gang rape was egregious and indefensible. The Supreme Court has rightly struck down their release and criticised the Gujarat government for abuse of its discretionary power. It didn’t even spare its own 2022 order. The travesty never really stood a chance.
- The India-Maldives snafu, which began on social media over Modi, is a reminder of the strategic complexities at hand. This episode may die a quick death as diplomacy kicks in but Maldives must remember elections are over and hard realities of Chinese debt and India’s long-standing friendship come into play.
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.