(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)
Prelim and Main
1. PM Modi recalls: Story of Savarkar’s attempted escape from ship docked in Marseille READ MORE
2. Scientists discover ‘Einstein ring’ around nearby galaxy: What it is, its significance READ MORE
3. AI can make drug-testing more precise, relevant to human biology READ MORE
4. Civil society members raise objections on environmental pollution exemptions granted to industries READ MORE
5. 40 million-strong Fulani, found from Atlantic Africa to Lake Chad, have roots in ‘Green Sahara’ period: Study READ MORE
6. Objections raised over Centre’s proposed changes to verify conflict of interest for expert GM panel members READ MORE
7. Why UGC is scrapping its list of quality journals, what is the new ‘decentralised’ system READ MORE
8. SIDBI signs agreement with AFD for green finance for MSMEs READ MORE
9. Should convicted persons be allowed to contest elections? | Explained READ MORE
Main
GS Paper- 1
1. Toxic waters: Punjab, Haryana in the throes of groundwater crisis READ MORE
2. Why Delhi’s water sector needs structural reforms READ MORE
3. How rising temperatures have gripped Australia in recent years READ MORE
GS Paper- 2
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Data protection rules and Act, a net negative for privacy rights READ MORE
2. Rethinking urban governance READ MORE
3. UGC regulations: A degree of overreach? READ MORE
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Technology and the challenge of equitable education READ MORE
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. Rather than withdraw from WTO, India should strengthen trade multilateralism READ MORE
2. India-US partnership in a post-liberal world READ MORE
3. Trump-Modi bond faces trade test in second term READ MORE
GS Paper- 3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. Averting Engels’ pause: On the AI Action Summit in Paris READ MORE
2. Performance appraisal READ MORE
3. Policy Roundup: Union Budget and “Sabka Vikas” READ MORE
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. A climate letdown READ MORE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Implications of the AI Diffusion Framework READ MORE
INTERNAL SECURITY
1. Despite setbacks, Maoists a live threat READ MORE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Addressing the growing threat of forest fires READ MORE
GS Paper- 4
ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY
1. State of being READ MORE
2. Ethics-driven AI in predictive healthcare: Building a foundation of trust and accountability READ MORE
3. Graft in education ecosystem must be curbed. We owe it to the youth READ MORE
CASE STUDY
1. Five nursing students in Kottayam arrested on ragging charges READ MORE
2. High court’s marital rape exceptionalism READ MORE
Questions for the MAIN exam
1. Intergovernmental transfers through centrally sponsored schemes should focus on incrementally strengthening the capacity of state and local institutions and decentralising governance through urban reforms. Argue and justify your view.
2. ULBs lack autonomy and fiscal powers due to the federal structure of the constitution, which grants the central government more revenue-raising powers while states and local governments bear the bulk of expenditure responsibilities. Examine.
3. Despite significant investments, cities face efficiency and sustainability challenges due to inadequate institutional capacities. Analyse why centrally sponsored schemes have not been able to adequately strengthen institutional capacities or implement structural reforms that would help sustainable urban development.
QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS
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- Terrorism is an enemy of humanity and there can be no ifs or buts in dealing with it.
- Leveraging emerging efficiencies and maximising AI’s potential must remain central to India’s strategy.
- AI will undoubtedly reshape industries, and preparing a robust talent pipeline will be key to ensuring that India not only adapts but also thrives in this transformation.
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Rules exacerbate the weaknesses of India’s privacy framework.
- The DPDPA is a piece of legislation which is entirely inadequate to deal with emerging privacy harms, especially those stemming from the collection of behavioural data, algorithmic surveillance, and the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems which depend on the mass collection of personal data.
- Expanding state surveillance and further delaying the establishment of the Data Protection Board, India’s data protection law fails to meet the basic requirements in the Puttaswamy judgment.
- With a large and growing population, India faces significant employment challenges. The advent of AI could exacerbate these issues.
- While AI has advantages, it is also essential to acknowledge its limitations and boundaries.
- The gap between the MSP and the fixed ERP has widened dramatically due to inflation.
- If other countries fail to adhere to their international trade law obligations toward India, Delhi can challenge such actions at the WTO, as it has successfully done numerous times over the past three decades.
- India is not a member of any major FTA, remaining in the WTO is even more crucial for Indian goods and services to access export markets.
- Integrity, transparency and the fight against corruption have to be part of the culture. They have to be taught as fundamental values
- AICTE, before the reforms, was often seen as steeped in systemic corruption that included conflicting incentives, discretionary and monopolistic powers, lack of transparency, and a culture of impunity.
- At a broader level, the PLI scheme needs to be reconciled with the pursuit of free trade pacts and lowering of tariffs.
- The marital rape exception cannot be used to obfuscate such a serious crime since this could give men the licence to brutalise their wives at will.
- Focusing on cultural revival, economic nationalism and strategic autonomy, India is charting a path deeply rooted in its ancient ethos.
- India has not granted gig workers full employee status, welfare boards and national databases like e-Shram become critical for providing them with a basic safety net.
- e-Shram is a step toward formal recognition and better access to social security schemes like insurance, pensions, and financial assistance.
- Wisdom is not knowledge, information; wisdom is your inner being awake, alert, watchful, witnessing, full of light.
- As Trump and Modi build on their rapport, both should recognise that India is America’s most important partner in countering China’s hegemonic ambitions.
- For India to achieve a truly federal urban governance structure, the state and local governments must have the freedom to design their own urban development programmes tailored to their specific contexts.
- The central and state governments should create enabling environments that encourage private financing while empowering ULBs to take on greater responsibilities in service delivery and providing them with fiscal autonomy to manage these functions.
- Intergovernmental transfers through centrally sponsored schemes should focus on incrementally strengthening the capacity of state and local institutions and decentralising governance through urban reforms.
- The principle of subsidiarity states that the decisions and responsibilities should be handled at the most immediate or local level of government that can address them effectively.
- ULBs lack autonomy and fiscal powers due to the federal structure of the constitution, which grants the central government more revenue-raising powers while states and local governments bear the bulk of expenditure responsibilities.
ESSAY TOPIC
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- United we win, divided we perish
50-WORD TALK
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- By stopping Ed Sheeran’s impromptu roadside performance, Bengaluru police has joined a dubious hall of fame: UK police stopped The Beatles’ 1969 rooftop concert, LA cops busted U2 in 1987. But it is 2025 — the age of TikTok, Reels and viral broadcasts. At least Bengaluru police didn’t demand Sheeran’s Aadhaar.
Things to Remember:
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- 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.
