NCRB releases ‘Crime in India’ Report

A new edition of ‘Crime in India’, the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), was released on August 29, for crime-related statistics in 2021. Why in news? NCRB reports have been a valuable compilation of statistics over the years on offences ranging from crimes against women to economic and financial crimes. It… Continue reading

PARAKH: A new regulator for ‘uniformity’ in all board exams

The Centre is planning to draw up a benchmark framework ‘PARAKH’ to assess students at the secondary and higher secondary level to bring about “uniformity” across state and central boards. What is PARAKH? PARAKH stands for Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development. The proposed regulator will act as a constituent unit… Continue reading

India-Srilanka Relations

Context The present economic crisis in Sri Lanka has pushed it closer to India for immediate relief. Reasons for the Crisis The first wave of the pandemic in 2020 offered early and sure signs of distress. In-migration: Thousands of Sri Lankan laborers in West Asian countries were left stranded and returned jobless. Shut-down: Garment factories and… Continue reading

What is Artemis 1 Mission?

NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has sought unexpected delay due to fuel leakages issue. What is the Artemis I Mission? NASA’s Artemis mission is touted as the next generation of lunar exploration, and is named after the twin sister of Apollo from Greek mythology. Artemis is also the goddess of the moon. Artemis I is the… Continue reading

Fiscal prudence

Context The Central government’s alarm has been on the mounting debt burden and the deteriorating fiscal situation in some States due to diversion in fiscal prudence. As both the Union government and States are expected to work closely in a co-operative federal structure, frictions arising out of these exchanges might have repercussions on both resource… Continue reading

Concerns around Aadhaar-Voter ID linkage

Reports have surfaced online of instances where block level officers have asked individuals to link their Aadhaar with their Voter IDs, failing which their Voter IDs could be cancelled. What is the news? This furore comes in the aftermath of the Election Commission’s (EC) campaign to promote the linkage of Voter ID and Aadhaar that… Continue reading

Russia blocks agreement on Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Russia has blocked the agreement on the final document of a four-week review of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Why in news? The NPT review conference is supposed to be held every five years but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This marked the second failure of its 191 state parties to produce an… Continue reading

Strong gender norms of japan reducing gender equality

Context Japan ranked lowest among the developed countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2022 due to its prevalent gender norms. What Is a Gender-equal Society? A society in which both women and men shall be given equal opportunities to participate voluntarily in activities in all fields as equal partners, and be… Continue reading

AFSPA

Context While AFSPA is repealed in 28 districts in Assam, 7 districts in Nagaland and 6 in Manipur, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep said that it should be repealed in all Northeastern states . What is Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958? Armed Forces Special Powers Act, to put it simply, gives armed forces the power to… Continue reading

INS Vikrant: All about India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier

The nation’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1) , INS Vikrant is set to be commissioned on September 2, the Indian Navy has announced. About INS Vikrant The name ‘INS Vikrant’ originally belonged to India’s much-loved first aircraft carrier, a source of immense national pride over several decades of service before it was decommissioned in 1997.… Continue reading

Why Nepal postponed Gorkhas’ recruitment under the Agnipath scheme?

Nepal has postponed the recruitment rallies which were to be held in that country to recruit Gorkha soldiers for the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme. Why has Nepal postponed Agnipath recruitment rallies? Nepal is of the opinion that this new form of entry into the Indian military is not covered under the Tripartite Agreement… Continue reading

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) eyes procurement of ₹2 lakh crore

Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a national procurement portal, is eyeing annual procurement worth ₹2 lakh crore during FY23. Such a huge amount it is! Government e-Marketplace GeM is an online platform for public procurement in India by various Government Departments / Organizations / PSUs. The initiative was launched on August 9, 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce… Continue reading

Green finance for green future

Context Inclusion of climate change and green finance in policy is crucial for a strong economy. What is green finance? Green finance is a phenomenon that combines the world of finance and business with environment friendly behaviour. It may be led by financial incentives, a desire to preserve the planet, or a combination of both.… Continue reading

National Digital Health Mission

Context The covid-19 pandemic has presented a watershed moment, bringing the world’s healthcare systems to a halt, forcing us to rethink existing healthcare delivery models and embrace the digital health transformation of the sector. Definition of digital health care Digital health is a discipline that includes digital care programs, technologies with health, healthcare, living, and… Continue reading

Arth Ganga Model: New govt model for the River’s Sustainable Development

The Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, spoke about the Arth Ganga Model during his virtual keynote address to the Stockholm World Water Week 2022. What is Arth Ganga Model? PM Modi first introduced the concept during the first National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019. He urged for a shift… Continue reading

Robust Sport governance for national pride

Context The judicial push for reforms in sport governance of various sporting bodies, football, hockey, table tennis and the Indian Olympic Association has understandably received mixed reactions. Why in news? The national sports federation’s usual governance practices do not place either the sport or the athlete front and centre; that space is reserved for official… Continue reading

Manusmriti: the controversial ancient Sanskrit text

The Vice Chancellor of a renowned university recently criticized the Manusmriti, the ancient Sanskrit text, over its gender bias. What is the news? The VC said that the Manusmriti has categorised all women as shudras, which is extraordinarily regressive. What is Manusmriti? The Mānavadharmaśāstra, also known as Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu, is a… Continue reading

What is Floor Test?

Bihar Chief Minister has won the floor test in the Assembly. What is a floor test? A floor test is a measure to check whether the executive is enjoying the confidence of the legislature. It is a constitutional mechanism under which a Chief Minister appointed by the Governor can be asked to prove majority on… Continue reading

Explained: The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022

The long-awaited Bill to amend the Competition Act, 2002, was finally tabled in the Lok Sabha recently. What is the Indian Competition Act? The Indian Competition Act was passed in 2002, but it came into effect only seven years later. The Competition Commission primarily pursues three issues of anti-competitive practices in the market: anti-competitive agreements,… Continue reading

Benami Law can’t be applied retrospectively: SC

The Supreme Court has declared as “unconstitutional and manifestly arbitrary” the amendments introduced to the Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 in 2016, which apply retrospectively and can send a person to prison for three years even as it empowers the Centre to confiscate “any property” subject to a benami transaction. What is Benami Property? Benami… Continue reading

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