India slips to 150 in Press Freedom Index

India has reached 150th position in the World Press Freedom Index, dropping further from its last year’s 142nd rank out of 180 countries. What is Press Freedom Index? The PFI is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders since 2002. It is based upon the organisation’s own assessment of the… Continue reading

France pulls out of P-75I Project

Ahead of PM Modi’s scheduled visit, France has denounced its participation in the P-75 India (P-75I) project under which six conventional submarines are to be built in India for the Indian Navy. Why did France pull out? The reason was that the Request for Proposal (RFP) requires that the fuel cell AIP be sea proven,… Continue reading

Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) passes validation trials

The indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed the validation trials. Why in news? The ATAGS has demonstrated a range of over 45 km, making it the “most consistent and accurate gun in the world”. ATAG System The ATAGS is a 155-mm, 52-calibre artillery… Continue reading

[Yojana Archive] Fintech Beyond Boundaries

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context FinTech is rapidly changing the face of the banking industry, as several banks are now switching to digitization as well as paperless and cashless processes. Fintech in India: A backgrounder With the establishment of two institutions in 2009, India’s fintech journey… Continue reading

[pib] National Open Access Registry (NOAR)

National Open Access Registry (NOAR) has successfully gone live from 1st May 2022. What is NOAR? NOAR is a centralized online platform through which the short-term open access to the inter-state transmission system is being managed in India. It is an integrated platform accessible to all stakeholders in the power sector, including open access customers… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] India-EU Relations

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen was on two–day official visit to India. She has heaped all praises for the robustness of Indian democracy. She went on to say that ‘World Watches When Indians Cast Their Vote’. Both… Continue reading

Recent woes of the jute industry in West Bengal

Member of Parliament (MP) from Barrackpore constituency in West Bengal met the Union Textile about issues concerning jute farmers, workers and the overall jute industry. What is the news? The Barrackpore MP had earlier written to West Bengal CM, seeking her intervention into the “arbitrary decision” of capping the price for procuring raw jute from… Continue reading

What is the Delhi Dual Governance Conundrum?

New Delhi has been at the flashpoint of innumerable power struggles these days. Why in news? In the absence of statehood for Delhi, there has been a prolonged confrontation on the relative powers of the territorial administration and the Union government. Dilemmas of Dual Governance Article 239AA of the Constitution of India granted Special Status… Continue reading

Loudspeaker Crackdown: Court orders and Govt directives

Illegal and unauthorized loudspeakers had been taken down across the Uttar Pradesh and their loudness had been capped, under “an existing government order of 2018, and set rules for sound decibel limits and court directions”. What is the news? The UP state authorities have taken action since the loudspeaker crackdown began in our country. Notices… Continue reading

Autism Support Network to give Specialised Care in Rural India

The Centre for Autism and Other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADRRE), a not-for-profit organization will launch “Pay Autention — a different mind is a gifted mind”, India’s first bridgital autism support network. Pay ‘Autention’ The initiative shall pave the way for small towns and rural India to access specialised care and support and help… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Mudda Aapka: Sports as a Fundamental Right

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context The Supreme Court has sought the opinion of the Centre and state governments on a suggestion that physical literacy or sports be recognised as a fundamental right. It goes on to say that all education boards be asked to ensure at… Continue reading

Death Penalty

Context On April 22, a Bench of the Supreme Court of India, led by Justice U.U. Lalit, decided to critically examine the routine and abrupt way in which trial judges often impose the death penalty on convicts. Individualistic approach The challenge before the Court in the instant case of Irfan vs State of Madhya Pradesh was to… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] China’s Debt Trap Diplomacy

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its worst-ever economic crisis as it has defaulted on all of its external debt of about $51 billion – after running out of foreign exchange for imports, calling it the last resort. So while domestic… Continue reading

Mother Nature a ‘living being’ with legal entity: Madras HC

Holding that it is the right time to confer juristic status to ‘Mother Nature’, Justice S. Srimathy of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court invoked the ‘parens patriae jurisdiction’, and declared ‘Mother Nature’ as a ‘living being’ having the status of a legal entity. What is the news? The Madras HC observed that ‘Mother… Continue reading

What are the rules for resignation and reinstatement of an IAS officer?

A decorated Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and UPSC CSE topper from 2010, who resigned from the service in protest against the “unabated” killings in Kashmir in 2019, has been reinstated. What rules apply when an IAS officer chooses to resign? A resignation is a formal intimation in writing by an officer of his/her intention… Continue reading

What are Heatwaves?

India is gripped in the wrath of a long spell of heatwaves that too in the early month of April. What is a Heatwave and when is it declared? Heatwaves occur over India between March and June. IMD declares a heatwave event when the maximum (day) temperature for a location in the plains crosses 40… Continue reading

Keen on lifting AFSPA from NE: PM

The PM informed that AFSPA could be withdrawn partially from Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (from April 1) due to peaceful conditions since 2014. What is the news? The AFSPA will now be applicable fully only in 31 districts and partially in 12 districts of four states in the Northeast Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.… Continue reading

[pib] MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme

The Union Ministry for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has launched the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme. MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme This Scheme is an extensive drive to enable and facilitate MSMEs adopt Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) practices. It aims motivate and incentivize them for ZED Certification while also encouraging them to become… Continue reading

Tribes in news: Hattis of Himachal Pradesh

The Centre is set to consider the Himachal Pradesh government’s request for inclusion of the Hatti community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in the state. Who are the Hattis? The Hattis are a close-knit community who got their name from their tradition of selling homegrown vegetables, crops, meat and wool etc. at small markets… Continue reading

The post-pandemic world needs better public schools

Context The pandemic has thrown a harsh light on the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by the world in education. There is an immense learning gap due to existing inequalities. Need for investment in learning systems In India, we have to accept that unless we mobilise learning resources and institutions at the government level, the divides… Continue reading

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