TB’s steep socio-economic cost to women

Context As India steadily steers its way through the pandemic to safer shores, we must foreground a disease which has been impacting our country for years, and disproportionately affecting women – tuberculosis. Toll of TB In India, the TB case fatality ratio increased from 17 per cent in 2019 to 20 per cent in 2020.… Continue reading

Patent Rights on COVID-19 jabs may be waived

The World Trade Organization chief has hailed a breakthrough between the EU, the United States, India and South Africa on waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines. What is a Patent? A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention. In other words, a patent is an exclusive right to a product or a… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Perspective: Surgical Strikes

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context February 26th marked the third anniversary of the Balakot airstrike which was conducted by Indian Air Force targeting the terrorist camps operating in Balakot town of Pakistan. It was done in response to a suicidal attack on convoy of vehicles carrying… Continue reading

Wearing hijab is not essential part of religion: Karnataka HC

The Karnataka High Court has upheld the ban on the wearing of hijab (head scarf) by students in schools and colleges in the State. [Burning Issue] Freedom of religion and attire The Judgment The judgment was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice J.M. Khazi.… Continue reading

SC averse to ‘Sealed Cover Jurisprudence’

Two separate Benches of the Supreme Court tore into the “sealed cover jurisprudence” practiced by the government in courts. What is the news? The Supreme Court has allowed the Malayalam TV news channel MediaOne to resume broadcast, nearly six weeks after the government revoked its security clearance forcing it to shut down. The channel was… Continue reading

[Yojana Archive] Samagra Shiksha: Skilling Youth for Future

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Historically, vocational education in schools has been accorded high priority since National Policy on Education, 1986, and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of Vocationalization of Secondary Education was launched in 1988. Currently, the scheme is being implemented as part of the Centrally… Continue reading

Ukraine invasion and the great geopolitical reset

Context Major wars have significant consequences for the internal and international politics of the combatant nations. Wars between great powers are far more consequential. Geopolitical changes triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 1] New dynamism in great power triangle Biden hoped to distance Russia from China and focus all of America’s energies on the Indo-Pacific.… Continue reading

Government seeks law on Rights of Foreigners

The Union government has urged the Supreme Court to help lay down a law with a “long–lasting” implication for the country on the subject of Foreigners’ Right to approach local courts for relief after violating their visa conditions. Why in news? The government’s request came during the hearing of petitions filed by foreign nationals who… Continue reading

Maternal Mortality in India

Kerala has yet again emerged on top when it comes to maternal and child health, with the State recording the lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 30 (per one lakh live births) in the country. What is Maternal Mortality? Maternal mortality refers to deaths due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth. The maternal mortality ratio… Continue reading

Retail Inflation climbs to 6.07%

India’s retail inflation inched up to an eight-month high of 6.07% in February from 6.01% in January, with rural India experiencing a sharper price rise at 6.38%. What is Retail Inflation? When we generally talk about retail inflation, it often refers to the rate of inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] One Nation-One Election

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Recently, Chief Election Commissioner in an interview said the Election Commission is ready to hold simultaneous elections on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘One Nation One Election’. What are simultaneous polls? Currently, elections to the state assemblies… Continue reading

Geneva Conventions and the Russia-Ukraine War

As the evidence of casualties in the civilian population continues to mount, the world will increasingly look to the Geneva Conventions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Geneva Conventions Guidelines for Wartime These are a set of four treaties, formalized in 1949, and three additional protocols, which codify widely accepted ethical and legal international standards for humanitarian… Continue reading

What is Blockchain Gaming?

Many Indian gaming companies have expressed their interest in introducing elements of Blockchain technology into their games in the near future. What is Blockchain? Blockchain is a decentralised database that stores information. It relies on technology that allows for the storage of identical copies of this information on multiple computers in a network. What are… Continue reading

What is ‘Most Favoured Nation’ Status?

The United States, the European Union, Britain, Canada and Japan are to move jointly to revoke Russia’s “most favoured nation” (MFN) status over its invasion of Ukraine. What is MFN status? The World Trade Organization’s 164 members commit to treating other members equally so they can all benefit from each other’s lowest tariffs, highest import… Continue reading

What is Vibrant Village Programme?

The Union government plans to open the villages along the Chinese border for tourists under the Vibrant Village programme announced in the Union Budget 2022-23. Vibrant Village Programme The program aims to improve infrastructure in villages along India’s border with China. Infrastructure will be improved in states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh. Under… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Perspective: Self-Reliance in Defence

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context The Ministry of Defence has been allocated a total budget of Rs 5.25 lakh crore for Financial Year 2022-23. It focuses on modernisation of Defence Services and Defence Security Infrastructure development including the Border Road Infrastructure and Coastal Security Infrastructure. In… Continue reading

Issues with high gold demand

Context Gold’s appeal as a safe haven is only rising: as tensions escalate in Ukraine, its price is approaching records. Factors explaining demand for gold in India India is the world’s second-largest market for the yellow metal, behind China, though it produces almost none at home. This is partly driven by tradition. Brides are given… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] The Tobacco Pandemic

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Tobacco is a silent killer in our midst that kills an estimated 1.35 million Indians every year. Status of Tobacco Consumption in India According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, India has the second-largest number (268 million) of tobacco users in the world and of… Continue reading

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)

India has emphasized on following the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine. Why in news? The meeting came after a request from Russia, who claimed that the US is involved in bioweapon manufacture in war-torn Ukraine. However, Washington has strongly dismissed this claim. What is BTWC? The Biological and… Continue reading

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