Government earnings from the spectrum auction

The end of India’s first auction of telecommunications spectrum in five years was held with the government generating revenue of ₹77,815 crores from the exercise. What is Spectrum? Devices such as cellphones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another. These signals are carried on airwaves, which must be sent at… Continue reading

Clustering educational institutes and research centres

National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) envisions establishing large multidisciplinary universities to promote research directed to solve contemporary national problems, and provides the option of setting up clusters of higher education institutes. Q. Discuss the salient features of Cluster Universities as propounded by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). What are Education Clusters? This new concept… Continue reading

What changes after COVID-19 vaccination?

As the vaccination drive gains momentum, questions have emerged about appropriate behaviour after being vaccinated. What does being vaccinated mean? Being fully vaccinated means a period of two weeks or more following the receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or two weeks or more following the receipt of a single-dose vaccine. In… Continue reading

[pib] Maitri Setu between India and Bangladesh

PM will inaugurate ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh tomorrow. Maitri Setu The bridge ‘Maitri Setu’ has been built over the Feni River which flows between the Indian boundary in Tripura State and Bangladesh. The 1.9 Km long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. The construction was taken up by the National… Continue reading

Technology and Innovation Report, 2021

According to UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2021, India is the greatest outperformer among developing countries to use, adopt and adapt frontier technologies than their per capita GDPs. Q.What do you mean by Frontier technologies? Discuss their potential for path-breaking technological change that will profoundly affect markets and societies. (250W) Technology and Innovation Report, 2021… Continue reading

What is OPEC+?

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer, has said that the decision by major producers to continue with output cuts as prices move higher could threaten the consumption led-recovery in some countries. Try this PYQ: Q.The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of (a) Crude oil (b) Bullion (c) Rare… Continue reading

Haryana’s new Job Quota Rule

The Haryana government has notified a new law that requires 75% of private-sector jobs in the state, up to a specified salary slab, reserved for a local candidate. Haryana’s move has renewed the debate on whether the government force should private companies to adopt its reservation policy in jobs. While constitutional guarantees for reservation have… Continue reading

Food Waste Index Report 2021

The Food Waste Index Report 2021 was recently released by the UNEP. Even though the world produces enough food to feed twice the world’s present population, food wastage is ironically behind the billions of people who are starving. Food Waste Index The Food Waste Index is released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and… Continue reading

[pib] Ease of Living Index (EOLI) 2020

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has announced the release of the final rankings of the Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 and the Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2020. For any such index, always note the verticals i.e. the various parameters. Ease of Living Index (EoLI) It is an assessment tool that evaluates the… Continue reading

India’s migrant workers need better policies

The article analyses the draft policy document for migrant labourers prepared by the NITI Aayog. Draft policy by NITI Aayog The Niti Aayog, on the request of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has prepared an umbrella policy document for migrant labourers, including informal sector workers. The draft policy makes significant strides in providing a… Continue reading

Cairn Energy Tax dispute case Explained

Indian government’s approach to the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decision in Vodafone and Cairn Energy cases needs reconsideration. Background of Cairn Energy and Vodafone case Vodafone and Cairn Energy initiated proceedings against India pursuant to the ill-reputed retrospective taxation adopted in 2012. In September, 2020, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (PCA) ruled… Continue reading

Freedom in the World Report, 2021

US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House has accused the present government of driving India toward authoritarianism with a lockdown scapegoating of minorities and a crackdown on critics, and downgraded India’s status from ‘Free’ to ‘Partly Free’, in its annual report. Freedom in the World Report It is Freedom House’s flagship annual report, assessing the condition… Continue reading

Forest fire in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve

The Simlipal forest reserve area frequently witnesses forest fires during dry weather conditions. Try this PYQ: Q.From the ecological point of view, which one of the following assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats? (a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (b) Nallamala Forest (c) Nagarhole National Park (d) Seshachalam… Continue reading

[pib] Devasthal Optical Telescope

Indian Scientists have indigenously designed and developed a low-cost optical spectrograph called Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT). Devasthal Optical Telescope The ‘Made in India’ optical spectrograph is named as Aries-Devasthal Faint Object Spectrograph & Camera (ADFOSC). It is indigenously designed and developed by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital. DOT locates sources of faint… Continue reading

Replicating success in space and pharmaceuticals in knowledge economy

The article underlines India’s success in pharma and space, and also analyses the reasons for India’s inability to replicate the success in other areas. India’s success in space and pharmaceuticals The launch of Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) comes weeks after India allowed the export of COVID-19 vaccine to Brazil.… Continue reading

China’s cyber eye and India

Amid souring relations between India and China last year, evidence has emerged that a Chinese government-linked company’s attempt led to a power outage in Mumbai yesterday and now in Telangana today. Q.The use of cyber offensive tools and espionage is a fairly active element of the People’s Republic of China. Discuss in light of recent… Continue reading

Live Telecast of Parliament Proceedings

Lok Sabha Television (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) have been merged into a single ‘Sansad TV’. Live telecast of parliament Lok Sabha TV is the older of the two — it started operating on July 24, 2006. The channel’s vision, according to its website, is to reach the “live proceedings of the Parliament House…to… Continue reading

LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021

The Opportunity Index 2021 highlights the difference in perception of available opportunities in the market for men and women in India. LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021 The report seeks to understand how people perceive opportunities and the barriers that stand in the way of achieving them. This year’s report dives deep to understand how women perceive… Continue reading

[pib] Better Than Cash Alliance

The Government of India, FICCI, and the Better Than Cash Alliance has come under the partnership to achieve the industry level commitment of responsible digitization of merchants. Make a note here that it is a BTCA is a global partnership with diverse funding, a UN office as its secretariat and Indian being its member. Better… Continue reading

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