Explained: Farm Acts and federalism

The President has finally given assent to the controversial farm Bills passed by Parliament last week. Amid protests by farmers’ organisations across the country, questions are being raised about the anti-federal nature of these ‘Acts’. Here we shall only discuss its constitutionality and federal nature. Tap to read more about the theme at: What is… Continue reading

What are the ESG funds?

ESG funds are witnessing a growing interest in the Indian mutual fund industry these days. Try this PYQ: Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined… Continue reading

Dealing with the problems of medical education

The article discusses the issues with medical education in India and how it affects the principle of equality. Role of private entities Due to demand for high-quality medical care on the one hand and constraints on public resources on the other, private entities have been permitted to establish medical educational institutions to supplement government efforts.… Continue reading

Growth compulsion, fiscal arithmetic

The government faces the challenge of high fiscal deficit and declining revenue. This article discusses the challenge and suggests the way forward to deal with the situation. Dismal growth prospects At (-)23.9% contraction for the first quarter of 2020-21, India’s growth showed one of the highest contraction globally. What is most surprising in the Q1… Continue reading

Where are the funds collected through cess parked?

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its latest audit report of government accounts, has observed that the government withheld in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) more than ₹1.1 lakh crore out of the almost ₹2.75 lakh crore collected through various cesses in 2018-19. Try this PYQ: Q.Consider the following items: Cereal… Continue reading

Gilgit-Baltistan: The land of peaks, streams and disputes

Seven decades after it took control of the region, Pakistan is moving to grant full statehood to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), which appears as the northernmost part of the country in its official map. Try this PYQ: Q. If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there?… Continue reading

Eden Gardens: India’s oldest cricketing ground

This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in TH. UPSC may ask a question like this: Q. In which Governor-General/Viceroy’s term was the famous cricketing ground ‘Eden Gardens’ was built? Eden Gardens The first cricket club outside Britain was the Calcutta Cricket Club founded in 1792, and the first match was played… Continue reading

Case for principles of sound public policy

Context Due to extreme uncertainty, several adventurous prescriptions have been put forth. Following are 4 unconventional measures and issues with them are discussed here. 1) Shoud we change the Inflation targeting regime? Monetary policy committee (MPC) concluding that elevated inflation has constrained it from easing policy rates further. One way out of this is for… Continue reading

World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020

India has been ranked at the 116th position in the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Human Capital Index that benchmarks key components of human capital across countries. Try this PYQ: Q.As per UN-Habitat’s Global Report on Human Settlements 2009, which one among the following regions has shown the fastest growth rate of urbanization… Continue reading

National Medical Commission

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has replaced the Medical Council of India (BoG-MCI), as per information released by the Health Ministry. National Medical Commission National Medical Commission (NMC) is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) on 25 September 2020.… Continue reading

[pib] JIMEX 20

The 4th edition of India – Japan Maritime bilateral exercise JIMEX will be held in the North Arabian Sea from 26 to 28 September 2020. JIMEX 20 It is conducted biennially between the Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) This series of exercises was commenced in January 2012 with a special focus on… Continue reading

[pib] Who was Pritilata Waddedar?

The government of Bangladesh is financing a film on the life of revolutionary freedom fighter Pritilata Waddedar. Try this PYQ: Q.The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a – (a) Revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco. (b) Nationalist organization operating from Singapore (c) Militant organization with headquarters at Berlin (d) Communist movement for Pritilata Waddedar… Continue reading

What are Lok Adalats?

A daily wager in Odisha has moved the Lok Adalat against PM after he allegedly failed to get an Aadhaar card registered in his name despite 21 attempts. Try this PYQ: Q. With reference to National Legal Services Authority, consider the following statements: Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the… Continue reading

What is a Yo-Yo Test?

In his interaction with fitness experts and influencers the PM asked about the yo-yo test, that is a vital part of the Indian cricket team’s fitness routine. Try this MCQ: Q.The Yo-Yo test sometimes seen in news is related to: Sports/ Healthcare/ Robotics/ Automation What is the Yo-Yo test? The test was developed by Danish… Continue reading

Weighing in on the efficacy of female leadership

The article analyses the issue of women representation and leadership. Role of female leaders in pandemic Germany, Taiwan and New Zealand have women heading their governments. Three countries seem to have managed the pandemic much better than their neighbours. A detailed recent study by researchers in the United States reports that States which have female… Continue reading

Upholding transparency in governance

The article discusses the issue of growing lack of transparency in the functioning of government. Issues with Transparent Governance in India 1) Electoral bond They were introduced in February 2017— they allowed anonymous donations to political parties and, therefore, protected the privacy of the donors. The Election Commission of India (ECI) criticised the opacity of… Continue reading

What are Abraham Accords?

The White House has marked the formal normalization of Israel’s ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Bahrain has created a significant inflexion point in regional history and geopolitics. Try this question: Q. What are Abraham Accords? Discuss how the Israel-Gulf synergy could impact India’s relations with Israel. What are Abraham… Continue reading

Uniting South Asian region to combat Covid

The article analyses how South Asia is dealing with the pandemic and the need for coordinated action by the countries across the region. Varying response across the region Governments in South Asian countries have responded in varying degrees to counter the health and economic crises. India resumed its economic activities on a limited scale following… Continue reading

Issues with E-learning in India

Pandemic has forced learning to the online mode. But there are several concerns with the online leaning. The article discusses the same. Providing learning opportunity in pandemic The main thrust of providing learning opportunities while schools are shut is online teaching. There are several sets of guidelines and plans issues by the government, the National… Continue reading

What is Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)?

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come up with its Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) issue. Try this PYQ: Q.Which of the following is issued by registered foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors who want to be part of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly? (a) Certificate of Deposit (b) Commercial Paper… Continue reading

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