Three areas to work on to put India on the path to growth

The article suggests the three areas on which country should work on to make it resilient in the future. These three areas include the labour laws for informal employment, conditions of our cities and the strength of our rural economy. Background The Prime Minister, while addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) annual meeting urged… Continue reading

National Strategy for Financial Education

The National Strategy for Financial Education (NSFE): 2020-2025 documents has been released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Try this question for mains: Q.What is the role of Financial Education in ensuring financial inclusion in India? What is the Strategy? The NSFE for the period 2020-2025, the second one after the 2013-18 NSFE, has… Continue reading

[pib] Highlights of the Swachh Survekshan 2020

Indore was declared the cleanest city in India for the fourth consecutive time in the Swachh Survekshan, 2020 — India’s annual survey on cleanliness. Note the following things about Swachh Survekshan: 1) Nodal Ministry (It is Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs) 2) Authority carrying out the survey 3) Various parameters of the survey Swachh… Continue reading

Namath Basai Programme

Namath Basai, the State government’s unique programme of teaching tribal children in their mother tongue, has become a runaway hit in Kerala’s tribal districts. Try this MCQ: Q. The Namath Basai Programme recently seen in news is related to: Tribal Education/ Women SHGs/ Forest Produce/ Tribal Health Namath Basai Programme The NBP is implemented by… Continue reading

Issues with the graded autonomy

The article analyses the issues the graded with the graded autonomy to the Higher Education Institutes. Background NEP 2020 provided for phasing out of the system of affiliated colleges and the grant of greater autonomy in academic, administrative and financial matters to premium colleges. Concerns with the autonomy The move has raised concerns about the… Continue reading

Setting up of National Recruitment Agency

The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for conducting a Common Eligibility Test (CET) for various government jobs. Try this question: Q.Discuss the role and function of the newly setup National Recruitment Agency. National Recruitment Agency NRA will be a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, headed by… Continue reading

Job Losses during Lockdown

The data by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) briefs us about the job losses due to lockdown restrictions imposed because of the COVID pandemic. We can utilize this data as examples for answer writing. CMIE data on job losses Salaried jobs: They suffered the biggest hit during the lockdown, with a total loss… Continue reading

[pib] Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020

The Vice-President has released the Atal ranking ‘ARIIA 2020’. Note the indicators on which the ARIIA ranking is based. Also try this PYQ: Q. Which one of the following is not a sub-index of the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’? (CSP 2019) (a) Maintenance of law and order (b) Paying taxes (c) Registering… Continue reading

PCPNDT Act and rule changes during pandemic

The article deals with the issues of suspension of some requirements under PCPNDT Act. It also discusses the role judiciary played in 25-years jurisprudence around the Act. Context Last week, the Supreme Court deferred a pronouncement on the legality of the Centre’s now-lapsed controversial notification relating to the rules of the law banning sex-selective abortions.… Continue reading

Resurrecting the right to know

This article analyses the importance of peoples’ right to know and instrumental role judiciary played in harmonising it with the Official Secrets Act 1923. Context A High Level Committee (HLC) chaired by a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court was constituted by the Home Ministry through a gazette notification. Its mandate was, among others,… Continue reading

Re-imagining and reinventing the Indian economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global economy and India is no different. Besides the stimulus package totalling ₹20 lakh crore, a lot more needs to be done, however, to resuscitate the country’s growth engine. Try this question: Q.Economic reconstruction needs a multi-pronged strategy apart from economic stimulus. Discuss. Need for a two-pronged strategy At… Continue reading

Bioethanol Blending in Petrol

The government has set targets of 10 per cent bioethanol blending of petrol by 2022 and to raise it to 20 per cent by 2030 to curb carbon emissions and reduce India’s dependence on imported crude oil. Try this PYQ: Q.Given below are the names of four energy crops. Which one of them can be… Continue reading

Tornado’s dynamics and its India connection

Babu ChunderSikur Chatterjee’s paper was the earliest record of a tornado’s dynamics in the history of meteorology, according to a study. Try this PYQ: Q. In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason? (CSP 2015) (a) Sea surface temperatures are low (b) Inter-Tropical Convergence… Continue reading

In news: Lingaraj Temple

The Odisha government has announced to give a facelift to the 11th century Lingaraj Temple, akin to its pre-350-year structural status. Try this PYQ: Q. Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of- (CSP 2019) (a) Chalukya (b) Chandela (c) Rashtrakuta (d) Vijayanagara About Lingaraj Temple Lingaraja Temple… Continue reading

Death Valley records the highest temperature on Earth

California’s Death Valley registered a temperature of 54.4 degrees Celsius or 129.9 degrees Fahrenheit on August 16, 2020, which, once verified, could be the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. Some years back, there was a question in the mains: Major hot deserts in the northern hemisphere are located between 20-30 degree north and on the… Continue reading

[pib] Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0

As part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, announced by the Government, the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0 was launched to provide Portfolio Guarantee for purchase of Bonds or Commercial Papers (CPs) with a rating of AA and below issued by NBFCs/HFCs/ MFIs by Public Sector Banks (PSBs). Try this PYQ: When the Reserve Bank of… Continue reading

Economic crisis without culprit

Contradictions in the present crisis India registered negative economic growth in 1972-73, 1965-66 and 1957-58. All these were drought years. 1957-58 also registered a significant balance of payments (BOP) deterioration and 1979-80 witnessing the second global oil shock following the Iranian Revolution. Farmers harvested a bumper rabi crop last year and public cereal stocks at… Continue reading

Debate: Minimum age of marriage for women

PM in his I-Day speech has announced that the central government has set up a committee to reconsider the minimum age of marriage for women during his address to the nation on the 74th Independence Day. Try this question for mains: Q.The different minimum age of marriage for women and men is a discriminatory provision.… Continue reading

Expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC)

In his I-Day speech, PM spoke about the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in coastal and border districts of India. Try this question: Q.The Shekatkar Committee recommendations sometimes seen in the news are related to: a) Modernization of Railways b) Modernization of Defence c) Road Infrastructure d) Cashless Payments About NCC The NCC,… Continue reading

What is the National Health ID System?

In his address to the nation on Independence Day, the PM has launched the National Digital Health Mission which rolls out a national health ID for every Indian. Try this question for mains: Q.What is the National Health ID System? How will it benefit transforming healthcare facilities in India? National Health ID System This system… Continue reading

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