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[17th April 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: How China is fighting U.S. tariffs

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2018] What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of ‘Trade War’, especially keeping in mind the interest of India? Linkage: A “trade war” means a situation where countries, like the U.S. and China, put extra taxes (tariffs) on each other’s products. In… Continue reading

This Word Means: Semiconductor

Why in the News? During the ongoing U.S.-China tariff war, the Trump administration announced that smartphones, computers, and some electronics would be excluded from the 125% tariffs, easing concerns for firms like Apple. What decision did the Trump administration make regarding smartphones and computers in the tariff war with China? Exemption from High Tariff Slab:… Continue reading

Waqf-by-user denotification would be ‘huge problem’, says Supreme Court

Why in the News? On Wednesday, the Supreme Court raised concerns about certain parts of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. What provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 are under Supreme Court scrutiny? Derecognition of “Waqf-by-user” Properties: The Act removes recognition of properties declared Waqf through long-standing community use without formal documentation. Eg: Jama Masjid… Continue reading

India’s Critical Mineral Security: Navigating Challenges in a Resource-Dependent Economy

GS Paper 1: Indian Society, Geography: Distribution of Key Natural Resources, Industrialization, Urbanization and Globalization Note4Students: Examine the geographical distribution of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, emphasizing Africa’s role in India’s supply chain and industrialization efforts. Microtheme : Natural Resource Potential GS Paper 2: Governance, International Relations, and Social Justice: Effect of Policies and… Continue reading

History and Evolution of the Office of Governor

Why in the News? The recent Supreme Court verdict on the powers of the President and Governors regarding assent to Bills under Articles 201 and 200 highlights the evolution of the office of the Governor and its changing role in India’s federal structure. Evolution of the Office of Governor: Formal Establishment (1858): The office of… Continue reading

New frog species ‘Leptobrachium aryatium’ discovered in Assam

Why in the News? A 21-year-long study has resulted in the discovery of a new frog species, Leptobrachium aryatium, named after Arya Vidyapeeth College in Assam. About the frog ‘Leptobrachium aryatium’ Leptobrachium aryatium, a newly discovered species of frog, was found in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest, located on the southwestern edge of Guwahati, Assam, near… Continue reading

India’s first-ever Seed Germination Database

Why in the News? On April 16, 2025, the Ecological Restoration Alliance-India (ERA-I) has released a first-of-its-kind seed germination database aimed at enhancing the success of growing native plants for ecological restoration. About the Seed Germination Database: It was launched by the Ecological Restoration Alliance-India (ERA-I). ERA was formed in July 2021, as an informal… Continue reading

PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme

Why in the News? The PM Vidyalaxmi scheme, aimed at supporting meritorious students, is facing slow uptake due to technical issues, including login failures and frequent auto logouts About the PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme: Details Objective A Central Sector Scheme to provide financial assistance to meritorious students pursuing higher education in quality institutions. Eligible Students Students… Continue reading

[16th April 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: India, rising power demand and the ‘hydrogen factor’

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2018] With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. Linkage: India growing energy needs and the role of a specific low-carbon source, which is relevant in the broader context of exploring other low-carbon alternatives like hydrogen for industrial… Continue reading

India’s retail inflation slips to over 5-year low, opens door to more rate cuts

Why in the News? The decline in food prices is seen as a major reason for the drop in inflation. After two rate cuts by the RBI, inflation is expected to stay below 4% in the coming months, which might lead to another rate cut of 50 basis points. What was India’s retail inflation rate… Continue reading

Delamination of the Indian Plate

Why in the News? Recent studies reveal that the Indian Plate is splitting into two, with the lower part detaching and sinking into the Earth’s mantle, a process called delamination, as published by the American Geophysical Union. About Delamination: Delamination in tectonic plates refers to the process where the lower part of a continental plate,… Continue reading

What is Tensor Processing Unit (TPU)?

Why in the News? Recently Google introduced its seventh-generation TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), named Ironwood. About Ironwood Ironwood is Google’s seventh-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), designed to accelerate AI model training and inference with improved performance and efficiency. It builds on previous TPUs, enhancing speed and efficiency for AI workloads. It has been optimized for… Continue reading

Who was Sir Sankaran Nair (1857-1934)?

Why in the News? PM recently remembered Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, a nationalist and jurist who famously fought a courtroom battle against British officials involved in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. Nair’s stand in the courtroom is now a subject of a forthcoming film, Kesari Chapter 2. About Sir Sankaran Nair: Born in 1857… Continue reading

CAG: Is India’s Top Auditor Truly Independent?

N4S: This article breaks down the appointment process of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and what it means for institutional independence. It raises a simple but crucial question—how can an auditor truly be independent if the very government they audit is the one appointing them? The recent Supreme Court intervention has brought this issue… Continue reading

China halts export of Rare Earth Magnets

Why in the News? China has suspended exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets after US’s tariff embargo. What Are Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and RE Magnets? REEs are a group of 17 elements in the periodic table, including Lanthanum (La), Neodymium (Nd), Europium (Eu), and Ytterbium (Yb). Though not rare, they… Continue reading

[ 15th April 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Feminism for polarised times

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2019] The long-sustained image of India as a leader of the oppressed and marginalised Nations has disappeared on account of its new found role in the emerging global order”. Elaborate. Linkage: India’s historical role as a voice for the “Global South” and how its current global positioning might be perceived differently. This… Continue reading

Unnecessary amendment: On the RTI Act

Why in the News? The Right to Information (RTI) Act has clearly helped make those in power more accountable in India. However, in recent years, there have been efforts to weaken some of its important provisions, even though the Act — a major reform — was passed 20 years ago. What is the role of… Continue reading

How govern-mentality exacerbates the problem of farmers’ stubble burning

Why in the News? A new study by researchers Sujit Raghunathrao Jagadale and Javed M. Shaikh from IIM Amritsar looks at the issue of stubble burning by examining how government policies and market systems are failing to manage the problem effectively. Why do farmers continue stubble burning despite its harm to air quality? Cost-Effective Method:… Continue reading

Telangana becomes first State to notify Sub- categorization of SCs

Why in the News? The Telangana government has officially implemented the sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes (SCs) into three groups, following a Supreme Court judgment in August 2024 that upheld the constitutionality of sub-classifying SCs and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to grant separate quotas for the most marginalized groups. About Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Their Subcategorization: SCs… Continue reading

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