Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 22 May 2024
CONTENTS Analysing Local Environmental Footprints Context: While climate change is a global issue, problems like water scarcity and air pollution are often localized or regional. For instance, excessive water usage in one area may not directly impact water scarcity in another. Therefore, focusing on local environmental issues is vital, emphasizing the importance of understanding household […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 21 May 2024
CONTENTS Plug Leakages in Fertiliser Subsidy Context: Recently, the government announced its plans to improve the administration of fertilizer subsidies and reduce leakages and diversions, building on the success of neem-coated urea. It aims to pilot a revised direct benefit transfer (DBT) system in several districts, linking farmers’ land holdings with their nutrient consumption. This […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 20 May 2024
CONTENTS Renew the Generalised System of Preferences Context: In the realm of obscure international trade terminology, the “generalised system of preferences” (GSP) stands out. GSP is a policy that most developed countries have employed for about fifty years, providing lower tariffs to encourage economic reforms in developing countries. Relevance: GS2- Mains Question: There needs to […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 18 May 2024
CONTENTS India, Iran, US and the Chahbahar Port Context: By entering into a 10-year agreement with Iran to develop and operate the Chabahar port, India has significantly advanced its infrastructure and trade collaboration with the Islamic Republic, despite ongoing tensions in West Asia. India will invest $120 million and provide a $250 million credit facility […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 17 May 2024
CONTENTS Can Political Parties be De-Recognised or De-Registered? Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) emphasized in its report on the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that star campaigners should set a positive example and not undermine societal harmony. This has sparked a discussion regarding the ECI’s authority to address MCC violations. […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 16 May 2024
CONTENTS Social Media’s Impact on Indian Politics Context: This marks the first-ever social media-driven election in India, where social media platforms have provided avenues for diverse viewpoints beyond the reach of state influence, thereby creating cognitive dissonance with the government’s narrative. Notably, it is seen that a vast majority of the public are inclined to […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 15 May 2024
CONTENTS On the National Human Rights Commission’s Status Deferral Context: The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) received official notice late last week that its deferred status would persist for another year. The deferral, initially imposed by the sub-committee on accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) for a […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 14 May 2024
CONTENTS An Overview of the Smart Cities Mission Context: The NDA-1 administration, cognizant of global trends on smart cities, aimed to adapt through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). This led to the unveiling of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in June 2015, targeting a hundred cities over five years. The SCM, a […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 13 May 2024
CONTENTS Share of Religious Minorities: a Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015) Context: A recent “working paper” titled “Share of Religious Minorities: a Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015),” authored by Shamika Ravi, an esteemed economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, alongside two co-authors, has ignited a political uproar. This paper delves into concerns […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 11 May 2024
CONTENTS Use of AlphaFold 3 Context: In 2018, DeepMind, a subsidiary of Google, introduced AlphaFold, an AI tool tailored to predict the diverse shapes proteins can fold into. Two years later, AlphaFold 2 emerged, further advancing this capability. These deep learning systems have revolutionized understanding of protein structures, as demonstrated in competitions like the Critical […]