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 […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 10 May 2024
CONTENTS An AI-infused World Needs Matching Cybersecurity Context: Last year, an alarming incident involving a distressed mother who received a menacing call from alleged “kidnappers” claiming to have her daughter in their custody sparked concern in the U.S. This news captivated the nation as it was revealed that the purported “kidnappers” and the voice of […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 09 May 2024
CONTENTS Debt Owed by South Asian Nations to China Hits Record Levels Context: The indebtedness of various nations, particularly in South Asia and Africa, to China has surged in recent years. China stands out as the primary or predominant creditor for most of these countries, meaning they owe a significant portion of their external debt […]
Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 08 May 2024
CONTENTS Plastic Solution Context: The latest round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty, a sweeping endeavor involving over 175 United Nations member nations aimed at phasing out plastic usage, has recently concluded. The objective is to finalize a legal framework by the end of 2024, outlining timelines for countries to agree on measures to […]