NSO REPORT ON LITERACY
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? A report from the National Statistical Office reveals that Muslims are on various yardsticks of academic marginalisation as bad or even worse than SCs and STs. Details The report shows that among the various social groups, the literacy rate for those aged 7 years or more was the […]
OVER-REGULATION IMPEDING ACCESS TO SAFE ABORTION
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? Over-regulation of drugs to curb gender-biased sex selection such as through government programmes like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ has hindered access to safe, legal and cost-effective abortion, according to a survey. Details The Survey found an “overwhelming shortage” of abortion pills or medical abortion drugs. The findings show […]
SUPREME COURT ALLOWS FIRMS TO NEGOTIATE WITH STAFF
Focus: GS-II Indian Economy Why in news? The Supreme Court asked factory owners and other private industrial establishments to negotiate terms and enter into settlements with their workers on the payment of wages during the lockdown period. Details The court urged employers and employees to sort out their differences and resume work in a congenial […]
TRUMP MULLS SUSPENDING H-1B VISAS
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? Indians students and white-collar professionals are ditching the “American dream” to pursue a Canadian one because of the increasingly restrictive visa and immigration policies of the Trump administration. Details There are growing rumors and expectations that the U.S. President is going to scrap or freeze the H-1B visa […]
ECONOMIC IMPACT TO VARY IN SECTORS
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? World Bank expects India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to contract by 3.2% in 2020-21. There will be a moderate recovery to 3.1% growth in 2021-22. This means that 2021-22 GDP will be less than what it was in 2019-20. Contraction in Growth is not Uniform It can be […]
GST COUNCIL PROVIDES SOME RELIEF TO INDIA INC
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? Looking to ease compliance burden on businesses, the Goods and Services Tax Council decided provide relief to taxpayers on late fee and interest payable on delayed tax payments. Details The Council reduced late fee and interest for those businesses with tax liabilities and waived off late fee completely […]
NIRF’S INDIA RANKINGS 2020
Focus: GS-III Social Justice Why in news? National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) India Rankings 2020 was announced by the Minister of Human Resource Development. Details IIT Madras retains 1st Position in Overall Ranking as well as in Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru tops the University list. IIM Ahmedabad tops in Management Category and AIIMS […]
WHO IS ASSAMESE?
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The Assam Accord was signed at the end of a six-year agitation (1979-85) against illegal migration from Bangladesh. In the context of the Accord, the question of who is Assamese stems from the language of Clause 6: “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, […]
WHY ANTI-DEFECTION LAW HAS FAILED ITS PURPOSE?
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The anti-defection law is supposed to deter elected legislators from defecting from their political parties. They can lose their seats in the legislature for defying their party, and if declared a defector, they cannot become a minister in a government for six months. However, many recent events have raised concerns that […]
WHAT IS THE PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER?
Focus: Prelims, GS-III Science and Technology Introduction The Perseids meteor shower is going to be active in August 2020, and the annual celestial event is considered the best meteor shower. What are meteor showers? Meteors are bits of rock and ice that are ejected from comets as they manoeuvre around their orbits around the sun. […]