WSDP Bulletin

(20/10/2020)
(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)
 Prelims and Mains:
1. Malabar 2020 Naval Exercise READ MORE
2. Kati Bihu Celebrated In Assam READ MORE
3. New research: Identifying the antibodies that really help fight coronavirus READ
MORE
4. Explained: How fertiliser subsidy works READ MORE
5. Singapore in world first for facial verification READ MORE
6. Explained: Why scientists are trying to cultivate heeng in the Indian Himalayas
READ MORE

 Main exam:
 GS 1:
1. Love in the time of polarization: The withdrawn Tanishq commercial is a victim of
an unrepresentative exclusivism that fosters old social orthodoxies READ MORE
 GS 2:
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. It's Been 15 Years Since RTI Act Was Passed, But Is it Really Working? READ MORE
2. Mapping of victim data can help reduce crime READ MORE
3. Governance 101: Some of north India’s winter pollution troubles can be traced to
basic governance failures READ MORE
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. India indicted by global hunger index READ MORE
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. Fifty-eight years later, India-China relationship has changed. Inequality has grown
READ MORE
2. Bangladesh’s rise is an opportunity for India, but is overshadowed by negative
domestic politics READ MORE
3. From 1962 to 2020, India’s China error READ MORE
4. The significance of the Malabar exercise READ MORE

 GS 3:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. Economic policy needs to address those who have seen the greatest distress during
lockdown READ MORE
 2. Resilient show by the IT sector READ MORE
3. Rural Revitalisation: The rural road to $5-trillion GDP READ MORE
4. Agricultural reform: What to make of the new farm Bills READ MORE
5. A nudge in the right direction READ MORE
6. Innovate for better results READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. How fracking plans could affect shared water resources in southern Africa READ
MORE
2. Why we must conserve the world’s seagrasses READ MORE
3. Learning from past mistakes: It’s time to save urban rivers READ MORE
4. Not Just a Committee – We Need the Whole Govt To Address Stubble-Burning
READ MORE
SECURITY
1. Dormant but waiting to strike: Terror outfits like al-Qaeda continue to pose threats
to India and its neighbourhood READ MORE

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Meditative Durga Puja beyond the festivities READ MORE
2. Time to get transformed READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. Discuss the impact of polarization in society on social mobility.
2. ‘Social intolerance of inter-religious marriages exists but is exaggerated by the
trolls.’ Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

 The trolls prey upon social anxieties surrounding the young falling in love, rebelling against
the rigid traditions of community, and giving women equal respect.
 No society has ever managed to completely control the emotional life of individuals.
 Social intolerance of inter-religious marriages exists but is exaggerated by the trolls.
 Much is at stake in India today. Not just communal harmony but also individual freedom,
gender equality, and freedom of speech, besides economic freedom and equality.
 History teaches us that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is
cheap.
 To regain global stature, India has to continue to focus on its domestic economic capability
and human capital. There are no short cuts to global power and influence.
 In using Dhaka’s impressive economic performance to attack Delhi’s, India is missing the
bigger story about the strategic consequences of Bangladesh’s economic rise.
 The urban poor is still finding it difficult to return to work. Targeting social safety nets
towards them is necessary as the economy struggles to recover.
 There is a view that cementing the Quad, including through naval exercises, will alienate
China even more — and make reconciliation difficult. But India’s experience shows that
Beijing tends to respect power and strength.
  Rural revitalisation should be driven by promoting agro-industries and linkages between
farm and non-farm sectors.
 Agriculture coupled with the non-farm sector could lead to faster growth. Rural revitalisation
will not only accomplish the desired goals, but also reduce poverty and improve the quality
of life in rural areas.

50-WORD TALK
 Australia is finally making a comeback to Malabar naval exercise, 13 years after quitting due
to Beijing’s objection. The Modi-Morrison bonhomie pushed Australia to shed its inhibitions,
giving muscle to the newly formed Quad. China’s growing military adventurism has aligned
all countries, including ASEAN, in sending this unprecedented geopolitical message.
 The core issue is that victimological data and information remain undeveloped and under-
utilised by the police. There are potential victims and offenders and there is need to identify
them before the commission of a crime. Every person becomes vulnerable to crime before
becoming a victim of crime and if the interventions are deployed at the former stage, crime
can be averted. This is more effective for prevention than deterrence via harsher
punishments.

Things to Remember:
 For prelims related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its
concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
 Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do a map work (marking those
areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains,
rivers etc. same applies for the national places.)
 For economy related news (banking, agriculture etc.) you should focus on terms and how
these are related with various economic aspects, for example if inflation has been
mentioned, try to relate with prevailing prices rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking
rates etc.
 For main exam related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic,
the most important topics which occurs frequently and are important from the mains point
of view will be covered in ED.
 Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more
enrichment in your writing.