1.A new chapter in Nepal’s quest for political stability The Supreme Court order offers some respite amidst the political uncertainty, with lessons for Indian diplomacy too On July 12, 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal handed over a 168-page verdict on a case filed by 149 lawmakers out of the 275 parliamentarians demanding that Sher […]
1.International gang under watch for selling stolen credit details A city-based gang of skimmers used their services through the dark web An international gang has come to the notice of the police for selling stolen credit card details through the dark web to a city-based gang. The gang used virtual currency through a cryptocurrency exchange […]
1.U.P. can’t proceed with Kanwar Yatra amid pandemic, says SC Right to life trumps religious sentiments: court The Supreme Court on Friday disagreed with the Uttar Pradesh government’s proposal to conduct a “symbolic” Kanwar Yatra amid the pandemic for “compelling religious reasons”, saying the fundamental rights of citizens across faiths and their right to life […]
1.Interference an investigating officer can do without Growing instances of judicial interference in an investigation are not only undesirable but also not sanctioned by law It is an accepted axiom in a democracy such as India that the Executive shall abide by the Constitution. By the same logic, the bureaucracy is answerable to the lawfully […]
1.SC to examine plea challenging sedition Kedar Nathjudgment which upheld Section 124A needs a relook, says petitioner The Supreme Court will examine a petition filed by a retired Major-General who said a nearly 60-year-old judgment of the court that helped sedition survive in the Indian Penal Code was behind time and needed a relook. A […]
1.The upcoming crisis in Indian federalism The national compact has to be reimagined so that post 2026, the most successful States are not punished politically The Indian Constitution may face an unprecedented crisis in 2026 when there will be a dramatic change in the composition of the Lok Sabha. Since 1976, seats in the Lok […]
1.The power of scrutiny SC has struck a blow for inquisitorial powers of legislatures against social media companies The Supreme Court of India’s verdict last week, upholding the authority of a committee of the Delhi Assembly to summon a senior official of Facebook, is an extremely nuanced recognition of the extent of powers of State […]
1.A Kerala model for an anti-discrimination law If enacted this law will be the largest expansion of civil rights in the State, and can be emulated by the rest of India A couple turned down for a home they wish to rent, because they are Muslim. A qualified professional rejected for a job because he […]
1.Cuba develops the world’s first conjugate vaccine for COVID-19 The design and manufacturing of the conjugate vaccines allows them to be stored in regular refrigeration settings of 2–8 degree Celsius Cuba’s State-run corporation, BioFarma, said on Friday that its indigenously produced Soberana 2 vaccine was 91.2% efficacious in phase-3 trials. This follows closely on an […]
The invalid Sec. 66A is often invoked out of ignorance, but serves as a tool of harassment It is quite disconcerting that the Supreme Court has been informed for the second time in two years that Section 66A of the IT Act, which was struck down as unconstitutional six years ago, is still being invoked […]
1.Panel report on data Bill hangs fire Five members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee have now been made Ministers Wednesday’s Cabinet expansion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw five members of the Joint Committee on Personal Data Protection Bill, including its Chairperson Meenakshi Lekhi, being inducted into the Council of Ministers, raising questions over the […]
1.Heavyweights shown the door as PM Modi rejigs Cabinet Move aimed at bringing in qualified professionals and balancing regional and community aspirations in the run-up to upcoming elections In a major shake up of his Council of Ministers almost midway through his second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi oversaw the swearing-in of 43 Ministers (new […]
1.Fresh stirrings on federalism as a new politics There are factors, which if harnessed well, that can create a political moment for a principled politics of federalism Between vaccine wars, heated debates over the Goods and Services Tax (GST), personnel battles like the fracas over West Bengal’s Chief Secretary, and the pushback against controversial regulations […]
1.Will a national judiciary work? In the current context, the feasibility of the All India Judicial Service requires to be studied The Union government appears to be steadfast in its resolve to implement reforms in recruitment and appointment to the subordinate judicial services. In 2019, it spearheaded a consultative process for the creation of the […]
1.Subjected to psychiatric, medical exams for ID cards: transpersons Self-identification is enough for certification, says official Transgender persons are reportedly being subjected to medical and psychiatric examination for the purpose of issuing identity cards in some parts of the State. This goes against the prevailing rules that made self-identification a right of transgender persons. Several […]
1.Social structure differs in Asian and African elephants, find researchers Male Asian elephants spent only about 12% of their time in all-male groups as compared to 30-60% of the time in African savannah elephants Despite the fact that they occupy similar ecological niches, the social structure of Asian elephants differs from that of their African […]
1.In centenary backdrop, this is no hand of peace Beijing’s recent and muscular behaviour towards India could stem from deeper tensions within China An atmosphere of unpredictability prevails as regards India-China relations, even as China embarks on its 100th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Memories of the bloodiest […]
1.Relief and recompense The judiciary did well to assert the rights of pandemic-hit workers and families It is a matter of relief and satisfaction that the Supreme Court has prodded the Union government to perform its statutory duty of fixing a compensation for the families of those who lost their kin to the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
1.‘T.N. can set an example by making migrants’ lives easier’ Some new initiatives may be required for comprehensive social security, says member of Economic Advisory Council to CM Developmental economist Jean Drèze, a member of the recently constituted Economic Advisory Council to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, is clear that the State must focus […]
1.Apt judicial reminder in era of over-criminalisation The criminal justice system needs to take note of the Delhi High Court’s recent judgment on ‘defining terrorism’ The criminal justice system is an instrument of state and a key index of the state of democracy. Every punishment which does not arise from absolute necessity is tyrannical, said […]
Current affairs decide a large share of marks in UPSC Prelims, Mains and the Interview, and in TNPSC exams. Every morning our faculty publish the day’s important news from The Hindu, PIB, Indian Express and other sources — explained, organised by GS paper, and linked to the syllabus.
What each daily post includes
The key news of the day, grouped by GS Paper 1, 2, 3 and 4
Background and the static syllabus topic each story connects to
