Author: ForumIAS

Teaching ethics to aspiring civil servants:  Context The arrest of an Indian Police Service IPS officer for cheating during the civil services examination raises questions on future recruitments to the All India Services and the training of officers What is the significance of civil services exams?   The Civil Service is an integral and key… Continue reading Teaching ethics to aspiring civil servants: 

How demonetisation affected the Indian economy, in 10 charts: Context: The rural economy suffered disproportionately due to demonetization because most transactions here are cash-based. What is the meaning of demonetization? Demonetization is the act of stripping a currency unit of its status as legal tender. It occurs whenever there is a change of national currency.… Continue reading How demonetisation affected the Indian economy, in 10 charts:

‘Public credit registry to speed up digitisation’ Context The introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country. What is digitalisation? Digitalization is the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it… Continue reading ‘Public credit registry to speed up digitisation’

On the margins:  Context: India has not signed the Refugee Convention and does not have a domestic asylum law. About refugees: Refugees do not have a formal legal identity and are often wrongly perceived to be “illegal immigrants”. This status has forced them to the margins and has left them wholly dependent on the parallel… Continue reading On the margins: 

Plotting social progress:  Context India needs a cohesive measure of social progress in individual States as the country has now transformed itself into one of the fastest growing major economies. The economic achievements are extensive but the potential for growth remains strong despite some slackening. How to measure the growth? The societal reach of this… Continue reading Plotting social progress: 

2017 is set to be in top three hottest years: WMO:  Context: In its annual review, the UN says the gap between carbon cutting plans and the reductions required to keep temperature rises below 2 degrees Celsius is “alarmingly high”. Introduction: The new emissions gap report finds that global greenhouse emissions by 2020 “are likely… Continue reading 2017 is set to be in top three hottest years: WMO: 

PT news: Andaman’s new taste is sweet and sour Context Botanists in the Andaman and Nicobar Island which is hosting seven different species of wild banana. What is the discovery? The latest discovery published in the Nordic Journal of Botany, is of a species of wild banana named Musa paramjitiana happens to be the director… Continue reading PT news:

How much money will you contribute: India to developed countries at meet Context: The 23rd conference of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change under way in Bonn faces the challenge of raising the ambition of the world’s leaders, and giving practical form to the provisions of the Paris Agreement. Introduction: Although 169 countries have… Continue reading How much money will you contribute: India to developed countries at meet

Choking on Air Context The post-Diwali smog never receded as the city registered “severe” on the Air Quality Index (AQI). “Everyone may experience serious health effects”, comments the AQI website. Emergency measures taken The Environment Pollution and Prevention Control Authority (EPCA), which enforced Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) two days before Diwali, has asked the… Continue reading Choking on Air