Author: ForumIAS

Southern pride Context At a press conference last week, when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president M.K. Stalin was asked what he thought of the southern States combining to form “Dravida Nadu,” he replied, “If this happens, it is welcome and it will happen I believe.” Given the brouhaha (an overexcited reaction) around his remark, it… Continue reading Southern pride

Aadhaar data safe, govt. asserts in SC Context The government has assured the Supreme Court that Aadhaar is not a “fly-by-night effort to score some brownie points” and personal data collected from millions of people is safe from breach in storage facilities barricaded behind five-foot thick walls SC’s observations vs government’s views Chief Justice’s views… Continue reading Aadhaar data safe, govt. asserts in SC

BJP, Cong. trade charges over use of data analytics firm Context Days after data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica (CA), a subsidiary of the U.K.-based SCL Group, was suspended by social media company Facebook for not deleting user data obtained from an app developer for the platform, the controversy reached Indian shores with both the BJP… Continue reading BJP, Cong. trade charges over use of data analytics firm

Behind a growing social fissure Context Anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka Issues Majority with a minority complex: Due to various historical and geographical reasons, Sinhala Buddhists are a majority with a minority complex, existentially fearful of losing majority status in Sri Lanka either to Tamil Hindus or to Muslims Muslims are seen as aliens: The… Continue reading Behind a growing social fissure 

Pacific garbage patch is far larger than feared: study What has happened? The vast dump of plastic waste swirling in the Pacific ocean is now bigger than France, Germany and Spain combined — far larger than previously feared — and is growing rapidly, a study published on Thursday warned 80,000 tonnes of trash float as… Continue reading Pacific garbage patch is far larger than feared: study

One app, 1,000 services: mKeralam What has happened? Kerala, which last year became the first State to declare Internet a basic human right, has notched up another first by launching mKeralam, an app that will serve as a single window for accessing thousands of government services. Background The two-day #FUTURE conclave, Kerala’s first-ever Global Digital… Continue reading One app, 1,000 services: mKeralam

Dubious journals abound: study What has happened? A systematic study of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) approved list of journals has confirmed what scientists have long suspected. The white list contains a huge number of dubious or predatory journals which publish substandard papers for a small fee with very little peer-reviewing, if at all. Methodolgy… Continue reading Dubious journals abound: study

Cockroach DNA reveals mighty little secrets Context Genome sequencing may throw light on the insect’s ability to heal itself in the most harshest of environments American Cockroach The American cockroach is the largest common house cockroach, about the length of a AA battery. Also called the water bug, it can live for a week without… Continue reading Cockroach DNA reveals mighty little secrets

Indigenous technology tested on BrahMos What has happened? The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was on Thursday successfully test-fired with an indigenous seeker for the first time. So far the seeker, a critical technology in missiles, came from Russia. Seeker’, a critical technology, used to come from Russia The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired… Continue reading Indigenous technology tested on BrahMos