Category: Featured Editorials

“Without urgent action we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.” – WHO Why in news? Kerala – the first state to adopt a comprehensive policy on AMR in 2016 to fight growing antibiotic resistance – is now taking a big leap. What is AMR?… Continue reading Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

“Justice delayed is justice denied.”- English adage Context: The Supreme Court has recently set up a panel headed by a retired judge of the court to usher in drastic prison reforms and decongest overcrowded jails.It will examine the functioning of undertrial review committees, availability of legal aid and advice. Who are Undertrials? Undertrial is a… Continue reading Undertrials in India

“Hate the Crime and not the Criminal”-Mahatma Gandhi Context: The Supreme Court has constituted a three-member committee headed by Justice Amitava Roy to look into issues pertaining to jails in India and suggest reforms. Prison or jail:Itis a facility in which individuals are forcibly confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of… Continue reading Prison Reforms

Context Recently the government has brought an ordinance that criminalises Instant Triple Talaq. Triple Talaq What is Instant Triple Talaq? It is a distorted form of Talaq used by a Muslim man to divorce his wife by just uttering ‘Talaq’ three times. It is irrevocable form of Talaq where there is no scope of reconciliation.… Continue reading TRIPLE TALAQ

Context: With growing concerns over sea-bed mining, parties to UNCLOS started negotiations to agree a treaty to protect the biodiversity of high sea and promote sustainable use of resources. What is seabed mining? Seabed mining is the process which involves extracting submerged minerals and resources from the sea floor, either by dredging sand or lifting… Continue reading Sea-Bed Mining

Context: Government of India decided to merge three Public Sector Banks namely – Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena bank into one single entity. Though termed Bank merger it being called as bank amalgamation. The resultant entity after amalgamation will be the third largest Public Sector Bank in India after State Bank of India… Continue reading Bank Merger and Bank Amalgamation

Why in news? Recently, Surrey Space Centre scheme, “RemoveDebris”, for removing orbiting debris successfully captured experimental test junk. The 100kg RemoveDebris satellite was launched to the station in April as cargo on a supply mission. What is Space Debris? The term ‘space debris’ does not have a unanimously accepted legal definition. It is generally used… Continue reading Space Debris

“There is no health without mental health” – David Satcher (Former US surgeon General) Context: As per the Lancet study recently released, 37% of global suicide deaths among women and 24% among men occurred in India.  This highlights the growing mental health challenge India is currently battling with. Mental health and mental Illness WHO defines… Continue reading Mental Healthcare in India

“Manual scavenging is the worst surviving symbol of untouchability.” —National Advisory Council resolution, 2010 Context: The recent incidents of sewer deaths in Delhi indicate that the practice of manual scavenging remains unabated in India despite being banned. Who is a manual scavenger? Manual scavenger is a person engaged in or employed for manually cleaning, carrying,… Continue reading The Plight of Manual Scavengers in India

About Ethanol Ethanol/ anhydrous ethyl alcohol having chemical formula of C2H5OH, can be produced from crops like sugarcane, maize, wheat, etc which have high starch content. In India, ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered as… Continue reading Ethanol Blending Programme and Sugar Industry