Category: Featured Editorials

Context: Union government has passed an Act laying down 10% reservation for economically weaker sections and SC will hear a petition challenging the amendment alleging that it dilutes basic structure. 124th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019: The Act amends Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution to give reservation in jobs and educational institutionsto the economically… Continue reading 10% reservation and Basic structure

Context: The increasing number of student suicide cases in India necessitates to see how this delinquent issue can be addressed Student Suicides in India- Statistics According to a 2012 Lancet Report, India has one of the world’s highest suicide rates for youth aged 15 to 29 According to the National Crime Records Bureau, between 2014… Continue reading Student Suicides in India: Risk factors and Prevention

News: Recently, Puducherry has announced a ban on single-use plastics effective from March 2019. Important Facts: So far 22 States and Union Territories has taken some sort of initiative to eliminate the plastic but at large the concern remains. Statistics on Plastic Use: PlasticConsumption: 13 million tonnes/ year AveragePer capita plasticconsumption: About 11kg- low as… Continue reading Half done: on the ban on plastic

Context: National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched by the government to tackle the increasing air pollution problem across the country. Objective: Overall objective of the NCAP is comprehensive mitigation actions for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air quality monitoring network across the country and strengthening the awareness and capacity building… Continue reading National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

Context: The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 has recently been passed in Lok Sabha Background The Aadhaar is the brand name of the Unique Identification Number that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issues to every resident of India. It is a twelve-digit number which is linked with the resident’s demographic and… Continue reading The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018: A Critical Analysis

Context: Sikkim government has decided to introduce UBI and implement it by 2022. About UBI: UBI is a minimum income (direct cash transfers) guaranteed by the state to every individual every month. It is premised on the belief that every person should have a right to a basic income to cover their needs, just by… Continue reading Universal Basic Income:

Context: Governments in newly elected states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have announced loan write-offs for small and medium land-owning farmers and last year Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu announced farm loan waivers. Farm loans may be crop loans or investment loans taken to buy farm equipment. Both farmers and banks benefit… Continue reading Farm Loan Waiver:

Introduced: Lok Sabha (9th Dec 2019) Passed: Lok Sabha (9th Dec 2019) Passed: Rajya Sabha (11th Dec 2019) Present status: Received assent on 12th Dec 2019 and converted to Act Ministry: Home Affairs Key provisions of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 The bill seeks to amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who… Continue reading Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Context:  The Rajya Sabha has passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2019 What is No-Detention Policy? TheNo detention policy is a clause under the RTE Act 2009 as entered in Article 16. It states: “No child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class or expelled… Continue reading No Detention Policy

Context: US recently announced withdrawal of 7000 US troops from Afghanistan, a decision which would reduce its presence in Afghanistan by half and would force India to rethink its Afghan Policy. US’ South Asia/ Afghan Policy 2017: US announced deployment of additional 4000 troops in Afghanistan to train Afghan soldiers to avoid the collapse of… Continue reading India Afghanistan Relations: