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GS 2
Aadhaar gets thumbs up from Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, in a majority opinion on Wednesday, upheld Aadhaar as a reasonable restriction on individual privacy that fulfils the government’s “legitimate aim” to provide dignity to a large, marginalized population living in abject poverty.
SC proceedings can be live-streamed
The Supreme Court upheld the plea for live-streaming of its proceedings, observing that the use of technology is to “virtually” expand the court beyond the four walls of the courtroom.
Ordinance allows panel to supersede scam-tainted MCI
In a move to enhance governance and quality of medical education, an ordinance was issued on Wednesday, dissolving the Medical Council of India (MCI) and replacing it with a seven-member Board of Governors led by NITI Aayog Member Dr. V.K. Paul.
MHA merges police forces in six Union Territories
An initiative which has, according to the Home Ministry, been in the works for over a year-and-a-half is being viewed as the first step towards the creation of a central police cadre allowing for the posting of police personnel across the country irrespective of the force they are initially inducted into.
Boost to SC/ST quota in promotions
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday modified a 2006 judgment requiring the State to show quantifiable data to prove the “backwardness” of a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe community in order to provide quota in promotion in public employment.
The Supreme Court finds a pragmatic middle path between the Aadhaar scheme’s excesses and its benefits to the marginalised
Cutting through the white noise
Despite the cancellation of Foreign Minister talks, movement in India-Pakistan ties is possible
Opacity in the name of privacy
The draft Personal Data Protection Bill poses a danger to the hard-won right to information
Centre sends another advisory on lynching
The Centre on Wednesday sent another advisory to the States on checking incidents of lynching and asked them to make the public aware that “mob violence of any kind will invite serious consequences under the law”.
G-4 for UN Security Council reform, multilateralism
India and other Group-4 (G-4) countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and called for the early reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday.
GS 3
Understanding the differences in taxation of free services and sale of goods between the pre-GST and GST regimes
India is staring at 9% deficit in seasonal rain
Lack of consensus stalls demonetisation report again
A draft report on demonetisation, which was circulated last year, looks at the impact of the move and whether it managed to meet the government’s stated objectives.
‘Biggest bird’ dispute put to rest
A study released on Wednesday by British scientists suggested that one species of elephant bird was even larger than previously thought, with a specimen weighing an estimated 860 kg — about the same as a fully grown giraffe.
Centre hikes import duty on select goods
The government on Wednesday released a list of 19 categories of items on which it would be hiking import duties, which include white goods such as air-conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines as well as non-essential items such as gems, travel bags and aviation turbine fuel (ATF).