News: In a world of ageing affluent societies, with big mismatches of labour demand and supply across the developed and developing world, India can convert its largest and youngest labour force into an advantage. The American economy is actually overheating despite Omicron. Its labour market is not only hot, but it is also going through… Continue reading On India’s Employment Situation – India’s most abundant resource remains tragically underutilized
Maximising the boost-on mixing the COVID vaccines
News: India currently has three available vaccines and recently two more along with a drug have been approved for emergency use authorization. Despite this wide range of vaccine availability, India has been extremely dependent on just one vaccine COVISHEID. This may become a cause of concern specially with the directives that focus on precaution doses(/booster… Continue reading Maximising the boost-on mixing the COVID vaccines
Trading on a buffer-Can India afford to commercialize its fuel reserves
News: Govt earlier this year allowed the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve (ISPRL), which runs the SPRs, to lease 30% of capacity and trade another 20%. The decision to commercialise half of India’s paltry SPRs is ill-conceived. Contents1 What is a Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)? 2 Why is government deciding to commercialize SPR? 3 What are the associated… Continue reading Trading on a buffer-Can India afford to commercialize its fuel reserves
The efficiency myth of Aadhaar linking
News: Recently, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021. One of the key provisions of the Bill is linking Aadhaar with the electoral rolls. Cash transfers in many welfare programmes, such as payment of MGNREGA wages, are done using the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS). Read more: Linking Aadhaar with electoral rolls… Continue reading The efficiency myth of Aadhaar linking
Questions still on how far labour codes will change gig workers’ lot
News: Although companies claim that they take care of the social security needs of their workforce, but the various surveys suggest a different trend. For example – Uber, incidentally, has scored a zero in the Fairwork India Ratings 2021 on the working conditions of app-based gig workers, as have Ola and Porter. Covid-19 disrupted earnings,… Continue reading Questions still on how far labour codes will change gig workers’ lot
A whiff of trouble in the Nord Stream pipeline
News: The Ukrainian authority has called the Nord Stream 2 project a ‘dangerous geopolitical weapon’. There is also strong opposition from the United States and most of the European countries (except for Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Netherlands). What was meant to be an ordinary energy project has transformed itself into a powerful geopolitical tool,… Continue reading A whiff of trouble in the Nord Stream pipeline
Joint development of oil tank farm by India, Lanka could alter dynamic of Delhi-Beijing rivalry
News: Sri Lanka’s energy minister has said the India-Lanka development of the strategic Trincomalee oil tank farm will be finalised in January. What are the reasons for the recent economic crisis in Srilanka? The Easter killings of 2019: it dealt a hammer blow to the country’s tourism industry, its main economic activity and source of… Continue reading Joint development of oil tank farm by India, Lanka could alter dynamic of Delhi-Beijing rivalry
Great Power Politics is back with a twist
News: Great power politics between US and China is shaping every dimension of the global order China’s rise has shaken the status quo in the global political order. As a rising power, it is challenging the foundation of the US-led global order. This has led to the US-China strategic competition. Covid-19 has merely accelerated the… Continue reading Great Power Politics is back with a twist
How to protect India’s film heritage
News: The Govt has decided to merge four publicly-funded institutions with National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Scholars are questioning this treatment, which is based on a misconception that cinema is either an object of information or broadcasting. These cultural institutions have been known to perform better without the shackles of centralised power or unnecessary bureaucratic… Continue reading How to protect India’s film heritage
Science Quiz: – General Science – 30 December 2021
Hello friends,
we are posting today’s prelims marathon. Under Prelims marathon initiative, we on a daily basis are posting 10 MCQs. MCQs are framed based on the predefined syllabus topic.
The idea is to keep the number of MCQ questions to a practicable level so that you do not spend an extra minute than required, and have a maximum output for the UPSC Prelims Exam 2021.
