News: This is the birth centenary year of Dr. Y. Nayudamma, Padma Shri recipient, noted scientist, former Director of the Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai and former Director-General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Humans have been propelled in the fields of science and technology since ancient civilisations. This has been due… Continue reading A north pole for science and technology
Tag: gs paper 3
Confidentiality ring amendment could make antitrust disputes more opaque
News: Recently, the Director General of Competition Commission of India (CCI) has issued orders on the Amazon dispute. In this dispute, Amazon (the defendant) has decided to take the confidentiality route towards its submissions. The CCI has realised that disputes arising out of antitrust matters, also known as competition or cartelisation, require confidentiality. The… Continue reading Confidentiality ring amendment could make antitrust disputes more opaque
What are oil bonds, and to what extent do they tie the govt’s hands?
Context: The government has attracted criticism post a surge in retail prices of petrol, diesel, and other petroleum product. However, the Finance Minister has blamed the oil bonds issued by the predecessor government for the current price countered. How much fuel price is taxed? There are two components to the domestic retail price — the price… Continue reading What are oil bonds, and to what extent do they tie the govt’s hands?
Humans Decoded
Context: Scientists have completed the first full and seamless catalog of genetic instructions of humans. It’s expected that research will help to explain how every cell in a human body is created. It will help develop highly effective diagnostic tools and treatments for diseases. What is the background? Nobel Prize-winning Italian-American virologist Renato Dulbecco first… Continue reading Humans Decoded
Is the Reserve Bank doing enough to rein in inflation?
News: Recently, the central bank’s monetary policy committee had decided to hold benchmark interest rates (remain accommodative). However, it has declared to withdraw the accommodative monetary policy measure to ensure that inflation remains within the RBI’s target limit. In the last two years, there has been high inflation and real growth has also been zero.… Continue reading Is the Reserve Bank doing enough to rein in inflation?
Hits and misses: India’s solar power energy targets
News: A report prepared by JMK Research and Analytics and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis states that India is likely to miss the 2022 target of installing 100 GW of solar power capacity. This is because rooftop solar lagging behind. What is India’s solar policy? The National Solar Mission, 2010 started promotion… Continue reading Hits and misses: India’s solar power energy targets
A milestone’s been spied for a switchover to EVs
Context: The government has expressed confidence that electric vehicles (EVs) will achieve parity with conventional petrol burners in India within two years. What is the cost trend estimate of EVs? By Crisil Research report estimates, all vehicles get increasingly economical with greater use. But EVs are seen to do this better, the gap would close… Continue reading A milestone’s been spied for a switchover to EVs
Big Tech’s privacy promise to consumers could be good news — and also bad news
News: Recently, Facebook accused Apple of abusing its market power. It has been criticized for introducing a new AppTrackingTransparency feature on its app store, which aims to enhance the user’s privacy. However, in the name of enhancing privacy, it has been alleged to cause disadvantages to competitors. What is the new feature? Apple’s new feature… Continue reading Big Tech’s privacy promise to consumers could be good news — and also bad news
The importance of addressing duty anomalies in trade deals
Context: India has long suffered the anomaly of imported raw material being taxed more than the finished product. Economists call it the inverted duty structure. A range of free trade agreements (FTAs) in the past have not helped. Are the new ones any better? What is the main issue with the inverted duty structure? Makes… Continue reading The importance of addressing duty anomalies in trade deals
Cleaning India’s air: What is the report card so far?
Context: An analysis of various steps taken by the government in this regard shows that much more needs to be done. What is the present situation wrt the problem of air pollution in India? Some 22 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India according to the World Air Quality Report,… Continue reading Cleaning India’s air: What is the report card so far?
