Weekly Current Affairs Highlights – 22nd to 27th Feb.

On this page, you can read all the major news/Current Affairs of the week. On a daily basis, we are covering all relevant Current Affairs under our various initiatives. For further reading, you can refer to our following initiatives:

1. 9PM: Daily Current Affairs Summaries For UPSC | ForumIAS Blog
2. Daily Editorials: Daily Current Affairs Editorials For UPSC | Blog.forumias
3. Factly: Daily Current Affairs For Prelims|ForumIAS Blog

Puducherry issue

President rule imposed in Puducherry after the resignation of some MLAs from the ruling party. Some associated issues were covered from newspapers:

Problems associated with Anti Defection Law – ForumIAS Blog: This article based on the Puducherry issue highlights the ineffectiveness of the Anti-defection laws in India.

President’s rule in Puducherry: Issue in constitutional and legal provisions for Union Territories (forumias.com): This article highlights the shortcomings of the legal and constitutional provisions related to the legislature in Union territories. Legislatures in UTs are not able to function independently.

Issues of federalism in India

Some articles this week highlighted the issues related to federalism in India.

The Trend of Undermining The Role of Upper House| ForumIAS Blog : This article highlights the use of different instruments in the Upper house/Rajya Sabha that makes it ineffective.

Centre’s Decision over Finance Commission’s Recommendations (forumias.com):  The 15th Finance Commission has submitted its recommendations for 2021-26 to the center. Amongst which maximum has been accepted while others are put on a hold by it.

Strengthening Decentralisation for improving human capital|ForumIAS Blog: This article favours the approach of decentralization for human development. It suggests issues in them and ways to achieve them

Right to discussion of State Assemblies and Supreme Court interference (forumias.com): Delhi Legislative Assembly summoned Facebook India Head. The matter is now in SC. Article talks against SC’s interference in the matters of Legislature.

Issues related to Civil Services in India

Frequent transfer of public servants affect public administration| ForumIAS Blog: Frequent transfer of public servants ultimately affects their morale, performance, and also public administration.

Issue of Adultery in Civil Services and Army| ForumIAS Blog: SC Decriminalized adultery, however, the issue is still not resolved for Civil Servants and Army Officials.

Sexual Harassment at workplaces

Landmark Verdict on Sexual Harassment And its Value For Women (forumias.com): Delhi Court ruled in favour of Priya Ramani in the case of criminal defamation. This article highlights how this judgment encourages the past victims of Sexual harassment.

Sexual Harassment of women at the workplace – Explained pointwise – ForumIAS Blog: This is an in-depth analysis of the issue of Sexual Harassment in India.

ToolKit Controversy

Use of Criminal conspiracy Law in India – Explained, Pointwise – ForumIAS Blog: This is an in-depth analysis of the much-highlighted Toolkit related case involving Disha Ravi.

Delhi Court’s ruling on Disha Ravi Toolkit case|ForumIAS Blog: Delhi court grants bail to Disha Ravi in its ruling in the tool kit case. It termed evidence produced by Delhi police as inappropriate. Read key takeaways from the judgment.

Allowing constructive criticism of Government Policies|ForumIAS Blog: In the context of Toolkit controversy, This article talks about the importance of taking international criticism positively.

Why Sedition law needs a relook?| ForumIAS Blog: Sedition law is in frequent use. This article talks about the need to reconsider the sedition law.

Education-related issues

Overexpansion of IITs will reduce its standards|ForumIAS Blog: Expansion of IITs might reduce their effectiveness and quality. This article highlights the issue and solutions for that.

Impacts of School Closures and way forward| ForumIAS Blog: Policies to ensure education during COVID-led school closures has increased the disparities. This article highlights the limitations of the digital distance learning method.

Education ministry circular on online conferences – ForumIAS Blog: Ministry of education recently released a circular for regulating online conferences. The article highlights the implications of this circular.

Other social issues

• ‘Weakness of Indian state’ in elimination of poverty|ForumIAS Blog: This article highlights the structural challenges facing India as a state in dealing with poverty and other issues. 
• Challenges in controlling Zoonotic diseases in India|ForumIAS Blog: India’s approach to addressing zoonotic diseases has mainly been reactive. This article provides the reasons and suggestions for controlling Zoonotic diseases in India.
• Issue of Bail under anti-terrorism cases| ForumIAS Blog: Bombay HC has set a new example by granting bail to the accused in UAPA case on health grounds. This article explains the issue of granting bail under Anti-terrorism laws. 
• Flaws in Corruption Perception Index| ForumIAS Blog: Corruption Perception Index ranks countries by their perceived levels of corruption as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. This article highlights the flaws in the Method of this index.
• NITI Aayog’s “draft national policy on migrant workers”?ForumIAS Blog: This factly article provides a glimpse of the salient features of the draft National policy on migrant workers.
  

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Issue of Petrol Price Rise

How to Become Petroleum Independent?|ForumIAS Blog: In the backdrop of Price rise, this article highlights the need to reduce dependency on petroleum.

Rise of excise duty on Petrol and Fiscal stance of government| ForumIAS Blog: This article highlights, how the rise in excise duty on petrol is in contradiction with the fiscal stance adopted by the government in the Economic Survey 2020-21.

Saksham campaign and the importance of fuel conservation – Explained Pointwise – ForumIAS Blog: In the backdrop of Price rise, the Saksham campaign has become important for increasing fuel efficiency. This article is in-depth coverage of the issue of fuel efficiency.

What are findings of “India Energy Outlook 2021”?| ForumIAS Blog: International Energy Agency(IEA) releases the India Energy Outlook 2021 Report. This article contains the findings of this report.

Australia and Facebook Controversy: Australia’s new Bargaining code

Australia and Facebook Controversy has opened a new dimension of the issues related to big techs. The following articles explain various dimensions of this issue:

• Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code| ForumIAS Blog
• A tussle between Australia and Facebook over News Charges|ForumIAS Blog

New IT rules Published By the government for Social Media and OTT platforms

The government has released new IT rules for social media and OTT platforms in India. Rules have been appreciated and also many issues have been highlighted. The following articles cover various dimensions of these rules.

• New Social Media Code – A much-needed one for India – ForumIAS Blog: Article highlights the significance of IT rules
• New social media rules – an analysis – ForumIAS Blog: This article highlights the shortcomings of IT rules
• Need to regulate Big techs in India|ForumIAS Blog

Border related issues

Ceasefire violations have increased the tensions between India and Pakistan. Now both countries have agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC. The following articles explain various dimensions of the issue.

1. Issue of ceasefire violation between India and Pakistan – Explained Pointwise – ForumIAS Blog:
2. India and Pakistan agrees to observe “2003 Ceasefire agreement” (forumias.com)
3. Ceasefire between India and Pakistan: Prospects of strengthening bilateral relations – ForumIAS Blog

Why India-China Border disputes are unresolved? ForumIAS Blog: India and China are in the process of disengagement on the border. The article highlights the difference between the border issue resolution process between China-Russia and China-India.

COVID Pandemic and its impacts on India

Why Complete Elimination Strategy of COVID virus is not feasible ? (forumias.com): Countries are trying the Complete elimination of COVID virus by mass vaccination. This strategy has many loopholes.

Issues associated with the launch of Coronil| ForumIAS Blog: Patanjali has relaunched the Coronil after various approval and certifications. Many sections of the experts have highlighted the issues linked to this launch.

Biodiversity

• “The Caracal” is now critically endangered – ForumIAS Blog
• What are “Hedgehog Species”?| ForumIAS Blog
• “Black-Necked Crane” named in Assam|ForumIAS Blog