GS II-POLITY Introduction Judicial appointments in India have long been a subject of debate. Recently, two key developments in the Supreme Court’s Collegium system have surfaced: first, the introduction of interviews for judicial candidates, and second, the exclusion of candidates with close relatives in the judiciary. A persistent power struggle …

GS III-ECONOMY Recently, the Russian envoy in India called for an alternative to the SWIFT system, as Russia was expelled from it following its invasion of Ukraine. This highlights SWIFT’s crucial role in global financial transactions and its impact on geopolitics. What is SWIFT? The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial …

GS II-GOVERNANCE The Central Staffing Scheme (CSS) is a mechanism for selecting and appointing officers from All India Services (AIS) and Group ‘A’ Central Services to various senior positions in the Central Government on deputation. The scheme ensures a structured and transparent process for staffing key positions in ministries, departments, …

GS II-WELFARE The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) are two crucial government initiatives aimed at providing financial assistance during emergencies. While both funds serve a similar purpose, they differ in their structure, governance, and …

GS III-DISASTER MANAGEMENT Disasters: Mechanisms and Funding Natural disasters pose significant challenges to states, often overwhelming their capacity to respond effectively. To mitigate the impact, India has established a structured disaster management framework under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DMA), which provides both institutional and financial support to states facing …

GS III-SECURITY Introduction The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), commonly known as Hurriyat, is a political alliance of separatist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir. Since its formation in 1993, it has played a key role in the separatist movement, advocating for self-determination and challenging India’s sovereignty over Kashmir. Over the …

GS III-CYBER SECURITY What is the SAHYOG portal? SAHYOG is a centralized digital platform developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Its primary function is to facilitate seamless data access for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and to streamline the removal of …