GS-II

India should respect the promise it made in 2010 to open embassies in three more Latin American nations, a group of Ambassadors has urged Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. A senior diplomat from the region told The Hindu that these countries were awaiting action on India’s promise, especially after Prime Minister …

People hit the streets on Saturday protesting moves to scrap Article 35A, which defines State subject laws. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear three petitions challenging Article 35A on August 6. Separatists have called for a two-day shutdown on Monday over the issue. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/kashmir-on-the-boil-over-article-35a-hearing-in-sc/article24606252.ece

The release of the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam has once again turned the spotlight on the refugee problem in Jammu and Kashmir, with many representatives of displaced people seeking a one-time settlement in the State. Labha Ram Gandhi, the president of the West Pakistan Refugees Action …

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get early assent of the President to a Bill passed by the Telangana legislature in April last year, which provided for reservations to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in excess of 50%, the cap fixed by the …

Sri Lankan Minister says talks on the airport joint venture are ‘progressing’ Days after Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told Parliament that there was no proposal for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to acquire a controlling stake in Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, a Sri …

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra told the government on Friday that cases of constitutional importance and social matters of constitutional gravity, even if heard by a three-judge Bench, should be beamed live to the masses. The Chief Justice, heading a Bench of three, was assuaging apprehensions raised by the …

UGC had sought graded punishment for the offence Student researchers found guilty of plagiarism may lose their registration and teachers could lose their jobs as the Human Resource Development Ministry approved new regulations on plagiarism drafted by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Ministry had notified the UGC (Promotion of …

Need to raise productivity: RS members Rajya Sabha members have sought that the sittings of Parliament be extended to a minimum of 120 days a year, and suggested that the salary and allowances of members who disrupted proceedings should be deducted on that particular day. Congress MP Husain Dalwai said …

“They are presumed backward,” Mr. Venugopal submitted, saying the State needs to show “affirmative action” by giving them equality of opportunity. The government objected to a creamy layer concept among the SC/ST. “You cannot dissect the SC/ST and see those who are worthy (of quota) and those who are not,” …

Action against persons designated by Foreigners’ Tribunals District officials in Assam have begun work to delete the names of “declared foreigners’ whose names had been included in the complete draft of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) that was published on July 30. In Morigaon district, officials have identified …