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Post-1957, President retains power to scrap Article 370: SC Syllabus: Indian Constitution Why in NEWS The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised the question whether the President’s power to declare inoperative Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, will not continue to hold the field …

The government is set to introduce the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill in Parliament. The final draft is shrouded in secrecy. Last week, Opposition members walked out of a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee and submitted dissent notes Objecting to the adoption of a report on the DPDP …

Context:  A large object found on the shores of western Australia recently has been confirmed to be the debris of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket. Key details: Junk from space objects falling to the earth are not unheard of. Most such incidents involve relatively small fragments from rockets that survive the friction …

Context:  Recently, the ICMR Bioethics Unit posted the consensus policy statement for the ethical conduct of controlled human infection studies (CHIS), also known as human challenge studies, in India. Key details: Traditional human clinical trials have been carried out in the country for a very long time. The inclusion of human challenge studies will …

GOBARdhan Initiative Begins Reaping Good Results & Stimulating Investments In Biogas Sector in India About the scheme: The Gobardhan scheme focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste on farms into compost, biogas, and bio-CNG. In addition to keeping the village clean, it provides additional income for farmers and cattle herders. The GOBARdhan scheme also aims to make farmers …

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on Friday pledged to “firmly defend” China’s sovereignty and security, in his first message after once again assuming charge as Foreign Minister in the wake of the shock removal of his predecessor. On Friday, the website showed Mr. Wang as the new Minister along with …

Context:  Minister of Women and Child Development informed the Rajya Sabha about Vatsalya Scheme. About the scheme: Mission Vatsalya Scheme is a roadmap to achieve development and child protection priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It lays emphasis on child rights, advocacy and awareness along with strengthening of the juvenile justice care and protection …

Context: Government has approved Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme recently for  comprehensive development of the select villages. About the programme: The Vibrant Villages Programme will aid in raising the standard of living for residents of designated border communities and encouraging them to remain there, reversing the outmigration from these villages and enhancing border …

Context:  The 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (DPT) were held recently. Indo-Australia Relations: The historical ties between India and Australia started immediately following European settlement in Australia from 1788. All trade to and fro from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata. India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, …

Leaders across India’s political spectrum paid their tributes to India’s armed forces and the fallen martyrs on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Kargil War The Kargil War officially ended on July 26, 1999, with the eviction of the last remaining Pakistani troops and infiltrators from positions …

India has taken the first step to generate digital birth certificates by introducing Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill, 2023. Key details: It will be an all-encompassing document that can be used for: admission to educational institutions, jobs, passports or Aadhaar, voter enrolment, registration of marriage, etc. Significance: This will avoid multiplicity …

Why in NEWS The stage is set for a high-profile clash between the Opposition and the Treasury benches, as Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday admitted a no-confidence motion against the Modi government, which was moved by the Congress’s Deputy Leader in the House in a bid to force the Prime …

If Southeast Asia is the heart of the Indo-Pacific, the 56th Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the post-ministerial conferences and other related regional meetings, held in Jakarta, Indonesia in mid-July, 2023, are the best barometer to check on the region’s latest dynamics. An …

Why in NEWS The G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, under the Indian presidency, is set to hold its third and final meeting in Chennai from July 24 to 26. This is the first time a dedicated working group on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has been constituted, signifying India’s commitment …

Context The National Commission for Women (NCW) had been apprised of the alleged incident of women being paraded naked and brutally assaulted in Manipur on June 12, more than a month before a video of the incident surfaced on social media on July 19. Two women activists and a civil …

Justice delayed is justice denied’ is a statement often used in the context of judicial cases that have been or are pending for long in courts of law. There could be several factors responsible for such a situation to arise. These include the complex nature of cases; a lack of …

The news that the Union Cabinet has approved the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill and will table it in the monsoon session of Parliament raises certain issues. The draft Bill was placed in the public domain in December 2022 but the final Bill has not been placed before the public. …

To emphasise India’s commitment to the SCO, India dwelt on the political, economic and cultural initiatives the country had taken and the 134 meetings and events which it had convened during its SCO presidency. China’s acts as reason China’s actions towards India in 2020 and the evolving international order have …

Imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur and creation of a separate administration for tribals were among the key demands from tribal leaders who met Union Home Minister recently. What is President’s Rule? President’s Rule refers to the suspension of a state government and the imposition of direct rule of the Centre. The central …

India’s External Affairs Minister is in Cape Town, South Africa, to attend a meeting of the foreign ministers of BRICS. The foreign ministers’ meeting will finalise the agenda for the 15th BRICS summit scheduled to be held in South Africa this year. The theme of BRICS 2023 is: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, …