UPSC CSE Key – April 14, 2022: What you need to read today

Colombo needs more, India may up aid by $2 bn

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: India and its Neighbourhood- Relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What Is a Currency Swap?

• How a Currency Swap Works?

• What Is a Credit Line?

• How Does a Credit Line Work?

• Know in detail about Sri Lanka’s economic crisis

• Sri Lanka’s rice production crisis-What’s the issue?

• Sri Lankan Crisis and organic farming-Connect the dots

• ‘Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis predates the “manmade” agriculture disaster’-How far you agree with this
statement?

• What happens with Sri Lanka’s foreign debt?

• Why is Sri Lanka’s economy in trouble?

• Emergency declared in Sri Lanka-Why and its Impact

• Emergency Provisions given in Indian Constitution Vs Emergency Provisions in Sri Lanka-Compare and Contrast

• Who is helping Sri Lanka?

• How India is helping Sri Lanka in this crisis Situation?

• India and Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations-Trust Deficit or Close Neighbours?

• Map Work- Sri Lanka

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Sri Lanka economic crisis explained: How did the country get here, who is helping?

 

THE CITY

For urban poor, access to electricity improves, work needed on safai-paani

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination:

• General Studies I: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

• General Studies II: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What do you understand by the term ‘Urban Poor’?

• Lokniti-CSDS study on urban slums in Delhi-Key Highlights

• ‘Delhi model of governance’-What is it?

• What do you understand by term ‘Urbanisation’?

• Urbanisation in India-Key Features and Associated Challenges

• Name some Schemes by the Government of India for Urban Poverty Alleviation

• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (National Urban Livelihoods Mission)-Key Features

• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation-Key Features

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍  Poverty estimates are a shot in the dark

 

EXPRESS NETWORK

Bullet train trials to be conducted at 350 kmph in 2026, say officials

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Bullet Train Project in India-Know in Detail

• Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train-Key Highlights

• What other high-speed rail projects are in the pipeline?

• Significance of high-speed rail projects (HSR) for India?

• What are the arguments against Bullet Trains in India?

• What Is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: Where things stand with India’s bullet train project

 

EXPLAINED

Why lemons are so costly now

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Key Points to Ponder:

• How much lemon is grown in the country, and where?

• Top five Lemon growing states in India?

• What is the fruit’s cycle?

• How much have prices risen?

• What is the reason for the hike?

• When will the market see a correction in prices?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Limes and Lemons

 

Armed drone that stays aloft, waiting to attack

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Security challenges and their management in border areas

Key Points to Ponder:

• Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-Know in detail

• What exactly is a CALM System?

• What is the Request for Information (RFI) that the Army has issued and when?

• What use of the equipment has been specified in the Request for Information (RFI)?

• Has this kind of system been used in combat?

• What is Anti-drone technology?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: Facing up to the drone challenge

 

Why are Covid-19 vaccines administered into the upper arm?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General Science

Key Points to Ponder:

• Why are vaccines generally administered into muscle?

• Why the upper arm muscle in particular?

• Why not administer the vaccine directly into the vein?

• Which vaccines are administered through other routes?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 New research: Heart inflammation risk after Covid-19 jabs is very low, finds study

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Price of Things

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Inflation and Various Types of Inflation

• Causes of Inflation

• Long term, Medium Term and Short-term impact of Inflation

• What is Stagflation?

• How does one get into Stagflation?

• What is CPI-based Inflation or Retail Inflation?

• How Inflation is Measured in India?

• What do you understand by Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index?

• New Standard for Measuring Inflation in India and Old Standard for Measuring Inflation-Key Differences

• What Is Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)?

• Monetary Policy Committee MPC-Importance

• Know about these terms-Bank Rate, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate, Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal
Standing Facility (MSF), Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)

• Impact of Money Supply on an Economy-Inflation or Deflation?

• Steps or Measures Taken by GOI to Control Inflation

• National Statistical Office (NSO)-About, Vision, Mandate and Role

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explain Speaking: Why (gentle) policymakers prefer retail (over wholesale) inflation

📍 What is Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation?

 

Babasaheb Vs Intolerance

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present-significant events, personalities, issues.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar-Know about him, his Contributions and His Legacy

• Babasaheb Ambedkar and Drafting of the Indian Constitution-Know in detail

• Babasaheb Ambedkar’s View on the British Rule in India

• Babasaheb Ambedkar on Democracy-Social and Economic Democracy

• Babasaheb Ambedkar-Priority to Social Reform, Attack on the Caste and Untouchability, Removal of Untouchability

• B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi-the two different ideologies

• Gandhian Philosophy and Ambedkar’s notion of Social Democracy relevance in the present scenario-Brainstorm

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Ambedkar Jayanti 2022: Date, importance and significance

ECONOMY

Trai 5G suggestions: Industry concerned

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Fifth generation wireless technology (5G)-what do you understand by this?

• Difference between 4G and 5G

• 5G Technology – Key Features

• 5G Spectrum Allocation-who Decides? (Nodal Ministry/Department)

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India -Role and Mandate

• What are the recommendations made by TRAI with respect to 5G spectrum?

• What concerns has industry raised on TRAI’s 5G spectrum price recommendation?

• What are the other concerns raised by industry bodies over TRAI recommendations?

• Long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks

• What are Electromagnetic Spectrum and Radio Spectrum? Any correlations between these two terms?

• Radio Waves and Radio Bands

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-About, Role and Member Countries

• Department of Telecommunications and Digital Communications Commission- About, Vision, Mission, Functions

• C-Band and 5G communications-what are the apprehensions and challenges associated with 5G Communication

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Where 5G rollout stands, and how it will change user experience

📍 Explained: What is 5G, and how prepared is India to adapt to this tech?

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