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Insights MINDMAPS on Current Issues, 02 January 2016 Archives Telecom Sector in India (High Resolution) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (High Resolution) Child Labour in India (High Resolution) Landslides – Disaster (High Resolution)

 Insights Current Affairs Quiz (2016)  – 02 02 January 2016 Archives  The following quiz will have 5-10 MCQs . The questions are mainly framed from The Hindu  and PIB news articles. This quiz is intended to introduce you to concepts and certain important facts relevant to UPSC IAS civil services preliminary exam 2016. It is not a test […]

Insights Daily Current Events, 02 January 2016 Archives Paper 3 Topic: Infrastructure. Panel warns against ‘Swiss Challenge’ route AN expert committee has warned the government against using ‘Swiss Challenge’ approach for infrastructure investments in the country. Why? According to the panel, Swiss Challenge approaches bring information asymmetries in the procurement process and result in lack […]

Insights into Editorial: Revive NATGRID with Safeguards 02 January 2015 Article Link The Central government’s recent decision to revive NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid) is a welcome move in the fight against terrorism. The government is also planning to appoint a new head to the NATGRID. What is NATGRID? NATGRID was among the ambitious slew of […]

The Big Picture – Taking Stock: Defence Sector Summary: India has a land frontier, a coastline and an exclusive economic zone, as well as island territories, vital offshore installations and airspace to defend. The Indian forces, therefore, have to be kept well prepared and well equipped to repel any external threat. India’s defence spending has […]

[Insights Secure – 2016] UPSC Mains Questions on Current Events: 02 January  2016 Archives – Secure 2015 Archives – Secure 2016 Click on EACH question to post/read  answers. General Studies – 1; Topic: World history 1) Who are the Kurds? Discuss their history, relations with countries in the Middle – East and reasons behind their fight against […]

Topic: Ethics in public administration 9) “A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also have to have a well developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties” Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an […]

Topic: PDS; Food security 8) In your opinion, what is the biggest weakness of the the public distribution system? Explain why. It is said that PDS works well in regions with low market access, high cereal prices, and high poverty. Do you agree? Discuss. (200 Words) EPW

Topic: Basics of cyber security 7) “The overdue initiative to revive NATGRID must therefore be accompanied by action on the even longer-pending need to have effective oversight of intelligence agencies by Parliament or an eminent group.” Explain what is NATGRID and comment on the statement. (200 Words) The Hindu

Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations 6) In a major bid to facilitate cross-border transportation and trade, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal signed the landmark Motor Vehicle Agreement in June 2015. Is this agreement capable of unlocking the huge trade potential of these countries and deepening regional integration in a region known to be the least […]

Topic: Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. 5) It is said that the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) adopted an approach that contributes to building “trust” between three layers of government—union, state and local by stating in its report that the rewards of […]

Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources. 4) “The New Education Policy on the anvil should encourage academic talent and innovation to make the system of higher education more responsive to the needs of various stakeholders instead of just attempting to create a uniform standardised structure.”  Who […]

Topic: mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections 3) Some argue that India has a young pension industry and it needs to deepen pension coverage. Discuss why pension needs to be deepened, challenges facing the existing pension schemes and measures to be taken by government to deepen pension […]

Topic:Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, 2) In your opinion, whose interests will China’s ‘one belt, one road’ initiative serve better – China’s or participating countries’? What will India gain from this initiative? Critically examine. (200 Words) Livemint

Topic: World history 1) Who are the Kurds? Discuss their history, relations with countries in the Middle – East and reasons behind their fight against ISIS. (200 Words) The Hindu BBC FT