1. Diplomacy & International relations (IR)
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: IR, Diplomacy
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: IR & Internal Security
  2. Economy, Banking, Infra, Schemes
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: Economy
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: Economy
  3. Polity, RPA & rights issues
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: Polity
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: Polity
  4. Environment & Biodiversity
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: Environment, Agro, Disaster
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: Environment, Agro, Disaster
  5. Science Tech, IT and Defense
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: Science Tech, Defense
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: Science Tech, Defense
  6. Public Health
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: Public Health
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: Public Health
  7. History and Culture
    1. Nov.W1
    2. Nov.W2: History and Culture
    3. Nov.W3 & W4: History and Culture
  8. Revision Notes on/after next Friday (21st)
  9. Moral Disclaimers as usual

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”globe”]Diplomacy & International relations (IR)[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • Jose Ramos panel to review UN Peacekeeping missions. Although article after report submitted.
  • Round tripping and Sushma visit to Mauritius, needs to be seen in the larger context of blackmoney. Round-tripping is the routing of domestic investments through Mauritius to take misuse tax-treaties.
  • Pentagon report says Paki used American funds for proxy war against India.
  • 100 years of Interpol and Rajnath speech.
  • Pranab visit to Bhutan (first in 26 years). Although it remains to be seen if anything exam worthy or just usual bol-bachchan.

Ignored

  • Indian intel. Agencies lost track of Dawood and Chhota Rajan.
  • Home Minister Rajnath’s visit to Israel- mostly bol-bachchan about cooperation in terrorism, defense, make in India.
  • Russian Dy.PM Dimitry Rogozin visits India but mostly bol-bachchan about fifth gen-aircraft, FTA and cultural exchanges.
  • Terrorist attack on Wagah Border by Jundullah group.
  • Bangal court gives death penalty to war criminals of 1971. Jamaat-e-Islami did not like it ONE BIT hence protesting.
  • NDFB threatens to walkout of peace talk if their chief Rajan Daimary not bailed in TADA court.
  • Maoists say they have no links with ISI or Pakistan!
  • British intel report says terrorists and criminals using social media as “Command and control network” but internet companies are in denial mode. Topic is important for GS3, but hardly any fodder in the news.
  • INS Tarasa gifted to Seychelles. Oneliner GK, later in defense compilation.
  • India Nepal finalize Project Development agreement (PDA) for 900MW Arun-III to supply electricity to Nepal.(oneline fodder)
  • Japan China resume peace talks.(out-of-syllabus for Mains).
  • Malasian Muslims transgender have right to cross-dress.
  • Two innocent Kashmiri youth killed in Army firing and subsequent protests.

Nov.W2: IR, Diplomacy

  • APEC summit and FTA
  • Modi @ASEAN summit in Myanmar, trilateral highway
  • Modi to pursue “Act East” instead of “Look East” policy.

Later

  • UN resolution to declare 21st June as International day of Yoga. Still draft resolution.
  • WTO-TFA logjam solved. USA will support India’s move to extend peace-clause for infinite time. (Basics already covered along with survey, this is just two line update).
  • SAARC motor vehicle agreement – to be signed during Modi’s Nepal visit.
  • Modi wants India-ASEAN pact to recognize each other’s fancy paper degrees but Philippines doesn’t like it- afraid Indian IT will eat away their biz.
  • G20: BASE erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) agreement. Modi yet to raise the issue at meeting.

Ignored

  • India gives visa-on-arrival facility for Russian businessman. Oneliner fodder.
  • UN HRC commissioner criticizes Sri Lanka for not cooperating on the inquiry on wartime abuses. Reason: basics already covered in old article.
  • UN resolution condemning attack on journalists.
  • FBI Inquiry against former U.S. diplomat Robin Raphel – she was close to Pakistan and prevented smooth relations between US-India.
  • India 3rd largest passport issuing country after China and USA. (onliner GK)
  • ISIS and Al-qaeda leaders sign a pact to stop infighting. Oneliner fodder
  • Ban Ki Moon asks Myanmar to respect human rights of Rohingya muslims. Basics already done in old article.
  • UN Committee against torture. Cost benefit bad
  • Indian KC Reddy to join UN inquiry panel to probe presence of arms on UN premises in Gaza-patti.
  • The need for net neutrality and open internet. Just one liner concept that internet service providers (ISP) must not discriminate between users while delivering data.

Nov.W3 & W4: IR & Internal Security

  • Modi at G20, Australia, Fiji, SAARC Summit, 3 pacts cleared by Cabinet etc.
  • Modi’s freebies to Nepal: helicopter, bus service etc.
  • Land swap deal with Bangladesh. India will seal all routes from where illegal Bangladeshi migrants come.
  • E-Visa system launched.
  • Obama’s Immigration plan, J1 visa faster clearance to Indian doctors.
  • Garrison Governance in J&K and NE.
  • (PIB) New initiatives to strengthen coastal security.

Later

  • Tri-services military command for space and cyberspace in 2015.  Wil use Navy’s GSAT-7 comm. Satellite. let’em notify first.
  • Govt to act tough against hemp cultivators in Odisha bcoz $$ used for Maoist-financing.
  • Afghanistan unhappy that India not delivering Russian arms.
  • IB chief says North East situation is fragile, Assam accord is outdated, says Swamy.
  • SPG vs PMO
  • Security trilemma: Pakistan will have 200 nuke-warheads by 2020 to deter India but at the same time worried, USA will attack Pak to takeover those nukes from going in terrorist hands.
  • ISIS, Arif Majid, 39 Indian hostages etc.
  • Release of Tamil fishermen facing death row in Sri Lanka.
  • Pak-Russia sign defense pact. Later along with Modi-Putin meet in December.
  • Russia-Japan to conduct joint military exercise under SCO, to counter America’s Asia pivot; China launches train from Yiwu to Madrid, for reviving Silk route.

Ignored

  • Modi Nawaz Love and hate at SAARC summit. Ball by ball commentary useless.
  • Doval appointed special representative for Sino-India border talks.
  • Riots at Ferguson, Missouri state, USA after white police officer killed a blackman, yet given clean chit by grand jury. Not affecting Indian interests, yet. And Devyani case is outdated for Mains-2015.
  • India China Bangladesh Myanmar economic corridor planned. Already covered in old article.
  • Yechuri says India should stop buying Israeli arms because of atrocities against Palestinians.
  • Amit Shah says Saradha scam money used for terror financing but PMO says no proof yet.
  • BJP demands Pandit-Quota in J&K but silent on 370.
  • Maoist create fake smoke signal to lure and attack Mi-17 helicopter.
  • Karzai says Pakistan wanted him to reduce India’s presence in Afghanistan. Oneline fodder stating the obvious.
  • Delhi declaration for demographic dividend. Mostly bolbachchan nothing new under the sun.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”money”]Economy, Banking Finance[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • GDP base year changed
  • Letters Rogatory (LRs) — request for seeing assistance in a probe from a foreign government. CBI wants to post one official in every embassy so that LR for black money can be sent immediately. but again just oneliner fodder for the larger topic “blackmoney”.
  • Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), Modi adopts Jayapur.
  • ATM 5-transaction rule
  • Filling up the empty CMD posts PSU banks.

Ignored

  • Google tax by Spain. It’s a bizGK.
  • New edu. Policy next year. Then I write article next year.
  • Gadkari says he’ll build navigation system in Pak Bal without disturbing Ram Sethu. Well let him come out with a notification first.
  • Stock-broker company cannot work as Merchant bank, says SEBI.
  • SIT recommends reforms in PMLA act. Only after ball by ball commentary stops on black money.
  • Modi reviews connectivity related infra. Most of that already covered in old articles- Sagarmala, Rail FDI, new route for Mansarovar yatra etc.
  • Kaushik Basu suggests BRICS should be expanded to BRICKS i.e. include Kenya.
  • Government proposed GST deadline 2016, 11% for Centre and 12% for states.(let them comeup with firm plan in the budget /economic survey).
  • Railway inquiry concludes train-accidents caused by fit and experienced drivers. So stress/workload is not the culprit but human errors causing accidents.

Nov.W2: Economy

  1. Modified DBT for LPG
  2. Kelkar panel recommends market determined gas-prices by 2017.
  3. Jeevan Praman Yojana

Later

  1. E.Sreedharan Committee to ensure accountability & transparency in Railways. Article when report comes.
  2. NBFC rule tightened. all such topics in a single banking compilation later.
  3. Rajanbhai to invite application for payment banks and small finance banks soon. well him upload notification first.
  4. Rail minister Suresh Prabhu offers 2% commission to railway-teams if they finish projects on time.
  5. Government to relax FDI exit option for real estate. Let them notify first.

Ignored

  • From March 2015, SEBI will enable investors to get all investment data in their DEMAT account.
  • ISIS launching its own currency: Islamic Dinar using gold, silver and copper.
  • Government to launch blue revolution. reason: no concetrate scheme launched yet. PIB only talked about potential-challenges- those points already covered in my [Food processing] series.
  • Existing rule: no new airport within 150kms of existing airport. Government wants to decrease this distance to 100 kms, to infra requirement. (at max just 1 line fodder for infra. Topic).

Nov.W3 & W4: Economy

  • Modi’s planned shipping reforms.
  • Din-Dayal gramjyoti yojana notified.
  • RBI issues final norms for small and payment banks
  • RBI new norms on minimum account balance.
  • RBI’s Bharat Bill Payment system.
  • Gold import 20:80 scheme scrapped.
  • Kisan Vikas Patra: features, benefits, challenges.
  • RBI allows banks to issue home loans against Infra Bonds.
  • Government increases Jan Dhan target from 7.5 crore to 10 core.
  • Andhra Bank’s Gen-next scheme for Minors.
  • SBI MoU to give loans to Adani’s Austrlian project.
  • SBI shariya mutual fund
  • EXIM Bank’s Samurai Bond

Later

  • Proposed “Niti Aayog” to replace planning commission. Let them come with notification first.
  • Recession in Japan after sales tax hike.
  • Labour laws amendment bill 2014.
  • EPFO to become registrar of UID.
  • Deflation in global oil prices
  • Jan Dhan target to be raised to 10 crore accounts.
  • SEBI new norms for insider trading.
  • Delhi-chennai highspeed rail link with Chinese help.
  • Ind-AS: New accounting standards for companies.

Ignored

  • G20 BEPS agreement- already covered in revision note.
  • Tendulkar adopts an Andhra Pradesh village under SAGY and asks the villagers not to consume DESI LIQUOR. Already covered in revision note.
  • GDP growth reduced from 5.5% to 5%. PwC says India grows @9% per year then by 2034, it’ll be a 10 trillion dollar economy. All such ups and downs will be covered in next Economic survey. No point in chasing ball by ball.
  • PSBs to lose ~96k crore in NPA after coal block cancellation. Basics already done in revision note.
  • SEBI new rule-Minimum networth to run a mutual fund company: 50 crore. Not much point in running behind all such technical GK.
  • SEBI helps America to nab to Indians running “profit paradise” investment scam using fake social networking profiles.
  • Rajanbhai’s name shortisted as BRICS bank prez. But Modi wants him to stay @RBI fearing exchange rate volatility.
  • Government says no plans to dilute MNREGA. Already covered in revision note.
  • Railtracks kill >18000 per year. Need to eliminate unmanned crossing, and construct overbridge and underbridge.
  • Centre to implement FSLRC. Basics already covreed in revision note. Actual reform-Notification awaited.
  • TS-iPASS: Telengana’s self-certification system for industries. At most its one line fodder.
  • TRAI increases reserve price for CDMA spectrum.
  • In the next budget, Modi wants to decrease social schemes related Expenditure but keep physical-infra Expenditure same. Well, Let the budget come.
  • Attorney General asks Government not to appeal against Vodafone’s victory in transfer pricing case. Basics already covered in old article.
  • Apprentice bill passed. Features already covered in economic survey.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”legal”]Polity, RPA, rights issues[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • NGOs want prostitution Legalized. Need to amend Immoral traffic act. Last month NCW chairman too raised the same issue. Will combine them all together.
  • Rajpaksa asks Srilankan SC- can I contest election for third time? Some possible indirect question on “need to introduce term-limits for Indian President and PM”. Although I won’t be able to finish it before mains arrives- so consider that a homework.

Later

  • Merchant shipping bill 2013.
  • SC encounter guideline followup- now demand for installing CCTV cameras in all police stations to prevent custodial torture and death. Counter-argument: criminals will deliberately create a scene because CCTV watching. Final verdict awaited.

Ignored

  • SC orders Government to give names of people occupying Government bungalows in Delhi.
  • Janata Parivar parties: SP, JDU, RJD etc. unite to bring down Modi
  • EC unhappy that Home ministry not denying the media reports of Rs.5 lakh compensation to 84’s riot victims and thus influencing Delhi voters.
  • Delhi HC says babus using gmail / yahoo for official work is violation of legal provisions.
  • Raabert Vadra abuses ANI journalist.
  • Petition in SC to order union and state to give RTI electronically. Article only after Verdict comes.
  • Delhi Lt Gov asks President to dissolve assembly.
  • SC sends notice to Tamilnadu for 69% reservation policy. Article only after verdict.
  • SAI forces Pregnancy test on women boxers. Isolated controversy but not large enough to warrant a mains question under “rights issue”.
  • SC asks Government why Indian artifacts auction in foreign countries.

Nov.W2: Polity

  1. Political parties under RTI purview. Old topic but resurfaced because political parties did not reply to CIC notice.
  2. SC stops Madras HC order on caste census.
  3. Valid of voice vote in house floor.
  4. Gujarat law for compulsory voting in local bodies.

Later

  • MNREGA PIL in Madras HC. MNERGA violates Constitution Art 14, 16, 23 by fixing wages below minimum wages act.

Ignored

  • Muslim Reservation rows in Telengana and Maharashtra
  • UGC orders universities not to give ‘fancy’ degrees.
  • SC rejects PIL to renamed India into “Bharat”.
  • Kerala and Goa have become first states in the country with every household having at least one bank account. Oneliner gk.
  • AMU VC bans entry of girls in library because they attract men.
  • Union Government wants to reduce IAS training from 2 years to 1.5 year. Response of State Governments awaited but LBSNAA chief doesn’t like it. NOT ONE BIT.

Nov.W3 & W4: Polity

  • Beijing +20 review and gender inequality in India.
  • Slavery Index and India.
  • Remote FIR registration in Bengluru mall. (E-gov example / women-safety angle)
  • Amendments in CBI act (Delhi special police establishment) and Lokpal Act.
  • Casestudy: Karnataka’s dispute settlement mechanism @Zilla Panchayat level
  • Aadhar linked Attendance system for central Government employees.
  • IIIT Bill, Insurance amendment bills introduced, Higher edu. Bill withdrawn.

Later

  • Kambala buffalo race ban in Karnataka. When verdict comes.
  • Row over teaching German and Sanskrit languages. When ball by ball commentary stops and SC verdict comes.
  • Need to toughen the Juvenile Justice act. When ball by ball commentary stops and SC delivers a verdict.

Ignored

  • Haryana Government reduces retirement age from 60 to 58 years. Case filed in HC.
  • Bombay HC stays 16% quota to Marathas.
  • Nanavati submits report to Gujarat CM about Godhara riots. But, yet to tabled in Vidan Sabha.
  • Bhopal gas victims appeal in Supreme Court.
  • AMU VC bans undergraduate girls from entering library saying they’ll attract more boys. Allahabad HC sends notice for violation of Art. 14 and 16.
  • SC asked Government to report about inferior material used in railway coaches because during fire, its poisonous fumes killing passengers. Let the verdict come.
  • JNU-walla want Lyngdoh Committee reforms scrapped, increase candidate age list from 25/28 to higher.
  • Nominated authority for coal-auction.
  • No legal sanctity to Jaam Masjid’s dastarbandi.
  • Rajnatha promises second phase of Jail reforms from March 2015. let him release notification.
  • Mulayam Singh demands scrapping of Purdah system. Welcoming move but at max one line fodder for essay.
  • CPI(M) leader Yechuri wants proportional representation system because existing first-past-post system facilitates casteism and criminalization of politics.
  • CM Badal wants Modi to make Chandigarh capital of only Punjab. (It’s joint capital of Punjab + Haryana and since late 60s).
  • Modi wants ‘SMART’ police force — Strict and Sensitive, Modern and Mobile, Alert and Accountable, Reliable and Responsive, Techno savvy and Trained. Hire PR firm, upload success stories es, look after families welfare (usual bolbachhan not much fodder for exam).
  • Attorney General wants Arbitration act repealed because its hampering investment. Let them repeal first.
  • Germany to have traffic light icon’s quota for women i.e. at some signal a pedestrian lady icon in the signal instead of male. Just one liner fodder for essay.
  • Plagerism is not new among DU, JNU, Jamia Milia
  • 90% ATM cash van robberies involve insider job.
  • Delhi HC giving maximum autonomy to private schools for nursery admission- parents unhappy.
  • Mullaperiyar day to day commentary. Because basics already covered. TN is raising water level, Kerala afraid it’ll collapse.
  • Baba Rampal and black hawk down.
  • Kerala Police’s “Operation Kuber” against Loansharks, Famous painter Paris Mohan Kumar falls prey to “Blade Mafias”. Nickname “blade” because of their cut-throat interest rates and violent recovery methods.
  • Jiyo Parsi campaign in Hyderabad with support of minority affairs ministry- to increase birthrate of Parsis.
  • Telangana ePDS system given best G2C project award @eIndia 2014. (one liner GK / later a casestudy)
  • SEBI updates insider trading norms based on Justice Sodhi committee report. Oneliner GK. I don’t really consider it a mains worthy topic.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”bug”]Environment, Agro, Disaster[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • Pthalates, airfreshners and pollution.
  • IPCC new report on Sunday. Well let the report come first.
  • UNEP-FI norms for Indian financial institutions
  • Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change reconstituted.
  • Clam fishery.

Later

  • Importance of Rajasthan’s state tree “Khejri”- later I combine all such flora-fauna factoids for prelim. For the moment, It’s useless for mains.
  • New wasp species in Kozhikode. Same as above.
  • Amur Falcon- will update old article.
  • Gadkari says we’ll setup industries in wastelands to create employment. Notification awaited.
  • NGOs demand Olive ridleys nesting sites near Rushikulya rookery in Ganjam, Odisha an eco-sensitive zone to protect the environment. Notification awaited.

Ignored

  • Sujoy’s Altimeter — a device to measure the height of trees. That’s it- oneliner GK.
  • Government plans to setup Centre for zoo science in Delhi.
  • Centre asks states to amend laws to permit E-Marketing of Agriculture products. (oneliner fodder)

Nov.W2: Environment, Agro, Disaster

  1. GIS system for forest clearance.
  2. US-China pact to cutdown emission.

Later

  • Mangrove patches in Karnataka, why FSI couldn’t locate. (later in prelim compilation)
  • India’s 1st net zero energy building. Same as above.

Ignored

  • Indian Ocean warming faster than before.
  • New rule: Dehi petropumps can’t sell fuel to drivers without Pollution certificates. (oneliner GK)
  • India to grow at 6.3% by 2015 says Morgan Stanley.

Nov.W3 & W4: Environment, Agro, Disaster

  • COP-20 Lima summit
  • NGT order to stop vehicular pollution in Delhi. Ban on 15 years old vehicles.
  • Bio-mining or bio-remedisation
  • Bio-bus in UK
  • Agnisumukh LPG stove
  • Stanford Mirror for energy saving.
  • India to see 10x times more heatwaves
  • “Lake Effect” brings snow-storm to USA.
  • Sintex compact Biogas plant.
  • Seabed AUV
  • (PIB) Swatch Bharat Koshi operational guidelines

Later

  • TSR Surbamium Green law panel findings on GM crops and outdated environment laws.
  • Tea plantations MRL problem.
  • Tanzania- Massai displaced to setup hunting area for Dubai’s Royals.
  • Kasturirangan panel report.
  • Species in News: Forest owlet, Gadhimai festival of Nepal, White Bellied Heron; Horses and Rhinos originated from India, Muscicapa sodhii bird.
  • By 2070 CO2 emissions have to be reduced to zero, to prevent disasters, says UN body.

Ignored

  • Fishermen made aware of the importance of INCOIS buoys for disaster and fish prediction, hence now they don’t damage it.
  • NGT bans tree cutting across India. That’s just oneline fodder.
  • NGT sets up new Committee for Ganga pollution. Reason: sufficient fodder already given in revision note. Ain’t much point tracking ball by ball after that.
  • Survey of India to survey Ganga using Lidar Laser. Same as above.
  • Outrage over Paul Rosolia’s Eaten Alive by Anaconda show on Discovery channel.
  • India will setup an American buoy in Bay of Bengal to study weather pattern.
  • India keeps mum over banning HFCs. Already covered in old article.
  • Madhya Pradesh denies NOC to GM trials.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”flask”]Science-Tech, Space, IT, Defense[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • Google ILIA and Hindiweb done publishing
  • Saransh tool for school review. done publishing
  • DRDO’s System on Chips (SoC)- done publishing.
  • AIP system for Scorpene submarines
  • Virgin galactic crash- later in prelim compilation for space

Ignored

  • G2 Hydrogen cloud / blackhole.
  • DRDO to test fire Agni-II, IV and V, Prithvi-II and Dhanush in upcoming weeks. Well let them test fire first.

Nov.W2: Science Tech, Defense

all Later

  • ESA Rosetta Philae lander to study Comet 67P. (later in prelim compilation)
  • Navy’s TRV A-72 sunk. Later in prelim-defense compilation
  • Operation Amla: jt. Ex. Between Coast guard and Andhra Pradesh Police. Same as above.
  • LR SAM missile by DRDO and Israel. Same as above.

Ignored

  • China to launch 120 satellites.
  • INO awaiting PMO node. Because basics already covered in old article.
  • Bone marrow stem cell transplant doesn’t improve stroke-recovery says AIIMs.

Nov.W3 & W4: Science Tech, Defense

  • Antikythera device in Greek: world’s oldest computer.
  • Osmo tablet toy, Blue room exercise space.
  • Backdoor.Regin virus
  • Logbar Ring
  • Gypwall GFRG panels
  • Nano-sized Flash memory devices
  • Nanodots to recharge phone in 30 seconds.
  • CERN’s discover of two new subatomic particles
  • Merxius augmented reality software.
  • IT security softwares: Detekt, Finspy
  • NASA’s orion mission, Zero-gravity 3D printer
  • International year of crystallography.
  • Defense: Dhanush Howitzer, Dhruv Helicopter, INS Vikrant, Akash Missile, Hand-in-Hand exercise, Computerised Pilot Selection System, Schilka air defence weapon systems, Avia-indra exercise etc.

Ignored

  • ISRO given Indira peace prize. One liner GK and there is enough fodder for ISRO’s contribution to India in my previous articles.
  • Philae sniffs organic molecule on that comet but battery died down, awaiting sunlight for recharge.
  • No scientific calculators in GATE exam anymore. Candidate will be given a virtual calculator on computer. Certificate validity increased to three years.
  • IIT Madras joins CERN research.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”ambulance”]Public Health[/feature_headline]
Thank to Harsh Vardhan’s daily commentary, I’m forced to carve out a ‘separate weekly topiclist’. Update: He was shifted from Health ministry to Science ministry but still he is doing the same- daily speech here or there.

Nov.W1

  • Inner you: wearable health device.

Later

  • Artimisinin resistant Malaria.
  • National de-worming day on 11th.
  • Harsh Vardhan promises (1) separate drug controller for AYUSH (2) separate regulator for consumer protection in health assurance mission. Well let him come up with official notification first, then article.

Ignored

  • Pakistan’s polio programme is a disaster. This is news since Sep2014.
  • MCI begins on a new curriculum. Important for MBBS profile based interview questions, but not much for others.

Nov.W2: Public Health

  • Tubectomy vs. Vasectomy: need to revamp family planning drive in India. (after death of 11 women @Bilaspur.)
  • Bal Swachhta mission

Later

  • New Ebola drug. There is a new drug every second week, article after it succeeds.

Ignored

  • India will have 1.2 crore dementia patients in 2050.

Nov.W3 & W4: Public Health

  • Kerala: outbreak of birdflu
  • KIDROP Telemedicine, Retinopathy of Prematurity.
  • Brain-to-Brain connection by Prof.Rajesh Rao
  • Ban on loose cigarettes.
  • Google spoon for Parkinson disease.
  • Thyroid diseases more common in women than men, Pyrazoleamide malarial drugs, ghrelin hormone hunger hormone

Later:

  • Universal health assurance mission. When full guidelines released.
  • Shortage of HIV drugs because (1) developed countries reduced $$ to Indian NGOs after UPA-II said that AIDS declining. (2) Government itself took over procurement but very slow.

Ignored

  • Diabetic drug meformin found useful in TB-treatment.
  • Dental council proposed 3 years bridge course so Dentists serve as rural doctor. Just Oneline fodder.
  • UNICEF prevent 1.1 HIV child cases in last 8 years. Random statistics not important (unless for creating fish market @GD).
  • Ebola ball by ball commentary.
  • Pappu Yadav’s campaign against Doctors of Bihar.
  • Medileaks site launched to help whistleblowers in medical/pharma field.
  • Central Government employees won’t be transferred if they have autistic child.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”moon-o”]History & Culture[/feature_headline]

Nov.W1

  • Liberation day of Puducherry
  • Raja Ravi Verma’s contribution to Indian art, because of Bollywood movie.
  • New Harappan pictographs found near Hampi. Although hardly 3-4 points for exam

Nov.W2: History and Culture

  • Freedom fighter T Chennaiah 100th birth anniversary.
  • CRPF: 75 years.

Ignored:
Nehru’s 125th anniversary. Ignored because

  1. Sufficient content available in routine books, to handle most questions on Nehru and his contribution.
  2. Blown out of proportion like NAM 2.0; so less chances of getting asked in UPSC, unless under a double-bluff backbreaking moveTM.

Nov.W3 & W4: History and Culture

  • Tamil Poet Tiruvalluvar
  • Freedom fighter Raja Mahendra Pratap
  • Harappa site at Chandayan, UP
  • Ghantasala’s Smiling Buddha.
  • Official State symbols of Telengana
  • Rani Rudrama Devi and Chandupatla inscription.
  • SC’s new directive on Padmanabh Swami temple.
  • Aussie writer-lawyer John Lang who had fought Rani Laxmi bai’s case against East India company.

Ignored

  • Karnataka Government to prepare dictionaries for tribal languages of Hakki Pikki and Dungri Garasia. Just oneliner GK.
  • Karnataka’s Lambini tribal women embroidery gets help from French fashion designer.same as above
  • Made Snana controversy in Karnataka.
  • Tamil has roots in Indus scripts because some Indus valley people migrated to South India and influenced Dravidian languages- says Epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan.
  • Delhi gate at Delhi I built by Shah Jahan and Agra by Mohammad Furruksiyar  (oneliner GK)
  • Vrindavan: ISKON to build Chandrodaya Mandir – 3 times taller than Qutub Minar.

Revision Notes on/after next Friday (21st) November 2014

Striked out because that drama is over.
I’m taking a break from publishing full length articles for a while.
Reasons:

  1. For GS1 to GS3, the Maximum aukaat of any topic is 200 words, and the minimum time, I take to research and write any GS-article is 2 days.
  2. So, if I were to run full length articles on Cyclone Hudhud, relevance of planning commission, Make in India, Clean India, Ganga cleaning etc. then mains would be over. (Hardly 4 weeks left while I’m typing this).
  3. In GS1 to 3: you’ll have to face minimum 75 different topics. (10 marks each x 25 questions per paper x 3 papers)
  4. So It is more beneficial to know 5 bullets about 100 topics each than knowing 10 points about 50 topics each.
  5. Therefore, I’ve decided to spend next 4-5 days in preparing a final round of revision notes for “selected-topics” I consider important for Mains-2014 GS paper 1 to 3.
  6. It’ll be made up of the “gist” of topics already covered on this site in past articles+ a few new topics such as coal-ordinance, planning commission relevance etc.
  7. There won’t be prelim-cum-mains-cum-interview coverage in those notes….Just street-smart 3-5-7 keypoints on selected topics so it can be revised quickly and a “jugaadu” 100-200 words answer can be assembled in the exam hall.
  8. Emphasis on the word “selected-topics”, because given the time and manpower constrains, I can’t do justice to every syllabus topic: world history, economics of animal rearing, PPP to name a few.
  9. Emphasis on the word “jugaadu” because given the stress, time and word limit- no one can write textbook prefect answers in real mains. (2500 words in 3 hours).
  10. You can expect first such “revision topics” article on Next Friday night. (21st November)
  11. Till then no other articles (between 16 to 21st). Except if I have to publish any breaking news type articles like “xyz exam’s hall ticket or result is out”. Because search engine domination is even more important than bogus marketing propaganda.

[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″ icon=”bullhorn”]Moral Disclaimers as usual[/feature_headline]
Q. It’s nearly mid-December and now you’re releasing Topiclist for November? What about PIN for November month?

It will be released. But At present, Manpower crisis after gangmembers got occupied with full-time mains preparation, hence the delays and less frequency of articles.

Q. What is the purpose of listing these topics? You have not written any content about them!

Ans. those are the topics from Hindu, Indian express, PIB, frontline etc. which I consider important for the prelims and mains. I’ll be covering them at my own pace.

Q. What is meant by “Later” and “ignored” topics?

Later
  • Means I’m awaiting for that topic to develop further e.g. Government notifying the scheme’s salient features, or SC delivering verdict or when xyz summit is finished and experts already wrote columns on it….so “the-end” note can be prepared. OR
  • I’m awaiting for more similar news to happen so that a big compilation can be prepared. e.g. endangered species or tribal festivals.
Ignored Means I don’t consider the given news worth preparing. For example:

  1. Topics not directly *that* important for syllabus of GS-prelim or GS-mains e.g. protests in Hongkong or Thailand-coup. They have utility for interviews, but very low chance that each and everyone will be asked questions from that topic. Besides, a person qualifying for the interview is capable enough to prepare them on his own.
  2. One liner GK: Topic too small to warrant an article or too trivial to be memorized and recalled during the exam.
  3. One line fodder i.e. you can cite it as a ‘point’ for essay or descriptive answer but alone it is not worthy of an article.
  4. Too technical topic from banking/finance/science-tech that’s not usually asked in routine exams.

Q. If you’re ignoring or postponing xyz topics, then why do you even bother listing them?

Because in the initial days of preparation, a new player wastes 4-5 hours daily chasing all those topics from theHindu newspaper, in over-enthusiasm. Then he gets frustrated, gets lax in current preparation, and fails in the exam. Purpose is to demonstrate how to filter important news from useless news.

Q. Will you finish all these topics in your articles before the mains exam?

Ans. No. Unlike Salman Khan, I make no “commitment” of delivering full-length articles those topics.

Q. Then why have you listed these topics?

Ans. To help the serious players crosscheck and update their study-notes accordingly.

Q. XYZ topic was in news but you’ve not included it here.

Ans. True. It depends on my interpretation of their Cost: Benefit. or I may have missed it while reading newspapers.

Q. You should write “neutral” articles. Your pro-Modi, pro-right wing, pro-free market, anti-NGO, articles, laced with undiplomatic comic strips on homepage- they’re are hurting my eyes.

Ans. I write the way I enjoy writing. A civil service aspirant should be mature enough to wade through such content and extract points useful for his exam purpose.