DPN Topics
Subject: Science and tech Context: In January, London will begin the world’s first human challenge trial. Participants will be vaccinated with a candidate vaccine and then wilfully exposed to novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) a month or so later. Over 38,000 people from 166 countries have already volunteered to participate in such studies. Concept: Human challenge trials […]
Subject: Polity Context: Three Codes on labour law were passed by Parliament, amid strident criticism and vociferous protests by many trade unions. Concept: The right to strike in the Indian constitution set up is not absolute right but it flow from the fundamental right to form union. As every other fundamental right is subject to […]
Subject: Polity Context: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its latest audit report of government accounts, has observed that the Union government withheld in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) more than ₹1.1 lakh crore out of the almost ₹2.75 lakh crore collected through various cesses in 2018-19. Concept: The Union government […]
Subject: Economy Context: Round tripping of funds is made easier by digital transactions. India can stem tax erosion by using AI-driven tools Concept: Round tripping Money leaves the country through various channels such as inflated invoices, payments to shell companies overseas, the hawala route and so on. After cooling its heels overseas for a while, […]
Subject:Economy Context: The Vodafone Group has won a long pending arbitration case against the Indian tax department’s demand of Rs 20,000 crore on a retrospective basis at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague Concept: Retrospective taxation allows a country to pass a rule on taxing certain products, items or services and deals and charge […]
Subject:IR Context: Out of the $20 billion in loans issued by the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), about $6 billion has gone to India. Concept: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, it began operations in […]
Subject: Arts and culture Context: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple may have been reconstructed during early 13th century according to the inscriptions found at the temple, said archaeological expert Concept: The present structure of MeenakshiSundareswarar Temple in Madurai might have been reconstructed during the rule of JatavarmanKulasekara Pandya (1190-1216 common era). This structure was damaged due to […]
Subject: Environment Context: Lion-tailed macaque (Macacasilenus), a primate endemic to Western Ghats continues to be in the ‘endangered’ category in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Concept: The latest conservation status of the primate was updated in the IUCN database recently based on technical reports over the years from a group of researchers As […]
Subject: Polity/Geography Context: The Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) meeting saw a sharp exchange of words between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Mekedatu dam project. Concept: Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 had constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in 1990 […]
Subject: Polity Context: Historic reform in the field of medical education has been effected by the Union Government with the constitution of the National Medical Commission (NMC), along with four Autonomous Boards. Concept: NMC will subsume the Medical Council of Indiaand will regulate medical education and practice in India. Functions of the NMC include: (i) […]