DPN Topics
Subject: Economy Context: According to a report, government is said to be considering a reduction in the Public Provident Fund (PPF) interest rates to below 7%. Concept: When the PPF scheme was launched in 1968, the introductory rate of interest hovered at 4.68% for the first two years before inching upwards to 5% and beyond. However, […]
Subject: Environment Context: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two persons involved in an alleged wildlife smuggling syndicate and seized a consignment of 22 exotic macaws. Concept: The birds were identified as Hyacinth Macaw, Pesquet’s Parrot, Severe Macaw and Hahn’s Macaw. They are all protected species under the Convention on International Trade in […]
Subject: Science and tech Context: COVID-19 puts a spotlight on importance of Medicines Patent Pool as it helps in reducing cost of medicines and makes it accessible. Concept: Patent pools can be defined as an agreement between two or more patent owners to license one or more of their patents to one another or to […]
Subject: Polity Context: The pandemic has shown bad state of urban local bodies, without enough power and funds. Concept: This Act has added a new Part IX-A to the Constitution of India. It is entitled ‘The Municipalities and consists of provisions from Articles 243-P to 243-ZG. In addition, the act has also added a new […]
Subject: History Context: On the 66th death anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh has been observed. Concept: He was the independent India’s first Minister of Industry and Supply and founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He became a member of the Bengal Legislative Council in 1929, and was the […]
Subject: Geography Context: Indian navy has stopped Chinese maritime research and survey vessels that entered Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf (CS) of India without prior consent in 2018 and 2019 Concept: Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as generally extending 200 nautical miles from shore, within which the coastal state has the right to explore […]
Subject: IR Context: Ministry of External Affairs has announced that it will participate in the virtual meeting of the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping scheduled to be held on 23rd June, 2020. Concept: RIC is a strategic grouping, conceived by the then Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov in 1998. But the idea of meeting at the leader’s level on a more […]
Subject: Economy Context: The Discussion Paper on “Governance in Commercial Banks” released by the RBI is a high-quality document that contains principles drawn from those released by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) in 2015. Concept: The Basel Committee – initially named the Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices was established by the […]
Subject: IR Context: US government has extended the 60-day ban on immigration and non-immigrant worker visas till the end of 2020. The suspension of H-1B and other work will likely to have a severe impact on majority of Indian IT companies Concept: The lottery-based H-1B visas allow US companies to employ foreign workers temporarily in specialised occupations […]
Subject: Environment Context: Golden Langurs are facing threat of electrocution from power supply lines. Concept: It is endemic to the semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests straddling India and Bhutan. The golden langurs in Assam are hemmed in by three rivers Brahmaputra in the south, Manas in east and Sonkosh in west. Their northern limit […]