GS2: Polity
- Explained: Who is Assamese? A proposed definition, and several questions(IE) For the purpose of implementation of Clause 6, the proposed definition includes indigenous tribals, other indigenous communities, all other citizens of India residing in Assam on or before January 1, 1951 and indigenous Assamese — and their descendants. In short, it covers anyone who can prove their presence (or that of their ancestors) in Assam before 1951.
- No checks on fickle loyalties; Only by the people(IE) One of them is that it only punishes MLAs for switching parties. Political parties who are at the heart of our politics have no liability under the law.
- Technology could make justice delivery efficient and affordable(Mint) For dispute avoidance and containment entailing low- and medium-value civil matters, online dispute resolution (ODR) could work. It has the potential to pre-empt disputes at an early stage.
GS2: International Relations
- A self-reliant foreign policy(TH) Diversification is the essence of self-reliance. A wide basket of strategic partners, including the U.S., with a sharper focus on constraining China, is the only viable diplomatic way forward in the current emerging multipolar world order.
GS3: Economy
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to launch the platform for “Transparent Taxation– Honoring the Honest” on the 13th August 2020.(PIB); The focus of the tax reforms has been on reduction in tax rates and on simplification of direct tax laws. Several initiatives have been taken by the CBDT for bringing in efficiency and transparency in the functioning of theIT Department. This includes bringing more transparency in official communication through the newly introduced Document Identification Number (DIN) wherein every communication of the Department would carry a computer generated unique document identification number.
GS3: Science & Technology
- IISER Bhopal scientists’ study on seed germination may lead to crop improvement(TH) the interplay between plant hormones like abscisic acid (ABA) inhibit the sprouting of the seed and environmental cues like light (which promotes the sprouting process) and darkness.
- Explained: What is the Perseids meteor shower set to peak mid-August?(IE) The Perseids occur as the Earth runs into pieces of cosmic debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud of debris is about 27 km wide, and at the peak of the display, between 160 and 200 meteors streak through the Earth’s atmosphere every hour as the pieces of debris, travelling at some 2.14 lakh km per hour, burn up a little less than 100 km above the Earth’s surface.
