UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun: 29/11/10 to 10/12/10

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Climate Change Conference, the 16 session of COP 16 held at Cancun Mexico.

Refer to Kyoto Protocol and Copenhagen Accord also.

Refer to the following two links:

UNCCCC

Wikipedia

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What is a dhow?

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A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing vessel. For detail check Wikipedia.

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France and India in 2010

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The President of France is in India. The Economic Times gives a report on his press conference in Bangalore. It reads a note on the relation between India and France.

Remember, three main leaders, namely The President of USA, The President of France and Premier of China (next to come) main visitors to India. Hence, the relations with three countries will form important issues during the interview. Similarly, it will definitely acquire place in May 2011.

Make note of these three countries. They are the probable issues for the Civil Services till May 2011.

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AIR for civil services preparation

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Many successful candidates have recommended using all India Radio as a source of locating the topics for the Civil Services and also getting updates on daily basis at your own leisure. If you are in job and preparing for Civil Services, then AIR radio becomes a very handy tool to remain updated at your own choosing. This you can access, listen and use on internet.

Visit  www.newsonair.com

Locate the news items in audio files spread over the whole website and its pages. The files are easily downloaded in a short duration. Do not need any special audio player or device to replay them. The Windows Media Player gives good out put.

One of the most recommended page on the site is News Feature sheet.

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Security Concerns of India: Home Ministry Perception

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The hitched report is based on the press conference given the Home Minister P. Chidambaram. The report contains the issues on which the Home Ministry is working. This report is valid for 2011 prelims as well as the interview in 2011.

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Hitched Report: Chidambaram Press Conference Report by The Hindu

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A P Singh, IPS, New CBI Chief

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A P Singh IPS of Jharkhan Cadre will be the new CBI Chief. The earlier chief was Ashwani Kumar IPS of Himanchal Pardesh Cadre. Consult the appended report

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Hitched Report
AP Singh CBI Chief

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Corruption in Administration: Solutions and Ways

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How can the increasing corruption in the government offices be curbed?

What role can the elected legislators and Executive perform?

Such questions are generally asked in the interview and expect some original ideas and ability to do coherent thinking. The Bihar government is going to come up with a legislation on the accountability of the bureaucracy. It is definitely going to become the issue of debate for a long time. All the issues of corruption which are in news will never be asked directly in written question papers. They can be asked in the interview. Therefore, the aspirants must develop a mature and balanced answer to such queries.

Make a note of the Report " Nitish Kumar's move to curb corruption, red-tapism".

Permanent Commission to Women in Armed Forces

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The women will get permanent commission in armed forces. Consult the report here.

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Liquidity Crunch: A theoretical perspective

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The RBI is the monetary monitor in the country. The policies adopted by it has earned it appreciation through out the world.

Economic policies and foreign relations are two major topics which have emerged as major topics for General Studies Main paper. These two issues are highly specialized topics which all the aspirants are not expected to understand in their true dimensions. However, questions are there. They are to be prepared. The Economic Times and Business Standard are two such papers which regularly publish notes on the theoretical aspects on Economic policy issues. You do not have to have deeper knowledge of economics. The write ups are such that they could be understood by any intelligent educated person regardless of his or her academic background. The given report titled Liquidity Crunch: A tool to Transmit Monetary Policy is a note with such a content. There are many more issues taken up in the article like repo rate and reverse repo rate which are important topics which can be asked in the paper are also taken up. Kindly make note of that.

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Urbanization in Gujarat

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The report is to be kept for reference. It is about the trends in urbanization in India as per empirical studies by National Sample Survey Organization (NSS0).

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"Global Zero" policy

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The twentieth Century world backed Nuclear deterrance was promoted as the right policy to maintain the world peace.

With Obama, came the vision of Global Zero policy to maintain the world peace with a world without nuclear weapons has emerged as a new world theory of peace.

There are numerous dimensions to this theory. The editorial titled 'Dangerous Nuclear Illusions' on TOI must be read.

NREGA Issue: Editorial

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The article by Aruna Roy, member National Advisory Council, titled ‘What’s in NREGA for the middle class’ is written in elusive phraseology but quite suggestive for the aspirants for Civil Services. It is an elusive only to the extant that author has not given facts and figures which actually are required for the preparation of notes for Civil Services as that matters while writing answer. However, even then, it is an article which could be read in order to prepare to develop ones own views about the future development of the scheme MGNREGA. It can be useful for the interview as well writing answers in Mains even in 2011.

The MGNREGA spirit can be well understood and developed for examinations if the aspirants makes an additional study of New Deal of Roosevelt especially the motive of the schemes adopted between 1936 and 1940 in America. The candidates can use Wikipedia to acquire already developed material.

I am bit confused about the use of the term Middle Class as the target section of the society as the goal of NREGA. On the whole, a simple reading this topic is required.

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Global Activities of India for next 1 Year

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Refer to the editorial of Times of India HERE

The write up is about the Indian foreign policy for the next 12 months. It has taken up multiple dimensions related to Indian economy and international relations. It is worth reading for 2011 interview as well next year Mains examination.

It tries to bring out the perspective about the aims and notions of different countries about India as a market, partner in world politics and investment destination. France, UK, Russia, USA and China look from different angles towards India. India is approaching them with her national interest in mind. The above article helps in writing a note from that perspective.

Make a note on the contents of the article.

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RTI Website and Logo

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According to the PTI news, the new website of RTI as well as a Logo of RTI has been released by The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Shri Prithviraj Chavan.

The government act is aimed to make the RTI more popular. After the five years in force by now, the government has observed that RTI is not popular in rural area. The logo has been granted to help the people identify it with their right which empowers them with infromation.

The Centre of Good Governance (CGG)Hyderabad will look after the activities on the portal.

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For reference check:

PTI Press release

(Disclaimer: PTI releases gradually become unaccessable. No surity of continuity of link to be alive.)


Times of India Report

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Elephant : National Heritage

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The Elephant has been accorded the national heritage status.

Refer to the hitched report.

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Link to be used: The Hindu.

NAC on National Food Security Bill

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National Advisory Council and Planning Commission have come up with the scheme which would be part of the National Food Security Bill. It is a proposed plan and the Bill which would bring in the restructured PDS and also change the BPL basis for social policy of the government.

The following list can be useful:
Economic Times Report
The Hindu Report
The Business Standard Report
The Hindustan Times Report
The Times of India.

The sequence of report has been ranged according to the utility of the content. The first one is the best one and later one includes previous reporting or different angles.

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Look East Policy of India

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Read the news letter on forthcoming events in East wherein Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will participate. It is for such letters/reports the the Hindu is highly recommended by successful candidates. It helps to develop the right perspective on government policies even for those who do not have well grounded understanding of the foreign relations. Check the news report.
Points suggested:
1. relation with Japan
2. relation with Malayasia
3. ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit
4. Comprehensive Economic Patnership Aggrement and Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Aggrement as the core of East Asia economic policies.

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Report to be read:

Look East Policy

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National Green Tribunal

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Check The REPORT.
Justice Loekshwar Singh Panta is the Chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT). It replaces the earlier Evironment Appellate Authority.

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New General Studies Papers for Prelims in 2011

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As per the PTI Press release, there will be two papers in Preliminary Test of Civil Services in 2011. Each paper will be of 200 marks. Each paper will be of two hours duration. The Press Release can be accessed HERE. The attention is directed to the layout of the syllabus of Paper I which is similar to GS Paper I. But there is more specific topics this time.

In addition to that check the news report of Economic Times here and Times of India here.

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ISRO Vision For Next Two Years.

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For General Studies Paper two, small essay (250 words question) on space policy of India is an important topic.

The topic for consideration is an article by Pallava Bagalla, a co-author of Destination Moon: India’s quest for moon, mars and beyond, that as appeared in Economic Times and hitched below in Sources to be used.

The article is simple touching numerous points. An aspirant can make points on area of application of Space technology and Indian Space Policy, the future plans, the cost factor and position of India. The article does not need specialized understanding of the topic. Highly recommended for the selection for October 2010.

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Link Hitched:
India in Space: Economic Times

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Destination Moon
Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) Programs and Exploration Handbook

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National Diary Plan

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Report on National Diary Plan Activities: Indian Express

Economic Times A good content material. substantiate it with the Indian Year Book details. Include it for October 2010.

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Indian Depository Receipt

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Indian Corporate World and Capital Market have witnessed historic events this year. Two of the major events which definitely demands attention from the aspirants of Civil Services for General Studies Main Examination are the first listing of an IDR of a foreign bank-Standard Charter Bank in India. Second is the entry of Bharti Airtel in Africa. No doubt, the Indian corporate world had been buying foreign companies and name of TATA Sons companies had hogged the lime light in the recent years. However, Bharti Airtel entry into 18 African countries is an historic event in itself. In addition to that a new financial product in form of ETF is another important issue.

Any how, IDR or Indian Depository Receipt is a topic which must be included into the probable questions.

A relevant link is on Wikipedia and for that click HERE.

In addition to that, it is useful to make notes on ADR (Click HERE for American Depository Receipt) and GDR (Global Depository Receipt Click Here).

For ETF download a highly simplified PDF for NSE website. For detailed explanation from the NSE site Click HERE. A general description in pdf format can also be downloaded for which Click HERE.

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Shanghai Cooperation Organization

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Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an Eurasian intergovernmental organization which has mutual security one of the major agenda of their contract. Presently there are six members namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Tazikstan and Uzbekiztan. The official languages of this organization Chinese and Russian.

Last year, Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh had participated in its meeting as one of the observer. India is thinking seriously to join the organization. There are economic issues on the agenda of the organization apart from Military mutual security. India has embarked on a foreign policy of developing relations with regional economic groups in attempt to look away from Euro centric or western economic group. On the other hand, India is averse to any military organization. It had been a leader of NAM. However, SCO has one of the issue of mutual security on their agenda. But in changing geo-political scenario, the national interests are dictating to review the foreign policy. Hence, there is a move towards joining this organization.

This paradigm shift which is seen evident in the foreign policy of India is taking place at a very crucial juncture. India is an active player among BRIC, BIMSTEC and BASIC countries. Europe is the major buyer as well as the technical hub of the world. However, there are some not so good signs coming out of Euro currency based economy of Europe. Greece is facing the security bond payment crises. Similarly there are indications of financial crises coming from Spain as well as Portugal. The Germans have raised a voice to disassociate from Euro Based Economy and revert back to German Marks. The Germany Chancellor has resigned in such a scenario. Europe is a major market of Chinese goods. China is emerging a major producer in the world. In such a scenario, the developing vibes between SCO and India has become an important topic.

From that angle, SCO is an important issue to be covered.

There are two links suggested below which can be used for this topic:

Wikipedia Article

SCO : Official Website

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Arjun Vajpai: Youngest Mountain Climber from India

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Arjun Vajpai (16) becomes the youngest Indian to climb the Mount Everest Peak.

Last year it was Krishna Patil.

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Hitched Report with good note material.

The Hindu : News / National : Noida boy conquers Mount Everest

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Cdr. Dilip Donde

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Cdr. Dilip Donde is the first Indian to circumnavigate the world solo.

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Hindu Report is a complete note in itself. Good for Nov 2010:
The Hindu : Front Page : Circumnavigating world solo, first Indian comes home today

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Maharatna PSU

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NTPC, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) by the Department of the Public Enterprises.

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The Hindu : Business News : Maharatna status for 4 PSUs

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