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Current Affairs  Important Newspaper Highlights for UPSC Civil Services Examination. 21 August 2022 The HINDU   🟠 (Page 1) : 21 killed in Himachal rain Havoc. 🟢 (Page 1) : 'Warning level most effective in identifying harmful nutrients' 🟠 (Page 2) : men kills landlord with hammer takes selfie with body and flees (you can use this story in GS4) 🟢 (Page 2) : 'Biggest' fake password, visa racket burst; 4 held  🟠 (Page 10) : Corbevax booster should be a vaccine of choice  🟢 (Page 10) : Improving rice yelled with an additional gene  🟠 (Page 10) : Extreme waves of COVID-19 may have faster-than-expected growth rates  🟢 (Page 11) : What is India's policy on the Rohingya?  🟠 (Page 11) : How will FIFA's decision affect Indian football?  🟢 (Page 12) : The nuclear frontline  🟠 (Page 12) : From chicken seller to president 

India has a plethora of local cultures that combine to present us with a local identity. Globalisation, which is the free movement of people, ideas, goods etc between countries has created a global Identity. There is a perception that our local identity is under threat due to the overarching influence of the new found global identity. Arguments supporting the above-mentioned perception: People preferring English over indigenous languages. Substitution of local entertainment like theatres, puppetry with Netflix. Loss of the joint family structure for the nuclear family system of west. Changing family structure with emergence of live-in, same sex relationships, etc. Changing in dressing and eating habits called McDonaldization. Conflict of values: Freedom of speech against respect for elders, moral decency. Arguments opposing the above-mentioned perception: Indian cultural practises now celebrated globally: Yoga Day. Indian Music, cinema finding global recognition. Glocalization/Incorpor...

Women in India have been under a social paradox. Our civilizational values and the leadership of women signify the importance of women in our society, but on the other hand, Patriarchy and its associated evils present a complex challenge spanning across time and space. India ranks 140/156 in Gender Gap Index, has one of the lowest parliamentary participation (14%), shares a significant proportion of global health burden and declining Labour force participation. Temporal Challenges faced by women: 1. Ancient Times: Decline of the position of women, practice of Sati originated and women were considered as the 5th varna (status similar to Shudras). 2. Medieval Times: Social ills like sati, female infanticide, women prisoners in Harem, polygamy prevalent. 3. Modern age: Indian Renaissance slightly improved women status. However, deep rooted patriarchal system continued to persist. 4. Contemporary times: Low political participation, gender bias in employment, shadow pandemic, feminization o...

India being the oldest surviving civilization is a living example of unity in diversity. There is pan Indian culture at the top which exists independently from pockets of local cultures. This coexistence model is often called the Salad Bowl Model. Existence of multiple small India’s within India. 1. Linguistic Diversity: India has over 150 recognized languages. It is said that dialect changes every 20kms and language every 55 km in India. 2. Ethnic Diversity: Indicated by presence of a plethora of races like proto-australoids, negritos, Mediterranean’s etc. 3. Religious Diversity: India as the cradle of 4 religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, which in addition to the Abrahamic religions form the religious diversity. 4. Diversity in customs, traditions and festivals reflecting a fair degree of similarity and differences.  5. Social stratification via caste system has proliferated the diversity in society due to categorization and sub categorization of castes. 6. Cuisine, ...

Secularism is a concept wherein there is a separation of state and religion. India has followed secularism since time immemorial, especially since Independence. 42nd CAA, 1976 added the word secularism to the preamble. However, secularism at present challenges many facets of our cultural practises. Challenges of secularism to our cultural practises: 1. Treating secularism as Anti-Religion: leading to erosion of values and ethics from politics. 2. Curb on freedom of cultural practises: for e.g.: banning firecrackers during Diwali. 3. Tool for minority appeasement: majoritarian perspective on curbs of majority cultural practises 4. Adoption of majoritarian practises by state: e.g.: meat ban in Gujarat during Navaratri. 5. Judicial overreach: Shayara Bano case (2017), Sabarimala verdict seen as sacrificing cultural practises in name of secularism. 6. Constitutional morality invoked in judgments like Ban on Jalliakatu, Female Genitalia Mutilation. Proper adherence to the Indian model of se...

India will overtake China as the most populous nation by 2027. Presently housing 17% of the global population in 2.5% of global land, Controlling Population growth remains an agenda which cannot be successfully achieved without empowering women. Role of women in controlling population growth: 1. Empowering women leads to more conscious decision making w.r.t. Family planning, contraceptives etc. 2. The prevalence of higher marriage age, lesser number of children and greater economic standing in women with higher education statistics.  3. Adequate education, healthcare helps prevent early marriages, which is associated with lower health indicators and higher number of children. 4. Employment opportunities lead to greater autonomy in decision making of women. 5. Legislations and Policies like Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao have had positive social impacts 6. The states of southern India which have stabilised population levels also show higher socio-economic indicators compared to states with...

Culture of a country is the set of customs, ideas, beliefs, etc. Indian culture is a product of thousands of years of evolution and influences giving it a distinct identity. Indian society is a salad bowl of cultures wherein multiple unit cultures exist in addition to a national culture. Reasons behind the sustainability of Indian culture: 1. Tolerance : Rooted in Sarva Dharma Sambhava, which has enabled India to host all major global religions. 2. Adaptability : Helping us survive the changing times without compromising the learning of our past 3. Civilizational Ethos : Harmony, Universal brotherhood, Continuity. 4. Integration : Since time immemorial, foreigners have come to India and got Indianized and integrated. 5. Unity in Diversity : Despite huge societal and ethnic diversities, we are united to a common idea of being Indians. Of late, there has been division in the grand idea of Indian culture due to rising communalism, regionalism, casteism, inequality etc. However, it must be...

Globalisation is a process of increasing interdependence, interconnectedness and integration of economies and societies to extents never seen before. Some point it to creating a global common identity while others oppose it as cultural imperialism and an attempt at cultural subversion. Globalisation threatening Diversity and Pluralism in India: 1. Families getting increasingly nuclear from erstwhile joint family structures. 2. English replacing Indian languages in everyday usage and 190 languages in India threatened with extinction (UNESCO language atlas). 3. Change in food habits and cuisines- McDonald’s effect. 4. Changes in the institution of marriage-contractual, live-ins and divorces are increasing. 5. Newer festivals like Valentine’s Day, Halloween are gaining prominence. 6. Regionalism rising as a reaction to globalisation. Globalisation aiding in development of diversity and pluralism: 1. Greater emphasis of India and Indians before the world. 2. Gain in cultural consciousness ...