UPSC CSE Key – December 21, 2021: What you need to read today
The Indian Express UPSC Key December 21, 2021 will help you prepare for the civil service and other competitive examinations with cues on how to read and understand content from the most authoritative news source in India.
UPSC Key 2022: Here's what you should be reading from the February 1, 2022 edition of The Indian Express.
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for December 21, 2021. If you missed the December 20, 2021 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
FRONT PAGE
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• Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) Vs Union of India 2017
• Representation of the People Act, 1951-Key Highlights
• The Aadhaar Act, 2016-Key Features
• Election Commission recommendation for electoral Reforms
• Election Commission of India-Constitutional Provisions
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍 The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021
IN PARLIAMENT
Amid ruckus, RS passes NDPS (Amendment) Bill
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination:
Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Key Points to Ponder:
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021- Key Highlights
• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
• Why is there opposition to the amendment?
• Essential Narcotic Drugs (ENDs)
• Narcotics Control Bureau- Role and mandate
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 NDPS Act: a drafting error, its implications, and an amendment
GOVT & POLITICS
Anti-conversion Bill gets cabinet nod in Karnataka
Syllabus:
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Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Key Points to Ponder:
• The Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021-Why in News?
• The Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021-Key Highlights
• Anti-conversion law in other States
• Reason Behind Anti-Conversion Laws
• Article 25 of the Constitution
• Landmark Judgements of Supreme Court and High Courts on Conversion
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 3 states, 3 anti-conversion laws: what’s similar, what’s different
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📍 Karnataka’s draft Bill has 10-year jail term for ‘forced conversion
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
A Fairer Test
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Main Examination: General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Avni Prakash v National Testing Agency and Ors-Background
• Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)
• Disability in India-Data’s and statistics
• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act)
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 Disability and Rehabilitation Services in India: Issues and Challenges
📍 Explained: How much of India’s population lives with disabilities?
THE IDEAS PAGE
Three decades after a break-up
Syllabus:
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Main Examination: General Studies‐ II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest
Key Points to Ponder:
• India-Russia Relations
• Russia’s Impact on Indian Polity and Economy
• India-Russia ties in Present Scenario
• Recent differences between India and Russia bilateral relationship
• Russia China and India (RIC)
• USA-Russia Difference and its impact on India
• USA-Russia bilateral relationship under Biden Administration
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 Explained: Why Vladimir Putin visit to India is significant
A legal fix, hard to implement
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Main Examination: General Studies I: Social empowerment
Key Points to Ponder:
• Union Cabinet’s decision to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years
• Rationality behind the re-examining marriage age?
• Relative significance of the age of marriage and women’s health-How they are related?
• The Age of Consent Bill, 1927 and Sharda Act 1929
• The Law Commission Report of 2008 on Reforming Family Law
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
• Raising legal age of marriage for women- Criticism
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 Why raise legal age, or why not
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📍 Poverty, not age of marriage, is responsible for women’s poor health indicators
A bigger step forward
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Main Examination: General Studies‐III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc
Key Points to Ponder:
• Infrastructure Sector in India
• Infrastructure projects in India-Issues and Challenges
• PM Gati Shakti Master Plan-Highlights
• India as a Manufacturing Hub-Issues and Challenges
• Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat
• National Investment and Infrastructure Fund
• Kelkar Committee recommendations
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 Explained: What is Gati Shakti Master Plan that PM Modi announced on Independence Day?
EXPLAINED
Revisiting definition of EWS
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Key Points to Ponder:
• The economically weaker sections reservation-103rd Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019
• Indira Sawhney case 1992
• Supreme Court on EWS Reservation Criteria
THE WORLD
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Davos World Economic Forum called off due to Covid: report
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Key Points to Ponder:
• World Economic Forum-Formation, Headquarters and Purpose
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Key Points to Ponder:
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-Members
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and India
• Global Minimum Tax (GMT)-Definition and why it is required?
• Global Minimum Tax and India
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic
📍 Explained: Taxing Big Tech where it earns profits
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For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives.
Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing.
Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA).
Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level.
Qualification, Degrees / other achievements:
Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
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US President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States is “close to signing a trade deal” with India, after announcing new reciprocal tariffs on 14 countries — including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Japan, Cambodia and South Korea — setting rates at 25 to 40 per cent, and warning that rerouting foreign goods or retaliating would attract even higher US tariffs.
This comes as Indian negotiators are understood to have offered substantial market access to US products in most sectors, excluding sensitive areas such as dairy and agriculture. The US, in turn, is expected to offer lower tariffs on labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and footwear.
