The Civil Services Examination (CSE), conducted by UPSC, serves as the gateway to India's administrative services, shaping governance and policy implementation.
Need for Reform
Revising the preliminary exam structure to ensure a fairer selection process.
Balancing Paper-II to accommodate aspirants from diverse academic backgrounds.
Introducing long-form analytical questions in the main examination.
Replacing optional subjects with common papers such as Governance and Policy, aligning with administrative responsibilities.
The Centre has notified a series of regulations for Ladakh’s land, jobs, and cultural preservation, aimed at addressing concerns raised by the civil society in Ladakh over the past five years.
Limitations of the new regulations
No Constitutional Protection: Made under Article 240, these executive rules lack permanence and can be altered by the Centre anytime, unlike the constitutionally guaranteed Sixth Schedule.
No Land Safeguards: Absence of restrictions on land ownership by non-domiciles raises concerns over demographic changes, tourism pressure, and ecological impact.
No Legislative Autonomy: LAHDCs remain administrative bodies without law-making powers, unlike Sixth Schedule councils with authority over land, forests, and customs.
Symbolic cultural protection: While local languages have been recognised, there is no roadmap for their official use in education, governance, or the judiciary.
While closing the 2007 Salwa Judum case, the Supreme Court recently observed that any law made by the Parliament or a State Legislature cannot be held to be an act of contempt of Court.
Issues and Concerns
Potential restriction on freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a))
Vagueness of definitions, especially "scandalizing the court," which can be subjective.
Potential for misuse to shield the judiciary from legitimate criticism.
The fact that similar laws have been abolished in some countries, like the UK.
Recently, it has been observed that India has the potential to scale-up Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) adoption due to its strong manufacturing base and commitment to sustainability.
BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics)
Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) refers to the integration of photovoltaic (solar) cells into the building envelope — including glass panels, rooftops, railings, façades, and cladding.
These systems replace conventional materials and simultaneously generate electricity, effectively turning buildings into power generators.
The Kheer Bhawani festival, an annual celebration held on Jyeshta Ashtami, is currently taking place at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir.
About Kheer Bhawani Temple
The original temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh around 1912. It was later embellished and renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
It is dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, who is considered an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
A distinctive feature of the temple is a hexagonal spring located at its center, revered for its sacred water.
Both the temple and the festival derive their name from the sweet dish 'kheer', which is distributed as prasad (a religious offering) to devotees.
