- GUPTA ELECTED DELHI ASSEMBLY SPEAKER : MLA’S TAKE OATH IN MAITHILI, SANSKRIT, URDU
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Constitutional Provisions for Speaker’s Election
- Articles 178–181 (State Legislatures): Article 178: Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker by the Assembly’s members.
- Article 179: Vacancy and removal processes.
- Pro Term Speaker: Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor (in Delhi’s case) or the Governor (in states) to administer the oath to newly elected MLAs until the Speaker is chosen.
- Oath/Affirmation of MLAs
- Article 188: MLAs must take an oath or affirmation before assuming office.
- The oath can be taken in any of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution (e.g., Maithili, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi) Importance of Multiple Languages
- Eighth Schedule of the Constitution: Recognizes 22 official languages.
- Demonstrates linguistic diversity and inclusivity in legislative proceedings.
2. WORKING WITH FSSAI, OTHER BODIES TO REGULATE INDUSTRY : SPICES BOARD
SUBJECT: AGRICULTURE
- Spices Board working with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to regulate and harmonize standards.
- Goal: Sustainable approaches and conservation-driven strategies in spice production.
- Enhance food safety compliance for exports.
- Relevance:
- Agriculture & Food Processing: Regulatory bodies, APEDA, Spices Board, FSSAI roles.
- International Trade: Ensuring quality standards to boost exports and farmer incomes
3. SCIENTISTS PROPOSE TABLESPOT TEST TO CHECK QUANTUMNESS OF GRAVITY
SUBJECT: SCIENCE
- Proposal by Physicists: A small-scale experiment to see if gravity behaves according to Newtonian or quantum mechanics.
- Key Concept: Quantum superposition test: If gravitational fields can be in superposition, it hints at quantum nature of gravity.
- Significance: Could resolve fundamental questions about General Relativity vs. Quantum Theory.
- Paves the way for quantum gravity research without large-scale colliders
4. REGIONAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY MEET IN JAIPUR FROM MARCH 3
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- Event:12th Regional 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) & Circular Economy Conference in Jaipur (March 3–5).
- Focus: Achieving SDGs and carbon neutrality in the Asia-Pacific.
- 500+ participants (international & domestic) for discussions on sustainable waste management
5. THE RTI IS NOW THE RIGHT TO DENY INFORMATION
SUBJECT: GOVERNANCE
- Critics say there’s a growing trend of withholding information under Section 8 (exemptions) and Section 11(third party info).
- Transparency vs. Confidentiality: Conflict arises when governments use broad exceptions.
- Suggestion that public interest is overshadowed by bureaucratic secrecy.
- Relevance:
- Polity & Governance: Provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005), recent amendments.
- Accountability & Transparency: Role of CIC (Central Information Commission), issues of institutional independence.
