Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

1. Nagaraj Judgment: The law on SC/ST promotions

Supreme court recently allowed quota in promotions for SC/ST on a temporary basis until the Constitution bench decides on the validity of such promotions in accordance with provisions of the constitution

Note down Article 16, 335 and read more about them from textbook along with the associated case like Indra Sawhney

2 Chalukyan sculpture of Siva found in Andhra Pradesh

The red sandstone sculpture found at a Chalukyan temple in Satyavolu village of Andhra Pradesh portrays Lord Siva as the therapeutic physician (Rudra Bhaishajana) — as described in Rigveda

Note down the term and its meaning as it has high chances of appearing in Prelims

3 Maternal mortality ratio in the country drops from 167 to 130

India is on its way to achieving the target of low MMR and India has bettered the MDG target of 139 for 2014-2016

Note down the states having highest and lowest MMR and all India trends. This kind of data is now being used to make Prelims questions

Low relevance news

1. Central package for sugar mills

The government has decided to fix the minimum price of refined sugar at ₹29/kg, create a buffer stock, and facilitate a ₹4,440 crore loan scheme to help mills produce ethanol from surplus cane

Only important part of this news is: The government intends to control sugar prices by notifying an order under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and imposing stockholding limits on mills

2 Outsource non-core duties of Delhi police: Home Secretary

Private agencies could be engaged in performing the non-core functions of Delhi police

No important points from exam point of view but do read about Delhi legislature’s powers and exempted areas of legislation