Dear students,

We understand that the UPSC exam is a generalist exam. It’s more important to cover more issues than to cover one issue in more depth. Hence, through Samachar Manthan, we are trying to maintain a fine balance of covering many important news items and having a detailed discussion on selected topics which require the same. On daily basis a news gets repeated multiple times. Scattered knowledge is not adequately useful when you have to write a 200 words answer within 6-7 minutes. To handle this, Samachar manthan covers such issues in a comprehensive and consolidated manner which is the smart strategy.

Benefits of Samachar Manthan

• Packed 3 – 3.5 hours Weekly videos will focus on news and its importance from both prelims and mains perspective.
• This program will also help you understand how to utilize current affairs in all your prelims and mains papers.
• This ideology makes this course the best utilization of your time.
• Detailed coverage would mean analysis from all the angles like background or history, features, significance, challenges and way forward. Also, multiple sources like epw, diplomat magazine etc will be referred to in the video lectures.
• Such an approach will help in writing multidimensional answers.
• Also which part of the topic is important from mains and prelims perspective will also be discussed.
• Audio Visual Learning is more impactful than simply glancing through the material. So that you are able to retain information for long also interlink with any new information you get.
• 4 stage structure of Video->Notes->testing->review to perfect your preparation
• The sequence of video->Notes->testing->review is the best way to ensure maximum retention and a rock solid preparation. Each component of the program has been meticulously crafted.

For example this week, we will be covering the following issues;

Economics 
WTO moratorium on e-commerce customs duties
Fiscal Performance Index by CII
India is now the lowest-cost producer of solar power
[op-ed snap] Going digital
RBI has cut lending rates for the third consecutive time
[op-ed snap] Eye on growth
RBI revises stressed asset resolution norms
[op-ed snap] The only mantra
[op-ed snap] Slippery slope
Gujarat launches India’s first Emission Trading Scheme

Governance 
Pension scheme for small shopkeepers, retail traders
ICMR calls for a complete ban on e-cigarettes
National Defence Fund
Government launches new ‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for 2017-18
SDG Gender Index
[op-ed snap] The sum and substance of the jobs data
[op-ed snap] Crisis defused: on Hindi imposition
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
[pib] Jan Shikshan Sansthans
[pib] Swachh Bharat Mission impact on Groundwater
‘Nal Se Jal’ Yojana
[op-ed snap] Caught napping
Free transport for women in Delhi
EBPG quota
SEBI, MCA sign pact for more data scrutiny
[op-ed snap] Welfare policy and Modi 2.0

International Relations
Explained: OIC’s reference to J&K, and India’s response to it
OIC on Kashmir
India’s response
[op-ed snap] The immediate neighbourhood
[op-ed snap] Ocean of neighbours
US asks for social media details of most visa applicants
New START Policy

Polity 
Explained: Dual Mandate in India
Election panel wants to revisit rule on punishment to voters for false mismatch claims
Explained: Cabinet Committees

Science Tech Art Culture 
Parthenogenesis
[op-ed snap] Breaking the algorithm

Security Issues
UdChalo Initiative
[pib] Retired Officers Digital Records Archive (RODRA)
[op-ed snap] Bolster the first line of defence”

And these issues will be covered in detail

• Cabinet Committees
• RODRA
• Nal se Jal
•  3 language Formula
• India’s first emission trading scheme
• Welfare Policy of new Government

So to be thorough in your preparation and to have an integrated approach, join Samachar Manthan here.