THE HINDU EDITORIAL : NOVEMBER 30, 2018

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – November 30, 2018, is one of the must-read section for the competitive exams like  IBPS Clerk 2018, Canara Bank PO – PGDBF 2018 and IBPS SO 2018. These topics are widely expected to be asked in the reading comprehension, Cloze Test or Error Detection in the forthcoming exams. So gear up your Exam preparation and learn new words daily.

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A) Number theory: on lowering UPA-era GDP growth rate

The larger lessons from the GDP back series must not be clouded by a political slugfest

Backcasting, or reworking past national accounts statistics based on the latest base year, is a regular exercise that governments carry out. Mainly done to enable precise comparison and analysis, it is a difficult exercise prone to contestation as it involves the inclusion of newer data sources, exclusion of outdated ones and making some subjective assumptions in the process. Throw in the political element, and GDP backcasting can become a controversial exercise, as it has now become in the case of the release of back series data from 2005-06 to 2011-12, the new base year. The data computed by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and released by the Niti Aayog show that India never really grew in double-digits in 2010-11, nor was it the high-growth economy in the five years preceding this as earlier thought to be. It so happens that this period covers the two terms of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, and the new data have predictably set off a political storm. The Congress may feel aggrieved as its biggest achievement, of taking India on the high GDP growth path, has come under question. During earlier instances of backcasting of GDP data, the political environment was not as deeply polarised as it is now, and so the exercise remained more academic.

The danger in the political slugfest now is that the many valuable insights that can be gleaned from the data will be lost sight of. The biggest of these is that India never really decoupled from the global economy during the years of the financial crisis (2008-10), unlike what was earlier believed. The new back series data show a much lower growth rate. This is an important learning for policymakers, going forward. Any criticism of the data has to take into account the fact that it has been generated by a thoroughly professional organisation, the CSO, and the methods have been scrutinised by experts, including past chief statisticians, and the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics. Certainly, the release of the back series by the Niti Aayog goes against convention and is bad in optics. But this should not be reason to contest its integrity. The method of computation reflects the latest United Nations System of National Accounts; it also captures changes in the economy since 2004-05. Data sources have also been updated. Experts had testified to the robustness of the method when it was introduced in 2015, even while underlining that the availability of reliable data was crucial to arrive at the correct overall picture. There is little doubt that India needs to invest more in data collection and integration and do informal sector surveys more frequently. Robust, updated data are, in fact, insurance against politicians hijacking what is essentially an economic exercise.

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B) Cool it: on labour loss due to heatwave

Increased exposure to heatwaves needs a policy response, nationally and globally

The staggering loss of an estimated 153 billion hours of labour during 2017 due to rising temperatures around the globe is a reminder to governments that they are not doing enough to dramatically curb greenhouse gas emissions. The Lancet countdown on health and climate has reported that India was particularly affected by the rising frequency of heatwave events and lost about 75 billion hours of work, a significant part of it in the agricultural sector. This has worrying implications for rural employment and the well-being of a large section of the population that depends on farming. At stake for all countries in the developing world is the health of millions, many of them already vulnerable to extreme weather events. Coming on the eve of the UN climate conference in Katowice, Poland, the report of the Lancet panel for 2018 brings clarity, placing connected issues in perspective for governmental action. It is vital that India gets more ambitious about cutting back on carbon emissions, even as it presses for the fulfilment of the climate finance obligations of developed countries under the Paris Agreement of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. A further reduction in the share of coal in the energy mix through sustained support for renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaics, must form the cornerstone of national policy. This must be matched by a shift away from use of fossil fuels for transport, and the induction of more electric vehicles. Such a policy would yield the parallel benefit of improving air quality; ambient air pollution led to the premature death of an estimated half a million people in India in 2015.

The consensus on climate change is that it has begun to affect the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. India’s approach to adaptation should, therefore, prepare for catastrophes with a well-considered plan to provide relief and rehabilitation. If the Centre and State governments can arrive at a consensus on the strong climate link to the excessive rain in Kerala and Cyclone Gaja in Tamil Nadu, for instance, a case could be made for climate funds under the Paris Agreement. Such a claim has to be supported by a perspective plan that identifies vulnerable regions and communities, and incorporates transparent systems for funds utilisation. The importance of funds for adaptation is underscored by Lancet’s finding that 99% of losses from climate-related events in low-income countries were not insured. From a public health perspective, the report sounds a warning that rising temperatures will enable the dengue virus and malaria to spread farther and faster. This is also true of some other infections. The aggravated impact of climate change on health is a serious issue for policymakers to consider when they gather in Katowice for the conference on December 2.

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VOCABULARY

1) precise

Meaning : (of a person) exact, accurate, and careful about details.

Tamil Meaning : துல்லியமான

Synonyms : decisive

Antonyms : flexible

Example : “the director was precise with his camera positions”

2) inclusion

Meaning : the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure(n).

Tamil Meaning : சேர்ப்பதற்காக

Synonyms : admittance

Antonyms : exclusion

Example : “they have been selected for inclusion in the scheme”

3) prone

Meaning : likely or liable to suffer from, do, or experience something unpleasant or regrettable.(adj)

Tamil Meaning : பாதிப்புக்குள்ளாகும்

Synonyms : decumbent

Antonyms : improbably

Example : “farmed fish are prone to disease”

4) contestation

Meaning : the action or process of disputing or arguing.

Tamil Meaning : வாக்குவாதம்

Synonyms : argument

Antonyms : harmony

Example : “ideological contestation over social policy in the European Union”

5) controversial

Meaning : giving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement.(adj)

Tamil Meaning : சர்ச்சைக்குரிய

Synonyms : disputed

Antonyms : certain

Example : “years of wrangling over a controversial bypass”

6) computed

Meaning : reckon or calculate (a figure or amount).

Tamil Meaning : கணக்கிடப்படுகிறது

Synonyms : gauge

Antonyms : estimate

Example : “the hire charge is computed on a daily basis”

7) preceding

Meaning : come before (something) in time.

Tamil Meaning : முந்தைய

Synonyms : prior

Antonyms : later

Example : “a gun battle had preceded the explosions”

8) aggrieved

Meaning : feeling resentment at having been unfairly treated.

Tamil Meaning : ஆளாகிறது

Synonyms : disturbed

Antonyms : comforted

Example : “they were aggrieved at the outcome”

9) slugfest

Meaning : a tough and challenging contest, especially in sports such as boxing and baseball.

Synonyms : brawl

Antonyms : agreement

Example : “the fight brought back memories of the classic 1976 Lyle-Foreman slugfest”

10) insights

Meaning : the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.(n)

Tamil Meaning : நுண்ணறிவு

Synonyms : acumen

Antonyms : ignorance

Example : “his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight”

11) estimated

Meaning : roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.

Tamil Meaning : மதிப்பீட்டிலான

Synonyms : predicted

Example : “the aim is to estimate the effects of macroeconomic policy on the economy”

12) gleaned

Meaning : obtain (information) from various sources, often with difficulty.(v)

Tamil Meaning : சேகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள

Synonyms : deduce

Antonyms : disperse

Example : “the information is gleaned from press cuttings”

13) criticism

Meaning : the expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes.

Tamil Meaning : திறனாய்வு

Synonyms : comment

Antonyms : neglect

Example : “he received a lot of criticism”

14) scrutinised

Meaning : examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Tamil Meaning : ஆராயப்படுகிறது

Synonyms : analyze

Antonyms : forget

Example : “customers were warned to scrutinize the small print”

15) contest

Meaning : engage in competition to attain (a position of power).(v)

Tamil Meaning : போட்டியில்

Synonyms : tournament

Antonyms : calm

Example : “she declared her intention to contest the presidency”

16) integrity

Meaning : the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.(n)

Tamil Meaning : நேர்மை

Synonyms : probity

Antonyms : deceit

Example : “a gentleman of complete integrity”

17) computation

Meaning : the action of mathematical calculation.

Tamil Meaning : கணக்கீடு

Synonyms : estimation

Antonyms : conjecture

Example : “methods of computation”

18) hijacking

Meaning : an act of illegally seizing an aircraft, vehicle, or ship while in transit; a hijack.

Synonyms : steal

Example : “he was involved in a hijacking in 1981”

19) staggering

Meaning : walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.

Tamil Meaning : தடுமாற்றத்தினை

Synonyms : astonishing

Antonyms : determined

Example : “he staggered to his feet, swaying a little”

20) implications

Meaning : the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated.(n)

Tamil Meaning : தாக்கங்கள்

Synonyms : connotation

Antonyms : proof

Example : “the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible”

21) stake

Meaning : mark an area with stakes so as to claim ownership of it.

Synonyms : stave

Antonyms : whole

Example : “the boundary between the two manors was properly staked out”

22) vulnerable

Meaning : exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

Tamil Meaning : பாதிக்கப்படக்கூடிய

Synonyms : accessible

Antonyms : protected

Example : “we were in a vulnerable position”

23) perspective

Meaning : a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view(n).

Tamil Meaning : முன்னோக்கு

Synonyms : aspect

Example : “most guidebook history is written from the editor’s perspective”

24) ambitious

Meaning : having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed.

Tamil Meaning : மூர்க்கமான

Synonyms : aggressive

Antonyms : lethargic

Example : “a ruthlessly ambitious woman”

25) obligations

Meaning : an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.

Tamil Meaning : கடமைகளை

Synonyms : agreement

Antonyms : asset

Example : “I have an obligation to look after her”

26) reduction

Meaning : the action or fact of making something smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.(n)

Tamil Meaning : குறைப்பு

Synonyms : rebate

Antonyms : increase

Example : “talks on arms reduction”

27) sustained

Meaning : continuing for an extended period or without interruption.

Tamil Meaning : நீடித்த

Synonyms : constant

Antonyms : intermittent

Example : “several years of sustained economic growth”

28) cornerstone

Meaning : an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.(n)

Synonyms : essential

Antonyms : abolish

Example : “a national minimum wage remained the cornerstone of policy”

29) ambient

Meaning : relating to the immediate surroundings of something.

Tamil Meaning : சுற்றுப்புற

Synonyms : rotating

Antonyms : motionless

Example : “the liquid is stored at below ambient temperature”

30) intensity

Meaning : the quality of being intense(n).

Tamil Meaning : தீவிரம்

Synonyms : anxiety

Antonyms : apathy

Example : “the pain grew in intensity”

31) catastrophes

Meaning : an event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.(n)

Tamil Meaning : பேரழிவுகள்

Synonyms : adversity

Antonyms : benefit

Example : “an environmental catastrophe”

32) rehabilitation

Meaning : the action of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness.(n)

Tamil Meaning : புனர்வாழ்வு

Synonyms : overhaul

Antonyms : damage

Example : “she underwent rehabilitation and was walking within three weeks”

33) instance

Meaning : an example or single occurrence of something.(n)

Tamil Meaning : உதாரணமாக

Synonyms : occasion

Example : “a serious instance of corruption”

34) perspective

Meaning : a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view.(n)

Tamil Meaning : முன்னோக்கு

Synonyms : aspect

Antonyms : hopeless

Example : “most guidebook history is written from the editor’s perspective”

35) claim

Meaning : state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof.(v)

Tamil Meaning : கூற்றை

Synonyms : assertion

Antonyms : denial

Example : “the Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt”

36) aggravated

Meaning : (of an offence) made more serious by attendant circumstances.(adj)

Tamil Meaning : மோசமானது

Synonyms : irritate

Antonyms : delight

Example : “aggravated burglary”

37) impact

Meaning : the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.(n)

Tamil Meaning : தாக்கம்

Synonyms : brunt

Antonyms : avoidance

Example : “there was the sound of a third impact”

38) relief

Meaning : a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress.

Tamil Meaning : நிவாரண

Synonyms : alleviation

Antonyms : hindrance

Example : “much to her relief, she saw the door open”

39) Advisory

Meaning : having or consisting in the power to make recommendations but not to take action enforcing them.

Tamil Meaning : ஆலோசனை

Synonyms : consultive

Example : “the Commission acts in an advisory capacity”

40) polarised

Meaning : restrict the vibrations of (a transverse wave, especially light) wholly or partially to one direction.(v)

Synonyms : separate

Antonyms : combine

Example : “some of the light is polarized so that it vibrates in only one plane”

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Aspirants can check the Whole planner of IBPS CLERK Prelims Exam 2018 from the below given link. 

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IBPS CLERK prelims Exam 2018 – Planner 

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL : NOVEMBER 29, 2018

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Aspirants can find the other important THE HINDU EDITORIAL topics from the link that is mentioned below, to score more in the English section, THE HINDU EDITORIAL is vital and considered as the best source to learn more. Learning THE HINDU EDITORIAL provides you with an added advantage for the aspirants as this assist in their bank exam preparations.

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Check the other important THE HINDU EDITORIAL from the previous months that are available in our Bankersdaily website through the links that are mentioned below.

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL –  JUNE

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL – JULY 

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Other Important Notification: Released In October 2018

TNPSC Group II Prelims 2018 – Expected Cutoff Marks

ESIC SSO Prelims Score Card 2018 Released

TNSPSC Group II 2018 Answer Key – General English & General Tamil

Canara Bank PO PGDBF Manipal Recruitment 2018 – 800 Vacancies

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