THE HINDU EDITORIAL : JANUARY 29, 2019

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – January 29, 2018, is one of the must-read section for the competitive exams like  NIACL AO Prelims Exam, IBPS SO Mains Exam. 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) Shot in the arm: on SC upholding Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

The Supreme Court’s ruling eases the implementation of the IBC in knotty cases

Last week’s Supreme Court judgment upholding the validity of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (IBC) in its “entirety” could have a major impact on the country’s economic landscape. The fledgling IBC has been severely tested in the two years since its enactment, with the Centre being forced to amend a couple of its provisions in order to plug some loopholes that enabled defaulting borrowers to challenge the legislation. Any law of this nature that takes over businesses and assets from defaulters and empowers lenders to change the management is bound to face legal challenges. Borrowers were never going to take the IBC lying down, and that is exactly what happened; over the last two years, they have challenged various aspects of the law in tribunals and courts. In the event, the apex court’s stamp of approval on the entire Code is a strong signal to borrowers and banks even as it brings a sense of relief to the Centre, which has been watching one of its better economic initiatives being stifled by vested interests.

One of the major challenges mounted against the IBC was by operational creditors, who are owed money by the company in the normal course of operations for supply of goods and services. In the payment waterfall prescribed under Section 53 of the IBC in the event of liquidation of the company or its sale to another entity, their dues rank below those of financial creditors, workmen and employees. This was challenged by the operational creditors, who wanted equal treatment with financial creditors in the waterfall mechanism. Several landmark cases that were referred to the National Company Law Tribunal under the IBC remain stuck there, including that of the high-profile Essar Steel, as a result of its operational creditors seeking equal treatment. With the Supreme Court now ruling that there are “intelligible differentia” between operational and financial creditors, an avenue that defaulters used to stymie proceedings has been closed. Repayment of financial debt by borrowers infuses capital into the economy as lenders can on-lend the money that has been repaid to other entrepreneurs, thus aiding economic activity, the judges observed. The apex court has also clarified that a mere relationship with an ineligible person cannot disqualify someone from becoming a bidder for a troubled asset. It has to be proved that such a person is “connected” with the business activity of the resolution applicant. The court used strong words: “…[T]he experiment conducted in enacting the Code is proving to be largely successful. The defaulter’s paradise is lost.” This constitutes a clear signal of its backing for the IBC which, despite all the challenges that it has faced, has been successful in sending a message to recalcitrant defaulters that there can be no more business-as-usual when they default.

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B) Effortless brilliance: on Djokovic’s win at Australian Open

Djokovic beats an error-prone Nadal for a record-breaking seventh Australian Open title

Novak Djokovic, at his absolute best, can make even the most fiercely competitive of draws appear enervated. From the start of 2015 to mid-2016, when he won five of the six Grand Slam events, he arguably played at a level unmatched in tennis history. With his merciless demolition of Rafael Nadal in Melbourne on Sunday, which gave the World No. 1 a men’s-record seventh Australian Open singles trophy, and his 15th Major overall taking him past American great Pete Sampras, he is on the cusp of repeating that golden run spread across 2015 and 2016. The Serb’s transformation, in just over six months, from a physically compromised and mentally withdrawn state to having a shot at sporting immortality, has been staggering. Against Nadal, he did not quite have to hit his peak; the World No.2, despite having looked the better player leading up to the final, never truly arrived, with his rhythm, timing and tactics all over the place. The 17-time Grand Slam champion seemed smitten by anxiety, a far cry from the 2018 Wimbledon semifinal when he fearlessly matched Djokovic shot for shot over five epic sets. But that is probably what the mask of invincibility does to opponents, something that Djokovic wears so effortlessly.

To be sure, Djokovic had lost in each of the three tournaments before the Australian Open — to rising youngsters in Karen Khachanov and Alexander Zverev, and the gritty Roberto Bautista Agut — suggesting a few cracks. But the manner of victory over Nadal, where he conceded a mere eight games and did not drop a set, a first in 25 finals for the Spaniard, proved that the 31-year-old had lost none of his astonishing powers of recovery. Nadal was on the path to recovery as well, playing only his first tournament since his injury-forced retirement in the U.S. Open semifinal last September. Following Roger Federer’s loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 20-year-old sensation from Greece, the tournament seemed open to further upsets, but the business end demonstrated that the elite can never be written off. As Nadal said after dismantling Tsitsipas in the semifinal, what fans can instead look forward to is an irresistible battle of the generations. On the women’s side, this clash has seemed heightened in recent years, and Naomi Osaka, with her gallant three-set win over Petra Kvitova in the final, firmly established herself as the next big thing. For the 21-year-old to back up her maiden title at the U.S. Open with a win in the very next slam is character-revealing. She is now the World No.1 and also the first Asian to get there. She has the temperament and the poise to go much further.

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VOCABULARY

1) impact

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

Tamil Meaning : தாக்கம்

Synonyms : brunt

Antonyms : avoidance

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

2) fledgling

Meaning : a person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped(n).

Tamil Meaning : உணர்ச்சிமயமான

Synonyms : colt

Antonyms : expert

Example : “the country’s fledgling democracy

3) enactment

Meaning : the process of passing legislation(n).

Synonyms : depiction

Antonyms : neglect

Example : “the enactment of equal pay legislation”

4) enabled

Meaning : the process of passing legislation(n).

Synonyms : depiction

Antonyms : neglect

Example : “the enactment of equal pay legislation”

5) empowers

Meaning : give (someone) the authority or power to do something.

Tamil Meaning : வலுவடைய

Synonyms : entitle

Antonyms : deny

Example : “members are empowered to audit the accounts of limited companies”

6) initiatives

Meaning : the ability to assess and initiate things independently(n).

Tamil Meaning : முயற்சிகள்

Synonyms : push

Antonyms : cowardice

Example : “use your initiative, imagination, and common sense”

7) stifled

Meaning : make (someone) unable to breathe properly; suffocate(v).

Tamil Meaning : அடக்கியது

Synonyms : repress

Antonyms : allow

Example : “those in the streets were stifled by the fumes”

8) mounted

Meaning : riding an animal, typically a horse, especially for military or other duty(adj).

Tamil Meaning : ஏற்றப்பட்ட

Synonyms : horsed

Antonyms : dismounted

Example : “mounted police controlled the crowd”

9) dues

Meaning : an obligatory payment; a fee.

Tamil Meaning : நிலுவை

Synonyms : collection

Antonyms : asset

Example : “he had paid trade union dues for years”

10) proceedings

Meaning : an event or a series of activities involving a set procedure(n).

Synonyms : archives

Antonyms : mess

Example : “you complete a form to start proceedings”

11) infuses

Meaning : soak (tea, herbs, etc.) in liquid to extract the flavour or healing properties(v).

Synonyms : imbue

Antonyms : dehydrate

Example : “infuse the dried flowers in boiling water”

12) mere

Meaning : used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is(adj).

Tamil Meaning : வெறும்

Synonyms : sheer

Antonyms : decorated

Example : “questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals”

13) bidder

Meaning : a person or organization making a formal offer for something, especially at an auction.

Synonyms : competitor

Antonyms : assistant

Example : “she was the highest bidder for this rare portrait”

14) enacting

Meaning : make (a bill or other proposal) law(v).

Tamil Meaning : மேம்படுத்தியது

Synonyms : achieve

Antonyms : hinder

Example : “legislation was enacted to attract international companies”

15) despite

Meaning : contemptuous treatment or behaviour; outrage(n).

Tamil Meaning : போதிலும்

Synonyms : although

Antonyms : exalt

Example : “the despite done by him to the holy relics”

16) recalcitrant

Meaning : having an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline(adj).

Tamil Meaning : அடங்காமல்

Synonyms : unruly

Antonyms : compliant

Example : “a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds”

17) fiercely

Meaning : in a savagely violent or aggressive manner(adv).

Tamil Meaning : கடுமையான

Synonyms : forcefully

Antonyms : calmly

Example : “the army clashed fiercely with militants”

18) enervated

Meaning : make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality(v).

Synonyms : devitalized

Antonyms : energized

Example : “enervating heat”

19) demolition

Meaning : the action or process of demolishing or being demolished(n).

Synonyms : explosion

Antonyms : fixing

Example : “the monument was saved from demolition”

20) cusp

Meaning : a point of transition between two different states(n).

Synonyms : angle

Antonyms : bottom

Example : “those on the cusp of adulthood”

21) immortality

Meaning : the ability to live forever; eternal life(n).

Tamil Meaning : அழியாத்தன்மை

Synonyms : eternity

Example : “eating the fruit gave the gods immortality”

22) staggering

Meaning : deeply shocking; astonishing.

Tamil Meaning : தடுமாற்றத்தினை

Synonyms : stunning

Example : “the staggering bills for maintenance and repair”

23) tactics

Meaning : an action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end(n).

Synonyms : campaign

Example : “the minority attempted to control the Council by a delaying tactic”

24) smitten

Meaning :a heavy blow or stroke with a weapon or the hand.

Synonyms : afflicted

Antonyms : indifferent

Example : “the kirk rang with slaps and smites”

25) epic

Meaning : relating to or characteristic of an epic or epics.

Synonyms : narrative

Antonyms : prose

Example : “our national epic poem Beowulf”

26) invincibility

Meaning : relating to or characteristic of an epic or epics.

Synonyms : firmness

Antonyms : timidity

Example : “our national epic poem Beowulf“

27) gritty

Meaning : showing courage and resolve(adj).

Synonyms : grainy

Antonyms : afraid

Example : “a typically gritty performance by the British player”

28) conceded

Meaning : admit or agree that something is true after first denying or resisting it(v).

Synonyms : admit

Antonyms : defend

Example : “I had to concede that I’d overreacted”

29) astonishing

Meaning : extremely surprising or impressive; amazing.

Synonyms : impressive

Antonyms : homely

Example : “an astonishing achievement”

30) recovery

Meaning : a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.

Tamil Meaning : மீட்பு

Synonyms : return

Antonyms : relapse

Example : “signs of recovery in the housing market”

31) clash

Meaning : a violent confrontation(n).

Tamil Meaning : மோதல்

Synonyms : dispute

Antonyms : concord

Example : “there have been minor clashes with security forces”

32) elite

Meaning : a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society(n).

Synonyms : exclusive

Antonyms : inferior

Example : “the elite of Britain’s armed forces”

33) dismantling

Meaning : take (a machine or structure) to pieces.

Tamil Meaning : நீக்குவதற்கான

Synonyms : destroy

Antonyms : construct

Example : “the engines were dismantled and the bits piled into a heap”

34) irresistible

Meaning : too attractive and tempting to be resisted(adj).

Tamil Meaning : தவிர்க்கமுடியாதது

Synonyms : inevitable

Antonyms : avoidable

Example : “he found the delicious-looking cakes irresistible”

35) gallant

Meaning : (of a person or their behaviour) brave; heroic.

Synonyms : fearless

Antonyms : afraid

Example : “she had made gallant efforts to pull herself together”

36) established

Meaning : having existed or done something for a long time and therefore recognized and generally accepted(adj).

Synonyms : entrenched

Antonyms : undecided

Example : “the ceremony was an established event in the annual calendar”

37) maiden

Meaning : being or involving the first attempt or act of its kind.

Synonyms : inaugural

Antonyms : final

Example : “the Titanic’s maiden voyage”

38) revealing

Meaning : making interesting or significant information known, especially of a personal nature(adj).

Tamil Meaning : வெளிப்படுத்த

Synonyms : affirm

Antonyms : contradict

Example : “a revealing radio interview”

39) temperament

Meaning : a person’s or animal’s nature, especially as it permanently affects their behaviour.

Synonyms : intellect

Antonyms : inability

Example : “she had an artistic temperament”

40) poise

Meaning : graceful and elegant bearing in a person(n).

Synonyms : grace

Antonyms : confusion

Example : “poise and good deportment can be cultivated”

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL : JANUARY 28, 2019

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