THE HINDU EDITORIAL : AUGUST 4, 2018
THE HINDU EDITORIAL : AUGUST 4, 2018
THE HINDU EDITORIAL – August 4, 2018 is one of the must read section for the competitive exams like IBPS RRB PO, IBPS RRB Office Assistant 2018, RBI Grade “B” 2018 & NIACL Assistant 2018. These topics are widely expected to be asked in the reading comprehension , Cloze Test or Error Detection topics in the forthcoming exams. So gear up your Exam preparation and learn new words daily.
a) Impasse ends: on K.M. Joseph’s elevation
Good sense seems to have prevailed at last. The Centre has cleared the elevation of Justice K.M. Joseph to the Supreme Court, seven months after the five-member collegium first recommended his appointment. The Centre had no option but to elevate the Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice once the collegium reiterated its original recommendation after the Law Ministry returned his name. The collegium had combined its reiteration of his name with two other names so that three Chief Justices could be elevated in one go. The Centre’s objections to Justice Joseph’s candidature were unconvincing from the very beginning. It made an issue of his relative lack of seniority among the Chief Justices of the various high courts, adding somewhat curiously that his elevation would give excessive representation to Kerala. It also spoke of an imbalance in regional representation. It was obvious that these were not good enough reasons to turn down his appointment. It only served to strengthen the suspicions that Justice Joseph found himself in disfavour because he was on a Bench that quashed the imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand in 2016, a charge the government vehemently denied. Now that his elevation is all set to go through, these issues may not appear to be relevant anymore. However, it is difficult not to see a pattern in the government’s conduct. It has been splitting recommended lists and selectively approving proposals from the collegium, while holding back or returning some names. In the case of Justice Joseph, his name was sent along with that of senior advocate Indu Malhotra to the Centre in January. However, three months later, the government cleared only one of the two names, while seeking reconsideration of Justice Joseph’s candidature. Such decisions tend to alter the inter se seniority among sitting judges, a factor that determines who becomes Chief Justice of India and who joins the collegium. The Centre’s right to seek the reconsideration of a recommendation, on the basis of information available to it, cannot be disputed — but it is worrying that one or two names are held back from a number of batches. The reasons for seeking reconsideration need to be explicitly stated in every such instance. Even in its adherence to the norm that reiteration of a recommendation is binding, the Centre has not been consistent. Recently, it returned a recommendation concerning two appointments to the Allahabad High Court for the second time. The other issue is delay — there is no justification for sitting on files without taking a decision one way or another, particularly given the backlog in the Supreme Court. The current controversy may have come to a close, but the possibility of other flashpoints cannot be ruled out. If the judiciary and the government want to dispel the impression of a prolonged conflict, a fresh memorandum of procedure for appointments has to be agreed upon: it is unclear what exactly is holding it up.
b) Hope in Harare? — on Mnangagwa’s victory
His victory as President in this week’s general election confers popular legitimacy on Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s military-installed leader since November 2017. The two-thirds majority for the ruling Zanu-PF party in Parliament will tighten its control over state institutions. There had been palpable relief in Harare when the 37-year-long dictatorship of the veteran liberation leader Robert Mugabe was brought to an end in a soft coup last year. But the euphoria soon gave way to speculation over the substance of the military-inspired transition. Mr. Mnangagwa, after all, had been Vice-President under Mr. Mugabe, before being sacked by his political mentor. Now, General Constantino Chiwenga, who was instrumental in Mr. Mnangagwa’s return from a brief exile, is his Vice-President, and the army top brass wields influence over the government. But the 75-year-old President has in recent months sought to project himself as a political reformist and an economic liberal. His invitation to international observers to monitor the polls was in sharp contrast to the conduct of previous elections. Zimbabwe’s return to the Commonwealth and re-engagement with multilateral institutions are his priorities. The realisation of these aspirations hinges on the conduct of free and fair elections and the restoration of the rule of law. The international community has been watching for cues on where Zimbabwe is headed in terms of restoring the rule of law after the excesses of the Mugabe years. Closer to the elections, there had been concerns that the process of voter registration was not transparent, especially in the Zanu-PF’s rural strongholds. But there was acknowledgment of a more open political climate, compared to the large-scale violence following the 2008 elections. This was confirmed by a high turnout, and the voting was largely incident-free. But the bloody violence witnessed since the start of counting, which has been blamed on the military, has drawn justified global condemnation. The opposition too is not blameless. Nelson Chamisa, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, recklessly claimed the party was in the lead even before the election commission announced results. The elections show that the change Zimbabweans yearn for is painfully slow to be realised. The country needs to build on the sliver of hope that this election has afforded for lasting stability. Zimbabwe has been without a currency for nearly a decade and the bond notes used as a proxy for the dollar fetch less than their face value in the market. It needs to attract investment, promote industrialisation and foster employment generation. Mr. Mnangagwa must convert his business-friendly rhetoric into action.
WORDS/ VOCABULARY
1) Prevailed
Meaning: Prove more powerful or superior.
Example: “it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion”
Synonyms: Win, Overcome
2) Collegium
Meaning: An organization for people who have similar interests or who do similar work.
Example: No one wanted to miss the inaugural meeting of the Collegium of Black Women Philosophers at Vanderbilt University.
3) Reiterated
Meaning: Say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity.
Example: “she reiterated that the government would remain steadfast in its support”
Synonyms: Repeat, Restate
4) Turn down
Meaning: If the economy or market turns down, there is less business activity and fewer opportunities to make money.
Example: When the market turns down, recruitment is one of the first areas companies look at to make savings.
5) Quashed
Meaning: Reject as invalid, especially by legal procedure.
Example: “his conviction was quashed on appeal”
Synonyms: Cancel, Reverse
6) Vehemently
Meaning: In a forceful, passionate, or intense manner; with great feeling.
Example: “he vehemently denied any suggestion of improper conduct”
7) Splitting
Meaning: Divide and share (something, especially resources or responsibilities).
Example: “they met up and split the booty”
Synonyms: Apportion, Allocate
8) Disputed
Meaning: Question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid.
Example: “the accusations are not disputed”
Synonyms: Challenge, Deny
Antonyms: Accept
9) Binding
Meaning: (of an agreement or promise) involving an obligation that cannot be broken.
Example: “business agreements are intended to be legally binding”
Synonyms: Unbreakable, Indissoluble
10) Consistent
Meaning: Unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time.
Example: “he is their most consistent player this season”
Synonyms: Steady, Stable
Antonyms: Inconsistent, Irregular
11) Sitting on
Meaning: To force someone to be silent or not to do something:
Example: The boss is going to sit on him to make sure he says nothing.
Synonyms: Limiting, Restricting
12) Backlog
Meaning: A large number of things that you should have done before and must do now:
Example: I’ve got a huge backlog of work to do.
13) Flashpoints
Meaning: A place, event, or time at which violence or hostility flares up.
Example: “the conflict reached a flashpoint last year”
14) Ruled out
Meaning: To prevent something from happening.
Example: This recent wave of terrorism has ruled out any chance of peace talks.
15) Prolonged
Meaning: Continuing for a long time or longer than usual; lengthy.
Example: “the region suffered a prolonged drought”
16) Confers
Meaning: Grant (a title, degree, benefit, or right).
Example: “the Minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament”
Synonyms: Present, Bestow
Antonyms: Withhold, Remove
17) Legitimacy
Meaning: Conformity to the law or to rules.
Example: “refusal to recognize the legitimacy of both governments”
18) Palpable
Meaning: (of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense as to seem almost tangible.
Example: “a palpable sense of loss”
Synonyms: Perceptible, Visible
Antonyms: Imperceptible
19) Dictatorship
Meaning: Government by a dictator.
Example: “the effects of forty years of dictatorship”
Synonyms: Autocracy, Despotism
Antonyms: Democracy
20) Veteran
Meaning: A person who has had long experience in a particular field.
Example: “a veteran of two world wars”
Synonyms: Expert, Master
Antonyms: Novice, Apprentice
21) Coup
Meaning: A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
Example: “he was overthrown in an army coup”
Synonyms: Overthrow, Takeover
Antonyms: Election
22) Euphoria
Meaning: A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.
Example: “in his euphoria, he had become convinced he could defeat them”
Synonyms: Elation, Happiness
Antonyms: Misery, Depression
23) Speculation
Meaning: The forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.
Example: “there has been widespread speculation that he plans to quit”
Synonyms: Conjecture, Supposition
24) Inspired
Meaning: Of extraordinary quality, as if arising from some external creative impulse.
Example: “they had to thank the goalkeeper for some inspired saves”
Synonyms: Outstanding, Wonderful
Antonyms: Mediocre
25) Sacked
Meaning: Dismiss from employment.
Example: “any official found to be involved would be sacked on the spot”
Synonyms: Dismiss, Discharge
Antonyms: Hire
26) Exile
Meaning: A person who lives away from their native country, either from choice or compulsion.
Example: “the return of political exiles”
Synonyms: Émigré, Expatriate
27) Brass
Meaning: Complete confidence and lack of fear.
Example: I don’t know how she has the brass to do it.
28) Aspirations
Meaning: A hope or ambition of achieving something.
Example: “the needs and aspirations of the people”
Synonyms: Desire, Hope
29) Hinges
Meaning: A central or pivotal point or principle on which everything depends.
Example: “this period can be called the hinge of history”
30) Cues
Meaning: A thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance.
Example: “she had not yet been given her cue to come out on to the dais”
Synonyms: Signal, Indication
31) Turnout
Meaning: The number of people attending or taking part in an event, especially the number of people voting in an election.
Example: “we reckon that thirty-five per cent is a good turnout for local elections”
Synonyms: Attendance, Assembly
32) Bloody
Meaning: Involving or characterized by bloodshed or cruelty.
Example: “a bloody coup”
Synonyms: Gory, Vicious
33) Condemnation
Meaning: The expression of very strong disapproval; censure.
Example: “there was strong international condemnation of the attack”
Synonyms: Censure, Criticism
Antonyms: Praise, Plaudits
34) Blameless
Meaning: Innocent of wrongdoing.
Example: “he led a blameless life”
Synonyms: Innocent, Guiltless
Antonyms: Blameworthy, Guilty
35) Recklessly
Meaning: Without regard to the danger or the consequences of one’s actions; rashly.
Example: “he was driving recklessly and lost control”
36) Sliver
Meaning: A small, thin, narrow piece of something cut or split off a larger piece.
Example: “a sliver of cheese”
37) Proxy
Meaning: A figure that can be used to represent the value of something in a calculation.
Example: “the use of a US wealth measure as a proxy for the true worldwide measure”
38) Fetch
Meaning: Achieve (a particular price) when sold.
Example: “the land could fetch over a million pounds”
Synonyms: Raise, Realize
39) Foster
Meaning: Encourage the development of (something, especially something desirable).
Example: “the teacher’s task is to foster learning”
Synonyms: Encourage, Promote
Antonyms: Neglect, Suppress
40) Rhetoric
Meaning: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Example: “he is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole”
Synonyms: Oratory, Eloquence
THE HINDU EDITORIAL : AUGUST 3, 2018
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