THE HINDU EDITORIAL : NOVEMBER 29, 2018

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – November 29, 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) Dire strait: on Russia-Ukraine sea clash

Russia must be persuaded to lower tensions with Ukraine

Russia’s capture of three Ukrainian naval ships and over 20 crew members in the disputed Azov Sea has refocussed international attention on the conflict on Europe’s eastern corridors. The rapid escalation in tensions following the flare-up is evident. Kiev has declared martial law and demanded that the sailors be treated as prisoners of war. A court in Russian-annexed Crimea, meanwhile, has ordered many of them to be held in pre-trial detention, charging them with illegally entering its territorial waters. Ukraine insists that the patrol of the Kerch Strait, where the vessels were impounded, was authorised under a bilateral agreement with Moscow. A new bridge over the strait that connects mainland Russia with Crimea has raised concerns about Moscow’s greater control and influence in the region. The latest incident coincides with the anniversary of the November 2013 Maidan Square protests in Ukraine demanding integration with Europe, which was the prelude to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014. The protracted conflict has so far claimed about 10,000 lives and displaced millions, and no lasting resolution is in sight. The 2014-15 Minsk peace accords prohibited air strikes and heavy artillery firing. But the dispute has dragged on into a smouldering low-intensity combat. The Ukraine-Russia conflict has also widened religious schisms. The independence granted to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian entity in October was criticised by Moscow. In turn, the election this month of the legislatures of two breakaway enclaves of Kiev, with Moscow’s endorsement, drew criticism from Ukraine, leading European powers and the U.S. as violations of the Minsk accords.

There has been renewed Western diplomatic pressure since the weekend’s skirmishes, with the UN Security Council and NATO calling on Moscow and Kiev to de-escalate tensions. But besides forcing Russian President Vladimir Putin to toughen his rhetoric vis-à-vis the big powers, the hardships from the economic sanctions since Crimea’s occupation have achieved little by way of confidence-building in the region. European powers are divided between those advocating greater diplomatic engagement with the Kremlin and others wanting to press with further sanctions to punish perceived Russian political interference. But there has been little appreciation of the provocation for Moscow from NATO’s continued expansion into the former Eastern Europe and the erstwhile USSR. The geopolitical imperative of greater engagement with Moscow has never been more urgent, as hawks in the U.S. administration make no secret of their preference for confrontation over dialogue. The recent escalations could serve well the leaders of both Russia and Ukraine to divert attention from the sagging popularity levels at home. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko faces a general election next year, which, it is widely forecast, he will lose. But the humanitarian situation arising from the continuing conflict brooks no delay in arriving at a speedy resolution.

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B) Central bank recap: on Urjit Patel’s deposition before parliamentary panel

Urjit Patel provides reassuring signals on NPAs and the RBI-Centre détente

There are two important takeaways from the deposition of Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday. First, the banking industry is over the hump on non-performing assets (NPAs), which peaked in the quarter ending March 2018 at 11.18% of advances. Both gross and net NPAs have registered a decline for two consecutive quarters — June and September 2018. Crucially, there has been a sharp fall in slippages (fresh NPAs added to the existing heap) from 7.3% in March 2018 to 3.87% in September. This is certainly good news as it indicates that the skeletons are mostly out of the cupboard now. Of course, there is still the onerous task of resolving the bad loans stock, which is at a little over ₹10 lakh crore now. Profitability of banks will continue to remain under stress as they provide for the bad loans in their books and/or take hair-cuts on recoveries through the insolvency process. Meanwhile, banks will also have to be wary of their small loans portfolio, especially those made under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which already add up to ₹6.77 lakh crore. These will need close monitoring.

The second important aspect of Mr. Patel’s deposition was his spirited defence of the RBI’s autonomy. Though he was careful not to say anything that would break the détente forged by the Centre and the central bank at its last board meeting on November 19, he made three forceful points: that the RBI’s autonomy is important to protect depositors’ interests; monetary policy has to be the exclusive domain of the RBI; and its reserves are central to maintaining its AAA rating. These statements are probably aimed at nipping in the bud any attempts to change the governance structure of the central bank. After the last board meeting, there have been reports that the Centre is planning to push for board committees to be set up to “assist” the RBI in the discharge of its work. Monetary policy is anyway the preserve of the Monetary Policy Committee created two years ago under the RBI Act, but there are other equally important functions which the Centre may be attempting to control through the board. The issue of autonomy is clearly the gorilla in the room and driving it out is not going to be an easy task. Yet, for the Centre and the RBI there is no alternative but to continue talking on this subject even while ensuring that it does not cast a shadow over their other respective roles and responsibilities. The issue of RBI autonomy is not something that first emerged during this government’s tenure, nor is it likely to be solved in its remaining tenure.

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VOCABULARY

1) disputed

Meaning : argue about (something).(v)

Tamil Meaning : பிரச்சினைக்குரிய

Synonyms : bickering

Antonyms: accord

Example : “the point has been much disputed”

2) conflict

Meaning : be incompatible or at variance; clash(v).

Tamil Meaning : மோதல்

Synonyms : battle

Antonyms: truce

Example : “parents’ and children’s interests sometimes conflict”

3) escalation

Meaning : a rapid increase; a rise.

Tamil Meaning : விரிவாக்கத்திற்கு

Synonyms : acceleration

Antonyms: diminishment

Example : “cost escalations”

4) evident

Meaning : clearly seen or understood; obvious.(Adj)

Tamil Meaning : தெளிவாக

Synonyms : obvious

Antonyms: doubtful

Example : “she ate the biscuits with evident enjoyment”

5) declared

Meaning : say something in a solemn and emphatic manner(v).

Tamil Meaning : அறிவித்தார்

Synonyms : affirmed

Antonyms: implicit

Example : “the prime minister declared that the programme of austerity had paid off”

6) demand

Meaning : ask authoritatively or brusquely.

Tamil Meaning : தேவை

Synonyms : appeal

Antonyms: answer

Example : “‘Where is she?’ he demanded”

7) exclusive

Meaning : excluding or not admitting other things(adj).

Tamil Meaning : பிரத்தியேக

Synonyms : swank

Antonyms: public

Example : “an exclusive focus on success and making money”

8) detention

Meaning : the action of detaining someone or the state of being detained in official custody.

Tamil Meaning : காவல்

Synonyms : custody

Antonyms: assistance

Example : “the fifteen people arrested were still in police detention”

9) ensuring

Meaning : make certain that (something) will occur or be the case(v).

Tamil Meaning : உறுதி

Synonyms : assure

Antonyms: harm

Example : “the client must ensure that accurate records are kept”

10) impounded

Meaning : seize and take legal custody of (something, especially a vehicle, goods, or documents) because of an infringement of a law.(v)

Tamil Meaning : பறிமுதல்

Synonyms : confiscate

Example : “vehicles parked where they cause an obstruction will be impounded”

11) insists

Meaning : demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal.

Tamil Meaning : வலியுறுத்துகிறது

Synonyms : assert

Antonyms: abandon

Example : “she insisted on carrying her own bag”

12) concern

Meaning : relate to; be about.(v),anxiety; worry.(n)

Tamil Meaning : அக்கறை

Synonyms : interest, involvement

Antonyms: entertainment

Example : “the story concerns a friend of mine”

13) prelude

Meaning : an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important.(n)

Tamil Meaning : முன்னோடியாக

Synonyms : prologue

Antonyms: completion

Example : “a ceasefire had been agreed as a prelude to full peace negotiations”

14) invasion

Meaning : an instance of invading a country or region with an armed force(n).

Tamil Meaning : படையெடுப்பு

Synonyms : aggression

Antonyms: obedience

Example : “Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812”

15) integration

Meaning : the action or process of integrating.

Tamil Meaning : ஒருங்கிணைப்பு

Synonyms : assimilation

Antonyms: division

Example : “economic and political integration”

16) protracted

Meaning : lasting for a long time or longer than expected or usual.

Synonyms : continued

Antonyms: abrupt

Example : “a protracted and bitter dispute”

17) claimed

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

Tamil Meaning : கூறினார்

Synonyms : allege

Antonyms: abandon

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

18) displaced

Meaning : take over the place, position, or role of.(v)

Tamil Meaning : இடம்பெயர்ந்த

Synonyms : deranged

Antonyms: reinstated

Example : “he believes that books may be displaced by the electronic word”

19) artillery

Meaning : a military detachment or branch of the armed forces that uses large-calibre guns.

Synonyms : ordnance

Antonyms: disarm

Example : “each corps included two regiments of field artillery”

20) smoulder

Meaning : burn slowly with smoke but no flame.

Tamil Meaning : புகைந்து

Synonyms : searing

Antonyms: cold

Example : “the bonfire still smouldered, the smoke drifting over the paddock”

21) combat

Meaning : fighting between armed forces.(n)

Tamil Meaning : போர்

Synonyms : action

Antonyms: agreement

Example : “five Hurricanes were shot down in combat”

22) enclaves

Meaning : a portion of territory surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.

Tamil Meaning : நிலப்பகுதிகளும்

Synonyms : reef

Example : “the besieged Muslim enclave of Srebrenica”

23) endorsement

Meaning : the action of endorsing someone or something(n).

Tamil Meaning : ஒப்புதல்

Synonyms : advocacy

Antonyms: denial

Example : “the issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement”

24) renewed

Meaning : resume (an activity) after an interruption.

Tamil Meaning : புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்ட

Synonyms : revived

Antonyms: damaged

Example : “the parents renewed their campaign to save the school”

25) diplomatic

Meaning : of or concerning diplomacy(Adj).

Tamil Meaning : தூதரக

Synonyms : conciliatory

Antonyms: rude

Example : “diplomatic relations with Britain were broken”

26) rhetoric

Meaning : the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

Tamil Meaning : சொல்லாட்சி

Synonyms : hyperbole

Antonyms: quiet

Example : “he is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole”

27) perceived

Meaning : become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.

Tamil Meaning : உணரப்பட்ட

Synonyms : anticipated

Antonyms: ignored

Example : “his mouth fell open as he perceived the truth”

28) provocation

Meaning : action or speech that makes someone angry, especially deliberately.

Tamil Meaning : ஆத்திரமூட்டல்

Synonyms : affront

Antonyms: compliment

Example : “you should remain calm and not respond to provocation”

29) imperative

Meaning : of vital importance; crucial.

Tamil Meaning : கட்டாயமாகும்

Synonyms : compulsory

Antonyms: optional

Example : “immediate action was imperative”

30) confrontation

Meaning : a hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties(n).

Tamil Meaning : மோதலை

Synonyms : contest

Antonyms: peace

Example : “a confrontation with the legislature”

31) escalations

Meaning : a rapid increase; a rise.(n)

Tamil Meaning : தீவிரமடைதலை

Synonyms : acceleration

Antonyms: decrease

Example : “cost escalations”

32) sagging

Meaning : sink, subside, or bulge downwards under weight or pressure or through lack of strength.

Tamil Meaning : தொய்வை

Synonyms : concavity

Antonyms: ascent

Example : “she let her head sag lower and lower”

33) consecutive

Meaning : following each other continuously(adj).

Tamil Meaning : தொடர்ச்சியான

Synonyms : ensuing

Antonyms: broken

Example : “five consecutive months of serious decline”

34) hump

Meaning : a rounded raised mass of earth or land.

Tamil Meaning : திமில்

Synonyms : bulge

Antonyms: depression

Example : “they sat on a hump of cropped grass”

35) onerous

Meaning : (of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty.

Tamil Meaning : பெருஞ்சுமை

Synonyms : intolerable

Antonyms: easy

Example : “he found his duties increasingly onerous”

36) wary

Meaning : feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.(adj)

Tamil Meaning : எச்சரிக்கை

Synonyms : attentive

Antonyms: careless

Example : “dogs which have been mistreated often remain very wary of strangers”

37) insolvency

Meaning : the state of being insolvent.

Tamil Meaning : நொடித்து

Synonyms : bankruptcy

Antonyms: advantage

Example : “the club was facing insolvency”

38) détente

Meaning : the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.

Tamil Meaning : சமாதான நிலைப்பாடு

Synonyms : amity

Example : “his policy of arms control and detente with the Soviet Union”

39) portfolio

Meaning : a large, thin, flat case for loose sheets of paper such as drawings or maps.

Synonyms : container

Antonyms: disorder

Example : “under his arm he carried a large portfolio of drawings”

40) brooks

Meaning : a small stream.

Synonyms : beck

Antonyms: abstain

Example : “the Lake District boasts lovely lakes and babbling brooks”

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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 28, 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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