UPSC GK Capsule: From Digital India Act to Xi Jinping’s Third Term, Know Top Events of This Week

From UPSC Civil Services to SSC recruitment exams, from college admissions to group discussions, general knowledge questions mark a significant part of almost every exam. For candidates preparing to crack an exam or those who need to get their news in a compact form, News18 offers a weekly column – GK Capsule. While we provide you a weekly news wrap, to get more information on a specific topic or an exam, reach out at @news18dotcom.

The UPSC CSE 2023 prelims are just three months away. Aspirants need to gear up for what is widely recognised as one of the most challenging exams, not only in India but across the world. Current events and general awareness constitute a significant portion of most competitive tests in India, including UPSC. Reading up on current affairs might give you an advantage over other applicants in the general knowledge portion.

Here is a list of significant highlights from this week that you may read in order to better prepare yourself for any upcoming exams.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar Announces Digital India Act

During the Digital India Dialogues in Bengaluru on March 9, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, presented the goals of the Digital India Act. He outlined challenges like online criminalities, cybersecurity, hate speech, and fake news that old laws have not been able to address. A core team in the IT Ministry will be working on a study of all relevant global laws before drafting the bill and conducting consultations.

Melbourne Uni to Launch Dual Degree with 3 Indian HEIs

The University of Melbourne is set to launch a Bachelor of Science (Dual Degree) with the University of Madras, Savitribai Phule Pune University, and Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, Hyderabad, to strengthen educational ties between Australia and India. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the finalisation of the Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism recently. He also announced the Maitri Scholarship, part of a wider program to enhance ties between the two nations.

Lost PM Post 17 Times, Ram Chandra Paudel Becomes Nepal’s President In 1st Attempt

Ram Chandra Paudel, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress party, has been elected as the third President of Nepal. He secured 33,802 votes, almost double of his opponent Subash Chandra Nembang, in the presidential election held on Thursday. Paudel received support from the ruling 8-party alliance. Paudel, who entered politics at the age of 16, is the senior most leader to reach the post of President of Nepal.

Cattle Smuggling: Delhi Court Extends TMC Leader Anubrata Mandal’s ED Custody

Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mandal’s custody has been extended by 11 days by a Delhi court in an alleged money laundering case related to West Bengal’s cattle smuggling incident. The ED requested an extension stating that he was required to be confronted with the other accused and evidence in the case to unearth a larger conspiracy. The CBI earlier arrested Mandal in a related corruption case.

Xi Jinping Secures Historic Third Term As President

Chinese President Xi Jinping has secured his third term as the head of state, making him the longest-serving head of state, amid worsening ties with the US and tensions with Taiwan. Xi has vowed to make China a great power and increasingly views China-US relations pessimistically. Xi will dominate all aspects of party leadership and aims to repair ties strained by geopolitical tensions while being mindful of the impact on China’s immediate neighbourhood, including India and Japan. He faces economic challenges and aims to strengthen ties with China through visits to Moscow and European countries.

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