EK DUM BASIC
5_6105162674004297226.pdf
💢💢The Hindu Editorial with Vocab - 1st JUNE
Women at the top: On 2021 Civil Services results
Taking another step towards equity, three women, Shruti Sharma, Ankita Agarwal and Gamini Singla, secured the first, second and third ranks, respectively, in the 2021 Civil Services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Considered one of the toughest examinations to crack, the girls emerged successfully at the top in their second attempt, and in the case of the second-ranker, in her third try. All three women agreed that it was a long, difficult and challenging journey. With 10 of the top 25 rank-holders being women, there is a lot to celebrate — and ponder over. According to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education report, published by the Ministry of Education for 2019-2020, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education for the female population is 27.3%, compared to 26.9% for males. In this backdrop, women comprised only 26% — or 177 — of the total of 685 candidates recommended by the UPSC for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Central Services, Group A and B. This skewed statistic must change because public service offers a unique opportunity to bring about social change, and women can drive this, especially in a country where girls often have to drop out of school for a variety of reasons, from poverty, early marriage to lack of toilets.
Ms. Sharma hails from Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), Ms. Agarwal from Kolkata and Ms. Singla from Sunam (Punjab), and each of their stories is that of struggle and persistence. It has been a hard-fought battle for women to come this far in the IAS, and sometimes a trickier road awaits them once inside the steel framework of the administrative setup. If three women are at the top today, they have a lot to thank trailblazers such as Anna Rajam Malhotra (née George), the first woman to join the Indian Administrative Service in 1951, or C.B. Muthamma, the first woman to join the IFS in 1948 who fought a landmark case in the Supreme Court of India when she was looked over for a promotion for Ambassador, or even Anita Kaul who worked tirelessly to champion the Right to Education Act 2009 which made education a fundamental right for every child. The early part of a civil servant’s career is usually spent in rural or semi-urban India, giving her a vantage point over issues including women’s health, literacy, economic independence, caste and gender disparities that are in need of reforms or policy intervention but are often overlooked due to lack of a proper understanding. To achieve this, education is the key. Also, if civil service has to represent all sections of the population, of which half are women, their representation in the services too must increase at all levels of the bureaucracy, starting with the highest rung.
CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
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1. Ponder (V)- think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion. विचार करना
2. Backdrop (N)- the situation or place in which something happens. पृष्ठभूमि
3. Skewed (Adj)- not accurate or exact.
4. Bring About (Phrasal Verb)- cause something to happen.
5. Persistence (N)- the continued or prolonged existence of something. दृढ़ता
6. Trickier (Adj)- (of a task, problem, etc.) requiring care and skill because difficult or awkward. जटिल काम
7. Trailblazer (N)- a person who is the first to do something; an innovator.
8. Vantage Point (N)- a particular personal way of thinking or set of opinions.
Women at the top: On 2021 Civil Services results
Taking another step towards equity, three women, Shruti Sharma, Ankita Agarwal and Gamini Singla, secured the first, second and third ranks, respectively, in the 2021 Civil Services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Considered one of the toughest examinations to crack, the girls emerged successfully at the top in their second attempt, and in the case of the second-ranker, in her third try. All three women agreed that it was a long, difficult and challenging journey. With 10 of the top 25 rank-holders being women, there is a lot to celebrate — and ponder over. According to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education report, published by the Ministry of Education for 2019-2020, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education for the female population is 27.3%, compared to 26.9% for males. In this backdrop, women comprised only 26% — or 177 — of the total of 685 candidates recommended by the UPSC for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Central Services, Group A and B. This skewed statistic must change because public service offers a unique opportunity to bring about social change, and women can drive this, especially in a country where girls often have to drop out of school for a variety of reasons, from poverty, early marriage to lack of toilets.
Ms. Sharma hails from Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), Ms. Agarwal from Kolkata and Ms. Singla from Sunam (Punjab), and each of their stories is that of struggle and persistence. It has been a hard-fought battle for women to come this far in the IAS, and sometimes a trickier road awaits them once inside the steel framework of the administrative setup. If three women are at the top today, they have a lot to thank trailblazers such as Anna Rajam Malhotra (née George), the first woman to join the Indian Administrative Service in 1951, or C.B. Muthamma, the first woman to join the IFS in 1948 who fought a landmark case in the Supreme Court of India when she was looked over for a promotion for Ambassador, or even Anita Kaul who worked tirelessly to champion the Right to Education Act 2009 which made education a fundamental right for every child. The early part of a civil servant’s career is usually spent in rural or semi-urban India, giving her a vantage point over issues including women’s health, literacy, economic independence, caste and gender disparities that are in need of reforms or policy intervention but are often overlooked due to lack of a proper understanding. To achieve this, education is the key. Also, if civil service has to represent all sections of the population, of which half are women, their representation in the services too must increase at all levels of the bureaucracy, starting with the highest rung.
CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
-------------------------------------------
1. Ponder (V)- think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion. विचार करना
2. Backdrop (N)- the situation or place in which something happens. पृष्ठभूमि
3. Skewed (Adj)- not accurate or exact.
4. Bring About (Phrasal Verb)- cause something to happen.
5. Persistence (N)- the continued or prolonged existence of something. दृढ़ता
6. Trickier (Adj)- (of a task, problem, etc.) requiring care and skill because difficult or awkward. जटिल काम
7. Trailblazer (N)- a person who is the first to do something; an innovator.
8. Vantage Point (N)- a particular personal way of thinking or set of opinions.
EK DUM BASIC
5_6109475212011505073.pdf
🔰The Hindu Vocabulary For All Competitive Exams | 03-06-2022🔰
1. AGITATE (VERB): (उत्तेजित करना): upset
Synonyms: perturb, fluster
Antonyms: calm
Example Sentence:
The thought of questioning Tony agitated him extremely.
2. CAPRICIOUS (ADJECTIVE): (मनमौजी): fickle
Synonyms: inconstant, changeable
Antonyms: stable
Example Sentence:
It's terrible to feel our livelihood hinges on a capricious boss.
3. IMPART (VERB): (प्रदान करना): communicate
Synonyms: pass on, convey
Antonyms: keep to oneself
Example Sentence:
The teachers imparted a great deal of knowledge to their pupils.
4. ABSURDITY (NOUN): (अर्थहीनता): idiocy
Synonyms: ridiculousness, stupidity
Antonyms: reasonableness
Example Sentence:
I laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
5. IMPERIL (VERB): (संकट में डालना): endanger
Synonyms: jeopardize, risk
Antonyms: safeguard
Example Sentence:
They advised against tax increases for fear of imperiling the recovery.
6. PERTURB (VERB): (घबड़ा देना): worry
Synonyms: upset, unsettle
Antonyms: reassure
Example Sentence:
They were perturbed by her rude behavior.
7. RESILIENT (ADJECTIVE): (प्रबल): strong
Synonyms: tough, hardy
Antonyms: vulnerable
Example Sentence:
Babies are generally far more resilient than new parents realize.
8. MODERATION (NOUN): (आत्मसंयम): self-restraint
Synonyms: restraint, self-control
Antonyms: extremism
Example Sentence:
He urged them to show moderation.
9. PREFATORY (ADJECTIVE): (प्रारंभिक): introductory
Synonyms: preliminary, opening
Antonyms: final
Example Sentence:
His prefatory remarks the author claims that
10. AFFRONT (VERB): (अपमान करना): insult
Synonyms: offend, outrage
Antonyms: compliment
Example Sentence:
She was affronted by his familiarity.
1. AGITATE (VERB): (उत्तेजित करना): upset
Synonyms: perturb, fluster
Antonyms: calm
Example Sentence:
The thought of questioning Tony agitated him extremely.
2. CAPRICIOUS (ADJECTIVE): (मनमौजी): fickle
Synonyms: inconstant, changeable
Antonyms: stable
Example Sentence:
It's terrible to feel our livelihood hinges on a capricious boss.
3. IMPART (VERB): (प्रदान करना): communicate
Synonyms: pass on, convey
Antonyms: keep to oneself
Example Sentence:
The teachers imparted a great deal of knowledge to their pupils.
4. ABSURDITY (NOUN): (अर्थहीनता): idiocy
Synonyms: ridiculousness, stupidity
Antonyms: reasonableness
Example Sentence:
I laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
5. IMPERIL (VERB): (संकट में डालना): endanger
Synonyms: jeopardize, risk
Antonyms: safeguard
Example Sentence:
They advised against tax increases for fear of imperiling the recovery.
6. PERTURB (VERB): (घबड़ा देना): worry
Synonyms: upset, unsettle
Antonyms: reassure
Example Sentence:
They were perturbed by her rude behavior.
7. RESILIENT (ADJECTIVE): (प्रबल): strong
Synonyms: tough, hardy
Antonyms: vulnerable
Example Sentence:
Babies are generally far more resilient than new parents realize.
8. MODERATION (NOUN): (आत्मसंयम): self-restraint
Synonyms: restraint, self-control
Antonyms: extremism
Example Sentence:
He urged them to show moderation.
9. PREFATORY (ADJECTIVE): (प्रारंभिक): introductory
Synonyms: preliminary, opening
Antonyms: final
Example Sentence:
His prefatory remarks the author claims that
10. AFFRONT (VERB): (अपमान करना): insult
Synonyms: offend, outrage
Antonyms: compliment
Example Sentence:
She was affronted by his familiarity.
EK DUM BASIC
5_6118156822680438166.pdf
💢💢The Hindu Editorial with Vocab - 6th JUNE
Boost for boosters: On Corbevax as booster dose
With the Indian drug regulator greenlighting Corbevax as a booster dose for all adults above 18 years who have received two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin as part of primary vaccination, a heterologous booster shot has come a step closer to being administered to people. Though booster shots have been administered since January 10 beginning with health-care and frontline workers, and people over 60 with comorbidities, India has been using the same vaccine for both primary vaccination and booster (homologous boosting). In clinical trials, a booster dose using a vaccine that is different from the one used for primary vaccination — technically called heterologous boosting — produced higher immune responses when compared with a same vaccine for primary and booster vaccination. A trial by the Christian Medical College, Vellore, too found the same result. As expected, Bio E’s phase-3 heterologous booster vaccine trial using Corbevax in people who have received two doses of either Covaxin or Covishield did produce significantly higher immune responses. But with the control group not receiving a homologous booster shot but only a placebo, the trial failed to bring out the enhanced immune responses by using Corbevax as a heterologous booster. Any vaccine administered as a booster — immaterial of being homologous or heterologous — months after primary vaccination will, by default, increase the immune responses. The trial has thus only shown that Corbevax as a heterologous booster increases the immune responses but failed to show that heterologous boosting with this vaccine produces superior immune responses than homologous boosting with Covishield or Covaxin. It is all the more surprising that the booster trial used a placebo for the control arm as even the phase-3 clinical trial to study the immunogenicity of Corbevax for primary vaccination used the comparator vaccine Covishield for the control group.
With Corbevax being approved as a heterologous booster based on a poorly designed heterologous booster trial, the drug regulator can be expected to soon greenlight Covishield and Covaxin as heterologous boosters based on the results of the CMC Vellore trial. Especially as the trial clearly demonstrated the advantages of heterologous boosting compared with using the same vaccine for primary vaccination and boosting. While the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is quite likely to approve Corbevax as a heterologous booster shot without much delay, it remains to be seen whether it greenlights it for all adults above 18 years. Given the greater likelihood of NTAGI approving Corbevax as a heterologous booster, the Government is not likely to side step the expert group, as in mid-March. As booster shots have been rolled out for all adults above 18 years, the Government should not hurry to approve Corbevax without NTAGI’s nod.
CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
-------------------------------------------
1. Heterologous (Adj)- having a different relation, relative position, or structure; not homologous.
2. Comorbidity (N)- the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient. सहरुग्णताएं
3. Placebo (N)- a substance that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs. प्रयोगिक औषध
4. Immunogenicity (N)- the property of eliciting an immune response. प्रतिरक्षाजनत्व
5. Comparator (N)- something used as a standard for comparison. तुलनाकारी
6. Roll Out (Phrasal Verb)- to introduce a new product or service.
Boost for boosters: On Corbevax as booster dose
With the Indian drug regulator greenlighting Corbevax as a booster dose for all adults above 18 years who have received two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin as part of primary vaccination, a heterologous booster shot has come a step closer to being administered to people. Though booster shots have been administered since January 10 beginning with health-care and frontline workers, and people over 60 with comorbidities, India has been using the same vaccine for both primary vaccination and booster (homologous boosting). In clinical trials, a booster dose using a vaccine that is different from the one used for primary vaccination — technically called heterologous boosting — produced higher immune responses when compared with a same vaccine for primary and booster vaccination. A trial by the Christian Medical College, Vellore, too found the same result. As expected, Bio E’s phase-3 heterologous booster vaccine trial using Corbevax in people who have received two doses of either Covaxin or Covishield did produce significantly higher immune responses. But with the control group not receiving a homologous booster shot but only a placebo, the trial failed to bring out the enhanced immune responses by using Corbevax as a heterologous booster. Any vaccine administered as a booster — immaterial of being homologous or heterologous — months after primary vaccination will, by default, increase the immune responses. The trial has thus only shown that Corbevax as a heterologous booster increases the immune responses but failed to show that heterologous boosting with this vaccine produces superior immune responses than homologous boosting with Covishield or Covaxin. It is all the more surprising that the booster trial used a placebo for the control arm as even the phase-3 clinical trial to study the immunogenicity of Corbevax for primary vaccination used the comparator vaccine Covishield for the control group.
With Corbevax being approved as a heterologous booster based on a poorly designed heterologous booster trial, the drug regulator can be expected to soon greenlight Covishield and Covaxin as heterologous boosters based on the results of the CMC Vellore trial. Especially as the trial clearly demonstrated the advantages of heterologous boosting compared with using the same vaccine for primary vaccination and boosting. While the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is quite likely to approve Corbevax as a heterologous booster shot without much delay, it remains to be seen whether it greenlights it for all adults above 18 years. Given the greater likelihood of NTAGI approving Corbevax as a heterologous booster, the Government is not likely to side step the expert group, as in mid-March. As booster shots have been rolled out for all adults above 18 years, the Government should not hurry to approve Corbevax without NTAGI’s nod.
CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
-------------------------------------------
1. Heterologous (Adj)- having a different relation, relative position, or structure; not homologous.
2. Comorbidity (N)- the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient. सहरुग्णताएं
3. Placebo (N)- a substance that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs. प्रयोगिक औषध
4. Immunogenicity (N)- the property of eliciting an immune response. प्रतिरक्षाजनत्व
5. Comparator (N)- something used as a standard for comparison. तुलनाकारी
6. Roll Out (Phrasal Verb)- to introduce a new product or service.