What to Study in NewsPaper ?

From NewsPapers

• Polity and Governance/Administration:

1. Press conference of government, where they announce various policies, administrative reforms etc.
2. Various bills, minutes of Cabinet meetings
3. The big full-page advertisements given by ruling party, about their achievements. (This usually comes before the election and on the birth anniversary of Nehru Gandhi Family). It is important because, they list out the various developmental schemes and provisions in it. Most important part is “who runs the scheme?” for example NREGA thing for under the jurisdiction of rural development Ministry (and not under Labour Ministry).
4. Election related items: what will the initiatives taken by the election commission? Any problems or controversies.
5. Study Scams :- All you have to do is brief highlight of what was the scam, how was it committed, what is the presence status in investigation or court and how to prevent it in future.(No need to remeber all date details.)
6. You have to prepare these(above points) for both Union as well as your own state Government.

• National News

1. Crime :- Maoists kidnap a collector = name of the collector is not important. Important is what experts and politicians say we need a comprehensive hostage-crisis guideline after this incidence.
2. Railway Accident :- Reason for the rail accident and suggestions to prevent future accidents.
3. Floods, landslides or tsunamis :- Reason behind those geographical phenomenons is important.(No need to remeber all date and how many killed details.)
4. ISRO launcing Space Vehicles.(No need to remember date and its weight).
5. Incidence and Accidents :- Important is why it occurs and what measure government is taking to stop it.

• InterNational News

1. Bilateral Relation :- Bilateral visits of prime ministers and presidents. What treaties or trade pacts did they sign?
2. What is going on in UN, IMF, World Bank?
3. Elections in the big nations : USA, Russia, China, France, UK.
4. Political or military coup (usually in South America and Africa.)
5. Any major event: the democratic uprising in Middle East, Israel palestine, US vs China / Russia missile defence, NATO-Afghanistan and so on.

6. Meetings of organisations such as ASEAN, G20 etc , and particularly what India did in such conferences and meetings.
7. Climate change, environment related news.
8. Science and Tech related items for example CERN, China’s space program, missle tests by N.Korea, Iran’s nuke program and so on.
9. Any News that makes impact on present and future of world then go through it.

• Economy

1. Press conference or press note by Government, SEBI, RBI, Planning Commission etc.
2. ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM etc. (they usually complaint or suggest about Government policies that affect the business houses.)
3. IIP, GDP, WPI, CPI etc. Not the “numbers” but the reasons behind that number and the future because of that number.Is this IIP good or bad? And why is it good or bad? What’ll be its impact on future of Indian economy and Government / RBI policies?
4. International: ASEAN, World Bank, EU etc.

• Frontpage

1. There is a narrow column on the left hand side of the front page, most of the time, the yearbook related information, government schemes etc. appear here.
2. The main news item on the frontpage: it is usually “not-very-important”. Reason most of the time it is the political news. For example, “Bihar Mahadalit Land Racket.” If you are a candidate from Bihar, you should read it, for the others, it is not worth it.

• Columns and Editorials

1. These are big paragraphs like articles in the centre pages of a newspaper.Generally each article has photo of the author.
2. Usually columns are made up of 7-8 paragraphs. But not every sentence and line is important; there are just 3-4 gemstones in it, which you can use in your mains / essay / interview answers. So just note them down.
3. You must not admire or criticize a particular individual (minister / politician) in the mains / interview. And don’t prepare a line that is “too leftist” or “too rightists.”And if you criticise the Government, then you should also offer the reform suggestions

• Sports / music / life-style/ Bollywood

1. Bollywood and cricket related news = not important in any case. Unless something related to administration or polity for example should BCCI be brought under RTI? And the copyright act vs Bollywood.