Download Hindustan Times Newspaper

Reading the newspaper for UPSC exam Under polity Government press conferences where policies/schemes/reforms are announced. Important bills in the Parliament. You can also see the advertisements by the ruling party where they list their achievements. This will give you a list of the developmental schemes and their provisions. You will know which ministry deals with what schemes. Election-related news like reforms by the Election Commission. News related to the Constitution, amendments, etc. Supreme Court/High Court verdicts are important. Parliamentary debates. Do not focus on: Press conferences by political parties. Who defeated whom in the by-elections, etc. Under national news News of national importance. Always focus on the implications of an event. For instance, if there is a massive railway mishap, focus on why it happened and how the country is lacking in a comprehensive disaster management plan. You don’t have to remember the precise number of deaths. The same goes for natural calamities. In this case, also read about the geography behind the calamities. News related to ISRO, any scientific developments in the country are important. Do not focus on: Political news like an X-party member blames a person of another party for taking bribes, etc. Under economy Government press releases related to SEBI, Planning Commission, RBI, banking reforms, reforms in the economy, agriculture, industry, etc. NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM – related news that affects business. Indicators like GDP, CPI, IIP, etc. The absolute number not as important as the reason behind it. Do not focus on: The nitty-gritty of the share market. Under international news Visits of the Prime Minister and the President. The treaties and agreements signed on such bilateral visits. International organisations like the UN, ASEAN, WHO, IMF, etc. and their reports/publications. India’s role in them should also be read. Major political events in other countries that have possible international ramifications like a military coup, uprisings, etc. General Knowledge Climate change news/global warming. News related to environment and ecology. Science and tech news like major developments in the science fields. News about any endangered species, any species becoming extinct, etc. What news to avoid for UPSC exam preparation? Entertainment news. Sports news unless it is your hobby mentioned in the DAF. Also, if the news is related to polity/administration, you should read it. States’ news unless it has a larger national implication. Regional news should be avoided unless you are preparing for the UPSC interview. Avoid all ‘masala’ news items.