Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
Government’s move to ‘preload’ Sanchar Saathi app sparks controversy
- The government’s order telling smartphone companies to install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones has caused strong criticism from Opposition leaders and digital-rights groups. They say the decision was taken without discussion and may affect people’s freedom and privacy.
- Mallikarjun Kharge called the order dictatorial, saying the government ignored important stakeholders. He also said the app could become another tool for the BJP government to control or silence people.
- Priyanka Chaturvedi said the government’s claim that users can “delete the app if they want” is misleading. She argued that if the app comes preloaded on every phone by force, then calling it voluntary makes no sense.
- John Brittas warned that putting compulsory apps on phones takes away a person’s right to choose. He said that even if the app can be deleted, forcing it in the first place harms user freedom and might turn phones into devices that allow authorities to watch or track people.
- Sanchar Saathi was first launched in 2023 as a DoT website. It helps people report scam calls, check if an IMEI number is real, and block stolen phones by preventing telecom operators from supporting those blacklisted devices.
- People are also worried that making the Sanchar Saathi app compulsory may mean users cannot uninstall it later, like many other preloaded apps. This could limit how much control people have over their own phones and reduce their ability to customise devices.
- Cybersecurity experts cautioned that preinstalled apps often get special system permissions. If these apps have root-level access, they could be misused, especially if updates silently increase their permissions. This could create risks of spyware, surveillance, or other harmful activities.
- Analyst Anand Venkatanarayanan said that giving a government app such deep access is risky. According to him, with root access, a simple over-the-air update from the government could quietly change the app’s abilities without the user knowing.
- In another order, the DoT told WhatsApp and similar apps to allow accounts to work only on the phone that uses the SIM used during registration. This blocks multi-device usage and forces strict linking of accounts to one mobile number.
- The DoT also directed WhatsApp Web and similar features to automatically log out every six hours. This reduces long, continuous sessions and changes how people stay connected across devices.
- Both of these orders were issued under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024. These rules were updated in November to give DoT more authority over companies that use mobile numbers for user identification, expanding its control beyond normal telecom operators.
WHO Endorses GLP-1 Medications for Weight Management
- The WHO has released long-awaited global guidelines about GLP-1 medicines used to treat obesity in adults. They stressed the need for fair access to these medicines and said they should be part of a larger plan to fight rising obesity worldwide.
- WHO Director-General Tedros said that GLP-1 drugs are not a complete cure, but they can greatly help many people manage obesity and reduce related health problems. WHO’s guidelines show that these medicines are effective and important globally.
- The guidelines explain that obesity might cost the world up to $3 trillion every year by 2030. They also say GLP-1 drugs help in major weight loss and provide metabolic benefits that improve overall health.
- There are two main recommendations:
- GLP-1 medicines can be used long-term for adults, except pregnant women.
- These medicines must be used along with strong lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular physical activity.
- However, WHO marked these recommendations as “conditional” because there is still limited information about long-term safety, whether the benefits continue after stopping the medicine, and the fact that these drugs are too costly for many people.
- Obesity is described as a complex, long-term disease that increases the chances of non-communicable illnesses like heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and some cancers. It also makes infectious diseases more dangerous for affected individuals.
- GLP-1 drugs have changed obesity treatment in recent years by helping achieve significant weight loss and offering overall metabolic improvements. This is a big change from earlier treatments, which were limited and less effective.
- A JAMA communication pointed out that medicines alone cannot solve obesity. Countries need to make sure people get proper health care, lifestyle support, prevention programmes, and help for both high-risk groups and the general public.
- Experts like Anoop Mishra appreciated WHO’s decision but said India faces a big challenge — the high cost of these medicines. He said India needs better policies, wider insurance coverage, and cheaper generic versions to improve access.
- Mohan agreed with WHO’s message that medicines are not enough on their own. He said a good diet and exercise are always necessary, and medicines should only be used when lifestyle changes fail or when obesity is very severe.
Only 20% of Candidates Took Up PM Internship Scheme Offers: Report
- The PM Internship Scheme’s pilot programme went beyond its one-year target of 1.25 lakh internships, but data in Parliament shows very low acceptance and participation from young applicants.
- Across two phases, companies gave 1.65 lakh internship offers, but only 20% were accepted. Minister Harsh Malhotra said many candidates rejected offers because of the location, job role, or length of the internship.
- Among those who accepted internships, one-fifth left before finishing them. The PM Internship Scheme aims to create one crore internship opportunities in top 500 companies over five years.
- Launched in October 2024, the pilot planned for 1.25 lakh internship opportunities every year. In the first phase, companies posted 1.27 lakh internships and received 6.21 lakh applications.
- From these, companies made 82,000 offers, but only 8,700 applicants—about 10.6%—accepted them. By November 26, more than half of these 8,700 interns, around 4,565 people, had left their internships early.
- In the second phase starting January, companies posted 1.18 lakh internships and received over 4.55 lakh applications. They offered 83,000 internships, and 24,600—around 30%—were accepted.
- By November 26, around 2,053 people from the second phase — 8.3% of those who accepted — quit before completing their internships, showing that dropout rates remained a problem.
- Overall, from 1.65 lakh offers, only 33,300 were accepted — a 20.2% acceptance rate. Of these, 6,618 participants — almost 19.9% — left their internships before finishing.
- The government had first allocated ₹840 crore for the pilot but later reduced it to ₹380 crore for 2024–25. Till now, only ₹73.72 crore has been used.
Important Questions
- Why did digital-rights groups say the government’s move to preload the Sanchar Saathi app was harmful for citizen freedoms?
- How could giving the Sanchar Saathi app root-level access increase the risk of surveillance or misuse?
- Why did WHO give conditional recommendations for the long-term use of GLP-1 medicines?
- How do GLP-1 drugs provide metabolic benefits along with helping in weight loss?
- What were the main reasons applicants declined the internship offers in the PM Internship Scheme?
- How does the high number of interns who left early show the problem of dropout in the PM Internship Scheme?
Important Vocabulary
- Dictatorial – behaving like a dictator; very controlling.
- Misleading – giving the wrong idea or impression.
- Surveillance – watching or monitoring someone closely.
- Blacklisted – officially banned or blocked from use.
- Equitable – fair and equal for everyone.
- Metabolic – related to the body’s process of using energy.
- Non-communicable – diseases that do not spread from person to person.
- Affordability – how easily something can be paid for.
- Accepted – agreed to or said yes to something.
- Prematurely – happening earlier than expected.
- Allocated – set aside or given for a purpose.
- Utilised – used for a particular aim.
Download Online Mock Test Mobile APP
3
