CivilsDaily

Curating The News

Cards
March 08, 2016

Overview
These are the some basic, yet important things to be kept in mind while writing a news card.
We are in the business of explaining the news - making it interesting for an uninitiated reader
and removing the friction which serious news bytes are usually associated with.

3 Important points to remember

Dont start writing a news card before reading the
news in full -
What we mean is that do not go by

the headline.
The news might be deliberating on
some point because it has been written for a

common reader.
Whereas a UPSC aspirant has
different takeaway from the news.

After reading a story, think of the questions which

come out naturally to you - This is where your
competence and natural curiosity comes in. Think
like a kid who cries out why do you want me to
read this news - whats the reason d'etre .
This is

where we value your inputs as a reader and a trainer.

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Incorporate answers of those questions in news card - This part is simple and needs
refinement in terms of your writing skills etc etc. which we are sure you will gain in time

Step by Step Guide to News Card Creation

Basics
Give the news full reading at first instance. If you want to copy paste at this moment, its your
wish, but, dont get carried away by the copy-paste items. Try to understand the news, as an
aspirant.
Step into his/ her shoes.

Giving a Context to News

Identify the context.
Context is basically something, which gives you an idea of overall event. Its not the STORY
level headline. Its the local centre of that piece of news.
For instance, there will be many news around rising NPAs of PSBs. RBI will say something,
Parliamentary Standing Committee report will come out on this lines, Finance ministry will
also take some efforts. So, for all these news, your context remains the same.
Context can be written in our own words, but dont just copy paste the same context for all
NPA related news, that would make news redundant. Moreover, our news links to the Stories,
so it would look bad, if the context is written same in the story for most of the news cards.
Use your innovation, pick some words from news and connect the dots.
Example:
Context: The govts ambitious Housing for All project aims to build 2 crore houses in five
phases till 2021-22

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Context: ISROs effort to acquire the capability to launch heavier satellites into orbit
Context: ISRO is rising as a big supplier of satellites to foreign countries
Context: Improving the governance of public sector banks/NPA problem is threatening the
stability of the banking system --- All sounds similar right?

Identify the Background

At times, the news will mention the background incident/event that led to the current news.
While our contextual trail (of linked newscards) does provide the background, see if you can
fix a line or two about the news in point.
A word of caution:
Dont mix context and background. There is a thin line of difference

between the two. At times, it may not be necessary to mention background in the cards. If you
are able to find some background or do a little bit of googling, then only mention background
of news.
Otherwise, we can avoid it because it looks more bad, when you have just written
something vague that does not seems to be the background of the news.

For instance, there are many news related to cricket reforms. Here the background can
be many things, for instance, if the news deals with Lodha committee report, then it
becomes our background. Here the context will be improving the governance and
transparency in Cricket.
Another news related to problem of Discoms. Context becomes that our discoms are ailing
due to various reasons. Here, the background will be UDAY scheme launched recently. At
times, you can use UDAY as a context also, because it is launched recently. But, that becomes
your discretion. It will fit-in both the places. Suppose, UDAY would have been launched 2-3
years ago, then it cannot become context, then it will be background only.
Examples

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Background: In August 2015, the bureau was announced as part of the 7-point
Indradhanush plan to revamp the PSBs
Background: PJ Nayak committee was formed to review the governance of Board of Banks in
India
Background: Begging is currently a crime under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959
Background: The National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) was enacted in 2005
According to the Sec 12 of the Act, it is mandated to provide Minimum Standards of Relief in
disaster-hit areas
## you can even use two points, if required for background.

News
After reading the whole news, try to identify the core point of the news, which shall give some
new happening/event/ any other thing. We shall write in one or two points.
There is a word of caution here too, that dont try to write the impact, criticism, reason,
challenge in the News. These dimensions will be covered as part of separate headers
Examples
News: The Finance Ministry has approved the issuance of UDAY bonds by 4 states.
News: The govt will include the market value of the land in the reserve price when a PSU is
divested
News: The Delhi HC decision makes it mandatory for cellular operators to compensate
subscribers for call drops
News: ISROs cryogenic engine passed a test to qualify it for use in future missions

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All the above examples, show cases core part of the news article, on which the whole
news is made.

Reason
I guess, this is very simple. Suppose any decision is taken by any agency, then there would be
some rationale given in the news. We can use the reason keyword to explain that.
Examples
Reason: The Union Budgets primary focus was on addressing rural distress
Reason: To ensure that the benefits of various govt subsidies reach the people who deserve it

Objective/Aim
Most of the govt. policy will have some objective. Try to identify them. I think purpose is not
the right term to use here. Instead, the objective or aim looks much better.
Examples
Objective: To electrify every Indian home by May, 2018
Objective: To generate 700 megawatts of electricity from solid waste-run plants in the next 5
years

Impact
This is the most important part of the news to reader of civil services. News is fine for him,
important part who will be impacted/ what will be impacted, etc.
This is an optional feature, which we will include kin the cards, only if the news report
mentions about that or any other connecting article on some website mentions about it.
Examples

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Impact: It will provide impetus for enhanced growth and in turn, generate employment

Challenge
In the events, stories which are making news. At times, so news will have something related
to challenges that may be faced by stakeholders. Try to identify them.
Examples
Challenge: Officials pointed out that successful implementation of the I and the II phases of
the Smart City Mission would need Rs. 10,000 crore
Challenge: An amendment of the state Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act and
physical logistic support to enable the farmer to move his crop
Challenge: Total discom debt in the country amounts to Rs.4.3 lakh crore
Challenge: It will require considerable preparatory work and capacity building of accounting
personnel
Challenge: However, it is a more complex and is more expensive and time-consuming to
implement

Criticism
Some of the news reports are based on some crucial decision/policy. At times, various
experts or editors will give some negative fallouts of such decision or policy. It requires
reading news with a vigil.
Example
Criticism: The central govt. did not devolve land and police powers to the provinces
Criticism: Govt. introduced the measure as a money Bill, which can only be introduced in the
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has limited powers

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Criticism: The XII Finance Commission had pointed out several problems with the current
accounting system.

Future
Future is to be written, when you can identify some thing which can happen in future, if that
policy/ decision bears fruit. Mostly, It will be a positive implication on long-term of that event.
Future: A social security platform will be developed using Aadhaar to accurately target
beneficiaries

Statistics
Some figures which you feel are important to be written as it has huge correlation with the
news. Dont write any facts, rather only important ones, which can give some analysis angle.
Statistics: Around 98 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated and 11.19 crore accounts
are seeded for LPG subsidy

Institution
Some news will be related to any agency/institution which is playing important role in that
scenario. Then, this keyword can be used.
Institution: It provides for the establishment of the Unified Identification Authority of India

Key word
If there is some term/keyword mentioned in the news, which gives some basics
understanding on it. Then, we can write it, provided we have not written more than 5 points.
We cannot afford to make news longer.
In that case, prepare a separate b2b card, adding few
more points and push it.

AMRUT: A policy that aims to transfer powers of designing and building cities to
municipalities

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Dos
1. Try to find out, various dimensions of the news.
2. Proper editing and grammar shall be used in the news cards, to the extent possible

Donts
1. Avoid using What? . Basically, What should not be used in the cards. It is better to
use the term News
2. I think we can avoid using the word Why? also. It is better to use the term Reason/Rationale/ any other similar word
3. Dont just copy paste the news, do sufficient edits to make it simple to read
4. Try to find synonyms of tough English, so that our reader does not get trouble while
reading the news
5. Avoid using jargons, because we have a varied target audience. Most of them may not
understand such terms. If we use such technical jargons, then the whole point of
explaining the news is lost.

All the best for this journey of curating exceptionally best news cards for the folks out there,
who struggle to make sense out of news. This will go a long way in helping you in getting
some good sub-headings for news cards.