What to read in The Hindu newspaper
22 November 2025
| Headline | Page No. | GS Paper & Topic | Theme / Issue | UPSC Relevance / Analytical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court issues notice to EC on Kerala plea seeking deferment of SIR | 1 | GS 2 – Governance / Electoral Reforms | Judicial oversight & electoral accountability | Tests balance between Election Commission’s autonomy and judicial intervention. Connects to Article 324, SIR reforms, and transparency in electoral process. |
| Centre notifies four new Labour Codes | 1 | GS 2 – Government Policies / Labour Reforms | Simplification of labour laws | Consolidates 29 labour laws into 4 codes: Wages, Industrial Relations, OSH, and Social Security. Links to Ease of Doing Business, labour welfare, and informal sector regulation. |
| No rest till timelines fixed for Governors to clear Bills: Stalin | 1 | GS 2 – Indian Constitution / Federalism | Governor’s discretion & legislative process | Highlights Articles 200–201, Centre-State tensions, and constitutional morality in federal governance. |
| Rajasthan books 2 pastors in first case under new law against religious conversion | 4 | GS 1 – Secularism | Freedom of religion vs anti-conversion laws | Raises debate on Article 25, essential religious practices, and constitutional morality vs state regulation. Useful for Ethics & Society too. |
| The new direction for India should be toward Asia (Editorial) | 6 | GS 2 – International Relations | India’s strategic shift toward East & South Asia | Advocates Asian regionalism, reduced Western dependence, and strengthening ASEAN, BIMSTEC, SCO ties. Connects to Act East & Indo-Pacific policies. |
| Rethinking a symbol of ‘environment responsibility’ (Editorial) | 6 | GS 3 – Environment | Reassessing symbolic eco-actions | Critiques token environmentalism—focuses on EPR, solid waste management, and individual vs systemic environmental responsibility. |
| Blow to States (Editorial) | 6 | GS 2 – Federal Structure | Centre-State fiscal & political imbalances | Analyses judicial and executive actions eroding state autonomy. Useful for cooperative vs coercive federalism debate. |
| Overcoming resistance (Editorial) | 6 | GS 2 – Health / Social Sector | Public health & vaccine hesitancy | Discusses community health interventions, IEC campaigns, and science communication for disease prevention. |
| Govt. plans to unify security regulations for 250 seaports | 8 | GS 3 – Infrastructure / Internal Security | Port infrastructure & maritime security | Aims to create common security standards for ports under Sagarmala. Links to blue economy, ISPS code, and national logistics policy. |
| Modi meets Australian PM, discusses cooperation in trade, defence and security | 8 | GS 2 – India & Neighbourhood / IR | India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership | Deepens ties in Quad, Defence, Critical Minerals, Indo-Pacific cooperation. Relevant for maritime diplomacy. |
| Guidelines defining ‘obscenity’ in online content proposed | 10 | GS 2 – Governance / IT Regulation | Digital governance & free speech | Proposes updated obscenity standards under IT Rules 2021. Balances Article 19(1)(a) and 21 (decency & dignity) — essential for Ethics & Governance. |
| COP30 draft text skips mention of fossil fuel use | 10 | GS 3 – Environment & Climate Diplomacy | Global negotiations on climate commitments | Reflects ongoing North–South divide over fossil phase-out. Connects to CBDR principle, climate finance, and India’s Just Energy Transition. |