According to the Pew Research Center for the people and press (a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington D.C) indicated that public knowledge of current affairs have changed very little; despite dramatic changes in the media and information revolution. On an average, today’s citizens are as able to name their leaders, and are about as aware of major news events, as was the public nearly 20 years ago. Isn’t this worrying you? In today’s well-connected world we are so less concerned about what’s happening around us – the current affairs.
It is so important to be connected to the world; we all are directly or indirectly affected by what goes around us. We cannot exist in vacuum – all by ourselves, therefore being connected with world is as important as eating and sleeping.
What does current affair comprise of
Current affairs comprise of news, information, awareness and comprehension on all that is happening in the world – it is r
elated to every walk of life. It covers all topics ranging from business, sports, money, politics, education, employment, crime, and ethics so on and forth. It may be about rising onion prices, theft in somebody’s shop, or a terrorist attack. You may grasp the news from the television news hours, news papers, Internet, news magazines, business magazines, radio, talk shows, and word of mouth – from anywhere. I am sure all of us like news related to a particular sector, or area. But, it is advisable to be updated for your all round growth. Please do not rely on bluffers or unauthorized source of information, wrong information will not lead you anywhere. I know some youngsters gather news from their friends; this news comes with lots of twists and tweaks.
If you don’t know the government policies, laws, rules and regulations of the land, however educated you are people will tag you as “ignorant.” And there are many people out there to cheat you if you are not updated. Current affairs help us stay protected. When a person is updated he/she is a pleasure to talk to. You get information on achievements of people, organizations, NGOs, government agencies, professionals, artists and many more avenues. When we get out of our house, only our information allows us to transact with the world. Gaining knowledge in world current affairs and current events allows you to decide about your own well-being concerning your city, state, region and country. It also provides you the ability to influence legislators in a meaningful and thoughtful way.
The professional bodies while conducting examinations always test the student’s knowledge of current affairs. Aspirants who wish to crack IAS, Bank PO/clerks, LLB, PSUs, SSCs or entrance examinations like MBA, etc cannot succeed those exams without in-depth knowledge of current affairs.
If you are aspiring for a reasonable job in corporate, bank or government organization, your current affairs knowledge is tested. I have seen in number of cases where my students have gone up to the last round of interviews, when they could not discuss on some important current issues, they have lost the chances. There are two reasons for being grounded with current affairs: firstly, globalization has transformed the entire world into global village; therefore any event happening in any corner of the world has started influencing people every nook and corner. And secondly, our lives are interrelated with most happening. It’s nice to be informed about a country before a visit as this can decrease unexpected “shocks” and travel mishaps; basically about the country rules, regulations and safety procedures etc. In addition, keeping up with the news also allows you to get to know the country, people and cultures that you will encounter during your travels abroad.
How to keep in touch with current affairs
Few tips to keep in touch with current affairs:
- Read news papers regularly. Take any newspaper of your choice. Read it daily by making a time slot for reading the news paper. Glance at it from first to last page once, and then read those important news items (of your interest) meticulously. Make notes of important points. Make it your habit. If you’re reading about controversies, gather information of social, economic and political background of the happening. Find out what are the critical issues. Who are those people expressing their views, what are their perspectives in relation to the issue. Think about the biases. Think about the news from different angles.
- Do a SWOT analysis of the issue. And think about solutions. You are a responsible citizen of the country and you have a view point of your own.
- Always remember, think of a solution – you just can’t read about a crisis and leave it there. Start analyzing the situation; discuss your views with your teachers, friends, parents and others. You will hear many others views. This will give you a larger picture.
- Join some group on Internet such as Face book/Twitter express your views. This is how you will grow.
To conclude, scientists say people who keep up-to-date with current affairs stay healthier mentally as well as physically. There are lesser chances of these people to suffer Alzheimer’s because they constantly think and analyze. And, secondly because they gather so much news they stay fit by changing their living habits in every way.
I spend a lot of time reading. Bill Gates
