The Hindu Editorial (Fixing the rot) – Jul 02, 2026
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The Hindu Editorial (Fixing the rot) – Jul 02, 2026:
- rot (noun) – corruption, decay, deterioration; decline, disintegration, degeneration.
- subversion (noun) – the act of undermining, worsening, or reducing power and authority gradually; sabotage, disruption, undermining.
- seem (verb) – appear, look, give the impression of being; look like, have the appearance of.
- recurring (adjective) – happening repeatedly, occurring again and again; repetitive, persistent, frequent.
- pattern (noun) – a consistent or recurring trend.
- malfeasance (noun) – wrongdoing, deceit, misconduct; falseness, dishonesty, corruption.
- venality (noun) – the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption; corruptness, bribery, graft.
- official (noun) – officer, functionary, executive; bureaucrat, dignitary, mandarin.
- enrich (verb) – to make wealthy or wealthier; build up wealth, profit, aggrandize.
- crony (noun) – close friend, companion, associate; accomplice, ally, sidekick.
- corrosive (adjective) – destructive, damaging, harmful; ruinous, consuming, detrimental.
- variant (noun) – variation, form, version.
- impinge upon (phrasal verb) – encroach on, intrude on, infringe on; affect, touch, impact.
- systematic (adjective) – methodical, structured, organized; routine, orderly, planned.
- skilled (adjective) – experienced, trained, qualified; proficient, capable, expert.
- increasingly (adverb) – more and more, progressively, to a greater extent; steadily, growingly, continuously.
- ideally (adverb) – perfectly, optimally, in a perfect world; preferably, theoretically, ideally.
- on merit (phrase) – based on one’s ability, quality, or worth rather than external factors; fairly, rightfully, deservedly.
- erode (verb) – wear away, destroy, undermine; weaken, deteriorate, degrade.
- demographic dividend (noun) – a boost in economic productivity that occurs when there are growing numbers of people in the workforce relative to the number of dependents; economic growth, youth bulge benefit, workforce advantage.
- National Testing Agency (NTA) (organization) – an autonomous and self-sustained testing organization established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to conduct efficient, transparent, and international standard tests to assess the competency of candidates for admission to premier higher educational institutions.
- National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG (exam) – an all-India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical, dental, and AYUSH courses in government and private institutions in India.
- postponement (noun) – delay, deferment, rescheduling; putting off, adjournment, suspension.
- Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (examination) – a mandatory qualifying state-level examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) to determine and certify the eligibility of candidates for appointment as teachers across the state.
- scheduled (adjective) – planned or appointed for a certain time or date; arranged, planned, timetabled, organized.
- malaise (noun) – trouble, disorder, disquiet; disease, depression, unhappiness.
- depressingly (adverb) – sadly, miserably, gloomily; distressingly, dishearteningly, discouragingly.
- familiar (adjective) – well-known, recognized, accustomed; common, frequent, ordinary.
- drive (verb) – compel, propel, motivate; prompt, push, steer.
- cottage (adjective) – small-scale, localized, or informal (used contextually as “cottage industry” to denote a widespread unregulated illicit network); unregulated, decentralized, home-based.
- insider (noun) – a person within a group or organization who has access to exclusive information; internal staff, employee, member.
- vast (adjective) – huge, extensive, massive; immense, boundless, widespread.
- ecosystem (noun) – a complex network or interconnected system; network, environment.
- rake in (phrasal verb) – earn, make, or collect a large amount of money easily; gather, accumulate, pull in.
- seek (verb) – try, attempt, aim; search for, look for, pursue.
- shortcut (noun) – a quicker or easier way of doing something, often illicitly; workaround, quick fix, alternative route.
- alleged (adjective) – supposed, presumed, suspected; purported, unproven, questionable.
- kingpin (noun) – a person who controls a large organization or activity, especially an illegal one; mastermind, boss.
- suspected (adjective) – believed to be guilty or involved without conclusive proof; presumed, thought, implicated.
- of links to (phrase) – having connections, ties, or relationships with; connected to, associated with, affiliated with.
- reportedly (adverb) – supposedly, apparently, allegedly; ostensibly, purportedly, reputedly.
- eerily (adverb) – in a strange, frightening, and mysterious way; spookily, creepily, weirdly.
- surface (verb) – emerge, arise, appear; come up, materialize, crop up.
- mastermind (noun) – a person who plans and directs a complex, often illicit, scheme; originator, orchestrator.
- chargesheet (verb) – to file a formal document of accusation against someone in a court of law by law enforcement; indict, accuse, arraign.
- serving (adjective) – currently holding a position or office; acting, current, working.
- common element (noun) – common factor.
- work out (phrasal verb) – devise, formulate, figure out; develop, plan, construct.
- scam (verb) – swindle, defraud, cheat; deceive, trick, exploit.
- the system (noun) – the established framework, institutions, or organizational structure; administration, establishment, regime.
- vulnerability (noun) – weakness, susceptibility, flaw; defenselessness, frailty, loophole.
- lie (verb) – consist, be present, exist; be found, reside, abide.
- set (verb) – formulate, prepare, put together, create, frame.
- repeated (adjective) – happening again and again; recurring, frequent, constant.
- involvement (noun) – participation, engagement, association; implication, connection.
- ritual (noun) – a custom, routine, or procedure that is regularly followed, often merely as a formality; routine, habit, formality.
- hunt for (phrasal verb) – search for, look for, seek; pursue, track down, chase.
- performative (adjective) – done primarily for show or to make an impression rather than for real effect; superficial, ostentatious, artificial.
- public attention (noun) – the awareness, focus, or interest of the general public; public interest, spotlight, public scrutiny.
- fade (verb) – diminish, fade away, dwindle; decline, wane, disappear.
- leave (verb) – result in, cause to remain; keep, let remain, abandon.
- untouched (adjective) – unchanged, unaffected, unaddressed; unhandled, unresolved, ignored.
- pertinent (adjective) – relevant, applicable, appropriate; fitting, related, suitable.
- rarely (adverb) – seldom, hardly, scarcely; infrequently, uncommonly, almost never.
- address (verb) – tackle, deal with, attend to; confront, handle, approach.
- pool (noun) – a group of people available for a specific task; group, reserve, panel.
- antecedent (noun) – a person’s ancestors or family and social background; history, background, record.
- run (verb) – manage, administer, operate; direct, oversee, coordinate.
- scrutinise (verb) – examine carefully, inspect, investigate; probe, study, review.
- conflict of interest (noun) – a situation in which a person or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt their motivation or decision-making; clash of loyalties.
- even if (phrase) – despite the possibility that, irrespective of whether; granting that, supposing that, albeit.
- undertake (verb) – begin, start, embark on; engage in, take on, initiate.
- reform (noun) – improvement, change, restructuring; overhaul, reorganization, modification.
- incomplete (adjective) – unfinished, lacking, deficient; partial, wanting, insufficient.
- accountability (noun) – responsibility, answerability, liability; obligatoriness.
- own (verb) – take responsibility for, acknowledge, admit; accept, recognize, confess.
- recur (verb) – happen again, occur again, repeat; return, reappear, come back.
- as routinely as (phrase) – in the same regular, frequent, or customary manner; as normally as, as regularly as, as predictably as.
- preside over (phrasal verb) – be in charge of, be responsible for, manage; head, direct, oversee.
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Corruption in public life is often linked to “malfeasance”, the venality of government officials in high places taking bribes and misusing their positions to enrich themselves or their cronies… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-1 for (Fixing the rot) – Jul 02, 2026.