The Hindu Editorial (Misplaced urgency) – May 23, 2025

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The Hindu Editorial (Misplaced urgency) – May 23, 2025:

1. misplaced (adjective) – inappropriate, incorrect, misguided, unwise, ill-advised, ill-judged, misconceived, ill-considered, wrongly directed.
2. interim (adjective) – provisional, temporary, short-term, transitional.
3. in effect (phrase) – really, in fact, in reality, effectively, practically.
4. undermine (verb) – weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.
5. ruling (noun) – judgement, verdict, pronouncement, decision.
6. stay (verb) – stop, delay, or prevent something temporarily (a judicial proceeding/trial through the order of a court).
7. Act (noun) – law, decree, statute, resolution, rule, ruling, ordinance, stipulation.
8. to the extent that (phrase) – to a particular degree or stage or level; in so far, insofar.
9. empower (verb) – authorize, accredit, allow, permit, entitle.
10. Vice-Chancellor (VC) (noun) – The Vice-Chancellor is the academic and executive head of the University. The Vice-Chancellor provides both academic and administrative leadership. The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Chancellor on the recommendation of the Government.
11. Pro Chancellor (noun) – Deputy Vice-chancellor.
12. Chancellor (noun) – The chancellor is titular head of a state university. In almost all states, the Governor serves as ex-officio chancellor, and in this capacity appoints vice-chancellors of state universities and presides over convocation ceremonies, among other responsibilities. (As per the provisions of the Act of the concerned University, the Governor appoints the Vice Chancellor on the advice/in consultation with the State Government).
13. effectively (adverb) – practically, virtually, in effect, more or less, almost/nearly.
14. halt (verb) – bring to a stop, cease, discontinue, terminate.
15. momentum (noun) – the increase in the rate of growth of something; strength, impetus.
16. landmark (noun as modifier) – an event, discovery, or change marking an important stage or turning point in something; milestone.
17. grant (verb) – give, confer on, provide with, present to with.
18. deemed (adjective) – considered, regarded.
19. assent (noun) – approval, agreement, acceptance, consent, concurrence.
20. deemed assent (noun) – approval in case of delay in assent for Bills. It means the laws become effective despite the lack of a formal assent, effectively circumventing the Governor’s or President’s role.
21. Bill (noun) – A Bill is a draft statute that becomes law after it is passed. All legislative proposals are brought before Parliament in the forms of Bills (or) draft statute/law, proposed legislation, proposal (presented to parliament/congress/council for discussion).
22. inordinately (adverb) – excessively, immoderately, unduly, unreasonably, unjustifiably.
23. sought past tense of seek (verb) – try, aim, attempt.
24. divest (verb) – dispossess, strip of, deprive of, deny, do out of, prevent from having.
25. stalemate (noun) – deadlock, impasse, standstill/stand-off.
26. frozen past tense of freeze (verb) – limit, restrict, confine; stop/suspend, stand still, become paralyzed.
27. intervention (noun) – the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference.
28. vacation Bench (noun) – a special bench constituted by the Chief Justice of India for hearing of urgent matters during vacations. The court takes two long vacations each year, the summer and winter breaks, but is technically not fully closed during these periods.
29. bench (noun) – a court of law with a number of judges.
30. Constitution Bench (noun) – a bench of the Supreme Court having five or more judges on it. These benches are not a routine phenomenon.  Constitution Benches are exceptions, set up only if some circumstances exist).
31. Division Bench (noun) – a bench of two or three judges is called a division bench.
32. act on (phrasal verb) – act in accordance with, comply with, go along with, take heed of, uphold
33. petition (noun) – plea, application, appeal, request.
34. held past participle of hold (verb) – (of a court) rule, decide.
35. impugned (adjective) – disputed, challenged, questioned, criticized, blamed, denounced.
36. fall foul of (phrase) – to conflict with, to have trouble with, to have disagreement with; to violate a rule/law; break, breach, contravene
37. lay down (phrasal verb) – formulate, stipulate, frame, prescribe, promulgate.
38. quash (verb) – overrule, cancel, nullify, reverse, repeal, revoke, invalidate, override.
39. violate (verb) – breach, break, offend, go against, transgress; be opposed to, contradict, counteract.
40. Regulation 7.3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2018 (noun) – it governs the composition of search committees and procedures for V-C appointments. The Governor (as ex-officio Chancellor of State universities under the University Acts) insists on including a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the search committee as per Regulation 7.3 of the UGC Regulations, 2018. Conversely, the State government insists on adhering to the respective State University Acts, which generally require the search committee to consist of one nominee each from the Chancellor, the syndicate, and the senate. It opposes UGC involvement due to concerns over erosion of State autonomy in university governance).
41. University Grants Commission (UGC) (noun) – The University Grants Commission (UGC) came into existence on 28th December, 1953 and became a statutory Organization of the Government of India by an Act of Parliament in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in university education.
42. composition (noun) – constitution, organization, arrangement, configuration, structure, framework.
43. search committee (noun) – it is a Committee constituted for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor. The Search Committee shall submit to the State Government a panel of three persons who are eminent academicians, in the alphabetical order. The State Government shall forward the panel to the Chancellor who shall, keeping in view the merit, equity and social justice and with concurrence of the State Government, appoint one person from the panel as the Vice Chancellor’
44. committee (noun) – advisory council panel, commission, advisory group.
45. caveat (noun) – warning/caution of provision, condition, clause.
46. strip of (verb) – deprive, divest, dispossess of (power/rights)
47. plainly (adverb) – clearly, simply, obviously, evidently.
48. unconstitutional (adjective) – unlawful, illegal, prohibited, unauthorized, forbidden, illicit, illegitimate, against the law.
49. glaring (adjective) – evident, flagrant, blatant, obvious.
50. shut/close one’s eyes (phrase) – to ignore, overlook, gloss (over), shrug off, brush aside something deliberately; turn a blind eye.
51. deprive of (verb) – strip, divest, dispossess of (power/rights)
52. overlook (verb) – reject, neglect, ignore, disregard, dismiss, pay no heed/attention to, take no notice of, fail to notice.
53. counsel (noun) – lawyer, legal practitioner, legal adviser, legal executive, advocate, barrister, attorney, solicitor
54. submission (noun) – argument, contention, claim, statement.
55. seek (verb) – ask for, request, appeal for.
56. apprise (verb) – inform of, tell about, update on, brief, keep posted, give information about.
57. propriety (noun) – decorum, morality, honesty, rightness, correctness, appropriateness, good manners.
58. suggest (verb) – indicate, denote, point to, signify.
59. restraint (noun) – restriction, limitation, control.
60. moreover (adverb) – in addition to, besides, additionally.
61. afford (verb) – give, provide, grant.
62. affidavit (noun) – sworn statement, self-attestation, self-declaration.
63. counter affidavit (noun) – a legal document filed in response to an affidavit submitted by the opposing party in a legal proceeding.
64. in any case (phrase) – whatever happens; at any rate, anyway, nevertheless, anyhow.
65. impasse (noun) – deadlock, stalemate, checkmate, stand-off.
66. persist (verb) – continue, carry on, go on, linger, remain/stay, last.
67. given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
68. conflicting (adjective) – opposing, competing, disputing, opposed.
69. precedent (noun) – a past action/event/decision that is seen as an example; previous example, previous instance, prior instance, previous case, example
70. once and for all (phrase) – finally, conclusively, decisively, permanently; in a way that resolves something completely.
71. subordinate authority (noun) – a level of authority that is lower than or dependent on a higher authority. (The Supreme Court of India is a higher authority and the High Court is a subordinate court in this context).
72. subordinate (adjective) – subsidiary, secondary, auxiliary, supplementary, additional.
73. override (verb) – overrule, cancel, nullify, reverse, repeal, revoke, invalidate, abrogate, annul, abolish.
74. legislation (noun) – law, decree, statute, rule, ordinance, act.
75. Constitutional authority (noun) – a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state (country), namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary. (The state legislature in this context).

Note : 

1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc. from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.

2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.  

3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

The Hindu Editorial (Misplaced urgency) – May 23, 2025: