Introducing: 15 Minutes to Make You Smart
Stay current in just 15 minutes a day
In our fast-changing world, staying current is more important than ever — more important, even, than formal degrees. Being informed is how you stay ahead of the curve.
But staying current isn't just about scrolling through headlines. It’s about knowing what matters, why it matters, and how it fits into the bigger picture. And let’s be honest — most of what passes for “news” today is noise.
That’s where we come in.
15 Minutes to Make You Smart is a crisp, curated daily newsletter, delivered between 5–6 PM. Designed for people who want to stay current without wasting time.
Every edition gives you:
Top stories: Only the news with long-term relevance, explained in context
Word Wise: One word from the news, explained with real-world usage
Blank Stares No More: A concept or issue you've heard of but never fully understood — made clear
For Kicks: Because serious doesn’t have to mean boring
Whether you're a student, a young professional, preparing for competitive exams, or just someone trying to make sense of the world — this is your daily upgrade.
To get the newsletter in your inbox every evening, follow us on Substack and join our WhatsApp community.
👉 Join our WhatsApp community
👉 Subscribe on Substack
Our first full edition goes out tomorrow at 5 PM. But before that, here’s a short sample to give you a sense of how we do things — clear, focused, and worth your time.
Election Commission of India has announced Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar; Political Controversy continues
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar aims to update the voter rolls ahead of the assembly elections by removing ineligible names and adding genuine voters. As per the ECI, about 40% voters, roughly 3 crore people, must provide documents to prove their date or place of birth (Indian Express).
SIR has sparked apprehensions of disenfranchisement.
The SIR exercise involves door-to-door verification, form-filling, and document submission — a process that risks excluding many. With high out-migration, poor documentation, and and lower literacy levels, there are concerns that an exercise meant to ensure inclusion may end up disenfranchising marginalised voters in Bihar just ahead of the assembly elections.
The SIR exercise has received strong responses from opposition leaders, with comparisons being drawn to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and accusations of it being a breach of democratic principles.
Read more: Times of India, The Hindu
Big Tax Cuts, Dents to Welfare: US Senate Approves Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ Tax Bill
The U.S. Senate has narrowly passed President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending “One Big Beautiful Bill” [official name!] which offers $4.5 trillion in tax cuts with increased spending on defence, border security, and energy, while slashing funding for health and nutrition programmes (Indian Express). The bill now moves to the House for final approval.
Why the bill sparks controversy?
As per analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Bill will significantly increase the federal deficit and worsen income inequality by disproportionately benefiting high-income groups.
Read more: BBC, The Guardian, AP
What is the NRC?
The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is an official record of people who are legally recognised as Indian citizens. The NRC became a national controversy in 2019 when the government said it might be implemented across India
The stated goal of the NRC is to identify and weed out illegal immigrants. The NRC shifts the burden of proof onto individuals to establish citizenship — often through documents many people simply don’t have. Large populations are undocumented due to poverty, illiteracy, displacement, or administrative lapses. The NRC thus disproportionately affects poor, rural, tribal, Dalit, and Muslim communities. Even minor inconsistencies — spelling differences, lost papers, or mismatches between generations — can lead to exclusion.
The NRC has been implemented in Assam, where nearly 19 lakh people were left out of the final list in 2019. But its impact extends beyond voting rights. In December 2024, the Assam government announced that all new Aadhaar applicants must submit their NRC application receipt number — a move that could affect access to welfare schemes, job opportunities, and even basic identity verification.
In recent news: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien has accused the Election Commission of attempting to introduce the NRC “through the backdoor” through the SIR exercise (Times of India).
Read more: Indian Express, Guwahati Plus, India Today
Apprehension (ap-ruh-HEN-shun): worry about the future, or a fear that something unpleasant is going to happen (Cambridge Dictionary).
In Other Words: Anxiety, concern, unease, dread.
“The SIR exercise has sparked apprehensions of voter exclusion.”
Touch Down and Chill: Even fighter jets need a break, and what better place than God’s Own Country?
A British F-35B Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram on June 14 due to bad weather (The Hindu). It’s been grounded ever since. But is it really stranded?
Kerala Tourism thought not — read a review from the jet itself.
“Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.”
Stay tuned for more context, clarity, and news that matters.