Author: Dr V

1. Four Export Control Regimes

• Wassenaar Arrangement – on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual Use Goods and Technologies
• Australia Group (AG) for control of chemical and biological technology that could be weaponized
• Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) for the control of rockets and other aerial vehicles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction
• Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), for the control of nuclear related technology

Discuss – India’s membership to these regimes

Discuss – Brahmos missile and MTCR relationship

2. Nuclear Suppliers Group 

• founded in response to the Indian Nuclear Test in May 1974 <what was the name of that operation? What was the name of 1998 test operation?>
• 48 member body prevents civilian nuclear trade being used for military purposes
• Though signing of NPT is not a strict requirement for joining NSG, it has opened it’s doors to only those who have signed NPT or CTBT <notably France joined without being a signatory to NPT>

Discuss- Difference b/w NPT and CTBT

Discuss- India’s stand on NPT and CTBT

3. Scheme for women Scientists 

• KIRAN – Department of science and technology (DST) has restructured all the women specific programmes under one umbrella known as KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing)
• KIRAN is addressing issues related with women scientists (e.g. unemployment, relocation etc.) and provide opportunities in research, technology development/demonstration, and self-employment
• CURIE – Under this name CURIE (Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities) KIRAN plans to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure in women universities in order to attract, train and retain promising girls students in S&T domain
• Mobility Scheme – landmark programme under KIRAN will address relocation issue of women scientists working in regular position in Government Organizations

Discuss – Similar initiatives for girl education like Digital Gender Atlas

4. Tale of two Udaans

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched the UDAAN scheme
• aimed at promoting girl education and addressing the lowering of girl enrollment rates in engineering colleges in the nation.
• It will assist the girls to prepare for IIT-JEE examinations to crack through to the best technological institutes in the country from 11^th and 12^th standard
• Udaan, the Special Industry Initiative (SII) for J&K is funded by Ministry of Home Affairs and implemented by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
• special initiative to address the needs of the educated unemployed in J&K.
• Udaan program is focused on youth of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) who are graduate, post graduate and three year diploma engineer

Discuss – STAR scheme, scheme for youth in Maoist areas

5. AMRIT and AMRUT

• Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT)
• Launched by Ministry of Health and family welfare
• aims to provide drugs for cardiovascular and cancer diseases at highly affordable prices
• 1st AMRIT outlet opened at AIIMS, New Delhi
• AMRUT – Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation

Discuss -Compare and Contrast Smart City Mission and AMRUT

Discuss – Jan Aushadhi Store scheme and this year’s budget

1. Ecotone v/s Ecocline

• Ecotone describes a variation in species prevalence and is often not strictly dependent on a major physical factor separating an ecosystem from another, with resulting habitat variability
• Ecocline is a variation of the physicochemical environment dependent of one or two physico-chemical factors of life, and thus presence/absence of certain species

2. Keystone species and Ecosystem engineer

Keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance <think of keystone of an arch>

Ecosystem engineer is any organism that creates, significantly modifies, maintains or destroys a habitat.

Discuss– Flagship and Foundation species

3. Indicator species 

• An indicator species is any species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment.
• are also known as sentinel organisms, i.e. organisms which are ideal for bio monitoring
• Eg. Some species of lichens are very sensitive to air pollution. Their presence thus indicates low air pollution

4. Ecological interaction

• Mutualism is an interaction between species that is beneficial to both. <+ +> <eg. Flowering plants and pollinators>
• Commensalism is an interaction in which one species benefits and the other species is unaffected <+ 0> <eh. Epiphytes and host plants>
• Parasitism relationship is one in which one member of the association benefits while the other is harmed <+ ->
• Amensalism is the type of relationship that exists where one species is inhibited or completely obliterated and one is unaffected by the other. <- 0> <competition and antibiosis>

Discuss- What is symbiosis?

Discuss- Difference b/w competition and antibiosis

5. biodiversity hotspot 

• A biogeographic region with significant levels of  that is under threat from humans
• Norman Myers described the concept

2 Criterias –

• it must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics <species richness and endemicity>
• it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation <threat perception>

Discuss- Hotspots of India

1. Global Environment Facility

It was established in October 1991 as a $1 billion pilot program in the World Bank to assist in the protection of the global environment and to promote sustainable development 

It serves as financial mechanism for

1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
3. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
4. UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
5. Minamata Convention on Mercury
6. although not linked formally to Montreal Protocol on Ozone depleting substances, supports implementation of the Protocol in countries with economies in transition

Discuss– Green Climate Fund and Green Bnds

2. Earth summit, 1992 (UNCED)

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) led to

• UNFCC
• CBD
• UNCCD <combat desertification>

Note – United Nation Conference on Human environment was held in 1972 at Stockholm

Discuss-  what happened in Rio+20

3. IPCC and UNEP

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is an agency of United Nations and coordinates its environmental activities.
• It was founded in 1972
• It publishes Global Environment Outlook <GEO>
• Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by two UN organization, UNEP and World meteorological Organization (WMO)
• The IPCC does not carry out its own original research, nor does it do the work of monitoring climate or related phenomena itself. The IPCC bases it’s assessment on published literature.
• So far 5 assessment reports have been published

Discuss – who publishes global economic outlook

Discuss- major findings of 5th assessment report

Discuss- what is this Brundtland commission report? When was it published?

4. Convention on Biological Diversity

3 goals

1. conservation of biological diversity <cartagena protocol on biosafety, 2003, to protect biodiversity from LMOs>
2. sustainable use of its components
3. fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources < Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, wef 2014>
4. There are 20 Aichi <place in Japan> Targets for biodiversity under short term strategic plan for biodiversity 2011- 2020

• COP 13, 2016 will take place in Cancum, Mexico
• COP 12, 2014 was held in Pyeongchang, ROK and the theme was Biodiversity for Sustainable Development

Discuss- Imp Aichi targets

5. Biological Diversity Act, 2002

enacted to meet the obligations under CBD

3 tier structure

• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)-autonomous body, headquartered in Chennai
• State Biodiversity Boards (SBB)
• Biological management committees (for each local body)

Imp.- foreigner, non-resident Indian or foreign company need to take permission from NBA before obtaining any biological resources or associated knowledge from India for research, survey, commercial utilisation while citizens orIndian companies need to take permission from the concerned State Biodiversity Board

Result of research using biological resources from India cannot be transferred to a non-citizen or a foreign company without the permission of NBA

Discuss- Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)

 

1. Charged Expenditure

• Legislature can discuss it but can not vote on it
• Supreme court, high court, President, VP, Deputy chairperson, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, CAG, UPSC etc have their expenditure charged on CFI or States
• Election Commission expenditure is not charged on CFI
• interest and other debt related charges of the Government and any sums required to satisfy any court judgment pertaining to the Government also comes under charged expenditure

Note– Salary of high court judges is charged on states but pension on CFI

Discuss – rationale behind charged expenditure

2. Constitutional and statutory bodies

Constitutional bodies – mentioned in the constitution, derive their power from constitution . Eg. Supreme court, High court, EC,  FC, CAG, UPSC, AG, NCSC, NCST, INTER STATE COUNCIL

Statutory bodies – created by an act of parliament. Eg. NHRC, LOKPAL, CVC, CIC, NCPCR,  NCW,  NCM,  NCBC.

NON STATUTORY OR EXECUTIVE BODIES -created by an executive resolution of Union cabinet . Eg. Erstwhile planning commission and NDC, present NITI Ayog

Note-  CVC was created as executive body in 1964 after Santhanam committee report and converted into a statutory body in 2003 in pursuant of Supreme Court judgment in Vineet Narayan- Jain Hawala case.

Discuss – Other imp constitutional bodies

3. Removal of Imp. constitutional/ statutory functionaries 

Supreme court, High court, CAG, CEC, SEC

Ground – proved misbehaviour or incapacity

Process – resolution to that effect passed by 2/3 present and voting plus absolute majority

Note– Election  commissioners other than CEC can be removed only on the recommendation of CEC.

UPSC, State PSC, NHRC,SHRC ,CVC, CIC, SIC

Ground – misbehaviour

For limited number of grounds mentioned in the constitution or statute, they can be directly removed without supreme court inquiry. Eg. Insolvent, infirmity of body or mind , paid employment outside etc.

Process – after an inquiry by supreme court

Discuss– Can you tell us the whole process of removal of a supreme court judge?

4. Appointment by high powered committee

CIC – PM, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, any cabinet minister nominated by PM

CVC –  PM, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Home Minister

Director CBI – PM, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha,, Chief justice of India

NHRC – 6 member committee

PM, leader of opposition LS , speaker, leader of opposition Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairperson RS

Lokpal: 5 member selection committee considers names recommended by 7 member search committee

PM , Speaker,  Leader Of Opposition LS , chief justice, 1 jurist nominated by 1st 4

Note– For most of the Constitutional and statutory bodies formed before 1991, appointment is by govt. Eg.- EC, CAG, FC, UPSC, SPSC ,NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SC

Discuss- constitutional functionaries who can not be employed in govt service after retirement?

Discuss – Reforms needed to make Election commission truly independent?

5. Equivalence of posts

• CIC = CEC, IC =EC, STATE CIC= EC, SIC = Chief Secretary, CVC= CHAIRPERSON UPSC, VC= MEMBER UPSC ,
• NITI AYOG Vice Chairperson- rank of cabinet minister
• Members NITI Ayog- rank of minister of state
• NSA – rank minister of state
• CAG SALARY EQUALS THAT OF SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Discuss – Can you relate this equivalence with order of precedence?

Discuss– Indian Order of Precedence.

Most Imp. Constitutional doctrines

1. Basic structure doctrine- Keshvananda Bharati Case (1973)

• Constitution has some basic structure which can not be amended even if all members of both the houses vote to amend that provision
• Federalism, Judicial review, Separation of power, art 20, art 21 etc are part of basic structure

2. Doctrine of Colorable Legislation –

• Whatever legislature can’t do directly, it can’t do indirectly
• It is most commonly applied wrt article 246 (3 lists)
• when a Legislature does not possess the power to make law upon a particular subject but nonetheless indirectly makes one

3. Doctrine of Pith and Substance- 

• Pith means true nature” or “essence and substance means the essential nature underlying a phenomenon.
• Thus, the doctrine of pith and substance relates to finding out the true nature of a statute.
• This doctrine is widely used when deciding whether a state is within its rights to create a statute that involves a subject mentioned in Union List of the Constitution.
• The basic idea behind this principle is that an act or a provision created by the State is valid if the true nature of the act or the provision is about a subject that falls in the State list <contrast it with doctrine of colorable legislation>

4. Doctrine of Repugnancy- 

 

• REpugnancy is an inconsistency or contradiction between two or more parts of a statute
• So. if a state passes any law on concurrent list subject which is inconsistent with the central law on that subject, it would be repugnant and liable to be struck down to the extent of repugnancy.

5. Doctrine of Harmonious Construction  

• Constitutional provisions should not be construed in isolation from all other parts of the Constitution, but should be construed as to harmonize with those other parts.
• As we discussed in judgement series when article 368 and 13 were found to be inconsistent, supreme court in Shankari Prasad case applied this principle to opine that parliament can amend fundamental rights and constitutional amendment would not be considered law for the purpose of article 13

6. Doctrine of Separation of Power –

Separation of power among executive, legislature and judiciary so that no one branch of govt wields excessive absolute power

Discuss – Other important constitutional doctrines

Discuss- Compare and contrast doctrine of separation of power with doctrine of checks  and balances

Discuss- Compare Separation of Power in parliamentary democracies (India) v/s presidential democracies (USA)

A few most imp. DPSPs

• To secure for all citizens a uniform civil code (art 44)
• To protect and improve the environment (art 48A)
• To separate judiciary from executive (art 50)
• To promote international peace and security (art 51)
• To provide free legal aid to the poor (art43A)

Discuss– DPSPs which trump fundamental rights under article 14 and 19

Three types of cut motions

• Policy cut: to be reduced to Rs. 1 <you disagree with govt policy>
• Economy cut: reduce by a specific amount.<done in more thrifty manner, no disagreement with policy>
• Token cut: reduce by Rs. 100 < to ventilate a specific grievance>
• Note- If any cut motion is accepted, govt is defeated in LS and has to resign

Discuss- Parliamentary oversight of executive in financial sphere

1. Important sessions of Congress

• 1885- 1st, Bomaby, presided by W.C. Banerjee
• 1887- Badruddin Tyabji became 1st muslim to preside over congress session
• 1907- Surat, Ras Bihari Ghosh not Bose, split in Congress b/w moderates and extremists
• 1916- Lucknow, Reunion on congress, Lucknow pact b/w congress and muslim league
• 1920- Nagpur, A new constitution for congress, congress reorganized
• 1929-Lahore, J.L. Nehru, Purna Swaraj Resolution
• 1931-Karachi, Vallabh Bhai, Resolution on Fundamental rights and National Economic Programme
• 1938- Haripura, S.C. Bose, National Planning Committee under J.L. Nehru

Discuss- New things in new constitution of congress

Discuss- 1st non Indian and 1st woman president of congress

2. Gandhi’s styagrahas

• Champaran (1917)- 1st civil disobedience movement, against tinkathia system of indigo planters <3/20th>, Followers- Rajendra Prasad, Mahadeo Desai, J.B.Kriplani
• Ahmedabad Mill strike (1918)-1st hunger strike, over the discontinuation of plague bonuses, increase in wages
• Kheda (1918)- 1st non cooperation movement, for compensation in the event of crop loss, Followers- Sardar Patel, Indulal yagnil
• Rowlatt Satyagrah (1919)- 1st mass strike, roped in younger elements of Home Rule Leagues and Pan-Islamists

Discuss- Gandhi’s Satyagrahas in South Africa

3. Important Peasant movements

• Mapiilla revolt (1920s)- malabar region, Muslim tenants, Hindu landlords (Jennies), anti govt, anti landlord movement acquired distinct communal overtones
• Eka movement (1921)- against high rents, oppression of thikadars, in northern districts of UP, led by Madarai Pasi and low caste leader, symbolic religious rituals to unify <eka means ekta or unity>
• Bardoli Satyagraha (1926-28)- against increase in land revenue, Kunbi-Patidars, led by VAllabh Bhai, women of bardoli gave him the name, Sardar <eventually revenue hike reduced from 30% to 6%>
• Tebhaga movement (1946)- in Bengal to increase share of bargadars (share croppoers) to 2/3rd from ½ ,<tebhaga meaning three parts>
• All India Kisan Congress/ Sabha in 1936- President swami sahjanand, secretary N.G. Ranga

Discuss- Contribution of Kisan sabhas

 

4. Important Working class movement

• All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) founded in 1920 under Lala Lajpat, Dewan Chaman Ali 1st general secretary
• Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929-33)- Sedition charges on labour leaders (Dange, Shaukat Usmani, Muzaffar Ahmed and 30 others)
• Huge participation of workers in Civil disobedience movement /(1930)
• Workers opposed the 2nd world war but supported British (allies) when Russia joined on their side in 1941 and communist did not support quit India movement

Discuss– Socialist tendencies in national movement

 

                        

1. Sources of constitution

• Fundamental rights from USA
• DPSP from Ireland
• Liberty, equality, fraternity, republic from France
• Federation with strong centre and residuary powers with centre from Canada
• Emergency provisions from Weimar constitution, Germany
• Justice and Fundamental duties from USSR

Discuss– Ideas borrowed from Australian and South African constitution

2. Preamble of Constitution

• It is based on objective resolution drafted and moved by Pt. Nehru
• 3 words socialist, secular and integrity were added by 42nd amendment
• Preamble is a part of constitution but not justiciable
• Preamble can be amended subject to condition that no amendment is done to the basic features

Discuss- Significance and importance of preamble

3. Vidhan Parishads

• Creation or abolition– Only parliament can do so by simple majority if concerned state legislature passes a resolution by special majority <2/3rd present and voting + majority of total>
• Only instance where state legislature uses special majority
• Minimum strength 40, maximum 1/3rd of assembly <maximum strength of assembly is 500>
• It’s not coequal with assembly as-
• If the bill originated in the council is rejected by assembly, it becomes dead
• Bill originating in the assembly can be held back by the council for maximum 4 months <3 +1>
• No provision for joint sitting

Discuss- States with bicameral legislature

Discuss- What happens if bill originating in assembly is rejected by the council

4. Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings

• 1st hour is question hour not zero hour
• Zero hour is an indian innovation and not mentioned in the rule of procedure
• Calling attention motion <call attention of minister> is also Indian innovation but mentioned in the rules of procedure
• Adjournment motion is an extraordinary device to draw attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance.It involves an element of censure, thus can be moved only in LS
• Motion of thanks is passed in both the houses after presidential address at the start of 1st session of every fiscal year <amendment to motion in RS is embarrassment to govt while in LS would amount to defeat of govt>

Discuss – differences b/w no confidence motion and censure motion

5. Executive

• President is the head of state not the PM while PM is head of govt i.e all actions in the name of president not PM
• In presidential system like US, president is both head of state and head of govt <no PM there >
• President is bound by the advice of CoM though he can send back the advice for reconsideration once
• President has vet power-
• Absolute Veto – President refuses to give assent to the bill <private member’s bill, cabinet resigns>
• Suspensive Veto – send the bill for reconsideration of house <can do it only once>
• Pocket veto <Just sits on the bill, neither rejects nor ratifies

Discuss – Veto power of Indian president v/s that of of Us president

Discuss – Qualified Veto

1. Fundamental rights

• Borrowed from American constitution
• They promote political democracy while DPSPs promote social and economic democracy
• Article 15,16,19,29 and 30 are available only to citizens not foreigners
• Even during national emergency under article 352, article 20 and 21 cannot be suspended under article 359
• Article 19 is automatically suspended during national emergency according to article 358

Discuss– fundamental rights which can be enforced against private citizens

2. Writs

• Habeas Corpus–  can be issued against both public authorities and private individuals
• Mandamus – can not be issued against private individuals
• Prohibition– can be issued only against judicial, quasi-judicial bodies not administrative bodies
• Certiorari– against judicial, quasi-judicial as well as administrative bodies but not legislative and private individuals
• Quo Warranto-  only in case of substantive public office of permanent character not against ministerial or private office

Discuss – meaning of these terms and logic behind these provisions

3. Election of President and VP

• Nominated members (be they that of RS, LS or state assemblies) don’t take part in Presidential election
• All elected members of both the houses and state assembles take part in presidential election <MLCs don’t whether elected or nominated>
• All members of both the houses take part in VP election <nominated plus elected but no role of states>
• Proportional representation by single transferable vote
• Votes of all elected members of parliament = votes of all elected members of all legislative assemblies

Discuss- ground on which VP and president can be removed from the office and procedure of removal

4. Evolution of legislature during British rule

• By act of 1858, British crown directly took over the administration of India, Governor General renamed as Viceroy
• GOI act of 1909, Morley-Minto reforms introduced the concept of separate electorate
• GOI act of 1919, Montagu-Chelmsford reforms separated central and provincial subjects and introduced the concept of dyarchy in provinces
• GOI act of 1935 created 3 lists, federal, provincial and concurrent and provided for provincial autonomy

Discuss– Names of first governor general of Bengal, governor general of India and viceroy

Discuss- With whom did residuary power rest in GOI act of 1935

5. Governors and LGs

• A governor can be given responsibility of more than one state and UT
• Governor is appointed and removed by president, there’s no ground mentioned for removal
• CMs of state are appointed by governor while CMs of UTs are appointed by president not LG

Discuss– but Kejriwal was given oath of office by Mr. Jung. How is it possible then?

Discuss– Pleasure doctrine for removal of governor v/s AG v/s Civil servants

 

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Infrastructure refers to structures, services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. Roads, bridges, airports, sewers, telecom facilities etc are examples of infrastructure or what we often call capital.

For instance as an economy grows and people become wealthier, there will be more trade and more cars on the road but if existing stock of infrastructure i.e road is not augmented, there will be congestion on the road and infrastructure will put breaks on economic growth. That’s why it is said that 1st class modern economies can not be built on 2nd class medieval infrastructure.

But now it has been clearly recognized that health care systems, education systems, skill set of population etc are also of critical importance for an economy to function and these softer aspect of infrastructure is termed as social or soft infrastructure / human capital in contrast to hard physical infrastructure. As economy grows, there will be more and more jobs which will require highly educated, highly skilled workforce but if education system is not ready to provide such people, if work force is not healthy, there will be no one to take up such jobs and economy will stagnate.

Investment in human capital thus improves productivity and welfare of population and such investment is critical for India to reap its demographic dividend <working age population 63.3% in 2013 from 57% in 1991>

Let’s analyse some trends in social sector expenditure-

As we saw in this chapter controlling for both the level of economic and political development (democracy), India seems to tax less and spend less and this is most significant with respect to social expenditure (on health and education)

India spends about 3.3% of GDP on education and 1.3% on health i.e 4.6% total while comparable democracies at similar level of economic development spend 8% on health and education. And there has not been any significant increase in expenditure in last decade.

Some facts to be written in mains

1. Way back in 1966, Kothari commission recommended 6% of GDP to be spent on education, same was reiterated in education policy of 1968 and reaffirmed in new education policy of 1986 and its revision in 1992 <we spend < 4%>
2. Proportion of population in the age group of 6 to 21, which needs to be educated, is 29% for India compared to 18% for OECD and 23% for Brazil and so we need proportionately much more funding than these countries <presently we spend way below their level>
3. Draft national health policy and working group on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) recommended increasing spending on health progressively to about 2.5% of GDP <we spend about 1.3%>

But it’s important to note that, increase in expenditure per-se may not always guarantee appropriate outcomes and achievements. The efficiency of expenditure incurred should be assessed, accountability should be fixed and regular corrective measures should be taken <for instance teacher absenteeism, doctor-nurses absenteeism, governance issues would not go away simply by increasing fund allocation>

Let’s now discuss educational challenges

As per Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2014 <conducted by an NGO Pratham>-

1. Decline in enrollment in govt schools in rural areas from 73% in 2007 to 63% in 2014 <pvt schools are expensive> and this also reflects poor quality of teaching in govt schools and lack of faith in them
2. Poor and declining learning outcomes in both govt and pvt schools – less than half the std 5th children can read std 5th books or can do division
3. India ranked second last among the 73 countries that participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Later India withdrew from the test citing socio cultural disconnect in the questions asked

The quality of education determines the quality of human capital and we need to make more efforts to improve quality of education.

Teacher Training

• Only 79% of teachers are professionally qualified and in higher secondary level, only 69% are qualified.
• As only qualified, trained and motivated teachers can impart quality education, There is need to increase the percentage of qualified teachers and also the training of both qualified and under-qualified teachers

Gender parity in Education-

• Except for ST, we have achieved gender parity in all levels of education except higher education <0.89 gender parity>
• We need to bridge the gender disparity in higher education among total and at all levels of education for ST students.

Govt Initiatives

Digital Gender Atlas for advancing girl’s education– was launched on women’s day in 2015 in partnership with UNICEF

Three Components

1. Composite Gender Ranking based on aceess, infrastructure, teachers, outcomes
2. Trend Analysis of Gender Indicators across 3 years period
3. Vulnerabilities based on (i) rural female literacy (ii) percentage girls/boys married below the legal age of marriage (iii) working children

• It will help identify low-performing geographic pockets for girls, particularly from marginalized groups.
• It provides comparative analysis of individual gender-related indicators

National scholarship portal-  a single window system for various types of scholarship schemes administered by different Ministries/ Departments (like Pre-matric from Class I to X, Post-matric from XI to Ph.D. and Meritcum-Means for technical and professional courses), has been introduced under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao – Read this story to know more 

Issue of No detention Policy

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• Under this policy, the students up to class VIII are automatically promoted to the next class even if they do not get a passing grade.
• The policy was implemented as part of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) under the RTE Act in 2010 to ensure all-round development of students.
• The concept of CCE imported from the West, which emphasises on evaluating a child through the year, and not just based on performance in one or two term exams.

Why this policy

• detention system led to increased dropouts among students, especially from economically and socially weaker sections.
• It will allow children to learn in an environment free from fear, anxiety and stress <stress of one end of the year high stakes exam>
• Learn at their own pace

What’s the problem then?

• students developing a lackadaisical attitude towards their studies.
• Parents also didn’t bother as their children cannot be held back in the class.
• Quality of learning going down <ASER survey mentioned above>

Geeta Bhukkal Committee report 2012

• No-detention policy has had a “very bad” impact on the children.
• no-detention policy be implemented in a phased manner so that all stakeholders understand what it entails instead of interpreting it as zero assessment.
• it should be applied only till Class V instead of Class VIII.
• government should make it mandatory for students to register minimum attendance of 80 per cent in their classes so that they are benefited by the CCE under the RTE Act.

Devnani Committee Report 2015

1. A‘learning level’ must be fixed for each class to check whether a student is eligible for the class that he or she is in.
2. The committee notes, Students must not be detained in Classes VI and VII. However, they must meet the required ‘learning levels’.
3. A month’s time would be given to students to retake tests and attain the required learning levels, failing which the students would have to be detained.

Why are educationists’ complaining then?

• it places the blame on the student for not being able to perform while absolving the school of any blame.
• It will prove to be most damaging for poor students as they will be the first to be pushed out of the system
• Instead of failing the child, the government needs to asks what it has done to create an enabling, learning environment for children
• Across the world, the no-detention policy has been successfully implemented with great results for students.
• If it can be done everywhere, why not India

Way Forward-

1. Invest in education <Kothari commission 6%, achieve pupil-teacher ratio, train teachers>
2. Train Teachers in the art of CCE
3. Schools must offer bridge course for slow learners

Let’s see what’s the process in UK

• In the UK, a student is promoted to the next grade irrespective of his level of progress.
• If students underperform, their assessment grades are compared with national data of progress levels and a ‘targeted intervention’ is made.
• The teachers analyse the reason for poor performance and find solutions to help the child perform better in the future.

Tell us in comments what should be done with No Detention Policy

Employment Situation

As per Fourth Annual Employment-Unemployment Survey 2013-14, Labour Bureau <quote this surveyor as different surveys give different numbers> unemployment rate is 4.9% with 4% for males and 7.7% for females. NSSO gives 2.7% total unemployment rate

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• Of particular concern is low female labor force participation rate (LFPR) of just 26% compared to >74% of males.
• Female LFPR in India is amongst the lowest in the world and the second lowest in South Asia after Pakistan
• In urban areas female LFPR is even lower – just 18.5%

Some definitions 

• LFPR- % of population in job or seeking job
• WPR – it’s worker population ratio i.e % of population in jobs
• Unemployment rate  LFPR-WPR/LFPR

We read in this chapter, to reap demographic dividend we need to create many more good jobs i.e formal sector jobs that pay well and come with some social security but a peculiar feature has been the rise of informalization in formal or organized sector

• share of informal employment in the organized sector increased from 48 % to 54.6 % in 2004-5 to 2011-12
• Share of informal employment in total employment is above 90%

To catalyze job creation, promote complaince and ensure ease of doing business govt while safeguarding safety, health and social security of all workers, govt has initiated many reforms in labor market–

1. The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act 2015
2. National Career Services Portal
3. Shram Suvidha Portal
4. Universal Account Number

For more on labour reform, read this economic survey chapter , this story- labour reform in India, and Shramev jayate Karyakram

To improve female LFPR-

1. 33% of jobs in MGNREGA mandated for women <to date women take up about 57% of NREGA jobs>
2. National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)– aims at organizing all rural poor households and nurturing and supporting them till they come out of abject poverty, by organizing one woman member from each household into affinity-based women SelfHelp Groups (SHG) and their federations at village and higher levels by 2024-25.
3. Bihar govt’s quota of 35% for females

Reasons of low LFPR-

Demand side issues -non availability of suitable flexible jobs near home

Supply side issues – economic, social and cultural issues and care work distributions in the home

There’s also a U-shaped relationship between years of education and FLFP, not just in India but elsewhere. How and why?

• FLFP is high among illiterate women (> 20%), the lowest among literate women with some schooling or just high school (10-15%) , and highest among university graduates (25%),which creates a U-shape.
• At very low levels of education and income, women have no choice but to work to help support the family
• But as men in the family start earning more income, women tend to cut back their work in the formal economy to concentrate more on household activities.
• It is the women in the middle – those who are literate but have at most some schooling or have only completed high school – who are squeezed both by the pressure to stay at home and by a lack of plentiful jobs that match their intermediate level of skills and education.
• Patriarchal attitudes <stigma attached to women working outside the home – especially if it involves work considered ‘menial> , social restriction on mobility, concerns about commuting time and about security at work and the difficulties of managing domestic responsibilities along with the paid jobs are the other impediments.

To improve FLFP –

1. Deal with concerns about women’s security, focus on education that reduces the number of female dropouts and improves quality
2. Generate suitable, flexible work near homes
3. Address the huge issue of unpaid work, by recognising it ,reducing it, and redistributing it..

Issue of unpaid work and care work distribution at home

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• Conventional employment and unemployment surveys have not been able to capture the various types of unpaid work that women engage in both within and outside households in rural and urban areas in India <for instance Household maintenance, care of children>
• Globally, men’s share in paid work is around 1.8 times that of women, while women have a share three times that of men in unpaid work
• Paid work which is visible and accounted for by the System of National Accounts (SNA) is dominated by men, while unpaid work which is not accounted for is dominated by women and remains unrecognized and unaccounted for.

A pilot time use survey in 1999 revealed that-

• Out of 168 hours in a week, males on an average spent about 42 hours in SNA-captured activities as compared to only about 19 hours by females.
• However, in the extended SNA activities, women spent 34.6 hours which included unpaid work home and outside, as opposed to only about 3.6 hours by men.

Extended SNA activities <would have to pay somebody else to do same work if not done by wives and daughters>

• Household maintenance, management and shopping for own household
• Care for children, the sick, elderly and disabled for own household
• Community service and help to other households

Time Use Surveys are important to design gender-sensitive policies for employment and to make women’s and men’s work visible.

In this regard  Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOSPI) has conducted a pilot TUS in the states of Bihar and Gujarat in 2013 to test the NCATUS i.e National Classification of Activities for Time Use Studies

P.S.- Rest of the issues, Health sector, Skills Gap, HDI etc will be covered in the next part

1. Amendment of the Constitution

• Amendment bill can be introduced in either house of parliament but not in state legislature
• Unlike money bill, does not require permission of president before introduction
• Bill has to be passed by both the houses separately with special majority, hence no scope of joint sitting
• President must give his assent to the bill<24th amendment>
• For amending federal provisions ratification of half the state legislatures (29/2=15) by simple majority is required <apart from special majority in parliament eg. GST>
• In states there is no role of Vidhan Parishads in ratification of amendment bills

Discuss– Different types of majorities

2. Amendment of constitution

• Admission or establishment of new states (art 2) and formation of new states and alteration of areas, names etc is not considered amendment under article 368 i.e simple majority required to amend
• Amendment of 2nd schedule (salary, allowances) and 5th, 6th schedule is also not considered amendment
• But addition to the list of national languages and change of name of language under schedule 8 is amendment (special majority)
• 7th schedule (3 lists) can be amended only by special majority plus ratification by half the states

Discuss – Contrast amendment procedure in India with that in US

3. Parliamentary legislation on state list

• Art. 249 : When the RS declares that it is necessary in the National Interest that Parliament make laws on State Subjects. It remains in force for one year. After 1 year it automatically goes out of force. <what’s the mechanism for RS to authorise so?>
• Art. 250 : During National Emergency under art. 352. It becomes non operative 6 months after the emergency has ceased to operate
• Art. 252 : If 2 or more states pass a resolution requesting the Parliament to enact laws on a matter in the State List. Now State legislature can never repeal such acts. Only parliament can repeal such acts.
• Art. 253 : To give effect to any international agreement or treaty <no state or RS authorisation required>
• Art. 256 : During the President’s Rule ( Art. 356) . it remains operative even after the president’s rule but state legislature can at any time repeal or alter it <contrast it with art 250 under article 352>

Discuss- what’s the mechanism to give effect to international agreements in USA? Does Indian procedure not violate standards of true federal constitution?

4. Parliamentary committees

• Members are nominated to most of the ad hoc <for specific purpose> and standing committees ,round the year>
• Departmental related standing committees started from 1993 and at present there are 24 such committees < 31 members i.e 21 plus 10, all nominated >
• 3 most imp committees, committee on estimates, Public account committee and Committee on PSUs have their members elected <read about them in detail>
• Committee on estimates largest committee, 30 members, all from LS
• PAC chairperson is conventionally from oppositions party, CAG reports, acts as friend, philosopher and guide

Discuss– what’s this joint committee, select committee, JPC etc and where do they come into picture?

5. Attorney General

• Not debarred from private legal practice <remember Mukul Rohatgi represented Kerala bar owners against liquor prohibition>
• Reference to AG can be made only by law ministry <not even by PMO>
• AG has right to take part in proceedings of both the houses as well as its committees but no right to vote
• Solicitor general (SG) and ASG are not constitutional posts

Discuss– Qualifications, appointment and removal procedure of AG