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Distribution: yearly

  • In news: Formation story of Rajasthan

    rajasthan

    Rajasthan Day is celebrated on March 30, marking the day the state was created by unifying 22 princely states and chiefships. Rajasthan’s story of foundation is intriguing.

    Formation of Rajasthan

    • At the time of Independence, Rajasthan was almost wholly contained in the Rajputana Agency, a political office of the British Indian Empire.
    • The Rajputana Agency consisted of 22 princely states and estates.
    • Less than 22 months after Independence, all 22 had assimilated to form what would become India’s largest state.
    • However, modifications were made to the boundaries after the State Reorganisation Act (1956), giving Rajasthan its present shape.

    Challenges of Princely States

    (1) Rajputana Agency

    • The Rajputana Agency spanned roughly 330,330 sq. km, with an agent under the Governor-General in charge, residing at Mount Abu.
    • All the princely states and estates in the agency (22 in total) were ruled by Hindu rulers with the exception of Tonk (which had a Muslim ruler).

    (2) The Matsya Union

    • The States Ministry believed that four princely states – Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, and Karauli – at the eastern edge of the erstwhile Rajputana Agency had “natural, racial and economic affinities” with each other.
    • Thus, the Matsya Union was inaugurated on March 18, 1948.

    (3) Rajasthan Union in South-East Rajputana

    • Ten princely states, with Udaipur (also known as Mewar) being the largest, wanted to form a union.
    • An idea to merge these into Madhya Bharat was also floated but did not go through.
    • Another idea to merge these states into the much larger Udaipur was proposed by the Maharana of Udaipur, Bhupal Singh Bahadur.
    • However, this was not agreeable to the other princely states. Hence, on March 25, 1948, the nine other states came together to form the Rajasthan Union.
    • Within three days after its formation, Udaipur decided to join this union.

    (4) Greater Rajasthan

    • The four largest princely states – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Jaisalmer – still remained independent.
    • The alternative, backed by Patel, was to merge all four states into the newly formed Rajasthan Union.
    • Greater Rajasthan was officially inaugurated by Patel on March 30, 1949 – the date still celebrated as Rajasthan Day.

    Modifications by the State Reorganisation Commission

    • The State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was formed in 1953 to recommend new state boundaries to the government, in response to demands for states based on linguistic lines.
    • The SRC’s recommendations, with some modifications, were implemented in the State Reorganisation Act of November 1, 1956.
    • For Rajasthan, this brought some minor changes, including the integration of Ajmer as a district within Rajasthan, given its linguistic, cultural, and geographical links to the state.
    • Abu Road Taluk, a taluk of the Sirohi district of southern Rajasthan, was also integrated into Rajasthan after being sliced and included in the Bombay State.
    • The enclave of Sunel in Rajasthan’s southeastern edge was received from Madhya Pradesh in exchange for the enclave of Sironj, due to administrative reasons.

    Conclusion

    • Overall, the state of Rajasthan was created through a complex process of merger and integration of various princely states and chiefships.
    • Today, Rajasthan is the largest state in India in terms of land area, covering 342,239 square kilometers, and is known for its rich cultural heritage, majestic forts and palaces, vibrant festivals, and diverse cuisine that attract visitors from all over the world.

     

  • Competition (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha

    The Lok Sabha passed the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which could pose new challenges for global technology companies.

    About Competition Act, 2022

    • The Competition Act, 2002 was passed by the Parliament in the year 2002, to which the President accorded assent in January, 2003.
    • It was subsequently amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007.
    • In accordance with the provisions of the Amendment Act, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) have been established.
    • The CCI is now fully functional with a Chairperson and six members.

    Changes brought by the Amendment

    (1) Penal powers to CCI

    • It grants the CCI the authority to penalize entities found engaging in anti-competitive behavior based on their global turnover, rather than just their annual domestic turnover, which was the case previously.

    (2) Turnover Definition

    • The definition of “turnover” has been a widely debated subject in the competition law landscape.
    • The Supreme Court had previously fixed the criteria for determining turnover in competition law contraventions, holding that it should be the “relevant turnover,” i.e., turnover derived from the sales of goods or services.

    (3) Mergers and acquisition

    • The CCI will have greater authority in mergers and acquisitions worth more than Rs 2,000 crore.
    • Additionally, the time limit for approval of mergers and acquisitions has been reduced from 210 days to 150 days.

    Impact on Tech Companies

    • While the provision on global turnover will not be exclusively applicable to tech companies, they are likely to be the most affected by it, given the nature of their business that operates across geographies.
    • Typically, the revenue earned from these companies’ India operations is much smaller than their income in other regions, such as the US and Europe.

  • New India Literacy Program (NLIP)

    literacy

    Central idea: 22.7 lakh adults from 10 states and union territories in India became qualified as literate adults in 2022-23 by passing an assessment test conducted under New India Literacy Program (NLIP).

    What is New India Literacy Program (NLIP)?

    • The NLIP/ Nav Bharat Saksharta Abhiyan is aimed at providing literacy to non-literates in the age group of 15 years and above.
    • The scheme is implemented for a period of five years from FYs 2022-23 to 2026-27.
    • The scheme has five main components, which are as follows:
    1. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy,
    2. Critical Life Skills,
    3. Vocational Skills Development,
    4. Basic Education, and
    5. Continuing Education

    Beneficiaries of the scheme

    • The beneficiaries under the scheme are identified through a door-to-door survey on a mobile app by surveyors in the States/UTs.
    • Non-literates can also avail the benefits of the scheme through direct registration from any place through a mobile app.
    • The scheme is mainly based on volunteerism for teaching and learning.
    • Volunteers can also register through a mobile app for this purpose.

    Implementation of the scheme

    • The scheme is based on technology and implemented predominantly through an online mode.
    • The teaching-learning material and resources have been made available on the DIKSHA platform of NCERT and can be accessed through mobile apps.
    • Furthermore, other modes like TV, Radio, Samajik Chetna Kendra, etc. are also to be used for the dissemination of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.

    Conclusion

    • The New India Literacy Programme (NILP) is a crucial step towards making India a literate country.
    • The scheme’s implementation through technology and the use of volunteers for teaching and learning will make it easier for non-literates to access education.

     

  • Issues with new Quality Control Orders for fibres

    quality

    Central idea

    • Quality Control Orders (QCO) have been issued for fibres like cotton, polyester, and viscose to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
    • The QCOs are made mandatory for some and yet to be finalized for others.

    What is the move?

    • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will issue certificate to manufacturers of viscose staple fibre (VSF) who comply with its standards (IS17266: 2019).
    • The hallmark is made mandatory.

    Why are fibres covered under QCOs?

    • The Indian textile and clothing industry consumes both indigenous and imported fibres and filaments.
    • The imports are for different reasons, such as cost competitiveness, non-availability in the domestic market, or to meet a specified demand of the overseas buyer.
    • The main aim of the QCO is to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.

    Reasons behind

    • India’s move to introduce a draft of Quality Control Orders (QCO) aims to curb a Chinese import surge and boost exports to western markets.

    What challenges does the new mandate bring?

    • Supply chain disruption: India imports annually 50,000 – 60,000 tonnes of viscose fibre and its variants such as Modal and Tencel LF from nearly 20 countries. In the case of polyester, almost 90,000 tonnes of polyester fibre and 1.25 lakh tonnes of POY (Polyester Partially Oriented Yarn) are imported annually.
    • Unease of doing business: Getting the certificate from the BIS involves a cost and hence not all are interested in getting the certificate.
    • Value chain disruption: The Indian textile manufacturers who are dependent on these suppliers for the raw material will have to either look at other suppliers or lose orders.
    • Material shortage: Some varieties of fibres have special functional properties and separate HS (Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System) code when imported. The textile industry imports just small quantities of such fibres, and restricting their availability will deny Indian consumers of niche products.
    • Prospected price rise: Several textile units use lower-grade fibres that are generated from rejects and wastes and these are not covered under the QCO.

    Textile industry’s expectation

    • The industry is of the view that the import of speciality fibres that are used as blends with other fibres should be made available without restriction.
    • Any overseas applicant for the BIS certificate should get it without delay after inspection.

    Way forward

    • Polyester-spun yarn mills in the MSME sector need capital support to set up labs to test products.
    • The QCO should be implemented only after the ambiguities are cleared and the anomalies set right, says the industry.

  • Scientists spot Piezoelectric Effect in Liquids

    peizo

    Central idea: Scientists have recently discovered evidence of the piezoelectric effect in liquids for the first time. This effect has only been observed in solids for the past 143 years. This new finding challenges the theory that describes this effect and opens doors to previously unanticipated applications in electronic and mechanical systems.

    What is Piezoelectric Effect?

    • The piezoelectric effect occurs when a body develops an electric current when it is squeezed.
    • It has been observed in quartz crystals (SiO2), which are used in wristwatches, clocks, and various instruments that convert mechanical stress to a current.

    Recent observation

    • The piezoelectric effect was found in pure 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide and 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.
    • Both of these liquids are ionic liquids, which means that they are made of ions instead of molecules, and were found at room temperature.

    Why is the effect in liquids surprising?

    • Liquids do not have an organized structure like solids, which is why the piezoelectric effect has only been expected in solids until now.
    • However, the scientists found the effect in pure ionic liquids at room temperature, challenging the current understanding of the effect.
    • The magnitude of the piezoelectric effect in the first liquid was 16 millivolt per newton (mV/N) and in the second, 17 mV/N, in both cases within a margin of 1 mV/N.

    What is the strength of the effect?

    • In the experiment, the scientists found that the strength of the piezoelectric effect in the two ionic liquids they tested was lower than that of quartz by a factor of 10.
    • However, this is still a significant discovery since it opens the door to new applications.

    Possible applications

    • The discovery of the piezoelectric effect in liquids opens the door to previously inaccessible applications that have fewer environmental issues than many currently used piezoelectric materials.
    • Additionally, these liquids displayed the inverse piezoelectric effect, which could be used to control how the liquids bend light passing through them by passing different currents through them, creating lenses with dynamic focusing abilities.

     

  • Duty exemption for drugs for Rare Diseases

    rare

    Central idea: The Centre has exempted all drugs and food for special medical purposes, imported for personal use, for the treatment of rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 from basic customs duty.

    What are Rare Diseases?

    • Rare diseases are those medical conditions that affect a small percentage of the population.
    • In India, a disease is considered rare if it affects less than 1 in 2,000 people.
    • These diseases are often genetic and are chronic, degenerative, and life-threatening.
    • There are over 7,000 known rare diseases, and it is estimated that about 70 million people in India are affected by them.
    • Many of these diseases do not have a cure, and the treatment can be expensive and difficult to access.

    Need for duty exemption

    • This decision has been taken to help reduce the burden of the cost of treatment for patients and families.
    • The drugs and food required for the treatment of these rare diseases are often expensive and need to be imported.
    • This exemption will result in substantial cost savings and provide much-needed relief to patients with rare diseases.

    Key medicines under this exemption

    • The central government has fully exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a drug used in the treatment of various types of cancer, from basic customs duty.
    • Previously, the GST rate for Keytruda was cut to 5 per cent from 12 per cent in a meeting held in September 2021 by the GST Council.
    • Life-saving drugs Zolgensma and Viltepso used in the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy were exempted from GST when imported for personal use.

    How the new duty exemption works?

    • The exemption has been granted by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) by substituting “Drugs, Medicines or Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP)” instead of “drugs or medicines”.
    • To avail of this exemption, the individual importer has to produce a certificate from the central or state director health services or district medical officer/civil surgeon of the district.

    How are life-saving medicines taxed?

    • Drugs/medicines generally attract basic customs duty of 10 per cent, while some categories of lifesaving drugs/vaccines attract a concessional rate of 5 per cent or nil.
    • In its meeting in September 2021, the GST Council had reduced tax rates for several life-saving drugs.

     

  • How to manage India’s Solar PV waste problem?

    solar pv

    Central idea: India is rapidly expanding its solar photovoltaic (PV) sector, but effective waste management strategies for this sector are still lacking. This article explores the challenges and gaps in solar PV waste management in India.

    solar

    Solar PV Waste in India

    • India has the world’s fourth-highest solar PV deployment, and the installed solar capacity was nearly 62 GW in November 2022.
    • A 2016 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that India could generate 50,000-3,25,000 tonnes of PV waste by 2030 and more than four million tonnes by 2050.
    • India’s solar PV installations are dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology, which mainly consists of a glass sheet, an aluminium frame, an encapsulant, a backsheet, copper wires, and silicon wafers.
    • A typical PV panel is made of c-Si modules (93%) and cadmium telluride thin-film modules (7%).

    Hazards posed by PV waste

    Some of the hazards of solar PV waste are:

    • Environmental pollution: The accumulation of solar PV waste in landfills can lead to environmental pollution, as the waste contains hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium, and other toxic chemicals. Incinerating the encapsulate also releases sulphur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide into the atmosphere.
    • Health hazards: Improper handling and disposal of solar PV waste can lead to health hazards for workers and people living near the waste disposal sites. The toxic chemicals in the waste can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other health issues.

    Economy behind PV waste

    • Financial losses: Improper management of solar PV waste can lead to financial losses for the companies involved in waste collection and treatment. The lack of suitable incentives and schemes in which businesses can invest leads to a small market for repurposing or reusing recycled PV waste in India.
    • Resource depletion: The disposal of solar PV waste leads to the loss of valuable resources such as silicon, silver, and other critical materials, which can lead to resource depletion.

    Recovery and Recycling of PV Waste

    • As PV panels near expiration, some portions of the frame are extracted and sold as scrap; junctions and cables are recycled according to e-waste guidelines; the glass laminate is partly recycled, and the rest is disposed of as general waste.
    • Silicon and silver can be extracted by burning the module in cement furnaces.
    • According to a 2021 report, approximately 50% of the total materials can be recovered.

    Challenges particular to India

    • India faces challenges in the collection, storage, recycling, and repurposing of PV waste.
    • Only about 20% of the waste is recovered in general, and the rest is treated informally, leading to pollution of the surroundings.
    • Gaps in PV Waste Management-
    1. Generalized as e-waste: The clubbing of PV waste with other e-waste could lead to confusion, and there is a need for specific provisions for PV waste treatment within the ambit of e-waste guidelines.
    2. Hazards are ignored: PV waste is classified as hazardous waste in India, and there is a need for pan-India sensitisation drives and awareness programmes on PV waste management.

    Why does India need to act now?

    • Considering the rate at which these panels are being installed around the country, India is expected to generate an enormous amount of waste over the next 20 years.
    • India is expected to become one of the top five leading photovoltaic waste producers worldwide by 2050.
    • Therefore, India needs to install clear policy directives, well-established recycling strategies, and greater collaboration, so that it doesn’t find itself caught unprepared against a new problem in the future.

    Key recommendations

    Policymakers should:

    • Introduce a ban on dumping of waste modules by different entities in the landfills.
    • Formulate a dedicated PV module waste management regulation.
    • Introduce incentives like green certificates to provide a level-playing field and encourage recycling and mineral recovery by the industry.

    Industries should:

    • Improve the PV module design to minimise the waste at the disposal stage. This can include sustainable design with reduced use of toxic minerals or adopting a ‘design to disassemble’ approach.
    • Invest in the second-life use of sub-standard modules to delay waste creation.
    • Collaborate with research institutes to develop recycling techniques and support pilot demonstrations.
    • Conceptualise new business models to manage and finance the waste disposal.

    Way forward

    • India needs to pay more attention to domestic R&D efforts as depending on a single module type will dis-uniformly deplete certain natural resources.
    • It is important to boost capacity for recycling and recover critical materials.
    • This can be achieved by-
    1. Formulating specific provisions for PV waste treatment,
    2. Pan-India sensitisation drives, and awareness programmes,
    3. Promoting domestic R&D efforts, and
    4. Providing appropriate infrastructure facilities and adequate funding.

     

  • Saudi Arabia set to become SCO member

    saudi-sco

    Saudi Arabia’s cabinet decided to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as Riyadh builds a long-term partnership with China despite US security concerns.

    What is SCO?

    • The SCO is primarily a geopolitical and security organisation with limited infrastructures to pursue economic integration.
    • The group accounts for about one-third of the world’s land and exports trillions of dollars annually.
    • It is governed by consensus, which limits the scope of major cooperation between its member states.
    • It also functions more as a venue for discussion and engagement where high-level dignitaries from across the region can gather to confer, rather than an alliance like the EU, whose members have a common currency, or NATO.

    Its establishment

    • The SCO was founded in June 2001 by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and China.
    • The genesis of the grouping can be traced back to the post-soviet era in 1996 when these countries, termed ‘Shanghai Five’, came together
    • Earlier, it focused on regional security to work on regional security, reduction of border troops, and terrorism.
    • Its particular focus has been on “conflict resolution”, which provided early successes between China and Russia, and then within the Central Asian Republics.

    Structure of SCO

    • The organisation has two permanent bodies —
    1. SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and
    2. Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent.
    • The SCO Secretary-General and the Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO RATS are appointed by the Council of Heads of State for a term of three years.
    • But the venue of the SCO council meetings shifts between the eight members (including India and Pakistan).

    Members of SCO

    • Apart from the above-mentioned countries— Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and China.
    • India and Pakistan are also members of this organisation, both included in 2017.
    • The SCO also has four observer states — Afghanistan, Belarus , Iran and Mongolia — which may be inducted at a later date.
    • And “Dialogue Partners” —Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey Egypt, Qatar as well as Saudi Arabia.

    Main goals

    The main goals of the SCO, as adopted in its Charter in St. Petersburg in 2002, is:

    1. Strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states;
    2. Promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research and technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas;
    3. Making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region; and
    4. Moving towards the establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order.”

    Why did Saudi Arabia join SCO?

    • Saudi Arabia could benefit in several ways, such as increased trade and economic cooperation with member states, particularly with China and Russia.
    • It could also gain a stronger voice in regional security issues and access to the SCO’s anti-terrorism framework.
    • Additionally, Saudi Arabia could help the organization expand its influence in the Middle East and increase its strategic weight in global affairs.
    • This is definitely a result of straining its ties with Washington.

     

  • What is Model Code of Conduct?

    model

    The Election Commission of India announced the date for Karnataka Assembly elections.  Hence the model code of conduct comes into the picture.

    Model Code of Conduct

    • It is a set of guidelines issued by ECI to regulate political parties and candidates before elections.
    • The rules range from issues related to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, content of election manifestos, processions and general conduct so that free and fair elections are conducted.

    When does it come into effect?

    • According to the PIB, a version of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960.
    • It was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections.
    • In October 1979, the EC added a section to regulate the ‘party in power’ and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections.
    • The MCC comes into force from the date the election schedule is announced until the date that results are out.

    Restrictions imposed under MCC

    The MCC contains eight provisions dealing with general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booths, observers, the party in power, and election manifestos.

    For Governments

    • As soon as the code kicks in, the party in power whether at the Centre or in the States should ensure that it does not use its official position for campaigning.
    • Hence, no policy, project or scheme can be announced that can influence the voting behaviour.
    • The code also states that the ministers must not combine official visits with election work or use official machinery for the same.
    • The ruling government cannot make any ad-hoc appointments in Government, Public Undertakings etc. which may influence the voters.
    • Political parties or candidates can be criticised based only on their work record and no caste and communal sentiments can be used to lure voters.

    For Political Parties

    • The party must also avoid advertising at the cost of the public exchequer or using official mass media for publicity on achievements to improve chances of victory in the elections.
    • The ruling party also cannot use government transport or machinery for campaigning.
    • It should also ensure that public places such as maidans etc., for holding election meetings, and facilities like the use of helipads are provided to the opposition parties on the same terms and conditions on which they are used by the party in power.

    Campaigning

    • Holding public meetings during the 48-hour period before the hour fixed for the closing of the poll is also prohibited.
    • The 48-hour period is known as “election silence”.
    • The idea is to allow a voter a campaign-free environment to reflect on events before casting her vote
    • The issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media is also considered an offence.
    • Mosques, Churches, Temples or any other places of worship should not be used for election propaganda. Bribing, intimidating or impersonation of voters is also barred.

    Is it legally binding?

    • The fact is the MCC evolved as part of the ECI’s drive to ensure free and fair elections and was the result of a consensus among major political parties.
    • It has no statutory backing. Simply put, this means anybody breaching the MCC can’t be proceeded against under any clause of the Code..
    • The EC uses moral sanction or censure for its enforcement.

    What if violated?

    • The ECI can issue a notice to a politician or a party for alleged breach of the MCC either on its own or based on a complaint by another party or individual.
    • Once a notice is issued, the person or party must reply in writing either accepting fault and tendering an unconditional apology or rebutting the allegation.
    • In the latter case, if the person or party is found guilty subsequently, he/it can attract a written censure from the ECI — something that many see as a mere slap on the wrist.
    • However, in extreme cases, like a candidate using money/liquor to influence votes or trying to divide voters in the name of religion or caste, the ECI can also order registration of a criminal case under IPC or IT Act.
    • In case of a hate speech, a complaint can be filed under the IPC and CrPC; there are laws against the misuse of a religious place for seeking votes, etc.

    Using powers under Art. 324

    • The Commission rarely resorts to punitive action to enforce MCC, there is one recent example when unabated violations forced EC’s hand.
    • During the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the EC had banned a leader and now party president from campaigning to prevent them from further vitiating the poll atmosphere with their speeches.
    • The Commission resorted to its extraordinary powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to impose the ban.
    • It was only lifted once the leaders apologised and promised to operate within the Code.

    What if given Statutory Backing?

    • Both the ECI and several independent experts, believe that giving statutory backing to the MCC would only make the job of the Commission more difficult.
    • This is because every alleged offence will then have to go to an appropriate court, and right up to the Supreme Court.
    • Given the flaws of our legal system, election petitions filed decades ago are still pending before many High Courts — it is anybody’s guess what that situation might lead to.

  • Dalai Lama’s Succession and Chinese Intervention

    dalai lama

    The Dalai Lama has named a US-born Mongolian boy as the tenth Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa, the head of the Janang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and the Buddhist spiritual head of Mongolia.

    Do you know?

    “Rinpoche” is a title used in Tibetan Buddhism, which is given to a highly respected teacher or lama. It literally means “precious one” and is used to indicate respect and reverence for the person. The title is often given to senior lamas or to those who are considered to be reincarnations of past masters.

    Who is the Dalai Lama?

    • The Dalai Lama (a title) is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
    • He is believed to be the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama and is regarded as an important figure not only in Tibet but also around the world.
    • The Dalai Lama is traditionally both the political and spiritual leader of Tibet, but after China’s occupation of Tibet in 1950, he went into exile in India and since then has been primarily a spiritual leader.
    • The current and 14th Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who was born in Tibet in 1935 and has been in exile in India since 1959.

    Brief Outline of Tibetan Buddhism

    • Tibetan Buddhism became the predominant religion in Tibet by the 9th century AD, evolving from the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism and incorporating many tantric and shamanic practices.
    • It has four major schools: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, with the Janang school being one of the smaller schools that grew as an offshoot of the Sakya School.
    • Since 1640, the Gelug School has been the predominant school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama belongs to this school.

    Hierarchy and Reincarnation in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition

    • The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is one of Buddhism’s key beliefs.
    • Tibet’s hierarchical system seemingly emerged in the 13th century, and it was around this time that the first instances of “formally recognizing the reincarnations of lamas” can be found.
    • The Gelug School developed a strong hierarchy and instituted the tradition of succession through reincarnation, with the fifth Grand Lama of the school being conferred the title of Dalai Lama.
    • Several procedures/tests are followed to recognize Tulkus (recognized reincarnations).

    Key issue: Chinese interference

    • The announcement of the boy’s reincarnation has brought attention back to the larger question of the 14th Dalai Lama’s own reincarnation.
    • The issue of his reincarnation has deep ramifications on international politics, with China seeking to control the succession and take control over Tibet in the cultural sphere.

    What lies ahead?

    • The question of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
    • The Dalai Lama himself has not provided a definitive answer regarding what will happen, although he has suggested that there may be no Dalai Lama after him.
    • The question of his reincarnation continues to hold great political implications due to his symbolic authority and importance to millions of Tibetans across the world.