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GS Paper: GS2-15.Transaparency and accountability (institutional and other measures); Citizens Charter, E-Governance (applications, models, successes, limitations, potential)

  • Has digital illiteracy, particularly in rural areas, coupled with lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility hindered socio-economic development? Examine with justification.

    As per UNDP (2022), Digital access is now a core dimension of human development. However, digital illiteracy and poor ICT access have created a digital divide, restricting equitable growth.

    Digital illiteracy and accessibility

    Internet Access: Only 43% of rural households have internet access (NFHS-5, 2021).

    Digital Literacy: Merely 10% of rural population is digitally literate (NSSO data, 2022).

    Infrastructure Gaps: More than 35 thousand Gram Panchayats lack connectivity under BharatNet.

    Device Ownership: Less than 15% of rural households have computers or tablets (NSSO).

    Gender Divide: Only 33% of rural women have mobile internet access (GSMA Report, 2023).

    Exclusion and inclusion errors in digital systems reduce trust in e-services. Eg- authentication errors in Aadhaar-linked DBT or ration delivery.

    Weak Common Service Centre (CSC) Infrastructure: poor connectivity, limited equipment, and untrained staff

    Lack of People-Centric Governance: Most government websites are only in English, not in vernacular languages, excluding non-English users.

    Education and Skill Development

    Limited online learning: Only 24% rural students could attend online classes during COVID-19 (ASER 2021).

    Digital exclusion restricts access to e-learning platforms like SWAYAM, PMGDISHA, and DIKSHA.

    Employment and Livelihoods

    Rural youth miss digital job opportunities in gig economy and e-commerce.

    Farmers lack access to digital market tools like e-NAM or Kisan Suvidha App.

    Financial Inclusion

    Inability to use UPI, digital banking, and DBT systems limits access to formal finance.

    Rural MSMEs struggle with e-payments and online compliance (GST, MCA21).

    Governance and Welfare Access – Eg- exclusion from Aadhaar-based DBT due to authentication errors and poor connectivity.

    Health and Social Services – Lack of ICT prevents use of telemedicine platforms (eSanjeevani) and digital health records.

    Gender and Social Inequality – Women, SC/ST, and elderly are most excluded due to low literacy and device ownership.

    However, there are some Achievements

    Expanding Digital Infrastructure

    BharatNet: Over 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats connected with optical fibre; 97.6% villages have mobile coverage.

    5G rollout (2022-25): 4.7 lakh towers covering 99.6% districts.

    Massive Digital Empowerment

    PMGDISHA: Trained over 6.3 crore citizens in digital literacy.

    Common Service Centres (5.3 lakh) serve as ICT hubs in 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.

    Financial and Payment Revolution

    UPI: Handles 85% of India’s digital payments, processing (June 2025). Enabled financial inclusion of 491 million individuals and 65 million merchants.

    e-Governance and Inclusion

    UMANG: 2,300+ services in 23 languages; 8.7 crore users.

    DigiLocker: 56 crore users; promotes paperless governance.

    Jan Soochna Portal (Rajasthan): Promotes proactive transparency.

    Way Forward

    Strengthen Digital Infrastructure: Accelerate BharatNet Phase-II to connect all Gram Panchayats

    Enhance Digital Literacy: Expand PMGDISHA and integrate digital literacy in school curricula (e-Kidz, IT clubs).

    Affordable Access: Subsidize data costs and promote public Wi-Fi hotspots (PM-WANI) in rural regions.

    Promote Local Language Content: Use platforms like BHASHINI for vernacular digital inclusion.

    Encourage PPP Models: Collaborate with private sector for last-mile connectivity and training. Eg- CSC-SPV.

    Inclusive Design: Ensure gender-sensitive and community-based ICT training modules.

    Bridging this digital divide is essential to achieve “Digital India for All” and realize the vision of inclusive growth under Viksit Bharat@2047.

  • Reforming the government delivery system through the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a progressive step, but it has its limitations too. Comment.

    As per World Bank (2023), India’s DBT architecture is the largest social protection systems globally, covering over 900 million people.

    Progressive Aspects of the DBT Scheme

    Cost Savings – DBT system helped India achieve by eliminating ghost beneficiaries, duplication, and leakages. (BlueKraft Digital Foundation, 2025)

    Better targeting – Subsidy allocations reduced from 16% (pre-DBT) to 9% of total government expenditure.

    Transparency and Reduction in Leakages – DBT has significantly reduced ghost beneficiaries and duplication. Eg-In PAHAL (LPG subsidy)

    Financial Inclusion – PM Jan Dhan Yojana enabled over 50 crore accounts, empowering poor women and rural households to receive funds directly.

    Efficiency and Timeliness – Eliminated intermediaries and delays. Eg-MNREGA, PM-KISAN, and PMUY payments.

    Strengthening Governance Accountability – Real-time monitoring via Public Financial Management System (PFMS) ensures audit trails and transparency.

    Inclusive Welfare Delivery and targeted support during crises. Eg-20 crore women Jan Dhan accounts.

    Promotes Digital and Cashless Economy – Eg- UPI handles 85% of India’s digital payments, processing (June 2025).

    Limitations of DBT Implementation

    Exclusion Errors: Aadhaar authentication failures lead to denial of benefits. Eg- Jharkhand PDS (2017) saw 10-15% exclusion (NITI Aayog).

    Digital Divide: Only 43% rural households have internet access (NFHS-5, 2021).

    Weak Banking Infrastructure: Shortage of bank branches and CSPs in rural and hilly areas.

    Data Privacy and Security Risks: Eg- Aadhaar and CoWIN data leaks.

    Technocratic Bias: Focus on automation sidelines those lacking digital literacy or documentation

    Administrative Delays: Verification and coordination issues cause payment rejections or delays. Eg- payment delays in MGNREGA

    Limited Grievance Redressal: Weak feedback mechanisms for correction of DBT errors.

    Way Forward

    Improve Authentication: Use offline Aadhaar, multi-factor verification, and local validation.

    Institutional Reforms: Apply Business Process Re-engineering (2nd ARC) for simpler workflows.

    Social Audits and Human Interface: Combine digital governance with local institutions for last-mile trust.

    Strengthen Digital Infrastructure: Accelerate BharatNet Phase-II to connect all Gram Panchayats

    Enhance Digital Literacy: Expand PMGDISHA and integrate digital literacy in school curricula (e-Kidz, IT clubs).

    India must move toward “Technology with Inclusion” – ensuring no beneficiary is left behind.

  • e-governance, as a critical tool of governance, has ushered in effectiveness, transparency and accountability in governments. What inadequacies hamper the enhancement of these features?

    The 2nd ARC’s 11th Report (2008) envisioned “SMART Governance”, Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent, through e-governance.

    E-governance ushering in effectiveness

    Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)- saved more than

    Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – Revolutionised digital payments with real-time, low-cost, interoperable transactions. Eg: 20+ billion transactions/month

    Aadhaar-Based Authentication – Universal digital identity enables paperless, presence-less service delivery at scale.

    DigiLocker – Digital storage of documents enables instant verification across services.

    PM Gati Shakti – Inter-Ministerial Convergence

    E-governance ushering in transparency

    Open, competitive procurement on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) eliminates discretion and middlemen.

    CoWIN Platform – Real-time vaccination tracking with public dashboards ensured transparent COVID response.

    Online RTI Portal

    Open Government Data Portal – data.gov.in publishes datasets across ministries for citizen scrutiny and research.

    e-Procurement and e-Tendering – reduces corruption opportunities.

    E-governance ushering in accountability

    CPGRAMS Grievance Redressal – enables time-bound resolution and tracking by citizens.

    MyGov – Direct policy participation through online consultations, polls, and feedback mechanisms.

    Social Audit via MGNREGA – Online MIS publishes worksite details, wages, attendance

    Aspirational Districts Dashboard – Real-time performance ranking of 112 districts on 49 indicators

    Inadequacies hampering e-governance

    Digital Divide – Eg: Rural internet penetration 59.06% vs urban 131.45% (TRAI Q1 2025).

    Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities- Eg: cybercrime losses in 2024 – 206% rise (I4C, MHA 2025).

    Data Privacy Concerns – Weak enforcement of data protection exposes citizens to misuse risks.

    Poor Digital Literacy – Eg: Only 38% women have ever used internet (NFHS-5, MoHFW).

    Inadequate Infrastructure – Internet connectivity, electricity, devices remain insufficient in remote regions.

    Capacity Constraints – lower level government staff lack training in digital tools, data analytics, AI skills.

    Targeting and verification errors exclude genuine beneficiaries from welfare schemes. Eg: PM-Kisan validation errors stranded 2.18 crore families (Dvara Research).

    Departmental Silos – Ministries operate in isolation; lack integrated digital data ecosystems for governance.

    Faulty validation processes. Eg: Aadhaar-PDS biometric failures linked to Simdega starvation death, Jharkhand (NHRC).

    Linguistic Barriers – English-dominant interfaces exclude regional language users from accessing services.

    Measures for Effective Implementation

    Bridge Digital Divide – Saturate rural connectivity through BharatNet expansion and affordable smartphones distribution.

    Mass Digital Literacy Drive – Scale PMGDISHA and Mission Karmayogi to all citizens and government employees.

    Citizen Co-creation – Engage citizens through MyGov, hackathons, and pilot testing before scaling projects.

    Outcome-Based Monitoring – Real-time dashboards, third-party audits, beneficiary feedback for course correction.

    Adopt Global Best Practices – Estonia’s X-Road, Once-Only Principle for seamless inter-departmental data sharing.

    For Viksit Bharat 2047, robust ICT governance demands inclusion, security, capacity, and citizen-centric design.

  • What are the aims and objects of the recently passed and enforced, The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024? Whether University/State Education Board examinations, too, are covered under the Act?

    The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, was enacted to curb widespread malpractices, paper leaks, and organised cheating in recruitment and entrance examinations conducted by central authorities.

    Aims and Objectives of the Act

    Provide clear legal framework to deal with issue of paper leaks

    Defining Unfair Practices – Includes leakage of question papers, tampering of answer sheets, manipulation of computer systems, and collusion with officials or service providers.

    Empowering Examination Authorities – Allows surprise checks, blacklisting of service providers, and enhanced oversight mechanisms.

    Authorises the Centre to refer cases to Central Investigation Agencies for probing large-scale malpractices.

    Enables setting up of special courts for time-bound adjudication of offences.

    Stringent Punishments – Prescribes 3-5 years of imprisonment and fines up to , extendable for organised crimes, to restore public confidence.

    Addressing Organised Examination Crimes – Provides for property attachment and prosecution of institutions involved in organised cheating networks.

    Deterring Unfair Means – Prevents cheating, impersonation, and paper leaks, ensuring transparency, fairness, and credibility in examinations.

    Significance

    Ensuring Integrity of Public Examinations

    Deterring Organised Malpractices

    Protecting Merit and Equal Opportunity

    Enhancing Accountability of Examination Authorities

    Promoting Transparency and Trust

    Strengthening Governance and Fair Recruitment

    Coverage under the Act

    The Act applies to “Public Examinations” conducted by authorities listed in its Schedule or notified later by the Central Government.

    The Schedule presently includes:

    Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

    Staff Selection Commission (SSC)

    Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs)

    Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)

    National Testing Agency (NTA) and other Central Government recruitment bodies.

    University and State Education Board examinations are not automatically covered unless specifically notified by the Central Government under Section 2 of the Act.

    Limitations of the Act

    Limited Coverage – State Boards and Universities are not automatically covered.

    No Dedicated Investigative Mechanism – Investigation left to DSP-level officers

    Technology Gaps – Insufficient use of digital tracking, encryption, and data protection tools to prevent leaks.

    Ambiguity in Defining “Unfair Means” – The broad wording may lead to subjective interpretation and misuse.

    Heavy reliance on Central Government notification powers may limit federal flexibility.

    Focuses mainly on punitive measures, not on systemic prevention and capacity-building.

    Judicial Burden – Creation of special courts without adequate infrastructure may lead to delays in trial.

    Training Deficit – Lack of awareness and training among invigilators and exam staff undermines effective implementation.

    The Act represents a major reform to uphold the integrity, fairness, and accountability of India’s examination system.

    Civil Services

  • e-governance is not just about the routine application of digital technology in service delivery process. It is as much about multifarious interactions for ensuring transparency and accountability. In this context evaluate the role of the ‘Interactive Service Model’ of e-governance.

    The World Bank defines e-governance as the use by government agencies of information technologies that can transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

    E-Governance – multifarious interactions for ensuring transparency and accountability.

    Government to Citizen (G2C)

    UMANG, DigiLocker – Online service access.

    CPGRAMS – Grievance redressal & feedback.

    MyGov, Jan Bhagidari – Citizen participation.

    Aadhaar-DBT, PM-KISAN – Direct benefit transfers.

    Government to Business (G2B)

    MCA21, GSTN, NSWS – Digital compliance & licensing.

    GeM Portal – Transparent procurement.

    Invest India, Ease of Doing Business Dashboard – Single-window clearance.

    Government to Government (G2G)

    PRAGATI, e-Office – Inter-departmental coordination.

    PFMS – Fund tracking & financial accountability.

    Government to Employee (G2E)

    SPARROW – Online performance appraisal.

    iGOT-Karmayogi – Capacity building & training.

    e-Office, HRMS – Paperless workflow.

    Interactive service model

    Role of the ‘Interactive Service Model’ of e-Governance

    Citizen-Centric Governance: Shifts from departmental silos to integrated, citizen-focused service delivery. Eg- Sakala (Karnataka) – time-bound, transparent service guarantee.

    Bridging Government-Citizen Gap: through digital and doorstep access to services. Eg- MPeSeva in Madhya Pradesh.

    Participative and Responsive Governance through two-way interaction between citizens and government. Eg- MyGov portal.

    Trust-Based Model of Governance through transparency and proactive disclosure of information. Eg- Jan Soochna Portal (Rajasthan) – real-time public data access.

    Transparency and Accountability in Service Delivery: Enables real-time grievance tracking and service feedback loops. Eg- CPGRAMS, UMANG, GeM Portal.

    Ensures zero tolerance to corruption through traceable digital transactions. Eg- DBT has saved

    Empowered and Informed Citizens to shape governance outcomes. Eg- Open Government Data Portal, NDAP.

    From Ad hoc to Whole-of-Government Approach: Promotes integrated and citizen-centric service delivery.

    Challenges in Implementing the Interactive Service Model

    Digital Divide: Only 43% of rural households have internet access (NFHS-5, 2021), limiting inclusivity.

    Digital Literacy: Merely 10% of rural population is digitally literate (NSSO data, 2022).

    Data Privacy and Security Risks: Eg- CoWIN data leak.

    Institutional Resistance to adopt open data and feedback-based systems.

    Multiple portals without integration and interoperability hinder seamless user experience.

    Exclusion and inclusion errors in digital systems reduce trust in e-services. Eg- authentication errors in Aadhaar-linked DBT or ration delivery.

    Weak Common Service Centre (CSC) Infrastructure: poor connectivity, limited equipment, and untrained staff

    Lack of People-Centric Governance: Most government websites are only in English, not in vernacular languages, excluding non-English users.

    Way Ahead

    Strengthening Digital Infrastructure: Extend optical fibre connectivity under BharatNet to all Gram Panchayats.

    Promote citizen digital engagement and training through PMGDISHA and Digital India initiatives.

    Embedding Digital Literacy in Education: Integrate e-literacy programmes like e-Kidz and IT Clubs in school curricula.

    Business Process Reengineering (2nd ARC): Simplify procedures, ensure platform integration, and promote seamless inter-departmental coordination.

    Leverage 4th Industrial Revolution Technologies: Use AI, IoT, and blockchain for predictive governance and smart delivery systems.

    This can transform e-Governance into a trust-based, citizen-driven, and participatory governance model.

  • The Citizens’charter has been a land mark initiative in ensuring citizen-centric administration. But it is yet to reach its full potential. Identify the factors hindering the realisation of its promise and suggest measures to overcome them.

    Originating in the United Kingdom (1991), India adopted Citizens’ Charters in 1997 to ensure administrative accountability.

    Importance in Citizen-Centric Administration

    Empowers Citizens: Transforms passive recipients into active stakeholders. Eg: Rights-based service delivery.

    Enhances Accountability: Holds specific officials responsible for service failures.

    Promotes Transparency: Clearly lists available services and required documents.

    Standardizes Quality: Establishes a uniform “benchmark” for public services. Eg: ISO certification.

    Grievance Redressal: Provides a structured mechanism for reporting dissatisfaction.

    Fosters Trust: Bridges the gap between the public and government through feedback loops.

    Time-Bound Delivery: Commits administration to strict deadlines. Eg: Passport issuance.

    Value for Money: Ensures taxpayers receive efficient services for their taxes.

    Factors Hindering Realisation of its Promise

    Vague Standards: Promises are often worded ambiguously rather than using quantifiable benchmarks. Eg: “Prompt service.”

    Lack of Legal Teeth: Voluntary nature means no penalties exist for violating charter commitments. Eg: Unenforceable timelines.

    Top-Down Approach: Centralized drafting ignores local ground-level constraints and resource availability. Eg: Uniform rural-urban charters.

    Resistance to Change: Bureaucratic inertia prevents officials from adopting a service-oriented mindset. Eg: Ignoring citizen feedback.

    Inadequate Infrastructure: Offices often lack the funds or manpower to meet promised standards.

    Poor Publicity: Awareness is often restricted to a small notice board inside the office.

    Static Nature: Most documents do not adapt to technological changes or evolving needs. Eg: Outdated manual forms.

    Siloed Operations: Focuses on individual departments rather than the citizen’s “end-to-end” journey.

    Language Barrier: Charters are often not available in regional or vernacular languages.

    Lack of Audits: Departments rarely publish independent evaluations of their adherence to standards. Eg: Missing annual reports.

    Stagnant Updates: A DARPG audit found several central charters haven’t been updated in over 5 years.

    Poor Grievance Disposal: Satisfaction rates for grievance redressal in many states hover below 40%.

    Successful Examples of Citizen Charters in India

    Passport Seva Kendra: clear timelines, digital tracking, and professional service environment

    Indian Railways: compensation, cleanliness standards, and punctuality targets.

    Taxpayers’ Charter: Defines rights like privacy and fair treatment.

    National Health Mission: Charters in government hospitals outlining free medicines and diagnostic services for the poor.

    Measures to Overcome Challenges

    Statutory Backing: Legally mandate service delivery through “Right to Services” Acts. Eg: MP Lok Sewa Act.

    Adopt Sevottam: Implement the 2nd ARC-recommended Sevottam model for quality management. Eg: IS 15700:2005 certification.

    Decentralized Drafting: Allow local units to customize charters based on specific resources.

    Technological Integration – Promote digital dashboards, online service tracking, and data-based performance monitoring. Eg: Sakala portal, Karnataka.

    Stakeholder Consultation: Conduct “Jan Sunwais” (public hearings) to update charters based on feedback.

    Independent Monitoring: Employ third-party NGOs to evaluate departmental performance annually. Eg: Quality Council of India audits.

    Capacity Building: Train frontline staff in technical aspects of service delivery through Mission Karmayogi.

    Awareness: Use social media and local languages to educate citizens. Eg: “Jago Grahak Jago” style ads.

    By aligning it with the 2nd ARC recommendations, it can evolve from a symbolic commitment to a practical framework for responsive, transparent, and citizen-centric governance.


  • E-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration than user-centric designs. Examine.

    The World Bank defines e-governance as the use by government agencies of information technologies that can transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

    E-governance Projects

    Government to Citizen (G2C) – UMANG, DigiLocker

    Government to Business (G2B) – MCA21, GSTN, GeM Portal

    Government to Government (G2G) – PRAGATI, e-Office

    Government to Employee (G2E) – SPARROW, iGOT-Karmayogi

    Built-in Bias Towards Technology and Back-End Integration

    Infrastructure-Centric Approach: Focus on servers, networks, and databases rather than citizen interface.

    Neglect of ease of access for end-users. Eg- complexity in GSTN and MCA 21 portals.

    Exclusion Errors: Aadhaar authentication failures lead to denial of benefits. Eg- Jharkhand PDS (2017) saw 10-15% exclusion (NITI Aayog).

    Technology Outpacing Capacity: Rapid adoption of AI, blockchain, and analytics without adequate digital literacy or institutional capacity at the local level.

    Lack of User-Centric Designs

    Language and Accessibility Barriers: Most portals available only in English, excluding non-English users.

    Complex Interfaces and Poorly designed websites discourage participation. Eg- multiple logins and verification steps.

    Digital Divide and Exclusion: Only 43% of rural households have internet (NFHS-5, 2021).

    Most systems lack built-in feedback loops or grievance redressal.

    Absence of Design Thinking: Systems designed from administrative, not citizen, perspective

    One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Uniform design ignores regional, gender, and social diversity, affecting inclusivity.

    However, there are few Achievements

    UMANG App: Unified access to 2,300+ government services in 23 languages

    MyGov Platform: Enables citizen consultation and idea crowdsourcing.

    Jan Soochna Portal (Rajasthan): Promotes proactive disclosure of welfare data.

    eSanjeevani Telemedicine Platform: Over 18 crore consultations, with simple, accessible interface for rural users.

    BHASHINI: Supports 35+ Indian languages, breaking language barriers and enhancing inclusivity.

    PMGDISHA: Over 6.3 crore citizens trained in digital literacy.

    Way Forward

    Adopt Design Thinking: Involve citizens in service design and usability testing.

    Local Language Interfaces: Scale BHASHINI integration across all digital services.

    Social Audits and Human Interface: Combine digital governance with local institutions for last-mile trust.

    Strengthen Digital Infrastructure: Accelerate BharatNet Phase-II to connect all Gram Panchayats

    India must move toward “Technology with Inclusion” – ensuring no beneficiary is left behind.

    Civil Society Organisations

  • Abhigyan App and NAFIS

    Why in the news?

    The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, launched Abhigyan, a mobile application developed by the National Crime Records Bureau that enables police personnel to identify suspects through portable fingerprint scanning linked to the national fingerprint database.

    Abhigyan App

    • Enables police officers to capture fingerprints using portable scanners and smartphones.
    • Connected to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).
    • Can match fingerprints with national records in about 35 seconds.
    • Features:
      • Real-time identification
      • Mobile access to criminal records
      • Two-factor authentication
      • Field-level policing support

    National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)

    • Launched in 2022 by NCRB.
    • A centralized biometric database of Criminal suspects, Arrested persons, Convicts, and Prison inmates
    • Contains over 1.3 crore fingerprint records.
    • Facilitates nationwide sharing and matching of fingerprint data.

    Legal Basis

    • Based on the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022.
    • Authorizes collection of biometric measurements including Fingerprints, Palm prints, Iris and retina scans, Photographs, and Biological samples

    Significance

    • Faster identification of repeat offenders and absconders.
    • Strengthens inter-state criminal tracking.
    • Supports crime investigation and law enforcement.
    • Raises concerns regarding Privacy, Data protection, and Scope of biometric collection from individuals not formally accused.

    Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022

    • Replaced the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
    • Expands the categories of persons whose biometric data can be collected.
    • NCRB is designated as the central repository of records.
    • Data may generally be retained for 75 years, subject to prescribed conditions.

    [2018] In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
    1. Iris scanning
    2. Retinal scanning
    3. Voice recognition
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • NIXI Celebrates 23rd Foundation Day

    Why in News?

    The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is celebrating its 23rd Foundation Day on 19 June 2026, highlighting its role in strengthening India’s internet infrastructure and digital ecosystem.

    About NIXI

    • Established under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
    • Not-for-profit organization promoting internet growth and resilience in India.
    • Functions:
      • Management of ‘.IN’ and ‘.भारत’ country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
      • Internet Exchange (IX) services.
      • Allocation of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses through the Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN).

    Key Achievements

    • Manages over 3.9 million .IN domain names.
    • India is among the top 10 country-code domain registries globally.
    • Operates 79 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) across the country.
    • Supports domain names in 22 Indian languages.
    • Facilitated migration of banking platforms to the .bank.in domain.
    • India’s IPv6 penetration has reached 78.34%.

    New Initiative

    • Launch of an AI-Powered WHOIS Screening Platform.
    • Aim: Improve trustworthiness of the .IN domain ecosystem. Strengthen domain security and fraud detection.

    Key Terms

    • Internet Exchange Point (IXP): Physical infrastructure through which Internet Service Providers (ISPs) exchange domestic internet traffic. Reduces latency and international bandwidth costs.
    • WHOIS: A public database that stores information about domain name registration, ownership, and administrative details.
    • IPv6: Latest version of the Internet Protocol. Provides a vastly larger address space than IPv4.

    Significance

    • Enhances India’s digital sovereignty.
    • Strengthens internet security and resilience.
    • Promotes multilingual internet access.
    • Supports the vision of a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

    [2018] Which one of the following links all the ATMs in India?

    a) Indian Banks’ Association

    b) National Securities Depository Limited

    c) National Payments Corporation of India

    c) Reserve Bank of India

  • 4 Years of Jan Samarth Portal

    Why in the news?

    Jan Samarth Portal has completed four years since its launch on 6 June 2022, marking progress in digital financial inclusion and seamless credit delivery.

    About Jan Samarth Portal

    • A single-window digital platform for credit-linked government schemes.
    • Connects:
      • Beneficiaries
      • Banks
      • Government schemes through one integrated system.
    • Objective:
      • Simplify access to institutional credit.
      • Improve financial inclusion and digital lending.
    • Sectors covered:
      • Agriculture
      • Business
      • Housing
      • Renewable energy
      • Livelihoods.

    Schemes Available on the Portal

    Agriculture and Rural Sector

    • Kisan Credit Card
    • Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
    • Agri Clinics and Agri Business Centres Scheme (ACABC)

    Business and Livelihood

    • Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
    • PM SVANidhi
    • Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme
    • Loan for Startups

    Renewable Energy

    • Rooftop Solar Installation Financing.

    Housing

    • Home loans for:
      • Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
      • Lower Income Group (LIG)
      • Middle Income Group (MIG)

    Scale and Impact

    • Applications Processed 54.10 lakh applications processed.
    • Loan Value ₹3,00,951 crore applications processed through the portal.
    • Digital Approvals
    • 49.55 lakh beneficiaries approved.
    • ₹2,76,493.78 crore sanctioned digitally.

    [2020] Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes?
    1.Working capital for maintenance of farm assets
    2.Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks
    3.Consumption requirements of farm households
    4.Post-harvest expenses
    5.Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    [A] 1, 2 and 5 only

    [B] 1, 3 and 4 only

    [C] 2, 3, 4 and 5 only

    [D] 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5