The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), under the Union Education Ministry, has launched a unique website, shabd.education.gov.in, providing technical terms in all 22 official Indian languages.
About Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT)
The Union Education Ministry established the CSTT in December1960 to develop scientific and technical terminology in Hindi and other Indian languages.
It works to evolve, define, and standardizescientific and technical terms in Hindi and other Indian languages.
It publishes textbooks, monographs, and glossaries, and releases quarterly journals like Vigyan Garima Sindhu and Gyan Garima Sindhu.
It has developed over 450 glossaries, creating more than 3 million standardized words in Indian languages.
It prepares administrative glossaries for government departments and institutions to ensure consistent terminology in official documents.
About the Shabd Portal
The portal aims to serve as a central repository for technical terminologies across Indian languages, hosting glossaries from CSTT as well as other institutions and agencies.
The portal currently hosts 450 dictionaries comprising 3 million words, making it a vast resource for users seeking scientific and technical terms in Indian languages.
Search Features:
Users can search for equivalent terms by language, subject, dictionary type, or language pairs.
Specific searches can also be made within a particular glossary or across the entire collection.
The platform also allows users to provide feedback on the terms prepared by the CSTT.
Significance of the Portal
The launch comes amid efforts to promote technical education in Indian languages, including fields like medicine and engineering.
The portal is an essential step in ensuring accessibility of scientific and technical education in regional languages, supporting the vision of multilingual education.
PYQ:
[2014] Consider the following languages:
1. Gujarati
2. Kannada
3. Telugu
Which of the above has/have been declared as ‘Classical Language / Languages’ by the Government?
Q Bringing out the circumstances in 2005 which forced amendment to the section 3(d) in Indian Patent Law, 1970, discuss how it has been utilized by the Supreme Court in its judgement in rejecting Novartis’ patent application for ‘Glivec’. Discuss briefly the pros and cons of the decision. (UPSC IAS/2013)
Q What do you understand by Fixed Dose drug Combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits. (UPSC IAS/2013)
Mentor comment:Today’s editorial highlights ongoing challenges within India’s Health Ministry regarding the implementation of necessary regulatory reforms. This topic is significant due to the critical need for effective healthcare governance, especially in light of recent public health emergencies, such as the emergence of Mpox (monkeypox) cases in India.
Following the Mpox case, the Union Health Ministry issued advisories urging states to enhance screening and contact tracing efforts. This reflects the urgent need for a robust regulatory framework to manage public health threats effectively.
The article discusses how regulatory reforms are essential for improving the responsiveness and efficiency of the health sector, particularly in crises.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
Due to the ongoing regulatory challenges, the Health Ministry has established a National Task Force to address healthcare challenges.
The stagnation in reforms and public policy efforts could hinder the government’s ability to manage current and future public health challenges effectively.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) introduced new policy initiatives in April 2024, which aimed at enhancing public health through recall guidelines, good distribution practices, and regulations against similar brand names. However, these measures are criticized for lacking legal enforcement and being poorly conceived, perpetuating a cycle of ineffective reforms.
Key highlights by the 59th Report Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC):
Storage Standards: The issue of lack of proper standards for storage of drugs, especially during transportation was raised by the Supreme Court in Swantraj & Ors vs State Of Maharashtra (1974).
Confusing Brand Names: The issue of similar brand names for different drugs leading to prescription errors was flagged by the Court in Cadila Healthcare Limited vs Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited (2001).
Stagnation in Reforms: Despite over a decade of discussion, these issues remain unresolved due to bureaucratic inertia.
Lack of Guidelines: Drugs ordered to be withdrawn in one State due to quality concerns were being sold in a neighboring state.
What are the challenges around Procedural implementation?
Lack of Consensus: After the PSC report, a proposal to adopt good distribution practices guidelines formulated by the WHO came up for discussion in 2013.
The distribution practices and guidelines were to be made legally binding but it faced opposition from DCC because it was difficult to implement across the estimated six lakh retail outlets in the country.
Ineffective Laws and Procedures: After receiving a rap on its knuckles from the Delhi High Court in 2019, the ministry created a rule requiring pharmaceutical companies to provide a self-declaration that their proposed brand name was not similar to any of the existing brand names in the market.
In most other countries, it is the duty of the regulator to vet the brand name, to ensure that it is not confusing or misleading from a public health perspective.
When trademark applications are filed, the Registrar of Trade Marks conducts a perfunctory “confusion analysis” that does not include a public health perspective.
Enforcement issues: In practical, the DCGI lacks the legal power to make rules that are binding and have the force of law. Only the Ministry of Health has that power under the Constitution.
Need to break the procedural loop:
With every newly appointed joint secretary, files go through with repeated consultations with stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry.
In each of these consultations, the trade associations of pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies use every trick to stall the concrete action.
Hence, regulatory governance needs to be consistent and avoid the higher political interference.
The India Status Report on Road Safety 2024 highlights India’s slow progress in reducing road fatalities and stresses the need for tailored approaches to improve road safety.
What does the ‘India Status Report on Road Safety 2024’ state?
The report highlights India’s limited success in reducing road accident fatalities, despite the country’s efforts in other sectors. The report stresses that most Indian States are not on track to meet the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety goal to halve traffic deaths by 2030.
It emphasizes the connection between road construction, mobility, and safety,
Road traffic injuries remain a significant public health challenge. In 2021, these injuries were the 13th leading cause of death and the 12th leading cause of health loss (measured in Disability-Adjusted Life Years or DALYs).
The report reveals significant disparities in road traffic death rates across Indian States, with vulnerable groups such as motorcyclists and truck-involved crashes being particularly high.
Note: The report used FIR data from six States and audits of State compliance with Supreme Court directives on road safety.
Which States have the lowest rates of road accident deaths?
West Bengal and Bihar have the lowest rates of road accident deaths, with 5.9 per 1,00,000 people in 2021
What is a crash surveillance system?
A crash surveillance system is a national-level database that records detailed data on road accidents, including specific variables like the mode of transport of victims.
India lacks such a system, with current data being aggregated from police station records, limiting the depth of analysis and effectiveness of interventions.
Implementing this system would enhance road safety management and allow for better evaluation of policy interventions.
Way forward:
Establish a National Crash Surveillance System: Implement a comprehensive database for road accidents to enable detailed analysis and improve targeted interventions for road safety. This would enhance data accuracy and guide more effective policies.
Prioritize State-Specific Road Safety Strategies: Tailor interventions to the unique challenges of each State, focusing on vulnerable road users like motorcyclists and improving safety infrastructure, such as helmet usage, traffic calming, and trauma care facilities.
Primary care remains underdeveloped, while the private sector has seen significant growth in secondary and tertiary care.
What are the major necessities in Public Health?
Diseases of Poverty: This includes health issues predominantly affecting the poor and vulnerable populations, such as tuberculosis, malaria, undernutrition, maternal mortality, and illnesses caused by food and water-borne infections like typhoid and diarrheal diseases.
Addressing these needs is critical not only from a health perspective but also as a matter of human rights.
Middle-Class Health Concerns: The second category focuses on health issues related to environmental pollution, including air and water quality, waste management, and food safety.
These issues are often exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and poor market regulations, leading to chronic illnesses and road traffic accidents.
Curative Care Needs: The most visible public health needs are those related to curative care, which is divided into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary care.
The poor often rely on public primary health care for affordable services, while secondary care remains historically neglected.
Tertiary care is primarily addressed through government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) under Ayushman Bharat, aimed at providing coverage for serious health issues.
How do the private hospitals become a real beneficiary in present times?
Limited Coverage: India’s health insurance primarily covers only hospitalisation expenses, leaving out outpatient and primary care services. This benefits private hospitals as they can monopolise high-cost medical treatments, while the larger uninsured population faces commercialised care at market rates.
Weakening of Public Health Sector: The government’s shift in focus from strengthening public sector health care to outsourcing via insurance schemes like PMJAYindicates a failure to build adequate secondary and tertiary public health services.
Threats to Public Healthcare:
Neglect of Secondary and Tertiary Care: The inadequate investment in strengthening secondary- and tertiary-level health care in the public sector, leads to a reliance on private hospitals.
Transformation of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub-centres: The conversion of sub-centres and PHCs into Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) has undermined their original role in preventive and promotive health care.
Loss of Trust in Public Healthcare: Due to overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and inadequate funding, public health institutions are losing credibility. Coupled with the commercial interests of private providers, this creates a dual crisis of access and quality in the healthcare system.
Rebranding of Health Centres: The recent renaming of HWCs as “Ayushman Arogya Mandirs” raises concerns about cultural relevance and secularism in public health institutions, especially for non-Hindi-speaking populations, further undermining trust in the system.
Way forward:
Strengthen Public Healthcare Infrastructure: Invest in enhancing secondary and tertiary care facilities in the public sector to reduce dependence on private hospitals.
Integrate Health Insurance and Primary Care: Expand health insurance coverage to include outpatient and primary care services, and ensure that public health centers retain their focus on preventive and promotive care.
Mains PYQ:
Q Public health system has limitation in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest? (UPSC IAS/2015)
The Union Home Affairs Ministry has notified the auction of land in Uttar Pradesh previously owned by the family of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
Enemy Properties in India
Details
Definition
Assets (movable and immovable) and properties of individuals or entities from countries at war with India, vested with CEPI.
History
Concept initiated after India-Pakistan wars (1965 & 1971) and the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
A new study published in the peer-reviewed “journal Nature” has found that the construction of toilets under the government’s “Swachh Bharat Mission” helped prevent approximately 60,000 to 70,000 infant deaths annually between 2011 and 2020.
Key Highlights of the Report:
Impact of SBM: The study revealed that districts with over 30% toilet coverage under SBM experienced reductions of 5.3 in the Infant Mortality Rate and 6.8 in the Under Five Mortality Rate per thousand live births.
Over 9.5 crore toilets being built across the country since 2014;
564,658 villages being declared Open Defecation Free (ODF);
30 States/UT’s being 100% covered with individual household latrines (as of 2019).
Unique Approach of SBM: The approach of combining toilet construction with substantial investments in IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) and community engagement represents a marked departure from traditional efforts in India.
Novel Evidence of Impact: The study provides novel evidence of reductions in infant and child mortality following SBM’s comprehensive national sanitation program, indicating its transformative role in improving public health outcomes.
Asian Enigma: The report touches on the “Asian Enigma,” which highlights persistently high levels of undernutrition and stunting among children despite sufficient food availability, linking it to poor sanitation practices and open defecation.
Successful Journey since Inception (2014-present):
Phase I (2014): The SBM 1.0 aimed to make urban centers open-defecation-free and improve sanitation infrastructure, particularly toilets.
The mission targeted constructing household, community, and public toilets, converting insanitary latrines, and improving solid-waste management.
Phase II (2020): The SBM 2.0 commenced in 2020, and is expected to run till 2025-26. It aims to sustain the achievements of phase I and ensure that treatment of both liquid and solid waste is achieved through the help of technology and private sector engagement.
This will focus on making Indian cities garbage-free by improving scientific waste management systems.
Way forward:
Global Model for Sanitation: India’s national sanitation campaign under SBM could serve as a model for other low- and middle-income countries where sanitation remains a major public health challenge.
Focus on Behavioral Change: Alongside infrastructure development, efforts are needed to sustain behavioural changes to eliminate open defecation.
Expand Sanitation Infrastructure in Rural Areas: Prioritize extending sanitation coverage and scientific waste management systems to underserved rural regions, building on the success of SBM to reduce mortality further and improve public health.
Kashmir’s fragile environment faces severe damage from urbanization, commercialization, and climate change, underscoring the urgent need for a resilient and sustainable tourism model.
Aims and Objectives of J&K Tourism Policy
Promoting all forms of Tourism: The policy aims to promote traditional recreational tourism as well as adventure, pilgrimage, spiritual, and health tourism. This diversification can attract a wider range of tourists.
Sustainable Practices: The policy emphasizes the need for sustainable tourism practices that minimize environmental degradation, conserve water, and protect biodiversity.
Infrastructure Development: It seeks to improve infrastructure, including hotels, roads, and recreational facilities, to accommodate the growing number of tourists.
Community Engagement: The policy aims to include local communities in tourism planning and decision-making processes, promoting their involvement in conservation efforts and sustainable practices.
Diversification of Tourism: By promoting various forms of tourism, such as eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and cultural tourism, the policy aims to reduce over-reliance on traditional tourist spots and distribute tourist footfall more evenly across the region.
What are the effects of the new Policy?
Positive Impacts
Negative Impacts:
Increased Tourist Influx: Since the announcement of the New Tourism policy in 2020, over 40 million tourists have visited Kashmir.
Increase in Employment: The policy helps to generate employment of approximately 50,000 people per year, which can significantly boost the local economy.
Promotes Culture and Festivals: The policy promotes city-wise events and festivals with a pre-defined calendar to attract tourists.
Boosting Exports and Collaborations: The policy helps the handicraft industry, which was earlier limited to select destinations, to directly export and collaborate both nationally and internationally.
Environmental Stress: The rapid increase in tourist activities has led to significant ecological disturbances, including deforestation, waste accumulation, and pollution of water bodies.
Increase in Infra-strain: It also resulted in encroachment on natural habitats and increased pressure on local resources, such as water and electricity.
Climate Change Impact: The region is experiencing accelerated effects of climate change, including glacial depletion and erratic weather patterns, which threaten agricultural sustainability and water availability.
Major Challenge: Fragility of the Region
Natural Disasters: Jammu and Kashmir is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides, which can be exacerbated by unchecked commercialization and environmental degradation.
Ecological Sensitivity: The region’s delicate ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the impacts of tourism and urbanization, necessitating careful management to prevent irreversible damage.
Resource Depletion: The increased demand for water and energy resources is leading to the depletion of aquifers and heightened reliance on hydroelectric projects, which disrupt local aquatic ecosystems.
Need for a Resilient Tourism Model (Way Forward)
Sustainable Tourism Practices: There is an urgent need to adopt a resilient and sustainable tourism model that prioritizes eco-friendly practices, waste reduction, and conservation of natural resources.
Community Involvement: Engaging local communities in tourism planning and decision-making is crucial for fostering sustainable practices and ensuring that the benefits of tourism are shared equitably.
Infrastructure Resilience: Developing infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events and diversifying tourism offerings beyond peak seasons will help mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Policy Integration: A cohesive approach that integrates sustainable tourism policies with broader economic and environmental strategies is essential for preserving the region’s natural beauty while supporting local economies.
The Union government has notified the constitution of the 23rd Law Commission of India with effect from September 1.
Terms of Reference of the 23rd Law Commission:
The 23rd Law Commission has been tasked with addressing similar objectives as previous Commissions, such as:
Identifying outdated laws that can be repealed.
Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for the periodic review of laws.
Identifying laws that are not in harmony with economic needs and suggesting amendments.
Like its predecessors, it will examine laws in light of the DPSP and suggest improvements or new legislation to fulfill the objectives outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution.
PM’s call for a uniform civil code reflects the need to implement, a Directive Principle outlined in the Constitution.
About the Law Commission of India:
Details
Nature
Non-statutory body periodically constituted by the Government of India. It is an Executive Body.
Establishment
First Commission during British India: Established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833, chaired by Lord Macaulay, Focused on the codification of laws like the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
First Commission in Independent India: Established in 1955, chaired by M. C. Setalvad, then Attorney-General of India.
Primary Role
Advises the Ministry of Law and Justice on legal reform and reviews existing laws to suggest improvements and draft new legislation.
Recommendations are advisory and NOT binding on the government.
Composition
Headed by a Chairperson (usually a retired Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of a High Court),
4 full-time members (including a Member-Secretary), ex-officio members (Secretaries of the Departments of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department), and
Up to 5 part-time members.
Tenure
3 years, with provisions for reconstitution or extension as required by the government.
Key Functions
• Undertakes legal research.
• Review existing laws for reforms.
• Recommends repeal of obsolete laws.
• Suggest amendments and new legislations.
• Examines laws that affect the poor and marginalized.
Notable Recommendations by 22nd law Commission
• Uniform Civil Code.
• Amendments to the sedition law.
• Repeal of obsolete laws.
• Gender equality in personal laws.
• Improvements in judicial administration.
Reports Submitted
Over 277 reports on various legal issues including the implementation of international conventions, compulsory registration of marriages, etc.
Recent Activity
The 22nd Law Commission is focusing on issues like the Uniform Civil Code and amendments to the sedition law (Section 124A), among other legislative reforms.
PYQ:
[2014] The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in:
Q What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? (UPSC IAS/2021)
Q How far do you agree with the view that the focus on the lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (UPSC IAS/2018)
Q Food Security Bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with the concerns it has generated in WTO. (UPSC IAS/2013)
Mentor comment: A significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line, limiting access to nutritious food. Increasing population pressures food availability, despite a large agricultural workforce. While food production is sufficient, distribution is often inequitable, leading to shortages in certain regions. A substantial amount of food is lost during production, storage, and distribution, exacerbating scarcity. Problems in the Public Distribution System (PDS) include leakages, diversion of grains, and the presence of fake ration cards. In today’s editorial we will be addressing food security in India requires a multi-faceted approach, focusing on enhancing distribution systems and ensuring equitable access to food for all citizens.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
As per National Sample Survey (NSS) data, PDS leakages at the all-India level were 41.7% in 2011-12.
However, some states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha had initiated PDS reforms between 2004-05 and 2011-12, leading to reduced leakages.
About the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013:
• The NFSA provides subsidized food grains to about two-thirds of India’s population. It provides food grains to two categories of beneficiaries: Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households. Priority Households (PHH). (75% of rural and 50% of urban populations are eligible for these benefits.) • The NFSA requires state governments to set up grievance redressal mechanisms, including call centers, helplines, and nodal officers. Each district is also required to have a District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO). • Though the Indian Constitution does not have any explicit provision regarding the right to food, the fundamental right to life enshrined in Article 21, includes the Right to live with human dignity, which may include the right to food and other necessities. • Hence, this Act marked a shift in India’s approach to food security, moving from a welfare model to a rights-based model.
What are the issues around Public Distribution System (PDS) Leakages?
PDS leakages refer to the portion of rice and wheat released by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) that does not reach consumers.
Leakage Estimates and Comparison: National Sample Survey (NSS) – based estimates show higher leakages (54% in 2004-05, declining to 42% in 2011-12).
Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS)-based estimates indicate lower leakages (49% in 2004-05, declining to 32% in 2011-12) suggesting better performance in capturing actual PDS usage.
The IHDS is considered a more reliable source for PDS purchases compared to the NSS due to its focused methodology.
Expanded PDS by States: Some states provide PDS grain to non-NFSA beneficiaries, increasing the overall leakage estimate. (leakages estimated to be 22%)
Mismatch in Timing: NSS and FCI data operate on different reference years (agricultural year vs. financial year), which can affect the synchronization of data and lead to discrepancies in leakage estimates.
Measurement Errors: NSS data relies on a 30-day recall period for consumption, which may lead to under-reporting and measurement errors, potentially inflating leakage estimates.
Do you know why IHDS data is considered more reliable? • IHDS surveys are designed specifically to address human development issues. • IHDS employs a mixed recall period for consumption, which enhances accuracy in reporting. • IHDS can synchronize its data collection periods more effectively with the agricultural year, reducing mismatches.
Way Forward:
Although PDS is a vital social policy tool, it faces threats from experimental innovations like cash transfers and biometric authentication, which may undermine its effectiveness.
Instead of pursuing these measures, the government should focus on expediting the delayed Census to prevent the exclusion of over 100 million people and consider including more nutritious items like pulses and edible oil in the PDS.
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the new flag and insignia of the Supreme Court of India during the National Conference of District Judiciary in New Delhi.
AboutNew Flag and Insignia of the Supreme Court of India:
Details
Designed by
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi
Flag Design
Blue flag featuring three symbols:
Ashoka Chakra (Symbol of India’s legal and cultural heritage)
Supreme Court Building (Represents the institution of justice in India)
Constitution of India (Highlights the role of the Supreme Court as the guardian of the Constitution)
Insignia
Includes the Sanskrit phrase “Yato Dharmastato Jayah“ inscribed in Devanagari script.
Translates to “Where there is Dharma, there is victory“, symbolizing the Supreme Court’s dedication to justice and righteousness.
Occurs 13 times in the epic the Mahabharata.
Flag Formats
Available in cross table flat, single table flag, pole flag, and wooden frame versions
PYQ:
[2023] Consider the following statements in respect of the National Flag of India according to the Flag Code of India, 2002:
Statement-I: One of the standard sizes of the National Flag of India is 600 mm * 400 mm.
Statement-II: The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the Flag shall be 3:2.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
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