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  • Here is how HDI has performed in last 3 decades

    HDIContext

    • India, belonging to the medium HDI category, shows dimensional inequalities similar to or slightly below the average figures in the category, except in the case of education where it is high and closer to the low HDI countries. The inequalities in health and education are more than twice that of the very high and high HDI categories.

    Why in news?

    What is the meaning of human development?

    • Human development is defined as the process of enlarging people’s freedoms and opportunities and improving their well-being. Human development is about the real freedom ordinary people have to decide who to be, what to do, and how to live.

    What is meant by Human Development Index?

    • The HDI is a summary measure of human development. The HDI is a summary composite measure of a country’s average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge and standard of living.

    Who publishes HDI?

    • The Human Development Report (HDR) is an annual Human Development Index report published by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

    HDIDimensions of the Human Development Index

    • Long and healthy life: The long and healthy life dimension is measured by life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth is a statistical measure that an average individual is expected to live based on certain demographic factors such as the year of birth and current age.
    • Education: This is a second dimension in the HDI. The indicators of education are the expected years of schooling and the mean years of schooling. According to the UN, the average maximum years of schooling is 18 years, while the mean maximum years of schooling is 15 years.
    • Standard of living: The standard of living is usually measured by the gross national income (GNI) per capita. The GNI indicates the total domestic and foreign output created by the residents of a certain country.

    What are the 4 indicators of HDI?

    • Mean years of schooling
    • Expected years of schooling
    • Life expectancy at birth
    • Gross national income (GNI) per capita

    Which Countries Have the Highest HDI?

    In the latest HDI ranking, from 2022, Switzerland finished first with an HDI value of 0.962.

    HDI

    Issues in HDI

    (1) An incomplete indicator

    • Human development is incomplete without human freedom and that while the need for qualities judgement is clear; there is no simple quantitative measure available yet to capture the many aspects of human freedom.
    • HDI also does not specifically reflect quality of life factors, such as empowerment movements or overall feelings of security or happiness.

    (2) Limited idea of development

    • The HDI is not reflecting the human development idea accurately.
    • It is an index restricted to the socio-economic sphere of life; the political and civil spheres are in the most part kept separate.
    • Hence there is a sub-estimation of inequality among countries, which means that this dimension is not being taken into consideration appropriately.

    (3) A vague concept

    • Concerning data quality and the exact construction of the index HDI is conceptually weak and empirically unsound.
    • This strong critic comes from the idea that both components of HDI are problematic. The GNP in developing countries suffers from incomplete coverage, measurement errors and biases.
    • The definition and measurement of literacy are different among countries and also, this data has not been available since 1970 in a significant number of countries.

    (4) Data quality issues

    • The HDI, as a combination of only four relatively simple indicators, doesn’t only raise a questions what other indicators should be included, but also how to ensure quality and comparable input data.
    • It is logical that the UNDP try to collect their data from international organizations concentrating in collecting data in specific fields.
    • Quality and trustworthiness of those data is disputable, especially when we get the information from UN non-democratic members, as for example Cuba or China.

    (5) A tool for mere comparison

    • The concept of HDI was set up mainly for relative comparison of countries in one particular time.
    • HDI is much better when distinguishing between countries with low and middle human development, instead of countries at the top of the ranking.
    • Therefore, the original notion was not to set up an absolute ranking, but let’s quite free hands in comparison of the results.

    (6) Development has to be greener

    • The human development approach has not adequately incorporated environmental conditions which may threaten long-term achievements on human development. The most pervasive failure was on environmental sustainability.
    • However, for the first time in 2020, the UNDP introduced a new metric to reflect the impact caused by each country’s per-capita carbon emissions and its material footprint.
    • This is Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI or PHDI. It measured the amount of fossil fuels, metals and other resources used to make the goods and services it consumes.

    (7) Wealth can never equate welfare

    • Higher national wealth does not indicate welfare. GNI may not necessarily increase economic welfare; it depends on how it is spent.
    • For example, if a country spends more on military spending – this is reflected in higher GNI, but welfare could actually be lower.

    Importance of HDI

    • Multidimensionality: It is one of the few multidimensional indices as it includes indicators such as literacy rate, enrolment ratio, life expectancy rate, infant mortality rate, etc.
    • True yardstick: It acts as a true yardstick to measure development in real sense.
    • Helps in measuring a nation’s well-being: Unlike per capital income, which only indicates that a rise in per capital income implies economic development; HDI considers many other vital social indicators and helps in measuring a nation’s well-being.

    Value addition line

    People are the real wealth of a nation. The basic objective of development should be to create an enabling environment for people to live long, healthy and creative lives. This may appear to be a simple truth.

    Conclusion

    • To sum up, the introduction of the HDI three decades ago was an early attempt to address the shortcomings in conventional measures of wellbeing.
    • The HDI has continued to attract widespread attention and motivates the work of activists, scholars and political leaders around the world.
    • The HDI compels us to ask what matters more, the quantitative expansion of an economy, or the qualitative improvement in the capabilities of society.
    • Indeed the revival of interest in this subject at the highest levels of government is the need of the hour.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by human development? Critically analyse the human development index given by UNDP.

     

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  • What is India’s current policy of multi alignment? Advantages and challenges

    Multi alignmentContext

    • Forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan is leading India to multi alignment.

    Background

    • India’s journey of foreign policy from being the founder of non-alignment to the multi-alignment. In his book The India Way, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar offers a critique of India’s traditional policy of “non-alignment”, where he distinguishes between the “optimistic  non- alignment ” of the past, which he feels has failed, that must give way to more realistic “multiple engagements of the future”.

    Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO)

    • SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization.
    • It is the world’s largest regional organization,
    • 40% of the world population
    • More than 30% of global GDP.
    • Members: 8-China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

    Multi alignmentSCO SUMIIT, 2022

    • Host- Uzbekistan,
    • Uzbekistan will host a full house: 15 leaders including eight member states from four Central Asian States, China, India, Pakistan and Russia,
    • The observer states: Belarus, Mongolia and Iran (which will become member this year) —
    • Afghanistan is not invited
    • Leaders of guest countries -Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan

    What is non- alignment?

    • It’s a policy, a brainchild of Nehru. Non-alignment movement emerged after second world war.
    • Non-alignment means not having an alliance with any of superpower, either USSR or USA.  Decolonized nations of Asia and Africa was largely a part of this group.

    Multi alignmentIndia’s policy of non-alignment

    • At bandung conference in 1955 non-alignment movement started with India as one of the founding member.
    • With policy of non-alignment India refused to gravitate towards USA or USSR.
    • India was the leader of non-alignment.

    What is India’s current policy of multi- alignment? Advantages and challenges.

    • Since the start of his tenure from 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not attended any conference of non-alignment.
    • External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in his book, The Indian way have criticized the non-alignment.
    • In the words of Former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale India is no longer the non-align nation.

    How it is a Multi alignment policy?

    • India to truly multi aligned or all aligned by being a part of every major grouping.
    • India is a part of BRICS and Prime Minister Modi is attending the SCO SUMMIT in Samarkand.
    • On parallel to rival groups India is also the part of Quad and Indo pacific economic framework.
    • India is buying the discounted Russian oil and reusing to buckle under pressure from west and USA.
    • S-400 purchase is happening and India have dodged the bullet of sanctions from USA.
    • India is choosing the bilateral Free trade agreement like with Australia and UAE and withdrew from groupings like RCEP and Most recently IPEF. This policy are is said to be in the economic interest of India.

    Advantages of Multi alignment

    • India no longer wants to repeat the mistake of missing out of P5 Security council (“Permanent membership in the Security Council was granted to five states based on their importance in the aftermath of World War II).
    • If any group work against your interest it is better to be part of group rather than remain outside and do nothing
    • With retreating USA and its collapsing hegemony world is moving towards multiple polar world order.

    Disadvantages

    • Major disadvantage of non-alignment is you no longer have influence over adverse policy of friendly country.
    • For example. Russia sells S-400 to India but it also sold the same weapon to china.
    • USA and India are strategically getting closer day by day but USA recently approved the sale of $450 million F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

    Conclusion

    • Multi alignment will serve India its best national interest.
    • So far India has managed the rival parties at world stage to secure its foreign policy objectives but with Russian aggression and Chinese assertion and divided world will pose a significant challenge to India’s multi alignment policy.

     

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by non-alignment and multi-alignment? Analyze the shift In India’s foreign policy from non-alignment to multi-alignment.

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  • Teachers with a passion for the profession are foundational to the positive educational change

    teacherContext

    • Success of new education policy depends on how we recruit and assesss teachers.

    What is the issue?

    • Recruitment of well-qualified teachers into the schooling system is the first prerequisite to ensure that students receive quality education.
    • However, teacher recruitment processes in the country are not adequately streamlined. There are diverse recruitment processes across regions, school stages, and school types central, state, and private schools.
    • This, in turn, leads to multiple criteria and processes for hiring teachers, thereby bringing a wide disparity in teacher quality across institutions and regions.
    • Many of the processes are also sub-optimal in measuring the competency of a candidate.

    Teacher hiring mechanism in place

    • One of the most common and widely-taken tests to ensure eligibility for recruitment is the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), conducted at both the state (STET) and central levels (CTET).
    • TET is the equivalent of the licensure tests that are undertaken by teacher candidates in various countries.
    • However, in India, the test is required only for government school teacher recruitment at the elementary stage (Class 1-8).

    teacherIssues in hiring mechanism

    • TET has been critiqued time and again for various reasons. These include low pass percentages, poor test quality, lengthy test papers and a serious lack of alignment with teacher preparation programmes.
    • The test was in the news recently because of the teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal.

    teacherWhat we need?

    • A coherent strategy: to tie together the various tests and processes such as TET, teacher recruitment tests, classroom demonstrations and teacher interviews. This will enable a holistic assessment of teacher competence.
    • Understanding what is competence: Framing a common understanding of what qualifies as teacher competence. Simply speaking, teacher competence can be understood as the core knowledge, skills, and dispositions expected of a teacher to effectively contribute to the teaching-learning process.
    • Multiple methods of assessment: To evaluate several other skills and dispositions, one requires multiple methods of assessment including classroom demonstrations and teacher interviews. These assessments could help gauge skills like effective dissemination of a concept and selection of appropriate resources and learning materials.
    • Teacher’s aptitude: Most importantly, such processes should help evaluate a teacher’s empathy towards students. Respecting learner diversity and skills in building a participative/democratic classroom culture are crucial requisites of a teacher. The recruitment process should assess the teacher’s aptitude in this respect.
    • A comprehensive competency framework: That details the skills a teacher should have. This could be derived from a teacher education curriculum rooted in policy perspectives of the day. For instance, in the case of the NEP, the curriculum could be geared towards imparting training in classroom practices that make learning joyful.

    Long-term benefits to adopting such a holistic model of teacher recruitment

    • Better parity: It will ensure better parity in the quality of teachers recruited across the country.
    • Equitable education: Will contribute to equitable education for students from diverse sections of society.
    • Credibility is ensured: The recruitment process will also become credible if it is rooted in a framework that outlines the core competencies of becoming a teacher.
    • Reduction in coaching centres: At the systemic level, this may also lead to a reduction in coaching centres as the assessment processes will be non-standardised and cannot be easily gleaned from coaching materials and guidebooks.

    Conclusion

    • Teachers with a passion for the profession are foundational to the positive educational change envisaged by the NEP. Setting up clear benchmarks of quality and well-designed recruitment processes hold the key to ensuring better teaching-learning outcomes.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you think on teacher’s quality today? Explain how dynamic teacher recruitment process will enhance teacher’s quality.

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  • Supreme Court’s basic structure doctrine in a new context

    basic structureContext

    • The basic structure doctrine constitutes a high watermark in the assertion of the Supreme Court’s judicial power in the teeth of a determined majoritarian regime.

    What is basic structure of Constitution?

    • The basic structure doctrine is one of the fundamental judicial principles connected with the Indian Constitution. The doctrine of the basic structure holds that there is a basic structure to the Indian Constitution, and the Parliament of India cannot amend the basic features.

    What is the significance of the basic structure in the Constitution of India?

    • The doctrine of basic structure is nothing but a judicial innovation to ensure that the power of amendment is not misused by Parliament. The idea is that the basic features of the Constitution of India should not be altered to an extent that the identity of the Constitution is lost in the process.08-Dec-2021

    Background

    • Courts are empowered under our Constitution to invalidate not only executive orders, but also legislative enactments that violate any part of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution (Bill of Rights).
    • But as to whether they are also empowered to adjudicate on the validity of constitutional amendments passed with the requisite special majority and following the procedure prescribed in Article 368 the Constitution is silent.

    basic structureHistorical developments on evolution of basic structure doctrine

    • Constitution provided a mechanism for parliament to amend the constitution in the form of article 368 but the nature and scope of this amending power was questioned in Supreme Court on multiple occasions. Supreme Court gave a series of judgement which ultimately culminated in probably the most landmark judgement Basic structure doctrine judgement.
    • Shankari Prasad Case
    • Sajjan Singh Case
    • Golakh Nath Case
    • Kesvananda Bharati Case
    • Minerva Mills case
    • I.R. Koelhi

    Constitutional Provisions

    1. 1st amendment and 9th schedule
    2. 24th amendment
    3. 42nd amendment

     

    His holiness, Kesavananda bharati, challenged before the supreme court, the validity of 29th CAA which inserted some laws in 9th schedule and affected property of his Hindu Mutt.

    What else was at stake?

    1. Supreme Court (R. C. Cooper case) had struck down bank nationalization act of 1969 which had nationalized 14 major banks for illusory compensation though it conceded parliament’s right to nationalise banks in national interest.
    2. Supreme Court had struck down abolition of privy purses which was a betrayal of solemn promise to erstwhile kings by Sardar Patel.

    Supreme Court could do all this as it had held in 1967 in Golaknath case that fundamental rights could not be abridged.

    Before returning back to Kesavananda, Let’s take a look at the relevant provisions of the constitution and Supreme Court interpretation of the same.

    • Art 13(2) – Any LAW abridging fundamental rights mentioned in part 3 shall be null and void to the extent of contravention
    • Art 368 -Procedure to amend the constitution.
    • Art 19(f) – freedom to acquire hold on and dispose off property.
    • Art 31 – right to property

    Both the rights were subject to reasonable restriction in public interest and restriction were subject to judicial review.

    Soon after the coming into force of the constitution, states enacted land reform acts #Zamindars challenged them. #Patna high court declared Bihar act as unconstitutional for violating right to property #interim parliament passed 1st CAA.

    1. ART 31B created 9th schedule. Laws inserted under it by constitutional amendment were immune to judicial review.

    Other provisions not imp for this article but imp for exams –

    1. Reasonable restrictions against freedom of expression under art 19.
    2. To nullify judgment in State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan and giving effect to art 46 (promoting educational and economic interests of weaker sections) amplified article 15 (3)

    Zamindars didn’t like it, not one bit. And here comes the 1st salvo

    Shankari Prasad v Union of India

    Challenged 1st CAA. What was the court’s judgment?

    1. Difference b/w constituent power and ordinary legislative power i.e. amendment not law for the purpose of article 13
    2. art 13 and 368 in conflict # apply DOCTRINE OF HARMONIOUS CONSTRUCTION # ART 13 not applicable to art 368

    Govt 1-0 Zamindars

    Govt passed 17th amendment and inserted more laws under 9th schedule ‘

    Zamindars fired another salvo-

    Sajjan Singh vs state of rajasthan

    Supreme Court sang Shankari prasad song again

    Govt 2-0 jamindars

    But Justice Mudholkar was of the view that the every Constitution has certain features which are basic in nature and those features cannot be changed.

    2 minority judgements
. utter confusion. And you can see seeds of basic structure were sown here.

    Zamindars fired 3rd salvo

    Golaknath v. State of Punjab

    11 judge bench overturned earlier 2 verdicts by a slender majority of 6-5

    Really? What was the logic given here?

    1. Nothing to suggest constituent power to be separate from legislative power and even if distinct, amending power not same as constituent power which is given only to constituent assembly i.e. amendment is law and subject to article 13
    2. Fundamental rights so sacrosanct and transcendental that they cannot be abridged even if whole parliament unanimously decided to abridge them.

    But it validated all previous land reform acts as nullifying them would create utter confusion

    Govt angry – Zamindars angry

    New landlords happy.

    Loss – loss to defendants as well as petitioner.

    Madam Indira was in power and she did not like this. Not one bit.

    Along came 24th amendment to neutralize GOLAKNATH JUDGEMENT

    1. Art 13 inapplicable to art 368
    2. Art 368 provided powers as well as procedure to amend the constitution
    3. Parliament by way of addition, variation or repeal can amend any provision of constitution
    4. President shall give assent to CA bills ( VERY VERY IMP FOR PRELIMS )

    But madam Indira wouldn’t just stop here as Cooper judgment (Bank nationalization ) also had to be neutralized.

    Smarting from this setback, Madam Indira (the parliament, herself) passed 24th CAA to neutralise GOLAKNATH judgement. But there was also a small matter of reversing Copper judgment in bank nationalisation case so parliament passed 25th CAA.

    1. Art 19f delinked from 31, in effect parliament deciding compensation amount payable instead of courts.
    2. Art 31c  -inserted under which – art 39b and c, most socialist of DPSPs (equitable distribution and prevention of concentration of wealth respectively) precede over 7 freedoms (art 19 ), equality (14), property (31)
    3. Parliament’s power to determine if policy is to give effect to 39b and c not subject to judicial review.

    29th CAA had put Kerala land reform act under 9th schedule and his holiness challenged the provisions and all hell broke loose.

     

    Now the 4th salvo

    basic structureKesvanada Bharati Case

    A 13 judge bench is constituted and what does it do!

    1. Overturned Golaknath i.e. amendment not law, fundamental rights amendable, no implied limit under art 368 i.e. CAA 24 constitutional
    2. Art 25 invalid to the extent it takes away judicial review i.e. 39 b and c above 14, 19 and 31 but subject to judicial review

    Most imp decision of all by slimmest of all 7-6 majority stated Parliament can amend any provision of the Constitution but the basic structure should not be destroyed, damaged or abrogated.

    What’s the logic?

    1. Expression amendment did not encompass defacing the constitution such that it lost its identity.
    2. In the garb of amendment parliament can not rewrite the constitution.

    Court gave relief to govt but reserved for itself power to review all amendment not just those that violate fundamental rights.

    Aftermath

    Indira Gandhi didn’t like the judgement one  bit. She (via the president) superseded 3 judges to appoint justice A.N. Ray as CJI.

    Knives had been drawn and the battle was gonna be very bloody –

    • Navnirman movement of JP (Jayprakash) had gathered steam, Indira was on the back foot and along came the judgement of Allahabad High Court convicting Indira of corrupt electoral practices. Election was declared null and void and  6 years ban to contest election was imposed on her.
    • Supreme Court stayed it and allowed her to remain PM but not to draw salary or speak or vote in parliament.
    • Darkest chapter in democracy’ 21 month emergency was declared on 25th June 1975 without even consulting cabinet (44th amendment made it mandatory for the president to have written advice of cabinet to declare emergency)

    Indira Gandhi wasn’t to sit quiet.

    CAA 39th – election of president, VP, PM and speaker beyond judicial review

    Clownish Rajnarayan challenged the CAA 39.

    Indira Gandhi v/s Raj Narain Case

    For the 1st time Supreme Court applied basic structure doctrine and considered free and fair election and rule of law to be part of basic structure. #amending act invalidated.

    Note here that 4 of the 5 judges on the bench had given dissenting judgment in Bharati case but still applied the same doctrine for Supreme Court judgment becomes law until overruled by bigger bench (art 141).

    Then how did Indira continue to be prime minister and contest election again and not get banned for 6 years?

    Supreme court accepted retrospective amendment to electoral law i.e. electoral malpractice of Indira was no longer a corrupt practice.

    Find out for fun the charges against Mrs. Gandhi for which she was convicted and what a popular British magazine had to say about the judgement.

    Along came the mini constitution i.e 42nd amendment act TO ELIMINATE IMPEDIMENTS TO THE GROWTH OF THE CONSTITUTION –

    1. PART 4a fundamental duties
    2. Socialist,secular and integrity word to preamble
    3. New DPSPs were added

    And for the purpose of this article amendment to article 368 nullifying basic structure doctrine by adding amendments can’t be challenged in courts and parliament possessing unlimited power of amendment

    1. All DPSPs to take precedence over all fundamental rights not just 39b and 39c.

    And Minerva Textile mills of Karnataka fired the 5th and the last salvo

    Minerva Mills v Union of India

    SC unanimously struck down amendment to article 368 holding limited amending power and judicial review to be part of basic structure.

    Court held that constitution is founded on the bedrock of balance b/w FRs and DPSPs. Goals set out by DPSPs have to be achieved without abrogation of means provided by FRs.

    What’s the logic?

    If a donee was vested with limited power, it could not be exercised to control that very power power and convert into unlimited one.

    Or

    If a genie grants u 3 wishes, it is understood u can not, as one of the wish, ask for unlimited number of wishes!

    Janta govt comes to power and 44th CAA deletes art 31 (b) right to property and 19 (f) freedom to acquire, hold and dispose of property as they were not considered part of basic structure

    Right to property now a constitutional right under art 300A.

    9th schedule and judicial review

    I.R.Coelho vs state of TN

    Supreme Court held that acts placed under 9th schedule after basic structure subject would be subject to judicial review to the extent of those acts violating basic structure of constitution.

    Impact of basic structure doctrine.

    It certainly saved Indian democracy from degenerating into authoritarian regime during those testing times but it has also given immense untold unbridled power to Supreme Court and made it the most powerful court in the world.

    As we would later see in the NJAC Verdict (let’s call it 4th judges case), Supreme Court applied this doctrine, many would say for wrong reasons to strike down the act and kept for itself the power to appoint brother judges. In the original constitution only fetters on the power of parliament was art 13.

    Relevance –  It was delivered at the time of single party rule both at the centre and most of the states. In the era of coalition politics no govt is going to wield so much power to destroy the constitution and then there is ever present danger of tyranny of unelected.

    But only legitimate way to overturn the verdict would be a 15 judge bench so don’t hold your breath for that.

    Now is the time for some thought questions

    #1. Consider these 2 statements –

    1. Any LAW that is ordinary law violating provisions of constitution would be declared null and void to the extent of contravention.
    2. Any LAW violating art 13 would be declared null and void

    Both statements are true
..If amendments were not law, what was the purpose of art 13 (2) other laws would anyway be declared unconstitutional!

    #2. Is basic structure doctrine relevant in the present political scenario where no single party is unlikely to enjoy majority in both the houses?

    #3. What should be the limits to amending power of parliament? Do u think for very substantial amendments instead of courts, people by way of referendum should determine whether amendment should go through or not?

    #4. Whatever happens to original intent theory that constitutional courts have to interpret constitution in accordance with the implied intentions of founding fathers and there is enough evidence to suggest founding fathers thoughtfully kept FRs sacrosanct to prevent their abrogation or as we would see in a later article how supreme court by creative interpretation virtually changed procedure established by law in art 21 to due process of law while founding fathers deliberately kept expression as procedure established by law.

     

    Conclusion

    • By restraining the amending powers of legislative organ of State, it provided basic Rights to Citizens which no organ of State can overrule. Being dynamic in nature, it is more progressive and open to changes in time unlike the rigid nature of earlier judgements.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by basic structure of constitution? Trace evolution of basic structure in India.

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  • What is National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)?

    The Union Home Minister has inaugurated the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).

    What is NAFIS?

    • NAFIS is developed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi.
    • The project is a country-wide searchable database of crime- and criminal-related fingerprints.
    • The web-based application functions as a central information repository by consolidating fingerprint data from all states and Union Territories.
    • In April this year, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country to identify a deceased person through NAFIS.

    Utility of NAFIS

    • It enables law enforcement agencies to upload, trace, and retrieve data from the database in real time on a 24×7 basis.
    • It would help in the quick and easy disposal of cases with the help of a centralised fingerprint database.

    How does it work?

    • NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person arrested for a crime.
    • This unique ID will be used for the person’s lifetime, and different crimes registered under different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN.
    • The 2020 report states that the ID’s first two digits will be that of the state code in which the person arrested for a crime is registered, followed by a sequence number.
    • By automating the collection, storage, and matching of fingerprints, along with digitizing the records of fingerprint data, NAFIS will provide the much-needed unique identifier for every arrested person.
    • It will be included in the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems) database as both are connected at the backend.

    Is this the first time that such an automation project is being attempted?

    • Upon the recommendations of the National Police Commission in 1986, the Central Fingerprint Bureau first began to automate the fingerprint database.
    • It began with digitizing the existing manual records through India’s first Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFI) in 1992, called Fingerprint Analysis & Criminal Tracing System (FACTS 1.0).
    • The latest iteration, FACTS 5.0, which was upgraded in 2007, was considered to have “outlived its shelf life”, according to a 2018 report by the NCRB and thus needed to be replaced by NAFIS.

    Since when has India relied on fingerprinting as a crime-fighting tool?

    • A system of fingerprinting identification first emerged in colonial India, where it was tested before it spread to Europe and beyond.
    • At first, it was used by British colonial officials for administrative rather than criminal purposes.
    • William Herschel, the chief administrator of the Hooghly district of Bengal, from the late-middle 1800s onwards, used fingerprinting to reduce fraud and forgeries.
    • It then aimed to ensure that the correct person was receiving government pensions, signing land transfer deeds, and mortgage bonds.
    • Anthropometry, the measurement of physical features of the body, was used by officials in India but was soon replaced with a system of fingerprints.

     

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  • Strong nuclear diplomacy brings opportunities for India

    nuclear diplomacyContext

    • The return of nuclear weapons on the global platform. After 1998, India premised its strategy on building ‘credible minimum deterrence’. The time has come to reflect on what is ‘credible’ and redefine what ‘minimum’ might be to strengthen nuclear diplomacy.

    Definition of nuclear diplomacy

    • Nuclear diplomacy deals with prevention of nuclear war and peacetime proliferation. It also deals with the use of threat of nuclear warfare to achieve diplomatic goals.

    nuclear diplomacyTheme of article

    • India, one of the world’s nuclear weapon powers, ought to be paying a lot more attention to the international nuclear discourse that is acquiring new dimensions and taking a fresh look at its own civilian and military nuclear programmes.
    • Nuclear cooperation has brought a new dimension to India’s nuclear diplomacy in the 21st India’s status as a responsible nuclear power is predicated upon the civil relationships in the nuclear domain that it has established with major powers.

    What is credible minimum deterrence?

    • Credible minimum deterrence is the principle on which India’s nuclear diplomacy is based. It underlines no first use (NFU) with an assured second strike capability and falls under minimal deterrence, as opposed to mutually assured destruction.

    nuclear diplomacyWhy do countries proliferate nuclear weapons?

    • Proliferation models centred on security concerns or dilemmas dominate nuclear literature.
    • Nuclear weapons provide an overwhelmingly destructive force that increases a state’s relative power in comparison to its neighbours.
    • It provides a powerful tool in an anarchic system where superpowers dominate other nation-states sovereignty.
    • Hence weaponizing helps establish a deterrence to prevent war.

    Why relook is needed?

    • Possessing nuclear weapons can confer India increased leverage to conduct foreign policy in both regional and international contexts.
    • There are two ways in which the possession of nuclear weapons can affect a state’s conduct of foreign policy and diplomacy.
    • The first involves military and strategic signalling. This includes military-oriented functions of deterrence, coercion, and brinkmanship.
    • The second, deals with non-military affairs.

    Way forward

    • It should be noted that India’s quest to be a “responsible nuclear state” has given it considerable diplomatic capital in the West.
    • It would be unfortunate for India to squander such gain owing to the lack of carefully considered foreign policy that leverages its nuclear status for its national interest.

    Conclusion

    • India’s civil nuclear engagements with the global community have strengthened its position in the global civil nuclear order, there is a need for the country to push for greater engagements with more key suppliers and stakeholders to fulfill its military nuclear potential and assert its status as a responsible nuclear state.

    Mains question

    Q. India has been a nuclear weapons state for 22 years. Has this affected India’s foreign policy in a direct manner? Express your views in context of the return of nuclear weapons on the global platform.

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  • Rising number of Rabies case

    rabiesContext

    • The death of a 12-year-old girl in Pathanamthitta has sharpened the focus on the rising number of rabies cases and the growing population of stray dogs in Kerala

    What is rabies?

    • The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system of the host, and in humans, it can cause a range of debilitating symptoms including states of anxiety and confusion, partial paralysis, agitation, hallucinations, and, in its final phases, a symptom called “hydrophobia,” or a fear of water.

    What are rabies caused by?

    • Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.

    Can rabies person survive?

    • Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive. Less than 20 cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been documented.

    How long can a human live with rabies?

    • Death usually occurs 2 to 10 days after first symptoms. Survival is almost unknown once symptoms have presented, even with intensive care.

    rabiesFacts on rabies

    • What animal has the most rabies?
    • Bats
    • Wild animals accounted for 92.7% of reported cases of rabies in 2018. Bats were the most frequently reported rabid wildlife species (33% of all animal cases during 2018), followed by raccoons (30.3%), skunks (20.3%), and foxes (7.2%).

    rabiesWhat is the issue?                                  

    • There is a blame game over the rising rabies cases: With the rabies deaths causing panic and reports of residents killing stray dogs through poisoning and strangulation, there is a blame game over the rising canine population and rabies cases. Some legal experts blame it on conflicts in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001; others point to the flawed implementation of birth control measures.
    • Legal battle over the issue in the Supreme Court: Canine culling campaigners and advocates of animal rights are also engaged in a protracted legal battle over the issue in the Supreme Court. V.K. Biju, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, who brought the issue of the “stray dog menace” before the apex court, contends that the root cause is the enactment of the Rules, which according to him, were passed in contravention of the parent Act, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
    • Existence of stray dogs has adversely affected the fundamental rights of citizens: Biju says that while the Act stands for the “destruction” of stray dogs, the rules are against the “destruction” of stray dogs, including the rabies affected ones, besides providing specific protection of stray dogs. In his submission before the Supreme Court, he argues that the existence of stray dogs has adversely affected the fundamental rights of citizens, i.e. the right to life and free movement.
    • The quashing of the Rules to make India free of stray dogs: In his writ petition filed before the apex court, Biju has sought orders for the strict implementation of the Act and the quashing of the Rules to make India free of stray dogs.
    • Animal rights campaigners are apprehensive: In the light of this, animal rights campaigners are apprehensive over the campaign to cull dogs to check rabies.

    rabiesHow can we prevent rabies in animals?

    1. First, visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs.
    2. Second, maintain control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision.
    3. Third, spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly.
    4. Finally, call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighbourhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.

    How can we prevent rabies in humans?

    • Leave all wildlife alone.
    • Know the risk: contact with infected bats is the leading cause of rabies deaths in people followed by exposure to rabid dogs while traveling internationally.
    • Wash animal bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.
    • If you are bitten, scratched, or unsure, talk to a healthcare provider about whether you need postexposure prophylaxis. Rabies in people is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical care.
    • Vaccinate your pets to protect them and your family.

    Initiatives by Government to curb Neglected Tropical Diseases

    National Rabies Control Programme: This programme is being restructured as Integrated National Rabies Control Programme under ‘One Health Approach’, with a aim to provide vaccination to stray dogs and free vaccines through Government hospitals.

    Way forward

    • Think globally, act locally. Study and adopt global ‘best-practices’ after customising them to local needs.
    • Apply integrated approach. Follow a holistic strategy.
    • Ensure efficient and effective collaboration across various government departments.
    • Partner with Civil Society Organisations (especially with WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene – sector) for ground-level implementation and monitoring.

    Mains question

    Q. What is rabies? What ethical challenges are involved in culling of stray dogs? Explain the control measures for the same.

     

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  • Constitutional Breakdown in Nepal

    nepal

    Nepal is in a constitutional crisis with major organs of the state confronting each other as the Chief Justice is under undeclared house arrest and the PM openly criticizing the President.

    Nepal polity in turmoil

    • Prime Minister who is backed by the chiefs of four major coalition partners, is at loggerheads with President.
    • The President might seek to rule as an extra-constitutional authority beyond the sanction and imagination of the Constitution that completed six years last week.

    Genesis of the crisis: Row over Citizenship

    • The current crisis began after President refused to ratify Nepal’s citizenship bill, which was sent to her twice after it was passed by both Houses of Parliament over the span of a month.
    • The bill seeks to give citizenship by birth and by descent to an estimated 500,000 individuals.
    • It was also sought to provide non-voting citizenship to non-resident Nepalis living in non-SAARC countries.

    Constitutional crisis in Nepal: A backgrounder

    • Nepal transitioned into a democracy beginning with the fall of the monarchy in 2006 and the subsequent election of the Maoist government in 2008.
    • The emergence of the multiparty system was followed by the adoption of a constitution on September 20, 2015.
    • All Nepalese citizens born before this date got naturalised citizenship.
    • But their children remained without citizenship as that was to be guided by a federal law which has not yet been framed.
    • This amendment Act was expected to pave the way to citizenship for many such stateless youth as well as their parents.

    What are the issues with the Act?

    Ans. Gender bias

    • The main criticism against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2006 is that it goes against established parameters of gender justice.
    • According to Article 11(2b), a person born to a father or a mother with Nepalese citizenship can get citizenship by descent.
    • Another article says a person who is born to a Nepalese mother (who has lived in the country) and an unidentified father will also get citizenship by descent.
    • But this section appears humiliating for a mother as she has to declare that her husband is unidentified for the child to be eligible for citizenship.
    • In case of a Nepalese father, such declarations are not required.

    Why has the President refused to sign the Act?

    • Bhandari is the first female President of Nepal.
    • Her refusal to sign the Act has drawn attention to certain sections in the constitution that thrusts greater responsibility on women.
    • For example, Article 11 (5) says that a person who is born to a Nepalese mother and an unidentified father can be granted citizenship by descent.
    • Next, it says that in case the unidentified father turns out to be a foreigner, the citizenship by descent would be converted to naturalised citizenship.
    • Furthermore, it supports punitive action against the mother if the father is found later.

    Indian connection to the issue

    • There is an unarticulated concern in the orthodox sections that Nepalese men, particularly from the Terai region, continue to marry women from northern India.
    • These people feel that Nepalese identity would be undermined.
    • Because of this “Beti-Roti” (Nepalese men marrying Indian women) issue, many women could not become citizens of Nepal.
    • They were subjected to the infamous seven-year cooling off period before they could apply for citizenship in Nepal.
    • As such women were stateless, children of such families were also often found to be without Nepalese citizenship.
    • However, the new amendments have done away with the cooling off period for these stateless women.

     

  • G4 countries call for UNSC reforms

    g4

    The G4 nations have said that the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UN Security Council reform are constrained by a lack of openness and transparency.

    Who are the G4 Countries?

    • The G4 nations, comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
    • Their primary aim is the permanent member seats on the Security Council.
    • Each of these four countries have figured among the elected non-permanent members of the council since the UN’s establishment.
    • Their economic and political influence has grown significantly in the last decades, reaching a scope comparable to the permanent members (P5).

    Deterrent in their cause

    • The UK and France have backed the G4’s bid for permanent seats.
    • All the permanent members of P5 have supported India’s bids for permanent seat.
    • However, China has previously implied that it is only ready to support India if it does not associate its bid with Japan.
    • The US has sent strong indications to Brazil that it is willing to support its membership; albeit, without a veto.

    What holds them back?

    • There has been discontent among the present permanent members regarding the inclusion of controversial nations or countries not supported by them.
    • For instance, Japan’s bid is heavily opposed by China, North Korea, Russia and South Korea who think that Japan needs to make sincere reparations for war crimes committed during World War II.
    • Under the leadership of Italy, countries that strongly oppose the G4 countries’ bids have formed the Uniting for Consensus movement, also called as Coffee Club.
    • In Asia, Pakistan opposes India’s bid.

    Why India deserves a permanent seat?

    • India has been part of UN since inception.
    • It has the world’s second-largest population and is the world’s largest democracy suited to represent South Asia.
    • It has contributed maximum peacekeepers to UN so far.

    Why reform UNSC?

    • Non-representative nature: UNSC in current form is not representative of developing world and global needs, with primacy of policy being political tool in hands of P5, is well recognised globally.
    • Contention over Veto and Technical Holds: Veto power with P5 enables any one of them to prevent the adoption of any “substantive” draft Council resolution, regardless of its level of international support.
    • Divided institution: UNSC has become an organisation, which can pass strong resolutions against weak countries, weak resolutions against strong countries and no resolution against P5 countries.

    Conclusion

    • There is a possibility that if UN doesn’t reform itself, it may lose relevance and alternate global and regional groupings may assume greater importance.
    • More global pressure from middle powers like G4 may force an expansion of UNSC as a possibility, but abolition of veto power in current set up is unlikely

    Back2Basics: United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

    • The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.
    • Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions.
    • It is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
    • The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States—serve as the body’s five permanent members.
    • These permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for Secretary-General.
    • The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.

     

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  • Intra party elections

    Intra party electionContext

    • Congress party has issued a notification for the party’s presidential election hinting towards intra party election.
    • As per the official notification, party leaders can file nominations from 24 September to 30 September. The voting will be held on 17 October and the results will be declared on 19 October.

    What are the elections?

    • An election is a way people can choose their representatives of their preferences in a representative democracy. Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government.

    Why they are important?

    • Elections give people a chance to evaluate their leaders, chance to change the government.
    • Elections help the people in the selection of their representatives and it provides law making power directly to the people.
    • Elections make a fundamental contribution to democratic governance.

    Intra party electionWhat is mean by Intra party elections?

    • It is a mechanism to choose the candidates for various posts of the political through a democratic process, it’s a mandate given by the members of the party itself.
    • The intra-party election is a fundamental indicator to explore the authenticity of democratization and decentralization of political parties.

    Why elections are necessary within the political parties?

    • Internal debates: During intra party elections there would be contests between leaders. There will be debate, discussions some criticism, and differences of opinion. There should be a dialogue between the leaders, members and volunteers
    • Democratic culture: Political parties don’t have to be homogeneous in terms of both ideas and leadership. Political parties are aggregations of interests yet Party workers should not feel they are being ignored, that their efforts are not appreciated or not going in vain under the shadow of a leader came from the family lines.
    • Political career: Having these internal elections, meetings and contests of ideas is important.  Internal election is a key for upward mobility. It gives better understanding of the party’s idea, culture and the work process.
    • High command culture: High command culture is what we are witnessing today in India and South Asia is problematic for democracy, where all political parties are centralized. The few members at the helm are controlling even the smallest decisions about what party should do. Members are not able to express freely their personal views.
    • Feudalism: They are family-controlled parties, and dynastic politics has become a norm. Won’t be able to name more than three or four political parties which have survived 30 years in Indian politics and are today not controlled by apolitical family.
    • Favoritism: where you can only rise up the ranks in the system depending on the relationship you share with the first family of that party. Irrespective of difference of opinions with the top leaders of the party, the upward mobility majorly depends on the relationship.

    Intra party electionWhat is a Legal framework for election?

    There is no law for intra-party elections as of now.

    • Seshan effect: When T.N. Seshan was at the helm of the Election Commission of India (ECI); by an executive order political parties were ordered to conduct intra party elections. And because Seshan was a much respected and feared person, political parties complied with it. Since then, elections are held periodically in every recognized party.
    • What Constitution says: Article 324 says free and fair elections to parliament, state assemblies, president and vice-president. It doesn’t say anything about political party or election within.
    • What Courts argue: The courts have made an observation that nothing in Article 324 of the Constitution, or Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 tells us that the ECI can actually regulate internal structures, organizations or elections of the party. Which is why parties, on the left or right, have not been conducting internal elections as we want them to conduct them

    Worldwide practice

    • USA: In the U.S. election, the selection of the candidate to be the presidential nominee is done via debate, in which the contenders condemn and criticize each other.
    • UK: In the U.K. Democracy should be at every level, and political parties are an essential pillar of democracy. Intra party election happens to choose the leader of party.

    What is state funding of election?

    • It is an idea where state or Government of India provides funding to political parties according to their electoral performance.
    • As of today, state does provide land at concessional rate, free air time on national television but today political parties do not come under RTI. Hence some suggest state funding of elections to regulate the behavior of political parties.

    What is the Role of Election Commission in organizational election of political parties?

    • The ECI does insist on organizational elections, but only gently. They do go through the process.
    • Election can happen only if there are two or more candidates in the fray. Getting elected unopposed is also a valid election. It is not just within the political parties, we have

    Seen it in panchayat elections and sometimes even in Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections that candidates have got elected unopposed.

    Intra party electionHow to fix the accountability of the political parties?

    • ECI re-interpreting the existing laws, as happened in the 1990s. ECI has to imagine its role as a regulator of these political parties and in some ways. They have to try out milder options.
    • Political parties are required to hold organizational elections regularly. The parties are required to inform the ECI about changes in their office-bearers.
    • They are required to submit a document of expenditure incurred during elections and in the non-election periods. But there is no cost attached to non-compliance.
    • Expert suggests state funding of election would ensure the accountability of parties as it will bring parties under ambit of RTI and voters can seek the expenditure report from parties. Election commission can also penalize party for non-compliance.

    Conclusion

    • Election for a gram panchayat or presidential it is always a booster for democracy. Intraparty elections are beneficial for party, contesting individual and country at large, it culminates into emergence of quality leadership which in turn a boon for good governance.

    Mains Question

    Q. Intra party elections are essential feature of healthy democracy. Discuss the role of election commission, the courts and the political parties for the healthy functioning of intra party democracy.

    Do follow

    Internal democracy in political parties

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