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GS Paper: GS2

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence in India and Way Ahead

    Central Idea

    • In India, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a widely debated issue due to a lack of systematic estimates. Most estimates have been derived from studies based on school children, revealing that over one crore Indians may be on the autism spectrum. However, there are notable cultural differences in diagnosing autism between countries, which highlights the need to assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders specifically in the Indian context.

    What is Autism?

    • Spectrum disorder: Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour. It is called a spectrum disorder because the symptoms and severity can vary widely between individuals.
    • Common symptoms: Some common symptoms of autism include difficulty with social interactions, such as maintaining eye contact or understanding nonverbal cues, delayed speech and language development, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities.
    • Cause: Autism is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause is not yet fully understood.
    • Cure: There is currently no cure for autism, but early interventions and therapies can help individuals with autism lead fulfilling and independent lives.

    Prevalence of Autism in India

    • Lack of systematic estimates: Autism is a global issue and affects individuals of all cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there is a lack of systematic estimates of autism prevalence in India.
    • Methos failed: Researchers have attempted to estimate prevalence through government hospitals, but this method failed due to the absence of central medical registries.
    • Conservative estimates: As a result, prevalence was estimated through school-based assessments. According to conservative estimates, well over one crore Indians are on the autism spectrum. This highlights the need for further research and attention to address the prevalence of ASD in India.
    • Cultural Differences and Diagnosis of Autism:
    • Notable cultural differences exist in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In the US and UK, the majority of children with autism spectrum diagnosis are verbal, with average or higher IQ, and attending mainstream schools.
    • However, in India, a significant majority of children with a clinical diagnosis of autism also have intellectual disability and limited verbal ability. This difference is driven by sociological factors, such as access to appropriate clinical expertise, provisions for inclusion in mainstream schools, and availability of medical insurance coverage.

    Challenges in Assessing Autism

    • Assessment tools: Assessment of autism spectrum disorder is primarily behavioral, and most widely used autism assessment tools are not available in Indian languages.
    • Indigenous autism assessment tools challenges: There has been a rise in the development of indigenous autism assessment tools. Despite the development of these tools, it can be challenging to compare across different assessment measures.

    Demand and Supply in India

    • Shortage of mental health professionals: Most autism assessment tools need to be administered by specialist mental health professionals. However, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in India, with less than 10,000 psychiatrists, a majority of whom are concentrated in big cities.
    • Delay is costly: Delay in interventions can be costly for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
    • Demand and supply gap need to be met: This gap between demand and supply cannot be met directly by specialists alone, and parallel efforts to widen the reach of diagnostic and intervention services through involving non-specialists is required. Emerging evidence suggests the feasibility of involving non-specialists in autism identification and intervention through digital technology and training programs.

    Way ahead: Need for an All-India Program

    • National program on autism: The need of the hour is to develop a national program on autism in India that links researchers, clinicians, service providers to the end-users in the autism community.
    • Essential components: This program needs to have three essential components that are joined up: assessment, intervention, and awareness.
    • Assessment: Research is needed to develop appropriate assessments and design efficient implementation pathways.
    • Intervention: Clinical and support service workforce needs to be expanded by training non-specialists such that a stepped-care model can be rolled out effectively across the nation.
    • Awareness: Large-scale initiatives need to be launched to build public awareness that can reduce the stigma associated with autism and related conditions.

    Conclusion

    • There are challenges in diagnosing and assessing autism in India which highlights the need for a comprehensive and coordinated effort to address them. By expanding the clinical and support service workforce, training non-specialists, and developing appropriate assessments and interventions, India can improve outcomes for those on the autism spectrum and reduce the stigma associated with the condition. This national program needs to be informed by consultation with different stakeholders, with a primary focus on end-users within the Indian autism community.

  • Taiwan- China: India in the Event of a Cross-Strait Conflict

    Conflict

    Central Idea

     

    • India needs to proactively consider its military, diplomatic, and economic responses to a potential cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan.

     

    Background

     

    • PLA’s frequent military exercises near Taiwan: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is conducting frequent military exercises near Taiwan, increasing the risk of escalation in the Taiwan Strait.
    • Forceful reunification: Some analysts believe that China, under President Xi Jinping, is preparing for a forceful reunification campaign by 2027.

     

    Conflict

    The impact of a cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan on India

     

    • Disruption of trade: India’s trade through the South China Sea (SCS) accounts for nearly 55% of its total trade with the Indo-Pacific region. A conflict in the Taiwan Strait could severely disrupt this trade, affecting India’s economy. Additionally, trade with Taiwan, China (India’s second-largest trading partner), East Asia, and some Southeast Asian countries would also be severely impacted.
    • Strategic implications: As a member of the Quad, India would face serious strategic consequences in the event of a cross-strait conflict. New Delhi would be expected to respond in support of its partners, particularly the United States, which may lead to a significant shift in the regional balance of power and India’s international commitments.
    • Escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC): India’s involvement in a conflict over Taiwan may prompt China to escalate tensions along the LAC, leading to an increased risk of military confrontation between India and China. This would put additional pressure on India’s military and resources, as it would have to prepare for a potential two-front conflict.
    • Diplomatic challenges: India’s involvement in a conflict over Taiwan would strain its diplomatic relations with China and complicate its foreign policy priorities in the region. New Delhi would have to balance its commitments to its allies and partners with the need to maintain a stable relationship with Beijing.
    • Economic costs: The economic fallout from a cross-strait conflict could be considerable for India, with potential disruptions to supply chains, investment flows, and regional economic integration efforts. This could hinder India’s economic growth and development objectives in the short to medium term.
    • Security concerns: A cross-strait conflict could lead to increased military deployments, escalations, and proxy conflicts in the region, raising security concerns for India. This would necessitate greater vigilance and preparedness from the Indian military and intelligence agencies to address potential threats.
    • Humanitarian consequences: In the event of a large-scale conflict, India may face the challenge of responding to humanitarian crises resulting from displaced populations, refugees, and the disruption of essential services in the region. This could put additional strain on India’s resources and infrastructure.

     

    India’s likely responses

     

    • Military response: India could assist partner countries, including the US, by sharing experience and intelligence on dealing with the PLA. It could also offer its mainland for refuelling aircraft and access to its Andaman and Nicobar Island bases.
    • Diplomatic response: India could participate in a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Chinese aggression.
    • Economic response: India is unlikely to impose targeted sanctions on China due to the negative trade balance between the two countries.

     

    Conflict

    India’s proactive measures

     

    • Information sharing: India can establish a secure communication channel with Taiwan to exchange vital intelligence and real-time information on Chinese military movements and strategies. This would help Taiwan to better anticipate potential threats and improve its defensive capabilities.
    • Training Taiwanese armed forces personnel: India can secretly collaborate with Taiwan to train its armed forces personnel in specific operations and tactics. This may include joint exercises and training programs in areas like counterinsurgency, mountain warfare, and special operations, which could enhance Taiwan’s military preparedness.
    • Consultative mechanisms: India can set up consultative mechanisms with Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington to discuss and coordinate their strategic approaches towards deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan. This collaboration can lead to the development of joint strategies, contingency plans, and a coordinated response in case of a conflict.
    • Strengthening defense ties: India can explore options to strengthen defense ties with Taiwan by providing it with military equipment, technology, and logistical support. This could help Taiwan build a more robust defense system and deter potential Chinese aggression.
    • Economic diversification for Taiwan: India can play a significant role in helping Taiwan diversify its trade and economic dependencies away from China. By increasing bilateral trade, investment, and technological cooperation, India can provide Taiwan with the scale it needs to reduce its overdependence on Beijing.
    • Soft power diplomacy: India can leverage its soft power and cultural ties to build stronger relationships with Taiwan, promoting people-to-people exchanges, educational collaborations, and cultural events. This would not only strengthen the bond between the two countries but also raise awareness and support for Taiwan’s cause on the international stage.
    • Encouraging international support: India can work with its allies and partners in the Quad, as well as other regional and global forums, to build a broader coalition supporting Taiwan’s sovereignty and security. By advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations and platforms, India can help raise its global profile and encourage other countries to support Taiwan in the event of a conflict.

     

    Conclusion

     

    • While India would face challenges in the event of a cross-strait conflict, it is crucial for New Delhi to plan for the inevitable and proactively consider its military, diplomatic, and economic responses to such a crisis.

    Mains Question

    Q. There are signs of potential cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan. In this backdrop discuss its impact on India

  • UK to join Asia-Pacific Trade Treaty

    trade

    UK has agreed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade pact based around the Pacific Rim, as it seeks to build ties around the world after leaving the European Union.

    Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

    • CPTPP is a free trade agreement (FTA) that was agreed in 2018 between 11 countries – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
    • Britain will become the 12th member, and the first to join since the partnership since its inception.
    • The agreement was originally proposed as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in 2005, with the goal of creating a free trade area that would cover 12 countries, including the US.
    • However, the US withdrew from the agreement in 2017, prompting the remaining 11 countries to renegotiate the deal and create the CPTPP.

    Economic prospects

    • CPTPP countries approximately has a combined GDP of 11 trillion pounds ($13.6 trillion) once Britain joins, or 15% of global GDP with UK membership.
    • It does not have a single market for goods or services, and so regulatory harmonisation is not required, unlike the European Union, whose trading orbit Britain left at the end of 2020.

    Key trade objectives of CPTPP

    • The CPTPP is designed to reduce tariffs and promote economic integration among its members.
    • It aims to eliminate tariffs on more than 95% of goods traded between member countries, and to provide greater market access for services and investment.
    • The agreement also includes provisions on intellectual property, labor, and environmental standards.

    How much does Britain trade with CPTPP?

    • British exports to CPTPP countries were worth 60.5 billion pounds in the twelve months to end-Sept. 2022.
    • Membership of the grouping will add another 1.8 billion pounds each year in the long run, and possibly more if other countries join.

    Key benefits to be reaped by UK

    • Exporters could benefit from CPTPP membership even when trading with countries where there is a bilateral FTA.
    • To benefit from preferential tariffs, exporters must demonstrate a product as a sufficient proportion of “locally” sourced parts.
    • Rules of origin under rolled-over post-Brexit free trade agreements with Japan, Mexico and Canada, for instance, allow exporters to count EU inputs as “local”.
    • However, under CPTPP, inputs from CPTPP members can usually be considered local, giving exporters another option if it is beneficial.

    Geopolitical considerations: China Factor

    • While the long-term benefit for Britain’s economy is set to be modest, Britain has other reasons for joining the bloc.
    • UK will get a veto on whether China joins the treaty. Beijing had applied to become a member of the bloc in September 2021.

     

  • New India Literacy Program (NLIP)

    literacy

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

    What is New India Literacy Program (NLIP)?

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

    Beneficiaries of the scheme

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

    Implementation of the scheme

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

    Conclusion

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

     

  • Duty exemption for drugs for Rare Diseases

    rare

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

    What are Rare Diseases?

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

    Need for duty exemption

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

    Key medicines under this exemption

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

    How the new duty exemption works?

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

    How are life-saving medicines taxed?

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

     

  • Saudi Arabia set to become SCO member

    saudi-sco

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

    What is SCO?

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

    Its establishment

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

    Structure of SCO

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

    Members of SCO

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

    Main goals

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

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

    Why did Saudi Arabia join SCO?

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

     

  • What is Model Code of Conduct?

    model

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

    Model Code of Conduct

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

    When does it come into effect?

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

    Restrictions imposed under MCC

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

    For Governments

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

    For Political Parties

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

    Campaigning

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

    Is it legally binding?

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

    What if violated?

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

    Using powers under Art. 324

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

    What if given Statutory Backing?

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

  • Public Policy Education: Essential For Developing Effective Policies

    Central Idea

    • Government policies play a crucial role in determining the future of a country. They not only impact economic growth and public welfare but also improve the ease of living for citizens. Unfortunately, there is a lack of interest in public policy education in India, with only a small percentage of policymakers having formal education in public policy and administration.

    Public policy education

    • Public policy education refers to the study and teaching of the principles, theories, and methods involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that address societal issues.
    • This field of education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, create, and manage public policies effectively.

    How the government policies, economic growth, and public welfare are closely interconnected?

    • Government policies: Governments create and implement policies to guide economic activities, maintain social order, and promote the welfare of their citizens. These policies cover a wide range of areas, such as fiscal and monetary policy, trade policy, education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure development. The effectiveness of these policies can have a direct impact on economic growth and public welfare.
    • Economic growth: Economic growth is the increase in a country’s output of goods and services over time, usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). A growing economy typically leads to higher employment, increased income, and improved living standards for citizens. Government policies play a crucial role in stimulating or hindering economic growth by influencing factors such as investment, consumption, trade, and innovation.
    • Public welfare: Public welfare refers to the overall well-being of a society, encompassing aspects such as income distribution, access to essential services, health, education, and environmental quality. Government policies can significantly impact public welfare by determining the allocation of resources, setting priorities, and providing social safety nets.

    Paucity of Programs

    • As per the All-India Council for Technical Education, there are 3,182 institutions with an approved intake of 4.22 lakh in business management programs, but only about 130 universities that offer public administration programs and only 29 institutes that offer public policy programs.
    • The batch size of public policy courses is 20-60, and there are few jobs available for people pursuing such courses, which disincentivizes educational institutions and students from choosing public management courses.

    Lack of Exposure to Public Management

    • Most civil servants undergo departmental induction training programs that focus on the role they play in their department and not much on how to make good public policies.
    • Consequently, very few civil servants have exposure to public management before joining service, which is critical for developing effective policies.

    Suggestions to boost public policy education in India

    1. Public Management as a Compulsory Subject in UPSC:
    • Public management should be a compulsory subject for the UPSC civil service examination, either as a substitute for one optional subject or an additional paper. This will incentivize universities and private institutions to offer public policy education, research, and case studies at the graduate or post-graduate level, leading to a major boost in public policy education.
    • Additionally, civil servants who join government would have formal education in public management before they enter service, and even those who do not make it to government jobs would develop better understanding and sensitivity towards complexities involved in public management, making them better citizens and effective private sector managers.
    1. Larger Component of Public Policy in Induction Training: Existing training institutions of the government should have a larger component of public policy as part of their induction training. Moreover, a case study bank for training should also be established.
    2. Specialized Positions of Public Policy Analysts: The government can create certain specialized positions of public policy analysts to be picked up from the market directly, thereby creating new job avenues for the graduates of public policy programs.

    Conclusion

    • The lack of formal education in public management has led to governance lagging behind private sector management in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Public policy education is essential for developing effective policies that spur economic growth, public welfare, and improve ease of living for citizens.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is public policy education, and why is it important for policymakers in India to have formal education in public policy and administration? Suggest measures to boost public policy education in India.

  • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): New Backbone of India’s Economy

    DPI

    Central Idea

    • India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a unique marvel of our times that has brought together the government, regulators, private sector, volunteers, startups, and academia to create a superstructure that delivers consistent, affordable, and across-the-board value to citizens, government, and corporate sector alike.

    What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)

    • India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) refers to the collection of technological systems, platforms, and services that enable the Indian government, businesses, and citizens to interact digitally.
    • The DPI is often referred to as the India Stack, which was built through a unique partnership between the government, regulators, the private sector, selfless volunteers, startups, and academia/think tanks.
    • India Stack includes a number of building blocks such as Aadhaar (a biometric identification system), e-KYC (electronic know your customer), UPI (Unified Payments Interface), and DigiLocker (a cloud-based document storage system).

    DPI

    DPI in India

    • India, first country to develop all three foundational DPIs: India through India Stack became the first country to develop all three foundational DPIs digital identity (Aadhar), real-time fast payment (UPI) and a platform to safely share personal data without compromising privacy (Account Aggregator built on the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture or DEPA)
    • Techno-legal regulatory frameworks in India: Techno-legal regulatory frameworks are used to achieve policy objectives through public-technology design.
    • For example: India’s DEPA offers technological tools for people to invoke the rights made available to them under applicable privacy laws. Framed differently, this techno-legal governance regime embeds data protection principles into a public-technology stack.
    • DPI most feasible model: DPI has emerged as the most feasible model due to its low cost, interoperability and scalable design, and because of its safeguards against monopolies and digital colonisation.

    Aadhaar and the private sector

    • Rebirth of Aadhaar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision enabled Aadhaar to become the rocket ship for launching good governance in India. Currently, over 1,700 Union and State government schemes use Aadhaar.
    • Aadhaar and the private sector: After the Supreme Court’s affirmation of privacy rights, Aadhaar is gradually being opened to the private sector. Aadhaar holders can voluntarily use their Aadhaar for private sector purposes, and regulated entities can store Aadhaar numbers using secure vaults. These changes are leading to the next leapfrogging of India Stack.
    • Three changes: The next leapfrogging of the India Stack, with a dynamic political executive and inspired volunteers, will happen with three changes, voluntary usage of Aadhaar for private sector purposes, sharing of Aadhaar data between government departments, and the creation of a new private sector-friendly UIDAI.

    DigiYatra and DigiLocker

    • India Stack’s greenfield market innovation potential can unlock various services such as DigiYatra, which offers a free biometric-enabled seamless travel experience through facial recognition systems, and DigiLocker, which has 150 million users and six billion stored documents.
    • Plans are afoot to expand DigiLocker to many countries around the world.

    Facts for prelims

    Initiative Description Launched by
    DigiLocker Cloud-based document storage platform for citizens Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiYatra Digital travel experience initiative for air travellers Ministry of Civil Aviation
    DigiSeva Digital service delivery platform for government services Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiGaon Digital village initiative to provide digital infrastructure Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiShala Digital classroom initiative to promote digital education Ministry of Human Resource Development
    DigiPay Digital payments platform for government services National Payments Corporation of India
    DigiSaksham Digital literacy initiative to empower citizens Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiDhan Digital payments and financial inclusion initiative Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiSangrah Digital repository of cultural resources for citizens Ministry of Culture
    DigiMuseums Digital initiative to showcase Indian museums online Ministry of Culture

    Impact of unified payment interface (UPI)

    • The unified payment interface UPI which is breaking records under the visionary leadership at the National Payments Corporation of India
    • UPI has now crossed eight billion transactions per month and transacts a value of $180 billion a month, or about a staggering 65% of India’s GDP per annum.

    DPI

    Conclusion

    • India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be seen as India’s second war for independence, this time for economic freedom from the daily struggles of transactions and bureaucracy. DPI has emerged as the new backbone of India’s economy, propelling it towards the goal of achieving a $25 trillion economy by the 100th year of India’s political independence. With the convergence of ChatGPT and India Stack, we can only imagine the tremendous progress and innovations that could spark a new era of economic growth and development, much like the Cambrian explosion in evolutionary history.

    Mains question

    Q. What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)? Explain the building blocks of the India Stack and their significance.

  • Healthcare: Remarkable Progress But The Gaps Needs to be Addressed

    Central Idea

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome many challenges and has made significant progress, but there are still many tough health challenges that need to be addressed. There is need to bridge the gap between the services available in metropolitan and Tier-II and Tier-III cities, provide healthcare insurance to the unorganised middle class, and use Artificial Intelligence and digital technology to improve healthcare services.

    Overcoming past challenges

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome seemingly insurmountable problems, including high maternal and infant mortality rates, and low hospital delivery rates.
    • The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) results show that even in the so-called BIMARU states, hospital deliveries have soared to 89 per cent.

    Current Health Challenges

    • Five interrelated challenges: The current macro picture shows at least five interrelated challenges that are pervading the population, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), obesity, and chronic respiratory diseases.
    • NCDs: The proportion of deaths due to NCDs has increased from around 38 per cent in 1990 to 62 per cent in 2016.
    • Obesity: Obesity has increased from 19 per cent to 23 per cent between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. Awareness about leading healthy lives will save millions from illness and decelerate premature death.

    Current state of healthcare in India

    1. Infrastructure:
    • The state of infrastructure matters. Since 2018, governments at the Centre as well as the state have been trying to bolster primary healthcare by establishing health and wellness centres.
    • But there are still huge variations between states, and some states have better arrangements than others. States must step up efforts to improve infrastructure in the healthcare sector.
    1. Bridging the gap in hospital services:
    • In urban areas, the challenge is to bridge the gap in hospital services between large urban agglomerations and Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
    • Large hospital chains provide only 4-5 per cent of the beds in the private sector.
    • Standalone hospitals and nursing homes provide 95 per cent of private hospital beds but are unable to provide multi-specialty, leave alone tertiary and quaternary care.
    • The gaps between services available in the metros and big cities and in districts must be bridged.
    1. Health Insurance Coverage:
    • Low health insurance penetration and the very high personal outgo on healthcare remain a challenge.
    • But over the past three years, more than four crore Indians have bought health insurance.
    • From 2018, the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme for 10 crore poor families has been undertaken to provide insurance against hospitalisation for up to Rs 5 lakh per year per family.
    • Nearly 74 per cent of Indians are either covered or eligible for health insurance coverage.
    1. Use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technology:
    • An emerging concern is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology to improve healthcare services.
    • Surgery assisted by robots, the use of genetic codes, clinical decision support systems, and telemedicine can help in making healthcare more accessible and efficient.

    Conclusion

    • India has shown how the impossible can be achieved, but the healthcare system needs to overcome various challenges to fully redeem its advantage of having the youngest population. The government needs to step up efforts in improving infrastructure, bridging the gap in hospital services, and providing health insurance coverage for the unorganized middle class. It is also essential to regulate the use of AI and digital technology in the healthcare sector to ensure accountability and prevent malpractice.
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