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GS Paper: GS2

  • [13th January 2026] The Hindu OpED: Early investment in children, the key to India’s future

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] “Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse.

    Linkage: This PYQ links primary health systems to sustainable development through preventive care, nutrition, maternal and child health, and human capital formation.

    Mentor’s Comment

    India aims to become a developed economy by 2047. Most discussions focus on infrastructure, manufacturing, and digital growth. This article shifts attention to early childhood development (ECD), a less visible but critical area. It argues that without strong investment in the first 3,000 days of life, economic goals remain weak. The article reviews existing child-focused policies and calls for a universal, integrated, mission-mode approach.

    Why in the News?

    India lacks a clear national roadmap for early childhood development, even though early years shape health, learning, and future productivity. Despite success in reducing child mortality, fragmented and survival-focused policies fail to ensure full development, making early investment a high-return national priority, not just welfare.

    What is Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD)?

    1. It is not a social sector expenditure but a strategic economic investment. 
    2. Scientific evidence confirms that the period from conception to eight years, especially the first 3,000 days, determines physical health, cognitive ability, emotional regulation, and social skills.

    Why are the first 3,000 days critical for national development?

    1. Brain Architecture: Forms rapidly during early childhood, with 80–85% neural development occurring in the first few years, shaping lifelong learning capacity.
    2. Human Capital Formation: Early capabilities determine educational attainment, workforce participation, and earning potential in adulthood.
    3. Irreversibility: Deprivation, neglect, or poor nutrition during this phase leads to developmental losses that are difficult or impossible to reverse later.

    What progress has India achieved in early childhood outcomes?

    1. Child Survival: Reduced infant and under-five mortality through consolidation under the National Health Mission.
    2. Nutrition and Immunisation: Expanded coverage addressing severe malnutrition and vaccine-preventable diseases.
    3. Institutional Framework: ICDS (1975) and its restructuring under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 laid foundations for early nutrition and care, particularly among poorer households.

    Where does India’s current ECCD approach fall short?

    1. Fragmentation: Interventions remain siloed across health, nutrition, and education without an integrated developmental framework.
    2. Survival Bias: Policy focus prioritises keeping children alive rather than enabling optimal cognitive, emotional, and social development.
    3. Limited Coverage: ECCD initiatives largely target government safety-net beneficiaries, excluding large sections of middle- and upper-income households facing obesity, screen addiction, delayed skills, and behavioural issues.
    4. Late Intervention: Formal developmental support typically begins at 30-36 months, missing the most critical early window.

    What does scientific evidence reveal about early interventions?

    1. Epigenetics: Early-life nutrition, stress, and environmental exposure influence gene expression and long-term health outcomes.
    2. Health Risks: Parental obesity, substance use, poor maternal nutrition, and chronic stress increase risks of non-communicable diseases and developmental delays.
    3. Time Use Paradox: Children spend most early years at home, yet structured guidance on stimulation, play, and emotional nurturing remains scarce.

    Why must ECCD be universal rather than poverty-targeted?

    1. Developmental Challenges: Obesity, physical inactivity, excessive screen exposure, and emotional difficulties affect children across income groups.
    2. Equity and Inclusion: Universal ECCD prevents exclusion errors and ensures national-level human capital strengthening.
    3. Productivity Link: Broad-based developmental deficits undermine workforce quality and long-term competitiveness.

    What early interventions need to be prioritized?

    1. Preconception Counselling: Focuses on nutrition, mental health, lifestyle, and intergenerational impacts, benefiting two generations simultaneously.
    2. Parental Empowerment: Encourages early stimulation through talking, reading, singing, playing, and emotional engagement from infancy.
    3. Growth Monitoring: Enables early detection of delays through periodic, simple assessments.
    4. Quality Early Learning: Addresses undernutrition, obesity, emotional regulation, and life-long health habits for children aged 2-5 years.
    5. Integrated Service Delivery: Breaks silos between health, nutrition, and education, transforming schools into integrated child development hubs.
    6. Social Outreach: Extends ECCD conversations beyond clinics into homes, workplaces, and communities.

    Why is a national mission-mode approach necessary?

    1. Policy Coordination: Requires functional convergence between Ministries of Health, Education, and Women & Child Development.
    2. Teacher Capacity: Necessitates training educators in child development beyond academic instruction.
    3. Ecosystem Building: Engages parents, non-profits, philanthropic institutions, and CSR initiatives to create a supportive ECCD environment.

    Conclusion

    Early childhood care and development is the most cost-effective and high-impact investment India can make to secure its long-term economic, social, and democratic future. While India has succeeded in improving child survival, the absence of a universal, integrated, and development-focused ECCD framework risks locking future generations into avoidable health, learning, and productivity deficits. Treating the first 3,000 days as a national mission, rather than a welfare add-on, will determine whether India’s demographic potential translates into a resilient, skilled, and globally competitive workforce by 2047.

  • [12th january 2026] The Hindu OpED: Reimagining delimitation

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism.

    Linkage: The question is directly relevant to GS Paper II (Federalism and Centre-State relations). The delimitation debate reflects how institutional decisions by the Union can alter State power, making trust-building and cooperative federal mechanisms central to sustaining Indian federalism.

    Mentor’s Comment

    The impending delimitation exercise after 2026 has emerged as a critical constitutional issue with deep federal and political consequences. The article examines how population-based representation may structurally disadvantage southern States. This debate has direct relevance for representation, equity, and cooperative federalism under GS Paper II.

    Why in the News

    India is approaching a major delimitation exercise after 2026, when the freeze on seat allocation based on population ends. The issue is important because southern States may lose political representation despite controlling population growth. This is a clear departure from earlier decades, when seats were frozen to avoid penalising such States. The impact is nationwide, with long-term effects on federal balance, parliamentary power, and democratic fairness.

    What has changed in India’s delimitation framework?

    1. Constitutional freeze: Parliamentary seats were frozen based on the 1971 Census to incentivise population stabilisation.
    2. Policy shift: The freeze ends after the first Census conducted post-2026.
    3. Institutional trigger: A new Delimitation Commission is expected to be constituted after 2029.
    4. Structural impact: Representation will realign strictly with population size, altering regional political balance.

    Why do southern States face disproportionate losses?

    1. Demographic success: Southern States reduced fertility through education and health investments.
    2. Relative population decline: Slower population growth reduces their share in national totals.
    3. Seat reallocation effect: Population-based delimitation transfers seats to high-growth northern States.
    4. Political consequence: Reduced parliamentary influence despite better governance outcomes.

    How does population-based representation create perverse incentives?

    1. Rewarding high fertility: States with higher population growth gain more seats.
    2. Punishing stabilisation: States that controlled population lose political power.
    3. Policy distortion: Weakens incentives for long-term human development investments.
    4. Federal imbalance: Shifts dominance towards large-population States.

    What alternative models does the article propose?

    1. Increasing total seats: Expands Lok Sabha strength while retaining proportional shares.
    2. Redistribution using 2011 Census: Adjusts seats without penalising earlier performers.
    3. Equal State representation: Ensures minimum parity across States regardless of population.
    4. Weighted representation: Balances population size with demographic performance indicators.

    Why is the Digressive Proportionality principle relevant?

    1. Conceptual basis: Larger States receive more seats but fewer per capita than smaller States.
    2. Comparative example: Used in the European Union Parliament.
    3. Equity outcome: Prevents domination by large States.
    4. Democratic balance: Protects both population equality and federal fairness.

    What role should constitutional institutions play?

    1. Finance Commission precedent: Rewards demographic performance through fiscal transfers.
    2. Institutional symmetry: Delimitation Commission can adopt similar equity principles.
    3. Performance linkage: Aligns political representation with responsible governance.
    4. Negotiated federalism: Requires Centre–State consensus before implementation.

    Conclusion

    Delimitation must strike a balance between population-based representation and federal equity. A purely demographic approach risks penalising States that achieved population stabilisation through effective governance. A calibrated, consensus-driven framework is necessary to preserve cooperative federalism, democratic fairness, and long-term national unity.

  • Special Intensive Revision in Uttar Pradesh 

    Why in the News?

    The Election Commission of India published the draft electoral rolls of Uttar Pradesh after completing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), resulting in the deletion of 2.89 crore voters, the highest absolute deletion for any State or Union Territory so far.

    Key Data from Uttar Pradesh SIR

    • Total voters in 2025 list: 15.44 crore
    • Retained in draft rolls: 12.55 crore
    • Deleted voters: 2.89 crore
    • Percentage deleted: 18.70 percent

    Breakup of deletions

    • Deceased voters: 46.23 lakh (2.99 percent)
    • Permanent migration or non availability: 2.17 crore (14.06 percent)
    • Multiple registrations: 25.47 lakh (1.65 percent)

    Comparative Perspective

    • Uttar Pradesh has the highest deletions in absolute numbers
    • Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded a higher percentage deletion
    • Other State deletion rates
      • Tamil Nadu: 15.19 percent
      • Gujarat: 14.5 percent
      • Chhattisgarh: 12.88 percent
      • West Bengal: 7.59 percent
      • Kerala: 8.65 percent
    [2017] For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by: 

    (a) Anyone residing in India

    (b) A resident of the constituency from which the election is to be contested

    (c) Any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency

    (d) Any citizen of India.

  • India Participates in the Weimar Triangle Format  

    Why in the News?

    India participated for the first time in the Weimar Triangle format, where Poland publicly supported India amid United States pressure on Russian oil imports, signalling growing strategic convergence between India and key European powers.

    What is the Weimar Triangle

    • A trilateral political and diplomatic grouping
    • Members: France, Germany and Poland
    • Created to promote European integration, political dialogue, and security cooperation
    • Established in 1991
    • Named after Weimar
    • First meeting of the three foreign ministers held in Weimar
    • Initially focused on post Cold War European reconciliation

    Aims of the Weimar Triangle

    • Build a united and secure Europe
    • Strengthen political, security, and economic cooperation
    • Coordinate responses to Russia related security challenges
    • Bridge Western Europe and Central Eastern Europe

    Significance of India’s Participation

    • Marks India’s diplomatic outreach beyond traditional EU formats
    • Indicates European strategic autonomy in engaging India
    • Public support by Poland strengthens India’s position on energy security
    • Reflects growing India Europe convergence amid global geopolitical stress

    Prelims Pointers

    • Weimar Triangle has three European members
    • Created in 1991
    • Not an EU institution but an informal strategic forum
    • Important in Russia Ukraine context
    • India participated for the first time
    [2023] Consider the following statements: 

    Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the ‘Trade and Technology Council’

    Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control

    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? 

    (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I 

    (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I 

    (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect 

    (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

  • [10th January 2026] The Hindu OpED: De-dollarisation fear

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2019] What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s national self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable examples.

    Linkage: UPSC GS-II frequently examines how great-power strategies affect India’s strategic autonomy, especially in the context of U.S. unilateralism, sanctions, trade coercion, and global power realignments.

    Mentor’s Comment

    Recent U.S. trade and sanctions measures aimed at Russia, China, and third-country partners mark a decisive shift from market-led globalisation to coercive economic statecraft. The article examines how aggressive tariff threats, secondary sanctions, and currency weaponisation are accelerating global de-dollarisation pressures, with India emerging as a key collateral stakeholder in a fragmenting global financial order.

    Why in the News

    The U.S. administration has proposed tariffs of up to 500% on countries importing Russian oil. It has also expanded sanctions on Russian and Venezuelan energy assets. This represents a shift from targeted sanctions to secondary economic coercion, affecting neutral partners like India. At the same time, growing non-dollar energy settlements and China’s yuan-based oil trade indicate stress in the dollar-centric system, raising concerns over trade stability, capital flows, and autonomy of emerging economies.

    How has economic coercion replaced market-led globalisation?

    1. Secondary sanctions: Extends U.S. trade penalties to third countries purchasing Russian oil, redefining neutrality as non-compliance.
    2. Punitive tariffs: Proposals of up to 500% import tariffs convert trade policy into a deterrence instrument rather than a competitiveness tool.
    3. Asset targeting: Sanctions on Russian and Venezuelan energy infrastructure weaken supply-side stability rather than isolating individual firms.
    4. Systemic impact: Shifts global trade from rules-based predictability to power-based negotiation.

    Why is the dollar’s centrality increasingly contested?

    1. Currency weaponisation: Repeated use of the dollar-clearing system for sanctions enforcement erodes trust among trading partners.
    2. Trade settlement diversification: Russia now conducts over 20% of its crude exports outside the dollar system.
    3. Historical contrast: The dollar underpinned global finance throughout the late 20th century due to neutrality and liquidity, not coercion.
    4. Structural signal: Reduced dollar reliance reflects risk hedging, not ideological alignment.

    How are energy markets driving de-dollarisation?

    1. Non-dollar oil trade: China’s payment for Russian crude in yuan indicates partial energy-market realignment.
    2. Discount-driven trade: India’s increased Russian oil imports reflect price arbitrage rather than political alignment.
    3. Settlement experimentation: Bilateral currency mechanisms reduce exposure to sanctions-induced payment disruptions.
    4. Market fragmentation: Energy trade increasingly follows geopolitical blocs rather than price efficiency alone.

    What are the implications for India’s trade and exports?

    1. Export vulnerability: U.S. tariffs could affect textiles, footwear, marine products, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and engineering goods.
    2. Negotiating asymmetry: India faces pressure to absorb geopolitical costs despite non-alignment.
    3. Investment uncertainty: Escalating trade coercion weakens investor confidence amid already volatile capital flows.
    4. Macroeconomic stress: Potential spillovers include currency pressure, trade deficits, and costlier imports.

    How does China’s trade posture differ from India’s exposure?

    1. Export diversification: China has significantly reduced dependence on U.S. markets through diversified trade corridors.
    2. Scale advantage: China’s large domestic market cushions external shocks.
    3. Strategic insulation: India’s export basket remains more sensitive to Western market access.
    4. Asymmetric resilience: De-dollarisation favours economies with manufacturing scale and settlement alternatives.

    Is the global financial architecture entering a transition phase?

    1. Multipolar currency signals: Rise of yuan, local currencies, and barter-like arrangements.
    2. Erosion of predictability: Sanctions-driven finance increases transaction costs and compliance risks.
    3. Institutional strain: Bretton Woods-era assumptions face stress from unilateral enforcement actions.
    4. Systemic uncertainty: The issue extends beyond geopolitics to the architecture of global trade itself.

    Conclusion

    The expanding use of sanctions, tariffs, and financial leverage by the United States signals a shift from a rules-based economic order to coercive geo-economics, weakening trust in the dollar-centric system. For India, this moment underscores the necessity of safeguarding strategic autonomy through diversified trade partnerships, resilient payment mechanisms, and calibrated engagement with competing power blocs in a transitioning global financial order.

  • Somaliland is no longer a diplomatic endnote

    Why in the News?

    Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent state in December 2025. It is the first such recognition by a strategically significant UN member. The decision ends decades of diplomatic ambiguity. It departs from the long-standing international support for Somalia’s territorial integrity. As a result, Somaliland has moved from diplomatic obscurity to strategic relevance. This shift is significant in the Horn of Africa, a region critical to Red Sea and Gulf of Aden security.

    About Somaliland:

    1. Somaliland a self-governing entity that declared independence from Somalia in 1991.
    2. It has functioned as a de facto state for over three decades.
    3. Despite internal stability and regular elections, it remained internationally unrecognised.
    4. Most countries continued to uphold Somalia’s territorial integrity.
    5. This kept Somaliland diplomatically marginal despite its strategic location in the Horn of Africa.

    Why does Israel’s recognition of Somaliland matter geopolitically?

    1. Diplomatic Rupture: Breaks the international consensus of non-recognition upheld since Somalia’s collapse.
    2. Security Recalibration: Positions Somaliland as a node in Israel’s Red Sea and Gulf of Aden security strategy.
    3. Regional Escalation: Introduces military, intelligence, and diplomatic contestation into an already volatile maritime corridor.

    How does Somaliland’s internal stability contrast with Somalia’s state fragility?

    1. Governance Record: Maintains competitive elections for over three decades.
    2. Security Conditions: Demonstrates relative internal security compared to Somalia’s chronic instability.
    3. State Capacity: Functions as a de facto state, exposing limits of recognition-based legitimacy frameworks.

    Why does China face a strategic dilemma over Somaliland?

    1. Sovereignty Principle: Beijing’s rejection of secessionist movements conflicts with Somaliland’s persistent statehood.
    2. Taiwan Factor: Somaliland’s decision in 2020 to host Taiwan’s representative office directly challenged the “One China” principle.
    3. Recognition Precedent: Israeli endorsement strengthens Somaliland’s claim more than any previous engagement.

    How has the Horn of Africa become central to great-power competition?

    1. Strategic Geography: Controls access to the Bab el-Mandeb, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
    2. Military Presence: Hosts multiple foreign military bases, notably in Djibouti.
    3. Security Architecture: Somaliland’s recognition disrupts a carefully curated regional balance.

    What risks does Israel’s move create for regional stability?

    1. Chinese Countermeasures: Increased likelihood of economic coercion, diplomatic pressure, and information warfare.
    2. Alliance Polarisation: Forces regional states to recalibrate positions between competing power blocs.
    3. Escalatory Dynamics: Adds intelligence and military rivalry to a region already prone to conflict spillovers.

    How does this episode expose limits of China’s Africa strategy?

    1. Influence Constraints: Demonstrates inability to prevent diplomatic shifts despite economic leverage.
    2. Strategic Costs: Raises costs of maintaining the status quo amid rival interventions.
    3. Credibility Test: Challenges China’s image as a neutral development partner.

    Conclusion

    Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is not merely symbolic; it signals the transformation of the Horn of Africa into a frontline of global geopolitical contestation. The episode underscores the tension between sovereignty norms and ground realities, while revealing how regional micro-states can acquire outsized strategic relevance in an era of fragmented global order.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2021] “If the last few decades were of Asia’s growth story, the next few are expected to be of Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years.

    Linkage: This question reflects GS-II focus on Africa’s rising geopolitical significance and the role of external powers in shaping the continent’s growth trajectory. The Somaliland episode highlights how Africa, especially the Horn of Africa, is emerging as a theatre of strategic competition.

  • Beyond economy, Iran stir reflects rage against regime

    Why in the News

    Iran has witnessed its third major wave of protests in three years, triggered by a rapidly depreciating currency and a sharp rise in the cost of living. The Iranian rial crossed 14.8 lakh rials per dollar in January 2026, reflecting severe macroeconomic stress. Unlike earlier protests, the current unrest increasingly targets regime legitimacy rather than isolated economic grievances, marking a qualitative shift in public anger.

    Introduction

    Iran is experiencing a convergence of economic collapse, political fatigue, and institutional rigidity. While inflation and currency depreciation act as immediate triggers, the protests reflect deep-rooted dissatisfaction with governance structures, the exclusionary political system, and the shrinking space for reform within the Islamic Republic.

    Is the current unrest primarily economic in nature?

    1. Currency depreciation: The Iranian rial has lost value rapidly, falling from 8.17 lakh per dollar in January 2025 to 14.8 lakh by January 2026, indicating macroeconomic instability.
    2. Inflationary pressures: Inflation crossed 30% in 2025, while food inflation exceeded 52%, eroding real incomes.
    3. Purchasing power collapse: Rising import costs and sanctions-driven shortages have reduced household consumption capacity.
    4. Recurring pattern: Similar economic triggers were visible in protests of 2017-18, 2019, and 2022, indicating unresolved structural weaknesses.

    Why do these protests extend beyond economic grievances?

    1. Regime-directed anger: Protest slogans increasingly target the Islamic Republic itself, not just economic managers.
    2. Legitimacy deficit: Long-standing political exclusion and weak accountability mechanisms have amplified discontent.
    3. Historical continuity: Economic hardship has consistently acted as a vehicle for political dissent over the past two decades.
    4. Symbolic rupture: Public defiance now challenges the foundational narrative of revolutionary governance.

    How has Iran’s political structure constrained internal reform?

    1. Clerical dominance: The Islamic Republic’s institutional design concentrates power within unelected clerical bodies.
    2. IRGC entrenchment: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps controls large segments of the economy and security apparatus.
    3. Electoral erosion: Disqualification of reformist candidates has weakened the representative character of elections.
    4. Policy rigidity: Governance prioritises regime survival over economic rationalisation.

    Why is this moment particularly vulnerable for the regime?

    1. Leadership uncertainty: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s advanced age raises succession concerns.
    2. Factional paralysis: Internal elite divisions limit coordinated economic or political responses.
    3. Social exhaustion: Repeated protest cycles have normalised public confrontation with authority.
    4. Youth alienation: A demographically young population faces unemployment and restricted mobility.

    How have external pressures compounded Iran’s internal crisis?

    1. Sanctions impact: US-led sanctions continue to restrict oil revenues, banking access, and trade.
    2. Geopolitical isolation: Iran’s global standing remains constrained despite regional influence.
    3. Security prioritisation: External threats have reinforced a militarised governance approach, reducing focus on civilian welfare.
    4. Limited diplomatic relief: No durable sanctions relief has materialised to stabilise the economy.

    Conclusion

    Iran’s current unrest reflects a structural crisis of governance rather than a cyclical economic downturn. Inflation and currency collapse act as triggers, but the persistence of protests signals a deeper crisis of political legitimacy, one that economic management alone cannot resolve without systemic political reform. 

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2018] In what ways would the ongoing U.S-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation?

    Linkage: UPSC frequently frames questions on major geopolitical flashpoints such as the U.S.-Iran nuclear issue, as they have direct implications for India’s foreign policy, energy security, and strategic autonomy. The article highlights how prolonged sanctions and nuclear-related tensions have translated into economic distress and internal instability in Iran.

  • PANKHUDI Portal  

    Why in the News?

    The Union Minister launched PANKHUDI, an integrated digital portal to improve ease of living for women and children by streamlining CSR and voluntary partnerships.

    About PANKHUDI Portal

    • A single window integrated digital platform
    • Facilitates CSR and voluntary contributions for women and child development
    • Enables transparent funding, proposal tracking, and outcome monitoring
    • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development

    Objectives

    • Strengthen coordination among government, citizens, NRIs, NGOs, and corporates
    • Improve transparency and accountability in social investments
    • Enhance service delivery and outcomes for women and children nationwide

    Key Features

    Unified CSR Interface

    • Single platform for individuals, NRIs, NGOs, corporates, and government agencies
    • Simplifies collaboration with government programmes
    • Priority Focus Areas: Nutrition, Health, Early Childhood Care and Education,Child welfare and protection, Women’s safety and empowerment

    Support to Flagship Missions

    • Digitally strengthens
      • Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
      • Mission Vatsalya
      • Mission Shakti

    End-to-End Transparency

    • Online registration and proposal submission
    • Digital approvals and real time monitoring
    • Non cash contributions only to ensure traceability

    Scale of Impact

    • Covers more than 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres
    • Around 5,000 Child Care Institutions
    • Nearly 800 One Stop Centres
    • About 500 Shakhi Niwas
    • Around 400 Shakti Sadan

    Significance

    • Reduces procedural friction in government partnerships
    • Enhances monitoring and convergence of welfare schemes
    • Improves measurable impact of CSR and voluntary funding
    • Strengthens digital governance in social sector delivery

    Prelims Pointers

    • PANKHUDI is a CSR facilitation portal
    • Focused on women and child development
    • Operates through non cash contributions
    • Linked with major flagship missions
    [2024] With reference to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rules in India, consider the following statements: 

    1. CSR rules specify that expenditures that benefit the company directly or its employees will not be considered as CSR activities. 

    2. CSR rules do not specify minimum spending on CSR activities. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • Child Marriage in India 

    Why in the News?

    The Government of India has intensified efforts to eliminate child marriage through the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat (BVMB) campaign, with targets to reduce prevalence by 10 percent by 2026 and make India child marriage free by 2030 in line with SDG 5.3.

    What is Child Marriage

    • Any marital union where
      • Female is below 18 years, or
      • Male is below 21 years
    • Considered a violation of human rights and a barrier to health, education, and gender equality

    Historical Evolution of Laws in India

    • Reform movement led by Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Jyotirao Phule
    • Age of Consent Act, 1891: First legal intervention against early marriage
    • Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 (Sarda Act): Minimum age fixed at 14 for girls and 18 for boys
    • Amendments of 1948 and 1978: Raised age to 18 for girls and 21 for boys
    • Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006: Shift from restraint to prohibition, protection, and punishment

    Current Legal Framework

    • Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006
      • Child marriages are voidable
      • Void if involving force, trafficking, or deceit
      • Provides for Child Marriage Prohibition Officers
    • Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023
      • Sexual relations with a wife below 18 constitute rape
    • POCSO Act 2012
      • Sexual activity within child marriage treated as aggravated penetrative sexual assault

    Current Trends and Data

    • NFHS 5 (2019 to 21): 23 percent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before 18
    • Significant decline compared to earlier decades but still widespread
    • High prevalence regions: West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Central and Eastern India.

    Prelims Pointers

    • Child marriage is a criminal offence
    • PCMA 2006 focuses on prevention and protection
    • POCSO overrides personal laws
    • Elimination target aligned with SDG 5.3
    [2020] In the context of Indian history, the Rakhmabai case of 1884 revolved around: 

    1. women’s right to gain education 

    2. age of consent 

    3. restitution of conjugal rights 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • Despite patchy record, US climate exit will still pinch

    Why in the News?

    The USA formally exited the UNFCCC framework and associated climate institutions following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, completing a process initiated during his first term. This move reverses post-2021 re-engagement. This creates a quantified emissions gap toward 2030 targets, and transfers leadership space to China. Furthermore, this makes it a significant departure from prior multilateral climate engagement.

    Why is the US withdrawal from the climate regime significant despite its mixed record?

    1. Institutional Influence: The US shaped global climate action through bodies such as the IPCC, International Solar Alliance, and International Renewable Energy Agency, enabling coordination, research, and monitoring.
    2. Scientific Capacity: Ensured global access to climate modelling, emissions tracking, and data-collection networks critical for mitigation planning.
    3. Policy Signalling: Anchored climate ambition through participation rather than absolute emissions outcomes.

    How does this decision disrupt global emissions reduction efforts?

    1. Mitigation Gap: US withdrawal contributes to a shortfall that pushes global emissions beyond pathways needed to meet 2030 targets.
    2. Burden Redistribution: Places disproportionate pressure on developing countries to compensate for reduced ambition.
    3. Credibility Deficit: Weakens enforcement norms within the Paris Agreement framework.

    What are the consequences for India’s decarbonisation pathway?

    1. External Pressure: Increases international expectations on India to deliver faster emissions reductions.
    2. Technology Access: Affects collaboration on clean energy research and innovation platforms.
    3. Investment Climate: Risks slowing capital inflows for renewable infrastructure dependent on global policy certainty.

    How does US disengagement alter global climate leadership dynamics?

    1. Strategic Vacuum: Creates space for China to dominate renewable manufacturing, supply chains, and deployment.
    2. Economic Leverage: Strengthens China’s position in equipment, infrastructure, and financing ecosystems.
    3. Geopolitical Shift: Transfers normative leadership in climate governance away from Western institutions.

    What does the withdrawal mean for climate finance and multilateral commitments?

    1. Finance Gap: Reduces availability of concessional funding for mitigation and adaptation.
    2. Institutional Weakening: Undermines credibility of collective responsibility frameworks.
    3. Operational Uncertainty: Affects ongoing funding mechanisms for developed and developing countries.

    Why is the impact larger than US domestic emissions alone?

    1. Systemic Role: The US functioned as a coordinator, funder, and standard-setter.
    2. Network Effects: Withdrawal disrupts global research, verification, and compliance systems.
    3. Long-Term Costs: Creates structural weaknesses that outlast the current political cycle.

    Conclusion

    The US climate exit, despite its inconsistent mitigation record, weakens global climate governance by eroding institutional capacity, financing mechanisms, and leadership credibility. For India, the withdrawal raises decarbonisation pressures while simultaneously constraining access to capital and technology, underscoring the fragility of voluntary multilateral climate regimes.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2019] “Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life’. Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘ anti- Israel bias’.

    Linkage: The UNESCO PYQ illustrates how US withdrawal and politicisation weaken multilateral institutions through funding gaps and credibility loss. Similarly, the US exit from the climate regime undermines UNFCCC effectiveness, shifts leadership space to China, and increases the burden on developing countries like India.