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  • Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements.

    Structural unemployment occurs when workers lack the skills, education, or geographic mobility required to match available jobs. In India, it reflects a mismatch between the workforce’s capabilities and the evolving needs of a modern economy.

    Why Unemployment is Structural in India

    Skill Mismatch – Majority of workforce is low-skilled; only ~4.7% formally skilled (NSDC).

    Agriculture Dependence – 49% workforce in agriculture producing 16-17% of GDP

    Slow Growth of Labour-Intensive Industries – Manufacturing unable to absorb labour at scale.

    Automation and Digitalisation – Eg- AI, Robotics leading to job losses

    Low Female Labour Participation – FLFPR at 41.7% (PLFS 2023-24) due to social norms, skill gaps, and lack of suitable jobs.

    Regional Imbalances – Job clusters in southern/western India vs labour concentration in BIMARU states.

    Informalization of economy – 89% of workforce in informal sector.

    Methodology to Compute Unemployment in India

    NSSO (under MOSPI) is the principal body responsible for estimating unemployment.

    Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) – NSO measures unemployment through three indicators:

    Usual Status (US/PS+SS) – Based on activity over 365 days

    Current Weekly Status (CWS) – If not worked for 1 hour in the last 7 days.

    Current Daily Status (CDS) – Records activity for each day of last week – best for informal/underemployment.

    Household Surveys – Annual (rural + urban) and quarterly (urban) surveys.

    Establishment Surveys

    QES for formal sector

    ASI for organised manufacturing

    Administrative Data – EPFO, ESIC, NPS payrolls used to estimate formal job creation.

    Unemployment rate = No. of unemployed persons / Total labour force

    Issues with Current Methodology

    Underestimation of Informal Sector – ~90% workforce informal. PLFS & enterprise surveys do not capture home-based, gig, or platform work fully.

    Surveys don’t map job requirements vs worker skills, essential for assessing structural unemployment.

    Low Frequency – Eg- PLFS rural data is measured annually

    Urban Bias – Quarterly surveys are confined to urban areas. Rural distress is under-measured.

    Limited Coverage – Gig economy, digital services, start-ups, and EV/green jobs not adequately represented.

    Way Forward

    Use Big Data Analytics to gather real-time analysis.

    Incorporate ‘underemployment’ into the definition of unemployment.

    Timely release of data.

    Increase Frequency – Monthly or quarterly surveys for rural areas

    Align with International Standards (ILO + SNA 2025)- Update definitions to include multi-job holders, remote workers, freelancers, and platform-based workers.

    Improving methodology is essential to generate accurate employment estimates and design stronger job creation policies.

  • Distinguish between ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’. How can care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment?

    Care economy refers to the unpaid or underpaid activities performed within households and communities such as childcare, elderly care, household maintenance, and emotional labour. In contrast, the monetized economy includes all paid economic activities that generate income

    Key Features of the Care Economy:

    Human-Centered

    Labour-Intensive

    Majorly Informal Sector

    Bringing Care Economy into Monetized Economy through Women Empowerment

    Raising investment in the care economy to 2% (>1% current) can generate 11 million jobs for women.

    Draw lessons from Japan’s womenomics for boosting female labour participation.

    Encourage PPP models and CSR initiatives to expand affordable care infrastructure.

    Skill Development and Certification in childcare, geriatric care, nursing, early education, nutrition.

    Formalisation of Care Services by expanding creches, Anganwadis, elderly care centres, community caregiving services.

    Promotion of Women-led Care Entrepreneurship such as day-care centres, tiffin services by providing credit, digital platforms, SHG support, and market linkages.

    Social Protection- Recognising care work under minimum wage laws and social security frameworks.

    Digital platforms like online caregiving services, home-nursing apps, domestic work registries help women monetise care skills.

    Investments in time-saving infrastructure such as clean cooking fuel, piped water, and public transport can increase FLFPR in the formal economy.

    Adopting the 3R Framework (Recognize, Reduce and Redistribute) can help realise SDG 5.4.

    Economic Growth and Macroeconomic Stability

  • Explain the changes in cropping pattern in India in the context of changes in consumption pattern and marketing conditions.

    A cropping pattern is the distribution of various crops within a specific area at a given time. In recent times, cropping patterns have seen visible transformation due to changing dietary habits and market demands.

    Changing Cropping Pattern due to Changing Consumption Pattern

    In 2022-23, fruits and vegetables accounted for 28.3% of the Gross Value Output, surpassing cereals – due to changing diet, health awareness, Middle-class expansion and urbanisation.

    Growth of organic farming due to increasing awareness about the health impacts of chemicals. Eg- organic food market growing @ CAGR 20%

    Higher consumption of chips, juices, and packaged foods has increased cultivation of crops like potato, maize, tomato and sugarcane.

    Rising dairy and meat consumption has led to increased cultivation of fodder crops such as maize, sorghum and green fodder.

    Focus on nutri-cereals under Millet Mission and International Year of Millets (2023) is increasing area under millets. (from 12 million hectares in 2013 to 15 million hectares in 2021)

    Regional Diversification Patterns

    Punjab-Haryana: Slow movement away from rice-wheat monoculture

    Maharashtra, Karnataka, TN: Shift to horticulture & pulses

    Eastern India: Expansion of vegetables + aquaculture

    Changing Cropping Pattern due to Changing Marketing Conditions

    Expansion of e-NAM (1.77Cr farmers registered)- Better price discovery and wider market access are encouraging crop diversification.

    Better price Discovery – Eg- horticulture crops give 3-4 times higher income than cereals.

    Export-oriented agriculture – High demand for basmati rice, spices, tea, coffee, cotton and fruits. Eg- tea Plantations in Assam and WB

    Growth of contract farming -Eg- PepsiCo in potatoes, ITC in maize encourage cultivation of commercial crops through assured buy-back.

    Improved storage and logistics infrastructure like cold storage, Kisan Rail support high-value and perishable crops.

    Demand from industries has increased cultivation of sugarcane (ethanol), oilseeds (biodiesel), cotton and silk.

    Rise of e-commerce and food processing sector- Eg- Platforms like Blinkit, BigBasket, and FPIs have promoted commercial and market-led cropping patterns.

    Shift to high-value crops can be a key driver of doubling farmers’ income and nutritional security.

  • The adoption of electric vehicles is rapidly growing worldwide. How do electric vehicles contribute to reducing carbon emissions and what are the key benefits they offer compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles?

    In 2024, EVs accounted for over 20% of new cars sold globally (17 million units). It increased by over 25% in 2024. EVs accounted for 7.5% of India’s total vehicle sales in 2024.

    Rapid Growth of EV

    China, Europe, and the USA account for around 95% of all sales.

    In Southeast Asia, sales grew nearly 50% in 2024.

    Brazil doubled its sales to 125,000 units

    Africa remains under 1% share, though sales more than doubled in 2024

    India’s EV Targets by 2030

    80% EV adoption in 2 & 3 wheelers

    40% EV adoption in buses

    30% EV adoption in private cars

    Electric Vehicles Contributing to Reducing Carbon Emissions

    Zero tailpipe emissions – EVs emit no CO₂, NOx or particulate matter during operation, unlike petrol/diesel vehicles.

    Lower life-cycle emissions when powered by renewable sources (solar, wind, hydro)

    Higher energy efficiency – EVs convert 85–90% of energy into motion, compared to 20–30% in ICE vehicles.

    Less demand for petrol and diesel lowers emissions from mining, refining and transportation of fossil fuel.

    Accelerating grid decarbonisation – EV charging encourages higher renewable power capacity.

    Recycling and reuse of batteries reduces emissions from raw material extraction.

    Key Benefits of EVs Compared to Traditional Combustion Engine Vehicles

    Environmental Benefits

    Reduction in urban smog and air pollution

    Helps achieve climate and SDG targets (SDG 13 & SDG 11)

    Economic Benefits

    Lower running and maintenance costs

    Reduces oil import bill and saves foreign exchange

    Generates green jobs in battery, EV, and charging sectors

    Energy Security Benefits

    Cuts dependence on imported crude oil

    Promotes use of domestic renewable energy

    Public Health Benefits

    Decline in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases

    Improved urban air quality

    Technological Benefits

    Boosts battery innovation, smart grids and V2G technologies

    Strengthens Make in India and PLI manufacturing ecosystem

    Urban & Social Benefits- Eg- Less noise pollution

    Challenges

    High Initial Cost (20–30% costlier), limiting affordability for middle and lower-income groups.

    Insufficient Charging Infrastructure – India has 1 public charging station per 135 EVs

    India imports over 90% of its lithium-ion batteries, mainly from China.

    Regulatory Uncertainty – Frequent policy shifts create confusion. Eg- Changes in import duties and tax regimes

    Limited driving range leads to “range anxiety” among consumers.

    Limited awareness of EV benefits and technology slows adoption.

    Way Forward

    Invest in advanced battery R&D such as solid-state and sodium-ion batteries.

    Leverage National Critical Mineral Mission to boost domestic lithium exploration.

    Expand Charging Infrastructure through PPP

    Learn from Global Best Practices – Eg- Germany’s ELISA project

    Integrate with global EV supply chains. Eg- lithium supply from Argentina

    EVs are a cornerstone of low-carbon mobility and represent civilisational shift towards sustainability.

  • What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the Virtual Launch Control Centre at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Srihari Kota.

    Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed near the lunar South Pole in August 2023. India not only redeemed the partial failure of its predecessor but also became the first nation to reach the Moon’s most scientifically coveted region.

    Main Task of Chandrayaan-3

    To demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing on the Lunar Surface. Chandrayaan-2 experienced a setback with the lander’s failure to achieve a soft landing.

    To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon and

    To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

    Countries that have achieved moon mission

    The Soviet Union (USSR)

    The United States of America (USA)

    The People’s Republic of China

    The Republic of India

    Japan (Achieved post-Chandrayaan-3 in early 2024 via its SLIM mission)

    Subsystems of the Spacecraft

    Propulsion Module (PM): Carries the Lander Module from launch vehicle injection until it reaches the final 100 km circular polar lunar orbit, where separation occurs.

    Lander Module (LM): To demonstrate soft-landing capabilities at a specific lunar site and deploy the Rover.

    Scientific Payloads:

    ChaSTE: Measures thermal conductivity and surface temperature.

    ILSA: Monitors seismic activity around the landing site.

    RAMBHA Uses Langmuir Probe (LP) to measure near-surface plasma density and temporal variations.

    Laser Retroreflector Array: A passive instrument used for lunar laser ranging studies.

    Rover: Mobility across the lunar surface to conduct chemical analysis of the soil and rocks.

    Scientific Payloads:

    APXS (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer): Derives the elemental composition of the lunar surface.

    LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope): Identifies the chemical elements present in the vicinity of the landing site.

    Role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ (VLCC)

    Remote System Checkouts: Allowed ISRO scientists to perform comprehensive remote testing of the LVM3-M4 rocket from Thiruvananthapuram.

    Parallel Monitoring: It acted as a digital twin to the Main Control Centre (MCC) at Sriharikota, providing an additional layer of real-time telemetry analysis and redundancy.

    Decentralized Coordination: Strategic hub that allows experts to monitor the health of the launch vehicle without overcrowding the primary launch site.

    By rectifying previous design limitations, India’s third lunar mission successfully completed its complex soft-landing task, solidifying ISRO’s status in elite global space exploration.


    Nano-technology, Bio-technology and other

  • Comment on the National Wetland Conservation Programme initiated by the Government of India and name a few India’s wetlands of international importance included in the Ramsar Sites.

    As per Ramsar Convention, wetlands are defined as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.

    National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP)

    Initiated in 1985-86 for Conservation, restoration and sustainable management of wetlands to maintain ecological character and ecosystem services.

    Implemented through MoEFCC and State Wetland Authorities,

    It is merged with the National Lake conservation program under NPCA (2013).

    Achievements of NWCA

    Ramsar Site Expansion – India increased Ramsar sites to 94 wetlands (2025) with NWCP support.

    Restoration Initiatives – Supported desiltation, sewage diversion and habitat improvement in degraded wetlands. Eg- Ecological restoration of Chilika Lake.

    Financial Support: Central funding to states for priority wetlands has led to tangible improvements. Eg: Loktak Lake (Manipur) saw reduced weed infestation

    Led to creation of Wetlands Rules, 2017 for legal protection.

    Enabled formation of State Wetland Authorities and Management Plans.

    Awareness Generation and Community Engagement – Eg- Initiatives like Wetland Mitras.

    Integrated Management – Promoted catchment and water management approaches for ecological restoration.

    Limitations of National Wetland Conservation Programme

    Inadequate Funding restricted large-scale wetland rejuvenation.

    Encroachment and pollution continue. Eg- Chennai has lost 85% of its wetlands. (WWF)

    Poor Inter-Agency Coordination – Multiplicity of urban, irrigation and forest agencies.

    Private Ownership Barrier – Eg- 55% of India’s 24.24 lakh water bodies are privately owned as per the 2022-23 Water Body Census.

    Land Use Conversion for housing, infrastructure and agriculture. Eg- India has lost nearly 30% of its wetlands in 3 decades due to urbanisation, pollution and farming.

    Invasive Species Proliferation disrupts native biodiversity and oxygen balance. Eg- Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) chokes lakes and ponds across India.

    Climate Change-Induced Hydrological Stress – Changing rainfall and sea-level rise disturb wetland hydrology. Eg- Sundarbans faces salinity intrusion

    Policy Blind Spots – Wetlands excluded from urban master plans and infrastructure planning.

    India’s Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites)

    Chilika Lake (Odisha) – Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon and Irrawaddy dolphin habitat.

    Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) – Globally important migratory bird wetland.

    Loktak Lake (Manipur) – World’s only lake with floating phumdis.

    Wular Lake (Jammu & Kashmir) – One of India’s largest freshwater lakes.

    Wetlands are critical natural infrastructure and key in realising SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region?

    Impact of 1-metre Sea-Level Rise in India

    Submergence of Low-Lying Coastal Areas – Eg- Large parts of the Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai

    Enhanced Coastal Erosion – Eg- as per National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) report around 34% of India’s coastline is eroded

    Salinity Intrusion into Aquifers & Rivers impacting drinking water and agriculture.

    Mangroves & Wetlands like Sundarbans, Mahanadi delta wetlands, Gulf of Kachchh mangroves risk drowning and biodiversity loss.

    Intensification of cyclones due to more moisture and heat from ocean warming.

    Millions from deltaic regions may face climate-induced migration. Around 3.6 million people have been displaced in South Asia over the past decade. (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre)

    Ports & Coastal Infrastructure face higher flooding risk, economic losses, and costly adaptation needs.

    Island Submergence – Eg- Sundarbans (Ghoramara, Sagar) and Lakshadweep (Chetlat, Amini, Kavaratti)

    Impact on Other Indian Ocean Region Countries

    Maldives – Existential Threat as 80% of land below 1 metre

    Bangladesh – Massive Displacement in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta

    Sri Lanka – damage to fisheries and tourism economy.

    Myanmar – The Irrawaddy delta—a food-producing zone—faces salinity, crop losses and intensified cyclone impact.

    Indonesia – Severe Impacts on Islands & Cities. Eg- Jakarta already sinking

    East African Coast – Countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique would face mangrove loss, storm surges, and fishery declines.

    Increased Maritime Instability – Changes in ocean temperature and circulation will affect monsoons, fisheries, and regional climate systems across the Indian Ocean basin.

    Way Forward

    Hard Engineering Measures

    Seawalls to block wave attack.

    Groynes – Trap sand and widen beaches. Eg- Puducherry groyne field.

    Breakwaters – Offshore barriers that reduce wave energy. Eg- Chennai port.

    Revetments – Sloped rock armour to absorb wave impact.

    Soft Engineering Measures

    Mangrove Restoration – Eg- MISHTI-based efforts in Sundarbans.

    Coral and Seagrass Restoration – Eg- Andaman reef rehabilitation.

    Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

    Ecosystem-Based Coastal Planning – Combines geomorphology, ecology and socio-economic factors.

    Regulatory Tools (CRZ Norms) – no-development zones and hazard mapping reduce vulnerability.

    Early Warning Systems – INCOIS alerts for timely action.

    Strengthening coastal resilience and climate mitigation is essential to safeguard communities and advance SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

  • Faster economic growth requires increased share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, particularly of MSMEs. Comment on the present policies of the Government in this regard.

    MSME sector contributes “nearly one-third to India’s GDP” and is a “key pillar” of growth. However, the share of manufacturing in GDP has remained stagnant at 17% since the last 3 decades.

    Importance of increasing the manufacturing share (especially MSMEs)

    Strong employment multiplier: MMSME employes over 20Cr people

    Better capital-output ratio than large heavy industries.

    Inclusive industrialisation: Eg- 20% are MSMEs are owned by women

    Global value-chain linkages: MSMEs account for 45.7% of India’s total exports

    Structural transformation: A higher manufacturing share signals shift towards higher-productivity sectors.

    Present policies of government to boost MSME manufacturing

    Improve infrastructure and logistics – Gati Shakti Program, National Logistics Policy

    Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme to attract investment and boost domestic manufacturing.

    Ease of doing business through labour reforms. Eg- 4 labour courts

    Over 2.5 lakh MSMEs onboarded on GeM for direct government procurement.

    MSME SAMADHAAN portal for grievance redressal related to delayed payments.

    Udyam Registration system to access government benefits and schemes.

    Issues

    Missing middle problem – 95% Micro Businesses

    Slow to transition to advanced technology. (Ficci-Mckinsey Report)

    Infrastructure Deficiencies –

    Multimodal connectivity gaps.

    Power outages, weak water supply, and poor transport networks.

    Regulatory & Policy Bottlenecks

    Land acquisition delays

    Manufacturing MSMEs face 1,450+ compliances annually

    High compliance cost per MSME

    Limited Access to Finance (only 14% out of 64 million)

    Recommendations of UK Sinha Committee must be implemented to make India the global manufacturing hub

  • How does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce?

    e-Technology in agriculture refers to the use of digital tools, ICT platforms, mobile apps, and online services to bridge the information gap and connect farmers to modern markets.

    Role of e-Technology in Agricultural Production

    Access to real-time information – Provides timely weather forecasts, pest alerts, and irrigation advisories. Eg- Kisan Suvidha app.

    Digital nutrient management – Soil Health Card and digital soil maps guide fertilizer application – reduce input costs and improve productivity.

    Precision farming – Drones, IoT sensors, and mobile-linked devices help farmers optimise water, fertilizers, and pesticides

    Information on scientific practices like seed treatment methods, crop-specific guidance etc. Eg- Farming Leader channel on Youtube

    ICT tools, KVK portals, and helplines provide remote crop advisory, enabling timely decisions. Eg- m-Kisan app

    Facilitates crop monitoring through remote sensing technologies, drones etc. Eg- Drone Didi initiative

    Financial inclusion under JAM and DBT under PM KISAN increases capital investment and promotes diversification to high value crops

    Role of e-Technology in Agricultural Marketing

    Access to transparent price information – e-NAM, Agmarknet display mandi prices – help farmers avoid distress sales.

    Direct linkages with buyers through online bidding reduces dependence on middlemen.

    Wider market reach – Eg- e-NAM integrates 1,500+ mandis – allows inter-state trade and better price realization.

    Digital payments – UPI-linked systems ensure quick, direct payments.

    Improved post-harvest logistics – Apps provide information on transport availability, storage, cold-chain, and warehouse booking. Eg- e-NWR

    Branding – Social media and e-commerce platforms help farmers directly sell processed or organic produce to consumers. Eg- BigBasket

    When science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation, the foundation for great achievements is laid – PM Modi

  • What is the status of digitalization in the Indian economy? Examine the problems faced in this regard and suggest improvements.

    India is undergoing rapid digital transformation driven by Digital India, affordable data, and expanding digital public infrastructure.

    Status of Digitalization in the Indian Economy

    India is the third largest digitalised country (State of India’s Digital Economy Report 2024).

    The digital economy contributes 11.74% of national income. Projected to exceed agriculture and manufacturing in <6 years.

    Growing @ CAGR of 20%.

    Employs 14.67 million workers (2.55% of workforce).

    E-commerce market projected to touch USD 150 billion by 2026

    UPI handles over

    E-governance – GeM portal, DigiLocker, e-Visa, DESH-Stack portal, etc

    Sectoral contributions:

    Digital-enabling industry: 7.83% of GVA (highest).

    New digital industries: ~2% of GVA (Big Tech, platforms, intermediaries).

    Traditional sectors (BFSI, trade, education): ~2% of GVA.

    Problems in Digitalization

    Digital divide – rural-urban, gender, income gaps.

    Only 20% digitally literate (NFHS-5)

    Connectivity issues – slow BharatNet rollout, poor last-mile fibre.

    Cybersecurity risks – rising digital fraud, weak cyber hygiene. Eg- Aadhar Data breach

    Data protection concerns – gaps in implementation under DPDP Act.

    Low MSME digital adoption due to cost barriers, limited awareness.

    Digital monopolies – dominance of Big Tech in new digital industries.

    Way Forward

    Accelerate BharatNet and improve last-mile fibre and 5G coverage.

    Scale digital literacy via PMGDISHA 2.0.

    Strengthen cybersecurity through CERT-In capacity, digital hygiene campaigns, and privacy-by-design.

    Support MSME digitalization via incentives, cloud credits, and ONDC onboarding.

    Promote multilingual digital content for inclusion.

    Effective implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023

    Harnessing digital economy with focus on 3 I’s – Infrastructure, Investment, Innovation can realise the vision of Knowledge Economy @2047