Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Taiwan-China conflict and India's role
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.
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.
- 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.
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
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Foreign Trade Policy
Mains level: Read the attached story
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry has launched the Foreign Trade Policy 2023.
Foreign Trade Policy, 2023
- The policy is dynamic and open-ended to accommodate the emerging needs of the time.
- It aims to promote India’s overall exports, which has already crossed US$ 750 Billion.
- The key approach to the policy is based on these 4 pillars:
- Incentive to Remission,
- Export promotion through collaboration – Exporters, States, Districts, Indian Missions,
- Ease of doing business, reduction in transaction cost and e-initiatives and
- Emerging Areas – E-Commerce Developing Districts as Export Hubs and streamlining SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies) Policy
Overview of the FTP, 2023
- FTP to provide the policy continuity and a responsive framework
- Approach of FTP: From Incentive to Remission
- Introduces scheme for remission of duties, taxes and govt levies on export goods
- Digitisation of applications pertaining to FTP
- Automatic system-based approval of FTP applications
- Pilot introduced for cutting processing of applications related to advance authorisation to 1 day
- Norms for recognition as Star Trading Houses eased
- Promotes trade in Indian Rupee
- Introduces provisions for merchanting trade
- Dairy sector to be exempted from maintaining average export obligation * Battery electric vehicles; vertical farming equipment & green hydrogen eligible for reduced obligation under Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme
- Special advance authorization scheme extended for apparel & clothing sector
- Extends all FTP benefits to e-commerce exports
- Value limit for exports through courier service increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per consignment
- Focus on engaging with states & districts through Districts as Export Hubs initiative
- Aims at streamlining export of dual use items under SCOMET policy
- Introduces amnesty scheme for one-time settlement of default in export obligation by advance authorisation and EPCG authorisation holders
- FTP to be dynamic and responsive to the emerging trade scenario
- Restructuring of Department of Commerce on the anvil to make it future-ready
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Key highlights
(1) Process Re-Engineering and Automation
- The policy emphasizes export promotion and development, moving away from an incentive regime to a regime which is facilitating, based on technology interface and principles of collaboration.
- Reduction in fee structures and IT-based schemes will make it easier for MSMEs and others to access export benefits.
- Duty exemption schemes for export production will now be implemented through Regional Offices in a rule-based IT system environment, eliminating the need for manual interface.
(2) Towns of Export Excellence
- Four new towns have been designated as Towns of Export Excellence (TEE) in addition to the existing 39 towns.
- The TEEs will have priority access to export promotion funds under the Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme.
- It will be able to avail Common Service Provider (CSP) benefits for export fulfilment under the EPCG Scheme.
(3) Recognition of Exporters
- Exporter firms recognized with ‘status’ based on export performance will now be partners in capacity-building initiatives on a best-endeavour basis.
- 2-star and above status holders would be encouraged to provide trade-related training based on a model curriculum to interested individuals.
(4) Promoting Export from the Districts
- The FTP aims at building partnerships with State governments and taking forward the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative.
- This would promote exports at the district level and accelerate the development of grassroots trade ecosystem.
(5) Streamlining SCOMET Policy
- India is placing more emphasis on the “export control” regime.
- A robust export control system in India would provide access of dual-use High end goods and technologies to Indian exporters while facilitating exports of controlled items/technologies under SCOMET from India.
(6) Facilitating E-Commerce Exports
- Various estimates suggest e-commerce export potential in the range of $200 to $300 billion by 2030.
- FTP 2023 outlines the intent and roadmap for establishing e-commerce hubs and related elements such as payment reconciliation, book-keeping, returns policy, and export entitlements.
- As a starting point, the consignment wise cap on E-Commerce exports through courier has been raised from ₹5Lakh to ₹10 Lakh in the FTP 2023.
(7) Facilitation under Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme
The government has made several changes to the Foreign Trade Policy, including:
- Adding PM MITRA scheme for textile and apparel parks to EPCG’s Common Service Provider Scheme
- Exempting dairy sector from maintaining Average Export Obligation
- Adding green technologies such as BEVs, vertical farming equipment, and rainwater harvesting to EPCG’s reduced Export Obligation requirement.
(8) Facilitation under Advance authorization Scheme
- DTA (Domestic Tariff Area) units can access the Advance Authorization Scheme for duty-free import of raw materials for manufacturing export items, and it can be used for domestic and export production.
- The Special Advance Authorization Scheme has been extended to the Apparel and Clothing sector to facilitate prompt execution of export orders.
- The Self-Ratification Scheme for fixation of Input-Output Norms has been extended to 2-star and above status holders.
(9) Merchanting trade
- The FTP 2023 has introduced provisions for merchanting trade, which allows the shipment of goods from one foreign country to another foreign country without touching Indian ports, involving an Indian intermediary.
- This will be subject to compliance with RBI guidelines, and it won’t be applicable for goods/items classified in the CITES and SCOMET list.
- This is expected to allow Indian entrepreneurs to convert certain places into major merchanting hubs.
(10) Amnesty Scheme
- The government is introducing a special one-time Amnesty Scheme under the FTP 2023 to address default on Export Obligations and provide relief to exporters who have been unable to meet their obligations under EPCG and Advance Authorizations.
- All pending cases of default in meeting Export Obligation (EO) of authorizations can be regularized on payment of all customs duties that were exempted in proportion to unfulfilled Export Obligation.
- The interest payable is capped at 100% of these exempted duties under this scheme, and no interest is payable on the portion of Additional Customs Duty and Special Additional Customs Duty.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CPTPP
Mains level: Not Much
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.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: States reorganization in India
Mains level: Post-independence consolidation
Rajasthan Day is celebrated on March 30, marking the day the state was created by unifying 22 princely states and chiefships. Rajasthan’s story of foundation is intriguing.
Formation of Rajasthan
- At the time of Independence, Rajasthan was almost wholly contained in the Rajputana Agency, a political office of the British Indian Empire.
- The Rajputana Agency consisted of 22 princely states and estates.
- Less than 22 months after Independence, all 22 had assimilated to form what would become India’s largest state.
- However, modifications were made to the boundaries after the State Reorganisation Act (1956), giving Rajasthan its present shape.
Challenges of Princely States
(1) Rajputana Agency
- The Rajputana Agency spanned roughly 330,330 sq. km, with an agent under the Governor-General in charge, residing at Mount Abu.
- All the princely states and estates in the agency (22 in total) were ruled by Hindu rulers with the exception of Tonk (which had a Muslim ruler).
(2) The Matsya Union
- The States Ministry believed that four princely states – Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, and Karauli – at the eastern edge of the erstwhile Rajputana Agency had “natural, racial and economic affinities” with each other.
- Thus, the Matsya Union was inaugurated on March 18, 1948.
(3) Rajasthan Union in South-East Rajputana
- Ten princely states, with Udaipur (also known as Mewar) being the largest, wanted to form a union.
- An idea to merge these into Madhya Bharat was also floated but did not go through.
- Another idea to merge these states into the much larger Udaipur was proposed by the Maharana of Udaipur, Bhupal Singh Bahadur.
- However, this was not agreeable to the other princely states. Hence, on March 25, 1948, the nine other states came together to form the Rajasthan Union.
- Within three days after its formation, Udaipur decided to join this union.
(4) Greater Rajasthan
- The four largest princely states – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Jaisalmer – still remained independent.
- The alternative, backed by Patel, was to merge all four states into the newly formed Rajasthan Union.
- Greater Rajasthan was officially inaugurated by Patel on March 30, 1949 – the date still celebrated as Rajasthan Day.
Modifications by the State Reorganisation Commission
- The State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was formed in 1953 to recommend new state boundaries to the government, in response to demands for states based on linguistic lines.
- The SRC’s recommendations, with some modifications, were implemented in the State Reorganisation Act of November 1, 1956.
- For Rajasthan, this brought some minor changes, including the integration of Ajmer as a district within Rajasthan, given its linguistic, cultural, and geographical links to the state.
- Abu Road Taluk, a taluk of the Sirohi district of southern Rajasthan, was also integrated into Rajasthan after being sliced and included in the Bombay State.
- The enclave of Sunel in Rajasthan’s southeastern edge was received from Madhya Pradesh in exchange for the enclave of Sironj, due to administrative reasons.
Conclusion
- Overall, the state of Rajasthan was created through a complex process of merger and integration of various princely states and chiefships.
- Today, Rajasthan is the largest state in India in terms of land area, covering 342,239 square kilometers, and is known for its rich cultural heritage, majestic forts and palaces, vibrant festivals, and diverse cuisine that attract visitors from all over the world.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CCI, COMPAT
Mains level: Not Much
The Lok Sabha passed the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which could pose new challenges for global technology companies.
About Competition Act, 2022
- The Competition Act, 2002 was passed by the Parliament in the year 2002, to which the President accorded assent in January, 2003.
- It was subsequently amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007.
- In accordance with the provisions of the Amendment Act, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) have been established.
- The CCI is now fully functional with a Chairperson and six members.
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Changes brought by the Amendment
(1) Penal powers to CCI
- It grants the CCI the authority to penalize entities found engaging in anti-competitive behavior based on their global turnover, rather than just their annual domestic turnover, which was the case previously.
(2) Turnover Definition
- The definition of “turnover” has been a widely debated subject in the competition law landscape.
- The Supreme Court had previously fixed the criteria for determining turnover in competition law contraventions, holding that it should be the “relevant turnover,” i.e., turnover derived from the sales of goods or services.
(3) Mergers and acquisition
- The CCI will have greater authority in mergers and acquisitions worth more than Rs 2,000 crore.
- Additionally, the time limit for approval of mergers and acquisitions has been reduced from 210 days to 150 days.
Impact on Tech Companies
- While the provision on global turnover will not be exclusively applicable to tech companies, they are likely to be the most affected by it, given the nature of their business that operates across geographies.
- Typically, the revenue earned from these companies’ India operations is much smaller than their income in other regions, such as the US and Europe.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Climate change negotiations
Mains level: Climate change negotiations, Climate Justice
Central Idea
- The UN General Assembly has asked the International Court of Justice to weigh in on whether countries can be sued under international law for failing to avert climate emergencies, reflecting the frustration of the international community with global climate agencies and the need for more effective climate action.
Background
- Resolution by Vanuatu: The resolution, sponsored by the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, was adopted unanimously, indicating global consensus on the climate crisis.
- Delay climate action: Frustration with the procedures of global climate agencies, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), stems from their deliberations often ending in compromises that delay climate action.
- ICJ’s decision carries moral weight: The Hague-based court’s opinion will not be binding but carries moral weight, potentially setting the stage for countries to incorporate climate justice in their legal frameworks.
- Contentious: Contentious jurisdiction refers to the ICJ’s authority to resolve legal disputes between consenting states. Decisions made under contentious jurisdiction are binding
- Advisory:
- Advisory jurisdiction allows the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Security Council (SC), and other specialized bodies of the organization to request the ICJ’s opinion on a legal question.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinions are non-binding. However, they hold significant normative weight and serve to clarify international law on relevant issues.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate change can be useful in climate-related litigation at the national level.
Previous attempts to address climate change in non-environmental forums
- Global warming on agenda: Global warming has been part of the UN Security Council’s agenda since 2007, with the UNSC attempting to frame the issue from a security standpoint, rather than solely from developmental or environmental perspectives.
- Securitization of climate change: Developing countries, including India and China, have rightly resisted the securitization of climate change, arguing that it could lead to the imposition of sanctions and other coercive measures.
- Rights and justice: The use of rights and justice vocabulary has given the Vanuatu-sponsored proposal more traction and global support.
Rights and justice vocabulary and recent developments
- Climate justice: The Vanuatu-sponsored proposal emphasizes the importance of climate justice in addressing the issue.
- Right to reparations: Countries have started asserting their right to reparations after climate emergencies, such as Pakistan after the devastating floods in 2020 and the recent discussions on loss and damage during the COP26 conference in Glasgow.
- Rising climate litigation cases worldwide: The rise of climate litigation cases worldwide, where citizens and organizations sue governments and corporations for their failure to act on climate change, highlights the growing demand for climate justice.
Challenges in holding countries accountable
- Holding individual accountable: Holding individual countries or governments accountable for their climate inaction has been a major stumbling block at several climate meets.
- Compensation issue: The Paris Agreement contains a clause specifying that the pact does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation, inserted under pressure from US diplomats.
- Adamant stance: American support for the UNGA resolution was reportedly reluctant, indicating that powerful countries might resist being held accountable for their climate inaction.
Conclusion
- The UNGA’s intervention should not detract from the task of reforming the UNFCCC. Institutions of the umbrella climate agency need to be more equity-sensitive and justice-oriented. Engaging with the ICJ could push it in that direction, but wealthier members of the UNFCCC must show more initiative. The growing demand for climate justice and the increasing number of climate litigation cases highlight the importance of addressing the issue in a just and equitable manner.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vaikom Satyagraha
Mains level: Vaikom Movement, Periyar's significant role and legacy of the movement
Central Idea
- Vaikom is a town in Kerala, India, that became a symbol of social justice due to the temple entry movement launched in 1924, aiming to end the prohibition imposed on backward communities in using the roads around the Vaikom Mahadeva temple. The Kerala government has organized various cultural events to commemorate the movement and its significance in the state’s history. Tamil Nadu also observes the occasion, as announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, recognizing the role of Tamil leaders like Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in the movement’s success.
All you need to know about Vaikom Satyagraha
- Objective:
- The primary goal was to end the prohibition on backward communities from using the roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva temple, which symbolized the caste-based discrimination prevalent in society.
- The movement sought to create a more inclusive society where people from all castes could access public spaces and religious sites without discrimination.
- Leaders:
- Kerala:K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, and George Joseph were prominent leaders from Kerala who initiated and guided the movement.
- Tamilnadu: Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, then president of the Tamil Nadu Congress, played a crucial role in sustaining the movement and leading it to success.
- Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi advised the movement leaders and helped in negotiating between the government, protesters, and orthodox Hindus.
- Significance:
- Social equality and justice: The Vaikom Satyagraha was a groundbreaking non-violent protest that fought for social equality and justice, challenging the caste system in India.
- Temple entry: The movement’s success paved the way for the temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936, which granted lower caste individuals the right to enter temples.
- Fight against caste barriers: The Vaikom Satyagraha remains a symbol of the fight against caste barriers in India and the struggle for social justice.
- Challenges and Hurdles:
- The movement faced repressive action from the government and the administration, with many protesters and leaders arrested during the course of the protest.
- Orthodox Hindu traditionalists organized counter rallies marked by violence, aiming to suppress the movement and maintain the status quo.
- Outcome and Legacy:
- The movement spanned 603 days, witnessing many significant events.
- The Travancore princely state government eventually granted access to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple, signaling the end of the protest.
- The Vaikom Satyagraha continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice in India, serving as a reminder of the importance of challenging caste-based discrimination.
- Periyar E.V. Ramasamy played a significant role in leading the protest, earning him the title Vaikom Veerar (Hero of Vaikom).
- The movement was marked by day-to-day protests, arrests, inquiries, jail terms, and agitations.
- People from various communities participated in the movement, including the Akalis from Punjab, who traveled to Vaikom to supply food to the protesters.
Facts for prelims: Vaikom Satyagraha
| Aspect |
Details |
| Time Period |
March 30, 1924 – November 23, 1925 |
| Objective |
End caste-based discrimination; Allow backward communities access to roads around Vaikom Mahadeva temple |
| Key Leaders |
T.K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, George Joseph, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, Mahatma Gandhi |
| Significance |
Paved the way for temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936; Symbol of fight against caste barriers |
| Challenges and Hurdles |
Repressive action from government and administration; Opposition from orthodox Hindu traditionalists |
| Outcome and Legacy |
Access granted to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple; Inspired continued fight for equality |
| Commemoration |
Cultural events organized by the Kerala government; Observations in Tamil Nadu to recognize Tamil leaders’ role |
Conclusion
- Vaikom is not just a name of a town but a symbol of social justice and the eradication of caste barriers. It is a significant part of the history of the social justice movement in India and continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GPT and other such models, Go through the table
Mains level: AI generative models, advantages and concerns
Central Idea
- OpenAI’s GPT-4, the latest AI model, is creating shock waves around the world. It has incredible capabilities, but also raises ethical questions and concerns about its potential misuse.
Capabilities of GPT-4
- Enhanced abilities: GPT-4 is a considerable improvement over its predecessor, GPT-3.5, with enhanced conversational and creative abilities that allow it to understand and produce more meaningful and engaging content.
- Accept both text and image input: It can accept both text and image input simultaneously, which enables it to consider multiple inputs while generating responses, such as suggesting recipes based on an image of ingredients.
- Diverse potential: GPT-4’s impressive performance in various tests designed for humans, such as simulated bar examinations and advanced courses in multiple subjects, demonstrates its potential applications in diverse fields.
- Simple definition: ChatGPT is a chatbot built on a large-scale transformer-based language model that is trained on a diverse dataset of text and is capable of generating human-like responses to prompts.
- A human like language model: It is based on GPT-3.5, a language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.
- It is more engaging with details: However, while the older GPT-3 model only took text prompts and tried to continue on that with its own generated text, ChatGPT is more engaging. It’s much better at generating detailed text and can even come up with poems.
- Keeps the memory of the conversations: Another unique characteristic is memory. The bot can remember earlier comments in a conversation and recount them to the user.
- Human- like resemblance: A conversation with ChatGPT is like talking to a computer, a smart one, which appears to have some semblance of human-like intelligence.
Facts for Prelims: Other AI models
| Model Name |
Developer |
Key Features/Description |
| BERT |
Google |
Transformer-based, bidirectional, excels in question-answering, sentiment analysis, and NER |
| XLNet |
Google/CMU |
Combines BERT and autoregressive language modeling, improved performance in NLP benchmarks |
| T5 |
Google |
Transformer-based, multi-task learning framework, strong performance across NLP tasks |
| RoBERTa |
Facebook AI |
Optimized version of BERT, improved training strategies, top performance on NLP benchmarks |
| Megatron |
NVIDIA |
Designed for large-scale training, used for training GPT-like models with billions of parameters |
| CLIP |
OpenAI |
Learns from text and image data, bridges NLP and computer vision, zero-shot image classification |
Limitations and Concerns of GPT-4
- Factual inaccuracies: GPT-4, like its predecessor, is prone to factual inaccuracies, known as hallucinations, which can result in the generation of misleading or incorrect information.
- Not transparent: OpenAI has not been transparent about GPT-4’s inner workings, including its architecture, hardware, and training methods, citing safety and competitive reasons, which prevents critical scrutiny of the model.
- Biased data: The model has been trained on biased data from the internet, containing harmful biases and stereotypes, which may lead to harmful outputs that perpetuate these biases.
Potential Misuse
- Undermining human skills and knowledge in education: GPT-4’s capabilities pose a threat to examination systems as students may use the AI-generated text to complete their essays and assignments, undermining the assessment of their skills and knowledge.
- Potential to be misused as a propaganda and disinformation engine: The powerful language model has the potential to be misused as a propaganda and disinformation engine, spreading false or misleading information that can have far-reaching consequences.
Ethical and Environmental Implications
- Ethical use: The development of large language models like GPT-4 raises concerns about the ethical implications of their use, especially with regard to biases and the potential for misuse.
- Energy consumption: The environmental costs associated with training these models, such as energy consumption and carbon emissions, contribute to the ongoing debate about the sustainability of AI development.
Conclusion
- GPT-4 offers incredible advancements in AI, but it also raises important questions about the ethical implications and potential misuse of such powerful technology. Society must carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of building models that test the limits of what is possible and prioritize the development of responsible AI systems.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NLIP
Mains level: Adult 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:
- Foundational Literacy and Numeracy,
- Critical Life Skills,
- Vocational Skills Development,
- Basic Education, and
- 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.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: QCO
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea
- Quality Control Orders (QCO) have been issued for fibres like cotton, polyester, and viscose to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
- The QCOs are made mandatory for some and yet to be finalized for others.
What is the move?
- The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will issue certificate to manufacturers of viscose staple fibre (VSF) who comply with its standards (IS17266: 2019).
- The hallmark is made mandatory.
Why are fibres covered under QCOs?
- The Indian textile and clothing industry consumes both indigenous and imported fibres and filaments.
- The imports are for different reasons, such as cost competitiveness, non-availability in the domestic market, or to meet a specified demand of the overseas buyer.
- The main aim of the QCO is to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
Reasons behind
- India’s move to introduce a draft of Quality Control Orders (QCO) aims to curb a Chinese import surge and boost exports to western markets.
What challenges does the new mandate bring?
- Supply chain disruption: India imports annually 50,000 – 60,000 tonnes of viscose fibre and its variants such as Modal and Tencel LF from nearly 20 countries. In the case of polyester, almost 90,000 tonnes of polyester fibre and 1.25 lakh tonnes of POY (Polyester Partially Oriented Yarn) are imported annually.
- Unease of doing business: Getting the certificate from the BIS involves a cost and hence not all are interested in getting the certificate.
- Value chain disruption: The Indian textile manufacturers who are dependent on these suppliers for the raw material will have to either look at other suppliers or lose orders.
- Material shortage: Some varieties of fibres have special functional properties and separate HS (Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System) code when imported. The textile industry imports just small quantities of such fibres, and restricting their availability will deny Indian consumers of niche products.
- Prospected price rise: Several textile units use lower-grade fibres that are generated from rejects and wastes and these are not covered under the QCO.
Textile industry’s expectation
- The industry is of the view that the import of speciality fibres that are used as blends with other fibres should be made available without restriction.
- Any overseas applicant for the BIS certificate should get it without delay after inspection.
Way forward
- Polyester-spun yarn mills in the MSME sector need capital support to set up labs to test products.
- The QCO should be implemented only after the ambiguities are cleared and the anomalies set right, says the industry.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Piezoelectric Effect
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: Scientists have recently discovered evidence of the piezoelectric effect in liquids for the first time. This effect has only been observed in solids for the past 143 years. This new finding challenges the theory that describes this effect and opens doors to previously unanticipated applications in electronic and mechanical systems.
What is Piezoelectric Effect?
- The piezoelectric effect occurs when a body develops an electric current when it is squeezed.
- It has been observed in quartz crystals (SiO2), which are used in wristwatches, clocks, and various instruments that convert mechanical stress to a current.
Recent observation
- The piezoelectric effect was found in pure 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide and 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.
- Both of these liquids are ionic liquids, which means that they are made of ions instead of molecules, and were found at room temperature.
Why is the effect in liquids surprising?
- Liquids do not have an organized structure like solids, which is why the piezoelectric effect has only been expected in solids until now.
- However, the scientists found the effect in pure ionic liquids at room temperature, challenging the current understanding of the effect.
- The magnitude of the piezoelectric effect in the first liquid was 16 millivolt per newton (mV/N) and in the second, 17 mV/N, in both cases within a margin of 1 mV/N.
What is the strength of the effect?
- In the experiment, the scientists found that the strength of the piezoelectric effect in the two ionic liquids they tested was lower than that of quartz by a factor of 10.
- However, this is still a significant discovery since it opens the door to new applications.
Possible applications
- The discovery of the piezoelectric effect in liquids opens the door to previously inaccessible applications that have fewer environmental issues than many currently used piezoelectric materials.
- Additionally, these liquids displayed the inverse piezoelectric effect, which could be used to control how the liquids bend light passing through them by passing different currents through them, creating lenses with dynamic focusing abilities.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rare Diseases
Mains level: Not Much
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.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: TPDS Schemes, SMART-PDS
Mains level: TPDS, Challenges and Initiatives
Central Idea
- India’s National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) governs the largest beneficiary-centric program, the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), providing food security to 81.35 crore persons every month. The government is now implementing the Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS). This initiative generates vast amounts of data, which can be leveraged to improve the delivery of other central schemes and welfare programs.
Existing challenges for TPDS
- Leakage and diversion of food grains: One of the most pressing issues in the TPDS is the leakage and diversion of food grains meant for beneficiaries, leading to corruption and losses in the system. This problem is primarily due to poor monitoring, lack of transparency, and weak enforcement mechanisms.
- Inaccurate targeting of beneficiaries: The TPDS often suffers from errors in identifying eligible beneficiaries, resulting in the exclusion of deserving households and the inclusion of ineligible ones. This misidentification can be attributed to outdated data, lack of verification mechanisms, and manipulation of records.
- Inefficient supply chain management: TPDS faces logistical challenges in transporting, storing, and distributing food grains across the vast country. Inadequate storage facilities, poor transportation infrastructure, and delays in procurement and distribution contribute to wastage and inefficiencies in the system.
- Limited portability of benefits: Until recently, the TPDS lacked portability, which meant that beneficiaries could only access their food grains from designated Fair Price Shops (FPS) in their home states. This restriction made it difficult for migrant workers and their families to access their entitled benefits.
- Lack of transparency and accountability: Corruption, fraud, and manipulation of records are pervasive issues in the TPDS, partly due to the lack of transparency and accountability in the system. The absence of real-time monitoring and the reliance on manual record-keeping exacerbate these problems.
- Technological constraints: Many states and union territories in India face technological constraints in implementing IT-based solutions for TPDS operations. Limited access to IT hardware, software, and technical manpower can hinder the adoption of technology-driven reforms, such as electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices and biometric authentication systems
- SMART-PDS (Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System) is an initiative by the Indian government aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the country’s Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
The key objectives of the SMART-PDS initiative
- Preventing leakage of food grains: By leveraging technology, SMART-PDS aims to reduce diversion and pilferage of food grains, ensuring that the intended beneficiaries receive their due share of food subsidies.
- Enhancing efficiency in the distribution chain: The initiative focuses on streamlining the supply chain from procurement to distribution by incorporating technology-driven solutions, such as electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, real-time monitoring, and tracking systems.
- Data-driven decision-making: Data Analytics on the TPDS ecosystem generates critical information about beneficiaries, food security needs, and migration patterns, addressing the long-standing challenge of credible and dynamic data for efficient delivery of central welfare schemes to vulnerable sections of society.
- Convergence and integration with AI: The national leadership’s push for trans-ministerial convergence and AI integration can be a game-changer for both people and governments, bringing accountability across all programs.
- Technology-led PDS reforms: The Centre plans to use data analytics, BI platforms, and ICT tools to standardize PDS operations through technology integration with FCI, CWC, transport supply chain, Ministry of Education, Women and Child Development, and UIDAI. This is expected to overcome state-level technological limitations in PDS operations and institutionalize an integrated central system for all PDS-related operations across states/UTs.
- Aadhaar authentication and ePoS devices: With 100% digitization of ration cards and the installation of ePoS devices, nearly 93% of the total monthly allocated foodgrains are distributed through Aadhaar authentication mode.
Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)
- The government has launched the IM-PDS to implement One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), create a national-level data repository, and integrate data infrastructure/systems across ration card management, foodgrain supply chain, and FPS automation.
- The ONORC plan has recorded over 100 crore portability transactions since its inception in 2019.
SMART-PDS benefits beyond ration distribution
- The data generated by SMART-PDS has become a tool for central ministries and state governments, benefiting initiatives like e-Shram Portal, Ayushman Bharat, and PM-SVANidhi Yojana.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) plans to use ONORC/ration card data to map beneficiaries, and seamless tracking of nutrition from ICDS centers to PM Poshan will become a reality with Aadhaar numbers for the newly born.
Conclusion
- The transformative potential of SMART-PDS goes beyond food security, enabling data-driven decision-making, convergence, and integration with AI for improved delivery of central schemes and welfare programs across India.
Mains Question
Q. Despite several efforts taken by the government the Targeted Public Distribution System still faces various challenges. In this backdrop discuss the new initiative of SMART-PDS and its key features
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PV Waste composition
Mains level: Electronic waste in India
Central idea: India is rapidly expanding its solar photovoltaic (PV) sector, but effective waste management strategies for this sector are still lacking. This article explores the challenges and gaps in solar PV waste management in India.
Solar PV Waste in India
- India has the world’s fourth-highest solar PV deployment, and the installed solar capacity was nearly 62 GW in November 2022.
- A 2016 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that India could generate 50,000-3,25,000 tonnes of PV waste by 2030 and more than four million tonnes by 2050.
- India’s solar PV installations are dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology, which mainly consists of a glass sheet, an aluminium frame, an encapsulant, a backsheet, copper wires, and silicon wafers.
- A typical PV panel is made of c-Si modules (93%) and cadmium telluride thin-film modules (7%).
Hazards posed by PV waste
Some of the hazards of solar PV waste are:
- Environmental pollution: The accumulation of solar PV waste in landfills can lead to environmental pollution, as the waste contains hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium, and other toxic chemicals. Incinerating the encapsulate also releases sulphur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide into the atmosphere.
- Health hazards: Improper handling and disposal of solar PV waste can lead to health hazards for workers and people living near the waste disposal sites. The toxic chemicals in the waste can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other health issues.
Economy behind PV waste
- Financial losses: Improper management of solar PV waste can lead to financial losses for the companies involved in waste collection and treatment. The lack of suitable incentives and schemes in which businesses can invest leads to a small market for repurposing or reusing recycled PV waste in India.
- Resource depletion: The disposal of solar PV waste leads to the loss of valuable resources such as silicon, silver, and other critical materials, which can lead to resource depletion.
Recovery and Recycling of PV Waste
- As PV panels near expiration, some portions of the frame are extracted and sold as scrap; junctions and cables are recycled according to e-waste guidelines; the glass laminate is partly recycled, and the rest is disposed of as general waste.
- Silicon and silver can be extracted by burning the module in cement furnaces.
- According to a 2021 report, approximately 50% of the total materials can be recovered.
Challenges particular to India
- India faces challenges in the collection, storage, recycling, and repurposing of PV waste.
- Only about 20% of the waste is recovered in general, and the rest is treated informally, leading to pollution of the surroundings.
- Gaps in PV Waste Management-
- Generalized as e-waste: The clubbing of PV waste with other e-waste could lead to confusion, and there is a need for specific provisions for PV waste treatment within the ambit of e-waste guidelines.
- Hazards are ignored: PV waste is classified as hazardous waste in India, and there is a need for pan-India sensitisation drives and awareness programmes on PV waste management.
Why does India need to act now?
- Considering the rate at which these panels are being installed around the country, India is expected to generate an enormous amount of waste over the next 20 years.
- India is expected to become one of the top five leading photovoltaic waste producers worldwide by 2050.
- Therefore, India needs to install clear policy directives, well-established recycling strategies, and greater collaboration, so that it doesn’t find itself caught unprepared against a new problem in the future.
Key recommendations
Policymakers should:
- Introduce a ban on dumping of waste modules by different entities in the landfills.
- Formulate a dedicated PV module waste management regulation.
- Introduce incentives like green certificates to provide a level-playing field and encourage recycling and mineral recovery by the industry.
Industries should:
- Improve the PV module design to minimise the waste at the disposal stage. This can include sustainable design with reduced use of toxic minerals or adopting a ‘design to disassemble’ approach.
- Invest in the second-life use of sub-standard modules to delay waste creation.
- Collaborate with research institutes to develop recycling techniques and support pilot demonstrations.
- Conceptualise new business models to manage and finance the waste disposal.
Way forward
- India needs to pay more attention to domestic R&D efforts as depending on a single module type will dis-uniformly deplete certain natural resources.
- It is important to boost capacity for recycling and recover critical materials.
- This can be achieved by-
- Formulating specific provisions for PV waste treatment,
- Pan-India sensitisation drives, and awareness programmes,
- Promoting domestic R&D efforts, and
- Providing appropriate infrastructure facilities and adequate funding.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SCO
Mains level: Expansion of SCO, Saudi distancing itself from West
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 —
- SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and
- 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:
- Strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states;
- 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;
- Making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region; and
- 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.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Model Code of Conduct
Mains level: Assembly elections
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.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Dalai Lama
Mains level: Not Much
The Dalai Lama has named a US-born Mongolian boy as the tenth Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa, the head of the Janang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and the Buddhist spiritual head of Mongolia.
Do you know?
“Rinpoche” is a title used in Tibetan Buddhism, which is given to a highly respected teacher or lama. It literally means “precious one” and is used to indicate respect and reverence for the person. The title is often given to senior lamas or to those who are considered to be reincarnations of past masters.
Who is the Dalai Lama?
- The Dalai Lama (a title) is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
- He is believed to be the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama and is regarded as an important figure not only in Tibet but also around the world.
- The Dalai Lama is traditionally both the political and spiritual leader of Tibet, but after China’s occupation of Tibet in 1950, he went into exile in India and since then has been primarily a spiritual leader.
- The current and 14th Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who was born in Tibet in 1935 and has been in exile in India since 1959.
Brief Outline of Tibetan Buddhism
- Tibetan Buddhism became the predominant religion in Tibet by the 9th century AD, evolving from the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism and incorporating many tantric and shamanic practices.
- It has four major schools: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, with the Janang school being one of the smaller schools that grew as an offshoot of the Sakya School.
- Since 1640, the Gelug School has been the predominant school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama belongs to this school.
Hierarchy and Reincarnation in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition
- The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is one of Buddhism’s key beliefs.
- Tibet’s hierarchical system seemingly emerged in the 13th century, and it was around this time that the first instances of “formally recognizing the reincarnations of lamas” can be found.
- The Gelug School developed a strong hierarchy and instituted the tradition of succession through reincarnation, with the fifth Grand Lama of the school being conferred the title of Dalai Lama.
- Several procedures/tests are followed to recognize Tulkus (recognized reincarnations).
Key issue: Chinese interference
- The announcement of the boy’s reincarnation has brought attention back to the larger question of the 14th Dalai Lama’s own reincarnation.
- The issue of his reincarnation has deep ramifications on international politics, with China seeking to control the succession and take control over Tibet in the cultural sphere.
What lies ahead?
- The question of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
- The Dalai Lama himself has not provided a definitive answer regarding what will happen, although he has suggested that there may be no Dalai Lama after him.
- The question of his reincarnation continues to hold great political implications due to his symbolic authority and importance to millions of Tibetans across the world.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Z-Morh tunnel
Mains level: Not Much
The crucial Z-Morh tunnel that connects Gagangir and Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh highway will be inaugurated next month in April.
What is Z-Morh tunnel?
- Z-Morh tunnel, also known as the Zoji-Morh Tunnel, is an under-construction tunnel located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The tunnel is being constructed at an elevation of 11,578 feet and is expected to provide all-weather connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
Location
- The Z-Morh tunnel is located on National Highway 1D, which is the only road that connects the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India.
- The tunnel is being constructed in the Zoji-Morh region, which is a high-altitude mountain pass located on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.
It’s Construction
- The Z-Morh tunnel is being constructed at a length of 6.5 km and is expected to be completed at a cost of around Rs. 2,000 crore.
- The tunnel will have a two-lane carriageway and will be constructed using the latest tunnelling technology.
- The project is being executed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Significance
- The tunnel is expected to provide all-weather connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, which is currently cut off from the rest of India for several months during the winter season due to heavy snowfall and avalanches.
- The tunnel will also reduce the travel time between Srinagar and Leh by around four hours, as it will eliminate the need to cross the Zoji-Morh pass.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Public Policy Education and its significance and suggestions
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Other digital initiatives
Mains level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Remarkable success and way ahead
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 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 |
- 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.
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.
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