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  • Terrorism and Challenges Related To It

    UAPA

    | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Organized Crime & Terrorism

    The Supreme Court recently put freeze on sedition proceedings under the Section 124A (sedition law) of the IPC for persons who have also been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967 in the same case or separately.

    What is the news?

    • This freeze has rejected bails for some journalist and JNU activists who also face charges under the UAPA (for anti-India sloganeering and activites).
    • Now they have been accused of making anti-national activities during the Delhi Riots.

    Why is UAPA significant?

    • An amendment made in 2019 has made the Act even more powerful.
    • Now it can designate individuals, and not just associations, as ‘terrorists’.

    Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA)

    • The UAPA is aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
    • Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India
    • It is an upgrade on the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA, which was allowed to lapse in 1995 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was repealed in 2004.
    • It was originally passed in 1967 under the then Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
    • Till 2004, “unlawful” activities referred to actions related to secession and cession of territory. Following the 2004 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.

    Major feature: Designation of Terrorists

    • The Centre had amended UAPA, 1967, in August 2019 to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist.
    • Before this amendment, only organisations could be designated as terrorist outfits.
    • Section 15 of the UAPA defines a “terrorist act” as any act committed with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.
    • The original Act dealt with “unlawful” acts related to secession; anti-terror provisions were introduced in 2004.

    Who makes such designation?

    • The UAPA (after 2019 amendment)seeks to empower the central government to designate an individual a “terrorist” if they are found committing, preparing for, promoting, or involved in an act of terror.
    • A similar provision already exists in Part 4 and 6 of the legislation for organizations that can be designated as a “terrorist organisations”.

    How individuals are declared terrorists?

    • The central government may designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette, and add his name to the schedule supplemented to the UAPA Bill.
    • The government is not required to give an individual an opportunity to be heard before such a designation.
    • At present, in line with the legal presumption of an individual being innocent until proven guilty, an individual who is convicted in a terror case is legally referred to as a terrorist.
    • While those suspected of being involved in terrorist activities are referred to as terror accused.

    What happens when an individual is declared a terrorist?

    • The designation of an individual as a global terrorist by the United Nations is associated with sanctions including travel bans, freezing of assets and an embargo against procuring arms.
    • The UAPA, however, does not provide any such detail.
    • It also does not require the filing of cases or arresting individuals while designating them as terrorists.

    Removing the terrorist tag

    • The UAPA gives the central government the power to remove a name from the schedule when an individual makes an application.
    • The procedure for such an application and the process of decision-making will is decided by the central government.
    • If an application filed by an individual declared a terrorist is rejected by the government, the UAPA gives him the right to seek a review within one month after the application is rejected.
    • The central government will set up the review committee consisting of a chairperson (a retired or sitting judge of a High Court) and three other members.
    • The review committee is empowered to order the government to delete the name of the individual from the schedule that lists “terrorists” if it considers the order to be flawed.
    • Apart from these two avenues, the individual can also move the courts to challenge the government’s order.

     

     

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  • Primary and Secondary Education – RTE, Education Policy, SEQI, RMSA, Committee Reports, etc.

    What are PM Shri Schools?

    Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

    Union Education Ministry is planning to set up “PM Shri Schools”.

    PM Shri Schools

    • PM Shri Schools will be the laboratory of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
    • They will be fully equipped to prepare students for the future.

    Likely features of these schools

    • It could imbibe 5+3+3+4 (to replace the 10+2 schooling system) approach of NEP covering pre-school to secondary, emphasis on ECCE, teacher training & adult education.
    • There will be an integration of skill development with school education and prioritising learning in mother tongue which are steps for preparing global citizens of the 21st century.
    • Since the NEP 2020 also increases the span of the Right to Education Act, it will now cover ages 3 to 18.

    Explained: 5+3+3+4 Schooling System

    • As per the new school education system of 5+3+3+4 outlined in NEP 2020, children will spend 5 years in the Foundational stage, 3 years in the Preparatory stage, 3 years in the Middle stage, and 4 years in the Secondary stage.
    • The division of stages has been made in line with the kind of cognitive development stages that a child goes through early childhood, school years, and secondary stage.
    • Here is the age-wise breakdown of the different levels of the new school education system:

    (1) 5 years of Foundational stage:

    For ages: 3 to 8, For classes: Anganwadi/pre-school, class 1, class 2

    • The foundational stage of education as per the national education policy will comprise 3 years or preschool or anganwadi education followed by two years of primary classes (classes 1 and 2).
    • This stage will focus on teaching in play-based or activity-based methods and on the development of language skills.

    (2) 3 years of Preparatory stage:

    For ages: 8 to 11, For classes: 3 to 5

    • The focus in the preparatory stage will remain on language development and numeracy skills.
    • Here, the method of teaching and learning would be play and activity-based, and also include classroom interactions and the element of discovery.

    (3) 3 years of Middle stage:

    For ages: 11 to 14, For classes: 6 to 8

    • As per NEP 2020, this stage of school education will focus on critical learning objectives, which is a big shift from the rote learning methods used in our education system for years.
    • This stage will work on experiential learning in the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences and humanities.

    (4) 4 years of Secondary stage:

    For ages: 14 to 18, For classes: 9 to 12

    • This stage will cover two phases classes 9 and 10, and classes 11 and 12.
    • The main change in these classes is the shift to a multidisciplinary system where students will have access to a variety of subject combinations that they can choose as per their skills and interest areas instead of being strictly divided into Arts, Science and Commerce categories.
    • This stage will again push for greater critical thinking and flexibility in the thought process.

     

     

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  • ISRO Missions and Discoveries

    International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT)

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    The four-meter International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) saw the first light recently, gazing out from its vantage on Devasthal, a hill in Uttarakhand.

    What is the ILMT?

    • The telescope has been built by a collaboration of scientists from Canada, Belgium and India.
    • It is located at an altitude of 2,450 metres on the Devasthal Observatory campus of the Aryabhata Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital district.
    • A large pool of mercury placed in a vessel is spun around so fast that it curves into a parabolic shape. Since mercury is reflective, this shape helps in focusing the reflected light.
    • Nearly 50 litres of mercury, weighing close to 700 kilograms, is spun hard to form a paraboloid mirror of just 4 mm thickness and a diameter of about 4 metres.
    • A thin sheet of mylar protects the mercury from the wind.
    • Once it starts making observations, the telescope will collect gigabytes of data, which will need to be analysed using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI and ML) tools.

    It’s utility

    • The telescope will make sky surveys possible and obtain images that can help observe transient phenomena.
    • It will help analyse events such as supernovae and record the presence of space debris or meteorites — basically, watch the skies.

    What is the first image?

    • The first image made by the telescope consisted of several stars and a galaxy, NGC 4274, which is 45 million light years away.
    • The telescope, having a primary mirror that is liquid, cannot be turned and pointed in any direction.
    • It “stares” at the zenith and watches the sky as the earth rotates, thereby giving a view of different objects.
    • This property can be used to scan and survey the sky, and observe transients and moving objects such as meteorites.
    • It will work in tandem with the existing 3.6-metre Devasthal Optical Telescope.

     

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  • New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

    Posidonia Australis: World’s Largest Plant

    Species | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    The world’s largest plant has recently been discovered off the West Coast of Australia: a seagrass 180 km in length.

    Posidonia australis

    • The ribbon weed, or Posidonia australis, has been discovered in Shark Bay by a group of researchers from Flinders University and The University of Western Australia.
    • These researchers have also found that the plant is 4,500 years old, is sterile, has double the number of chromosomes than other similar plants.
    • It has managed to survive the volatile atmosphere of the shallow Shark Bay.

    So how remarkable is this plant’s size?

    • The ribbon weed covers an area of 20,000 hectares.
    • The next on the podium, the second largest plant, is the clonal colony of a quaking Aspen tree in Utah, which covers 43.6 hectares.
    • The largest tree in India, the Great Banyan in Howrah’s Botanical Garden, covers 1.41 hectares.

    If it is so large, how come it has just been discovered?

    • The existence of the seagrass was known, that it is one single plant was not.
    • Researchers were interested in what they then thought was a meadow because they wanted to study its genetic diversity, and collect some parts for seagrass restoration.

    How did it grow, and survive for, so long?

    • Sometime in the Harappan era, a plant took root in the Shark Bay.
    • Then it kept spreading through its rhizomes, overcoming everything in its way, and here we are today.
    • Ribbon weed rhizomes can usually grow to around 35cm per year, which is how the scientists arrived at its lifespan of 4,5000 years.
    • The researchers found that the ribbon weed cannot spread its seeds, something that helps plants overcome environmental threats.
    • Also, Shark Bay sees fluctuations in temperature and salinity and gets a lot of light, conditions challenging for any plant.

    Ecological significance

    • Because seagrass performs a vital role in the environment, and if some of it is hardy, it is good news for everyone in a world threatened by climate change.
    • In India, seagrass is found in many coastal areas, most notably in Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait.
    • Apart from being home to a variety of small organisms, seagrass trap sediments and prevent water from getting muddy, absorb carbon from the atmosphere, and prevent coastal erosion.

     

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  • New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

    Species in news: Eublepharis pictus

    Species | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    A gecko found in Visakhapatnam in 2017, then thought to belong to a known species, has now been identified as a member of a new species.

    Eublepharis pictus

    • The species, Eublepharis pictus, also known as the Painted Leopard Gecko, has been described in the journal Evolutionary Systematics.
    • Phylogenetic study and morphological comparisons have distinguished it as a new species.
    • It is endemic to the forests of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
    • The gecko genus Eublepharis now has 7 species.

    Conservation status

    • The species occurs outside protected areas.
    • Most leopard geckos are killed when encountered.
    • Activists have called for raising awareness about the fact that the species is actually harmless.

     

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  • Digital India Initiatives

    The Digital India transformation

    | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Context

    Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a telling observation about his idea of India: “… every Indian must have a smartphone in his hand and every field must be covered by a drone”.

    Digital India program and its impact

    • Digital India solved some of the most difficult problems the country had been facing for decades.
    • The Jan-Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity has ensured that the poorest receive every penny of their entitled benefits.
    • Financial benefits worth nearly Rs 23 lakh crore have been transferred using DBT technology in the last eight years.
    • This has led to savings of Rs 2.22 lakh crore of public money.
    • Leveraging the power of drones and GIS technologies, SVAMITVA Yojana is providing digital land records to the rightful owners
    • Digital inclusion: The inclusive character of Digital India not only makes it a unique initiative but also reflects our core philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas”.

    Digital transformation in India

    • India today is home to more than 75 crore smartphones, 133 crore Aadhaar cards, more than 80 crore internet users, has 4G and is now accelerating towards 5G.
    • It has among the lowest data tariffs in the world.
    • Digital technology must be low-cost, developmental, inclusive, and substantially home-grown and it should bridge the digital divide and usher in digital inclusion.
    • The digital ecosystem was also useful in tackling the challenge of the pandemic.
    • To provide high-speed broadband to all the villages, optical fibre has been laid in 1.83 lakh gram panchayats under Bharat Net.
    • CSCs: There were only 80,000 Common Service Centers (CSCs) in 2014, which is an entity under the Ministry of Electronics and IT headed by Secretary IT, for providing assisted delivery of digital services to common citizens offering only a few services. Today, there are nearly four lakh CSCs.
    • Fintech innovation ecosystem: India has emerged as the fastest-growing ecosystem for fintech innovations. 
    • This was made possible due to innovative digital payment products like UPI and Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Systems (AEPS).
    • Startup ecosystem: India has more than 61,400 startups as of March 2022, making it the third-largest startup ecosystem after the US and China.
    • With nearly 14,000 startups getting recognized during 2021-22, 555 districts of India had at least one new startup as per the Economic Survey 2022.

    Atmanirbharta in electronic manufacturing

    • With initiatives like Modified Special Incentive Scheme (MSIPS), Electronics Manufacturing Cluster, National Policy on Electronics 2019, Electronics Development Fund, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and Scheme for Promotion of Electronics Components and Semiconductors (SPECS), India is moving towards self-reliance in the field of electronics manufacturing.
    • The value of electronics manufacturing in India has touched $75 billion in 2020-21 from $29 billion in 2014.
    • Indian companies have developed their own 4G and 5G technologies.

    Conclusion

    Digital India’s motto – “Power to Empower” — is truly living up to its goals and expectations. The success of Digital India only confirms that it has a robust future in India’s development.

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  • Food Procurement and Distribution – PDS & NFSA, Shanta Kumar Committee, FCI restructuring, Buffer stock, etc.

    For India, a lesson in food security from Sri Lanka

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: PDS, Buffer Stock & Food Security

    Context

     India needs to have a strategy of self-reliance in basic foods, including edible oils.

    Contrasting cases of Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia

    • Sri Lanka, a country with 21.5 million population imported dairy products valued at $333.8 million in 2020 and $317.7 million in 2021.
    • The island nation’s imports of whole milk powder (WMP) alone were 89,000 tonnes and 72,000 tonnes in these two years.
    •  The 89,000 tonnes of powder imported in 2020 would have, thus, “produced” almost 2.1 million litres per day (MLPD) equivalent of milk.
    • This is as against the 1.3 MLPD that Sri Lanka produces from its own cows and buffaloes.
    • It translates into an import dependence of over 60 per cent.
    • At the other end, we have Saudi Arabia, home to over 35 million inhabitants (including immigrants) and also the world’s largest vertically integrated dairy company.
    • Almarai Company has six dairy farms producing more than 3.5 MLPD of milk.
    • The animals are sourced from the US and Europe.
    • The entire feed and also forage given to them are procured from abroad.
    • Why is Saudi Arabia taking such pains to produce its own milk?
    • The answer is food security.
    • The Saudis — other Persian Gulf countries have also copied the Almarai model — are prepared to pay any price when it comes to ensuring the availability of basic food like milk.

    Lessons for India: Reducing import dependence on edible oil

    • India annually imports 13.5-14.5 million tonnes of vegetable oils, again roughly 60 per cent of its total consumption.
    •  Low international prices meant that the import bill, though high, fell from $9.85 billion in 2012-13 to $9.67 billion in 2019-20.
    • However, in the last couple of years, retail prices of most oils more than doubled
    • The value of India’s vegetable oil imports surged to a record $19 billion in 2021-22.

    Conclusion

    As a country with a population many times that of Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, India needs to have a strategy of self-reliance in basic foods.

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  • Labour, Jobs and Employment – Harmonization of labour laws, gender gap, unemployment, etc.

    Gig Workers’ Rights

    | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    The Union Labour Ministry is organizing a program aimed at sharing information and good experiences on policies and global practices relating to gig and platform workers and their social security.

    What is the Gig Economy?

    • In a gig economy, temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend toward hiring independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees.
    • A gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time workers who rarely change positions and instead focus on a lifetime career. e.g Employee models of Uber, Ola, Swiggy etc
    • In this economy, tech-enabled platforms connect the consumer to the gig worker to hire services on a short-term basis.
    • Gig workers include self-employed, freelancers, independent contributors and part-time workers.

    Where does gig culture exist in Indian Economy?

    • Sectors such as media, real estate, legal, hospitality, technology-help, management, medicine, allied and education are already operating in gig culture.
    • The gig economy can benefit workers, businesses, and consumers by making work more adaptable to the needs of the moment and demand for flexible lifestyles.

    Key Drivers for Gig Economy

    • Unconventional work approach by millennials: Hectic lifestyles of employees in private sectors have created a negative perception of full-time employment among millennials.
    • Emergence of a start-up culture: The start-up ecosystem in India has been developing rapidly. For start-ups, hiring full-time employees leads to high fixed costs and therefore, contractual freelancers are hired for non-core activities.
    • MNCs are hiring contractual employees: MNCs are adopting flexi-hiring options, especially for niche projects, to reduce operational expenses after the pandemic.
    • Rise in freelancing platforms: Rise in freelancing platforms has also aided in the development of the gig economy.
    • Business Models: Gig employees work on various compensation models such as fixed-fee (decided during contract initiation), time & effort, actual unit of work delivered and quality of outcome.
    • Impact of Covid-19: Many laid-off employees are focusing on developing skills to avail freelance job opportunities and become a part of this burgeoning economy.

    Why is Gig Economy preferred by workers?

    • Profit through multiple work: One can work on freelancing as well as work full-time somewhere else.
    • Women empowerment: It is very beneficial for womenwho work on this concept when they cannot continue their work or take a break from career due to marriage or child birth.
    • Leisure and dependency: Retired peoplecan stay active after retirement as this will keep them engaged away from loneliness and depression and can earn as well on their own.
    • Flexibility and diversity to the workers: It offers flexibility when workers can work according to their convenience and schedule rather than routine like in full-time jobs.
    • Work from home: The travel costs and energy to travel to the workplace is reduced.

    Why is Gig Economy preferred by Employers?

    • Efficiency, efficacy and productivity of workers in the gig economy are much more than that of a stable full-time job.
    • More rconomical for employers-when employment givers can’t afford to hire full-time workers, they hire people for specific projects and pay them.
    • Start-up companies and entrepreneurs – who do not have big financial space – can grow only if they can leverage the services of contract employees or freelancers.
    • In a gig economy, businesses save resources in terms of benefits, office space and training.
    • Competition and efficiency among workers is improved.

    Challenges faced in Gig economy

    • No perks and benefits: There are no labour welfare emoluments like pension, gratuity, etc. for the workers.
    • Job insecurity: Gig workers may face unfair termination. They may also attain minimum wages and less paid leave.
    • No legal protection: Workers do not have the bargaining power to negotiate a fair deal with their employers.
    • Unionization of workers will be difficult.
    • Confidentiality of documents etc. of the workplace is not guaranteed
    • Urban nature: The gig economy is not accessible for people in many rural areas where internet connectivity and electricity is unavailable.

    Way Forward

    • The gig economy has been on the rise and is expected to beat the pre-pandemic estimates due the expected influx of gig workers transitioning from full-time employment.
    • While the government has taken the initial steps to ensure social security of gig workers, the ‘Code on Social Security’ needs to be fine-tuned.

     

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  • Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Global Implications

    Explained: European Union’s ban on Russian Oil

    IOCR | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

    As part of the sixth package of sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union member states reached an agreement to ban 90% of Russian crude oil imports by the end of the year.

    Oil embargo on Russia

    • The proposal is to completely phase out Russian crude and refined products from EU territory.
    • It includes a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline crude and refined.
    • This however needed the agreement of all the 27 EU member states in order to be implemented.

    What was the rationale behind such a move?

    • The Russian economy is heavily dependent on energy exports, with the EU paying billions of dollars every month to Russia.
    • The EU wants to block this massive revenue inflow.
    • This is akin to Europeans bankrolling Russia’s war.

    Why such a move now?

    • The EU has been attempting, ever since the Ukraine invasion, to build consensus on ways to hurt Russia economically.
    • The most obvious route was to stop buying Russian energy, which isn’t easy given European households’ dependence on Russian oil and gas.

    What are the terms of the ‘compromise deal’ that has been agreed upon?

    • EU leaders have agreed to ban all seaborne imports of Russian crude, which account for two-thirds of EU’s oil imports from Russia.
    • Germany and Poland are pledging to phase out even their pipeline imports from Russia by the end of the year.
    • The embargo would eliminate 90% of Russian oil imports.

    Special concessions to Hungary

    • The remaining 10% that’s been allowed represents a free pass for Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria to continue imports via the Druzhba pipeline, the world’s largest oil pipeline network.
    • Hungary has obtained a guarantee that it could even import seaborne Russian oil in case of a disruption to their pipeline supplies.
    • This was deemed a legitimate concession since the pipelines do pass through the war zone in Ukraine.

    Why was exemption given for pipeline imports?

    • The exemption for pipeline imports was made on the logic that landlocked countries (Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia).
    • They are heavily dependent on Russian pipeline oil and do not have a ready option to switch to alternative sources in the absence of ports.

    How will the sanctions affect Russia?

    • Analysts calculate that a two-thirds cut in Europe’s imports might cause Russia an annual loss in revenue of $10 billion.
    • Given Russia’s limited storage infrastructure, the cutback in demand would force Russia to find other markets.
    • Since that won’t be easy, Russia might have to cut production by 20-30%.
    • So far, Asian importers, especially India, have absorbed some of the excess inventory at discounted prices.

    Impact on the ongoing war

    • It remains unclear if the embargo would have any impact on Russian military operations in Ukraine.

    How will the sanctions affect Europe?

    • It is likely to further fuel inflation in Europe, where many countries are already facing a cost-of-living crisis.
    • European lifestyles have tended to take cheap Russian energy for granted, and if inflation peaks further, the EU runs the risk of losing public support for harsh sanctions.

    What about the import of Russian gas?

    • Compared to Russian oil, Europe’s dependence on Russian gas is much greater, and this embargo leaves the import of Russian gas — which accounts of 40% of Europe’s natural gas imports — untouched.
    • In other words, Europe will continue to pay Russia for gas imports.
    • But since crude is more expensive than natural gas, the oil ban is expected to hurt Russian revenues.

    Indian response to these developments

    • India ramped up purchases of Russian crude at discounted prices in the months following the Russian invasion, and this policy is expected to continue.
    • The announcement of the EU ban caused an immediate surge in oil prices, and as Europe seeks alternate sources – from West Asia, Africa and elsewhere — for its oil needs, prices are expected to stay high.
    • In this context, with Russia reportedly offering discounts of $30-35 per barrel, India has found it convenient to make the most of the cheap Russian crude on offer.

     

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  • Women Safety Issues – Marital Rape, Domestic Violence, Swadhar, Nirbhaya Fund, etc.

    Back in news: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)

    Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    A national helpline for women deserted in Non-Resident Indian (NRI) marriages and the need for a dedicated fund to provide assistance to them are among the recommendations made at a consultation organized by the National Commission for Women (NCW).

    What are the issues faced by NRI wives?

    • Abandon after marriage
    • Inconclusive divorces filed abroad
    • Child custody disputes

    Classification of Overseas Indians

    Overseas Indians, officially known as Non-resident Indians (NRIs) or Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), are people of Indian birth, descent or origin who live outside the Republic of India:

    (A) Non-Resident Indian (NRI)

    • Strictly asserting non-resident refers only to the tax status of a person who, as per section 6 of the Income-tax Act of 1961, has not resided in India for a specified period for the purposes of the Act.
    • The rates of income tax are different for persons who are “resident in India” and for NRIs.

    (B) Person of Indian Origin (PIO)

    Person of Indian Origin (PIO) means a foreign citizen (except a national of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and/or Nepal), who:

    • at any time held an Indian passport OR
    • either of their parents/grandparents/great-grandparents were born and permanently resident in India as defined in GoI Act, 1935 and other territories that became part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizen of any of the aforesaid countries OR
    • is a spouse of a citizen of India or a PIO.

    (C) Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

    • After multiple efforts by leaders across the Indian political spectrum, a pseudo-citizenship scheme was established, the “Overseas Citizenship of India”, commonly referred to as the OCI card.
    • The Constitution of India does not permit full dual citizenship.
    • The OCI card is effectively a long-term visa, with restrictions on voting rights and government jobs.

     

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