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  • 21st July 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1 Effects of globalization on Indian society 

    GS-2 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

    GS-3  Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

     GS-4   Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

     

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1) While many confuse globalisation with westernisation however there are clear evidences which suggest that the process of globalisation has not been a one way street. Comment (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2) Despite the promise of Article 21, the NCRB data reveals that the number of those dying in prison as they await their trials is only going up. In light of this, examine the issues faced by the incarcerated people in India and suggest the measure to improve their conditions. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3) Analyse the challenges and opportunities inherent in the push for indigenisation of defence production in India. Also, identify the measures through which indigenous manufacturing of defence equipments is being encouraged by the Government. (15 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4) What does the following quote means to you in the Context of present Indian Society: “Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so dependent on other’s kindness, how can it be that in the middle we neglect the kindness towards others?” Dalai Lama.” (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 1st June is uploaded on 1st June then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 1st June is uploaded on 3rd June, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Swatantra so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. Swatantra Sir’s tag is available, tag him.

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  • SC quashes some provisions of 97th Amendment dealing with co-operative societies

    In a major boost for federalism, the Supreme Court has struck down parts of the 97th Constitution amendment which shrank the exclusive authority of States over their cooperative societies.

    Background

    • The Gujarat High Court in 2013 had held that the amendment, to the extent it introduced conditions for state laws on co-operative societies, was liable to be struck down.
    • This amendment was passed without the ratification of one-half of the state legislatures as mandated by Article 368(2) of the Constitution.
    • As per Article 368(2), ratification of one-half of state legislatures is required for an amendment that makes changes to an entry in the state list.
    • Since co-operative societies were a state subject as per Entry 32 in List II of the Seventh Schedule, the amendment introducing Part IX B required ratification as per Article 368(2), the High Court ruled.

    What was 97th Amendment about?

    • The 97th constitutional amendment dealt with issues related to the effective management of cooperative societies in the country.
    • It was passed by Parliament in December 2011 and had come into effect from February 15, 2012.
    • Part IXB, introduced in the Constitution through the 97th Amendment of 2012, dictated the terms for running cooperative societies.
    • The provisions in the amendment went to the extent of determining the number of directors a society should have or their length of tenure and even the necessary expertise.

    What is the recent Judgement?

    • In a majority judgment, the supreme court has held that cooperative societies come under the “exclusive legislative power” of State legislatures.
    • The judgment may be significant in the background of fears voiced by the States whether the new Central Ministry of Cooperation would disempower them.
    • The change in the Constitution has amended Article 19(1)(c) to give protection to the cooperatives and inserted Article 43 B and Part IX B, relating to them.
    • The Centre has contended that the provision does not denude the States of its power to enact laws with regard to cooperatives.

    Exceptions to the amendment

    • The Supreme court did not strike down the portions of Part IXB of the Amendment concerning “Multi-State Cooperative Societies” due to the lack of ratification.
    • When it comes to Multi-State Co-operative Societies (MSCS) with objects not confined to one State, the legislative power would be that of the Union of India.

    What was the dissenting opinion?

    • In his dissent, Justice K.M. Joseph said the doctrine of severability would not operate to distinguish between single-State cooperatives and MSCS.
    • The judge said the entire Part IXB should be struck down on the ground of absence of ratification.

    Back2Basics: Doctrine of Severability

    • Article 13 deals with laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights.
    • It also deals with all laws enforced in India, before the commencement of the Constitution.
    • The doctrine of Severability in Article 13 can be understood in two dimensions
    1. Article 13(1) validates all Pre-Constitutional Law and thereby declares that all pre-Constitutional laws in force before the commencement of the Indian Constitution shall be void if they are inconsistent with the fundamental rights.
    2. Article 13(2) mandates the State that it shall not make any law that takes away or abridges the fundamental rights conferred in Part III of the Indian Constitution and any law contraventions this clause shall be void.
    • This doctrine widens the scope for Judicial Review on unconstitutional parts of any law.

  • Why rooftop solar and storage offers a viable future for India

    The Union government’s target of producing 40 gigawatts of rooftop solar power by 2022 is unrealistic: The country could produce only 4.4 GW rooftop solar energy till March 31, 2021, according to the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

    What is Solar Rooftop?

    • A solar photovoltaic (PV) system mounted on a rooftop of a building is a mini-power requirement or feed into the grid.
    • The size of the installation varies significantly depending on the availability of space, amount of electricity consumed by the property and the ability or willingness of the owner to invest the capital required.

    Why rooftop?

    • Rooftop solar with a storage system is a benefit for both, end consumers as well as discoms (power distribution companies).
    • A one-kilowatt (kW) rooftop system can produce three to five units of electricity a day.
    • The combination increasingly becomes cost-effective for electricity generation compared to the traditional grid supply and diesel generators.
    • In 2021, solar and storage will be cheaper than grid supply for most commercial and industrial (C&I) customers.
    • The increase in penetration of rooftop solar in the distribution grid will have a significant impact on the stability of the grid.

    A viable alternative

    • Most housing societies in urban India rely on diesel generators for power backup. However, as power availability improves in the country, diesel generators will become redundant.
    • The operational cost of diesel generators is quite high— R16-18 per unit against Rs 5-6 a unit for solar rooftop systems. So rooftop solar power makes financial sense.Solar rooftop is also a perfect solution for commercial and institutional buildings that operate mostly during the day.
    • Their rooftops can be utilized to generate electricity, and they can, partially or completely, replace diesel generators. This would also help them reduce their electricity bills.

    Question of energy storage

    • In order to integrate rooftop solar and electric vehicles, the grid needs to be flexible and smart.
    • Energy storage systems will play a key role in providing this flexibility by acting as a load when there is a surplus generation, as well as generating sources when there is a supply shortage.
    • There are two major methods of integrating battery storage into the electric grid:
    1. Front-of-the-meter (FTM): It is implemented at the utility-scale, wherein the battery system is connected to the transmission or distribution network that ensures grid reliability. This happens on a considerably large scale (~MWh scale).
    2. Behind-the-meter (BTM): The other method is implemented at the residential and commercial/industrial level, mainly to provide backup during a power failure or to store excess locally generated energy from solar rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems.

    India’s storage capacity

    • About 34 GW / 136 GWh of battery storage is expected to be installed by 2030, according to the Central Electricity Authority of India.
    • This capacity would be used for RE integration, demand-side and peak load management services.

    Storage challenges

    • The solar segment offers a huge market opportunity for advanced battery technologies.
    • However, manufacturers have some ground to cover in addressing technical limitations of batteries, such as charging characteristics, thermal performance and requirement of boost current to charge deep cycle batteries.
    • Since solar companies may directly procure batteries from manufacturers and require after-sale services and technical support, battery companies should have wider a presence to address these expectations.

    Other key challenges

    • Rooftop solar source doesn’t match the rise in renewable energy in India.
    • While industrial and commercial consumers account for 70% of total installed capacity residential consumers remain a big untapped potential to give the boost
    • Solar rooftops also face several challenges such as little consumer awareness, lack of innovative government policies or attention, bureaucratic hassles, and limited support from discoms.

    Way forward

    • Supportive policies and innovative technological approaches are needed for the sector to achieve its potential.
    • Indian policymakers need to plan for rooftop solar plus storage, rather than rooftop solar alone with the grid as storage (net / gross metering).
    • The declining cost of storage solutions, along with that of rooftop solar solutions, is likely to change the future of the Indian power sector.
    • Several countries such as Australia, the United States, Germany, among others have already endorsed solar power with battery storage.
    • Energy storage, therefore, represents a huge economic opportunity for India.
    • The creation of a conducive battery manufacturing ecosystem on a fast track could cement India’s opportunity for radical economic and industrial transformation in a critical and fast-growing global market.

  • What is Privilege Motion?

    A spokesperson of the non-ruling political party has said that he will move a privilege motion against the Health Minister for misleading Parliament that no deaths were reported specifically because of shortage of oxygen.

    Breach of Privilege

    • Parliamentary privilege refers to the right and immunity enjoyed by legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made in the course of their legislative duties.
    • The powers, privileges and immunities of either House of the Indian Parliament and of its Members and committees are laid down in Article 105 of the Constitution.
    • Article 194 deals with the powers, privileges and immunities of the State Legislatures, their Members and their committees.

    What is a privilege motion?

    • Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their functions”.
    • When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament.
    • A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege.
    • Each House also claims the right to punish as contempt actions which, while not breach of any specific privilege, are offences against its authority and dignity.

    What are the rules governing privilege?

    • Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook govern privilege.
    • It says that a member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a committee thereof.
    • The rules however mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House.
    • Notices have to be given before 10 am to the Speaker or the Chairperson.

    What is the role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha Chair?

    • The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.
    • The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.
    • If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.

    What is the privileges committee?

    • In the Lok Sabha, the Speaker nominates a committee of privileges consisting of 15 members as per respective party strengths.
    • A report is then presented to the House for its consideration. The Speaker may permit a half-hour debate while considering the report.
    • The Speaker may then pass final orders or direct that the report be tabled before the House.
    • A resolution may then be moved relating to the breach of privilege that has to be unanimously passed.
    • In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges, which consists of 10 members.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the constitution of delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

    (a) Committee on Government Assurances

    (b) Committee on Subordinate Legislation

    (c) Rules Committee

    (d) Business Advisory Committee

  • What is Monkey B virus?

    China has reported the first human death case with the Monkey B virus (BV).

    What is Monkey B virus?

    • The virus, initially isolated in 1932, is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca.
    • B virus is the only identified old-world-monkey herpes virus that displays severe pathogenicity in humans.

    Answer this question from our AWE initiative:

    There is been an increase in occurance of zoonotic human infectious diseases are zoonotic . Give reasons for this. Also suggest ways to contain and decrease the frequency of such events.(250 Words)

    How is it transmitted?

    • The infection can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions of monkeys and has a fatality rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent.
    • According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Macaque monkeys commonly have this virus, and it can be found in their saliva, feces, urine, or brain or spinal cord tissue.
    • The virus may also be found in cells coming from an infected monkey in a lab. B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist.

    When can a human get infected with B virus?

    • Humans can get infected if they are bitten or scratched by an infected monkey.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms typically start within one month of being exposed to B virus but could appear in as little as three to seven days.
    • The first indications of B virus infection are typically flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills, muscle ache, fatigue and headache.
    • Following this, a person may develop small blisters in the wound or area on the body that came in contact with the monkey.
    • Some other symptoms of the infection include shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and hiccups.
    • As the disease progresses, the virus spreads to and causes inflammation (swelling) of the brain and spinal cord, leading to neurologic and inflammatory symptoms.

    Is there a vaccine against B virus?

    • Currently, there are no vaccines that can protect against B virus infection.

    Who are at higher risk for infection?

    • The virus might pose a potential threat to laboratory workers, veterinarians, and others who may be exposed to monkeys or their specimens.
    • To date, only one case has been documented of an infected person spreading the B virus to another person.

  • [pib] One District One Focus Product Scheme

    ODOFP programme

    • The ODOFP programme cover products of agriculture and allied sectors for 728 districts of the country.
    • The products have been identified from agricultural, horticultural, animal, poultry, milk, fisheries, aquaculture, marine sectors across the country.
    • These identified products will be supported under the PM-FME scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, which provides incentives to promoters and micro-enterprises
    • This scheme is being implemented for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
    • The scheme adopts One District One Product (ODOP) approach to reap the benefits of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products.

    About ODOP

    • The ODOP scheme aims to identify one product per district based on the potential and strength of a district and national priorities.
    • A cluster for that product will be developed in the district and market linkage will be provided for that.
    • It is operationally merged with the ‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative implemented by the Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.
    • Under the initial phase of the ODOP programme, 106 Products have been identified from 103 districts across 27 States.

    Back2Basics: PMFME Scheme

    • A centrally sponsored scheme that aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry.
    • It aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and promote formalization of the sector,
    • It further aims to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.
    • The scheme envisions directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units in providing financial, technical, and business support for the up-gradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

  • Registration Closing at 12 Noon || How To Start Preparation For IAS Exam – A Complete Guide To UPSC Civil Services Exam for Beginners & Working Professionals || Fill Registration form and get a Personalised Timetable till Prelims 2022 & Initial Study Material to begin Preparation

    Key Takeaways:

    1. Civilsdaily Monthly Magazine (Latest Two Months)
    2. Mentorship Call for Personlised Daily Timetable
    3. Beginners Guide / All Important sample Videos and Notes
    4. PDFs of Important Go-To Subjects to Begin with.

    UPSC Civil Services Exam for the recruitment of IAS, IFS, IRS and 21 other services is one of the most difficult exams in India. More than 10 Lakh aspirants give the UPSC exam every year making the exam competitive. But that does not mean YOU cannot crack it!

    Here’s what you need to know before you start preparing for UPSC Exam.

    Get your personalised daily timetable and initial study material

    FACT: UPSC Civil Service exam requires Hard Work + Strategy + Guidance This is the Holy Trinity that will help you become an IAS officer. 

    So, how do you start?

    1) The UPSC Exam Schedule: 

    UPSC exam is held in 3 stages – Prelims, Mains, And Interview. Prelims are based on objective questions, Mains is subjective, and Interview is a personality test. Fortunately, you can prepare for these stages together and online!

    2) Understanding the syllabus: 

    UPSC exam has a vast syllabus. It is important to know the scope of preparation before you start preparing for the exam. Here are some of the questions you need to ask yourself:

    a) What are the scope and the nature of the syllabus?

    b) What to study and what not to study?

    c) What is the question pattern?

    d) What are your weak areas and what are your strengths?

    e) What kind of guidance will you need? Etc.

    Our guidance program, for example, helps students understand the syllabus and develop a  strategy around it. The mentors at Civils Daily handhold the candidates and guide them at each step. They explain to the students about the Dos and Don’ts of the exam and train them how to develop a good study pattern.

    GET YOUR PERSONALISED DAILY TIMETABLE AND INITIAL STUDY MATERIAL

    3) Developing a Smart Strategy: 

    Developing a strategy that delivers results is very important for this exam. We believe that every student learns at their own pace and each student should have a personal study plan that suits their learning curve.

    This is why our mentors do the following:

    a) They assess the students and understand their requirements.

    b) They develop a study plan for the students that match their learning abilities.

    c) They provide the important study material so that the student doesn’t feel lost. 

    d) They provide regular feedback to students to help them remain focused.

    We believe that students should have strong strategies that are tried and tested, and our experienced mentors customise these strategies for each student.

    4) Managing Current Affairs: 

    Current Affairs is the heart and soul of UPSC preparation. But there is so much news every day that it becomes difficult for the student to cope. That is why we tie Current Affairs with static knowledge and share it with students. This makes it easy for students to remember important details and score more in the exam.

    You can also practice reading newspapers daily and making notes. This will keep you updated. And you can always receive the Current Affairs study material from us in consolidated form for quick revision.

    5) Choosing Optionals:

    This is what topper do when choosing optional:

    a) They narrow down the subjects to 3-4 options based on their background.

    b) They go through the syllabus thoroughly before making a decision.

    c) They also analyse the previous years’ question papers to understand the pattern.

    d) They consult with their mentors to develop a study plan that could work.

    Speaking with a mentor is highly helpful in making this decision because they keep analysing the exam pattern. The mentors know what kind of questions may come and how to study for them. Having an experienced guiding hand for optionals can take your preparation to the next level.

    GET YOUR PERSONALISED DAILY TIMETABLE AND INITIAL STUDY MATERIAL

    6) Writing Practice 

    Answer-writing practice and essay writing practice is a must for any candidate. But the most important thing is getting feedback and evaluation.

    a) Getting feedback from the beginning will help you practice the best way of writing answers.

    b) Getting your essays evaluated will help you avoid making mistakes.

    c) Getting the right guidance can save you a lot of effort.

    Starting with the right guidance can help you avoid mistakes and save you a lot of time.  Why waste time doing things that don’t work and why not start with the right guidance itself? 

    7) Getting The Right Guidance 

    Do not waste your time and energy in reinventing the wheel! 

    It is important to engage with someone who understands your needs. Experienced mentors know the common mistakes that students make, they understand how overwhelming this experience can be. The mentors know how much time and effort goes into the right preparation. And they know how to help students in all these situations.

    The best thing to do is to get in touch with a mentor who can help you avoid making mistakes and guide you to the right preparation techniques.

    This is why our programs are designed to help students at each stage of their preparation.  Any problem you face, you can speak with us and we will find a solution for you. We believe in working with our students and providing the guidance that can make your dream come true!

    GET YOUR PERSONALISED DAILY TIMETABLE AND INITIAL STUDY MATERIAL

  • [RSTV Archive] Drone Draft rules: Impetus to future tech

    The Union Civil Aviation ministry has released the draft of the national drone policy, making it significantly easier for people and companies to own and operate drones, while also streamlining the certification process for manufacturers, importers and users.

    Drones have been in the spotlight since such a device was used to target an Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Jammu with explosives last month.

    In this article we will discuss and analyse all aspects of this issue.

    Why such urgent promulgation?

    • Drones now form a significant new consumer tech category, particularly among hobbyists and visual artists.
    • They are being tested for a range of practical as well as industrial uses such as automated package deliveries by e-commerce companies.
    • They have wide range of applications such as in disaster management, delivery systems.
    • The new draft rules provide a positive move. They present a lot of clarity in the usage of drones.

    Draft Drone Rules 2021

    The objective of the policy is to enable more types of unmanned aircraft operational scenarios, increase the ease of compliance for the unmanned aviation industry, and ensure safety and security.

    Some of the key features are as under:

    Number of forms: The rules propose to reduce the number of forms required for manufacturing, importing, testing, certifying and operating drones in India from 25 to six.

    Abolishing authorization number: The draft seeks to abolish the unique authorisation number, unique prototype identification number, and certificate of conformance that were previously required for approval of drone flights.

    Digital Sky Platform: Digital Sky, a platform launched by the government in December 2018, will become a single-window system for all approvals under the newly proposed rules.

    Airspace map: An airspace map segregating the entire landmass of India into Green, Yellow and Red zones will be published on the platform within 30 days of notification of the new rules, the government said. The map will also be machine-readable through an Application Programming Interface (API) for easier plotting of drone flight paths.

    Airport Perimeter: The draft rules reduced the airport perimeter from 45 km to 12 km. The rules state that no flight permissions would be required to fly up to 400 feet in green zones and up to 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter.

    Drone corridors: The government will also publish a policy framework for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) within 60 days of notifying the rules. This will also include frameworks for developing “drone corridors” for the safe transfer of goods by drones.

    Drone Promotion Council: The Rules also propose the setting up of a Drone Promotion Council, with the aim of facilitating a business-friendly regulatory regime for drones in India, the establishment of incubators for developing drone technologies and organizing competitive events to showcase drones and counter-drone solutions.

    Others: To implement safety features such as “no permission, no take-off”, real-time tracking and geofencing, drone manufacturers, importers and operators will get six months’ time to comply from the date of notification of the rules.

    Security imperative and Drones

    • The integration of unmanned aircraft systems into national air-force is critical and challenging both.
    • We have incidences were arms, narcotic drugs have been dropped by drones. So, security challenges are increasing.
    • DRDO has come up with an Anti-drone system. This makes India capable of where drones can be jammed.
    • Other is one can shoot the drone through lasers. But this has potential threats to humans.
    • Drones are called eyes in the sky as they are used by law enforcement agencies, fire emergency services, health care facilities.

    Digital Sky Platform: Key to Success

    • The success of these initiatives will depend in large part on the ‘Digital Sky’ platform — a single-window online system where most permissions to own and operate drones will be self-generated.
    • Bureaucratic red tape and ‘rubber stamp culture’ has been the bane of Indian aviation for decades.
    • Paper trails with needless human intervention lend themselves to ‘discretionary powers’ and opens doors for corruption.
    • It is encouraging to see the shift to paperless approval.

    Conclusion

    • The drone industry (manufacturing and operation) is still grappling with evolutionary challenges in India.
    • The ministry of civil aviation’s decision to liberalize the drone policy even after the recent drone incidents in Jammu showcases the government’s bold approach.
    • They are necessary to promote the use of the drone and the government must focus on the development of counter-drone technology to address the threat posed by rogue drones.

  • Surveillance reform is the need of the hour

    Context

    The ‘Pegasus Project’ report says that over “300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers, including those used by ministers, opposition leaders, journalists, the legal community, businessmen, government officials, scientists, rights activists and others”, were targeted using spyware made by the Israeli firm, NSO Group.

    Threat to press freedom

    • Revelations highlight a disturbing trend with regard to the use of hacking software against dissidents and adversaries.
    • A significant number of Indians reportedly affected by Pegasus are journalists.
    • This is not surprising since the World Press Freedom Index produced by Reporters Without Borders has ranked India 142 out of 180 countries in 2021. 
    • The press requires (and in democracies is afforded) greater protections on speech and privacy.
    • Privacy and free speech are what enable good reporting.
    • This has been recognised in Supreme Court decisions.
    • In the absence of privacy, the safety of journalists, especially those whose work criticises the government, and the personal safety of their sources is jeopardised.
    • Such a lack of privacy, therefore, creates an aura of distrust around these journalists and effectively buries their credibility.

    Issues with the legal provision

    • Provisions of law under the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and the Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000 are used by the government for its interception and monitoring activities. 
    • While the provisions of the Telegraph Act relate to telephone conversations, the IT Act relates to all communications undertaken using a computer resource.
    • Both provisions are problematic and offer the government total opacity in respect of its interception and monitoring activities.
    • Section 69 of the IT Act and the Interception Rules of 2009 are even more opaque than the Telegraph Act, and offer even weaker protections to the surveilled.
    • No provision, however, allows the government to hack the phones of any individual since the hacking of computer resources, including mobile phones and apps, is a criminal offence under the IT Act.

    Issues with surveillance system

    • Surveillance itself, whether under a provision of law or without it, is a gross violation of the fundamental rights of citizens.
    • Violation of freedom of speech: The very existence of a surveillance system impacts the right to privacy and the exercise of freedom of speech and personal liberty under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution, respectively.
    • It prevents people from reading and exchanging unorthodox, controversial or provocative ideas.
    • No scope for judicial scrutiny: There is also no scope for an individual subjected to surveillance to approach a court of law prior to or during or subsequent to acts of surveillance since the system itself is covert.
    • No oversight: In the absence of parliamentary or judicial oversight, electronic surveillance gives the executive the power to influence both the subject of surveillance and all classes of individuals, resulting in a chilling effect on free speech.
    • Against separation of power: Constitutional functionaries such as a sitting judge of the Supreme Court have reportedly been surveilled under Pegasus.
    • Vesting such disproportionate power with one wing of the government threatens the separation of powers of the government.
    • The existing provisions are insufficient to protect against the spread of authoritarianism since they allow the executive to exercise a disproportionate amount of power.

    Way forward

    • There needs to be oversight from another branch of the government.
    • Judicial oversight: Only the judiciary can be competent to decide whether specific instances of surveillance are proportionate, whether less onerous alternatives are available, and to balance the necessity of the government’s objectives with the rights of the impacted individuals.
    • Surveillance reforms: Not only are existing protections weak but the proposed legislation related to the personal data protection of Indian citizens fails to consider surveillance while also providing wide exemptions to government authorities.
    • Surveillance reform is the need of the hour in India.

    Consider the question “Discuss the threats posed by the use of surveillance systems by the government. Suggest the measures to deal with these threats.”

    Conclusion

    The only solution to the problem of spyware is immediate and far-reaching surveillance reform.

  • PRELIMS is COMING! Cover All The Important Current Affairs Topics For FREE! | Chat pe News with Anjum Sharma at 4:30 pm

    PRELIMS is COMING! Cover All The Important Current Affairs Topics For FREE! | Chat pe News with Anjum Sharma at 4:30 pm

    Complete Coverage, Daily Practice, Revision, And Most Expected Questions

    Dear aspirants,

    Prelims is not far away and it is time to get your Current Affairs ready. Anjum sir is taking FREE sessions every day. Join him and you will get:

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    2. Daily MCQ practise with Most Expected Questions.
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    1. Join Habitat For Absolutely Free Sessions!
    2. Read The Discussions Happening On The General Page.
    3. Click On The Blue Box To Join The Discussion.
    4. Participate, Ask Questions, Engage, And Learn!

    Don’t Miss Out On The Questions That May Help You Succeed!

    Join Now And Start Learning!

    Here is a list of topics and discussions you can join immediately:

    Revise Economics for IAS PrelimsRavi Ranjan11:00 am
    Essay WritingAnand Prakash12:30 pm
    Science and TechDr. Keerti1:00 pm
    Samadhan CSATRavi Ranjan2:00 pm
    UPSC EPFORohit Yadav3:00 pm
    Chat pe News: Current AffairsAnjum Sharma4:30 pm
    Polity Laxmikant Amoghavarsha5:30 pm
    Indian society and Social IssuesSiddharth 6:00 pm
    Abhyaas: Answer WritingGarima7:00 pm
    Samvad: Indian AgricultureRadhika Didwania7:30 pm
    Prelims HeistParth Verma8:30 pm
    Parakram Answer Writing sessionRohit Yadav9:30 pm
    Post dinner MCQs for IAS prelimsAmitB10:15 pm

    And many more…

    Whatever you need, we have it here.

    Join the club of your choice here (for free)

    How to join a discussion?

    After you have joined/registered on Habitat for free, go to the General club. Click on the blue box of the session you want to attend.

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