Secrecy of ballot is the cornerstone of free and fair elections. The choice of a voter should be free and the secret ballot system in a democracy ensures it, the Supreme Court has held in judgment.
The judgment came on an appeal against the Allahabad High Court decision setting aside the voting of a no-confidence motion in a Zila panchayat in Uttar Pradesh in 2018.
Practice question for mains:
Q. Discuss how Secrecy of Ballot is the cornerstone of free and fair elections in India.
What is the Secret Ballot?
The secret ballot, also known as Australian ballot, is a voting method in which a voter’s choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous.
It aims for forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote-buying.
The system is one means of achieving the goal of political privacy.
What did the Supreme Court rule?
The principle of secrecy of ballots is an important postulate of constitutional democracy, the court said.
Justice Khanna, who wrote the judgment, referred to Section 94 of the Representation of People Act, which upholds the privilege of the voter to maintain confidentiality about her choice of vote.
It is the policy of the law to protect the right of voters to the secrecy of the ballot.
Even a remote or distinct possibility that a voter can be forced to disclose for whom she has voted would act as a positive constraint and a check on the freedom to exercise of the franchise.
Voter’s discretion is allowed
A voter can also voluntarily waive the privilege of non-disclosure.
The privilege ends when the voter decides to waive the privilege and instead volunteers to disclose as to whom she had voted.
No one can prevent a voter from doing. Nor can a complaint be entertained from any, including the person who wants to keep the voter’s mouth sealed as to why she disclosed for whom she voted said the court.
PM Modi has launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, an employment scheme for migrant workers.
Practice question for mains:
Q. Discuss the silent success of MGNREGA in COVID-19 times.
Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan
It is a skill-based employment scheme aimed primarily at migrant workers who have returned to their villages to escape the COVID lockdown distress.
With a 125-workday mandate to create public infrastructure, with the involvement of 11 central departments, the Rs 50,000-crore initiative will focus on job creation.
It will be implemented in 116 districts in six states — UP, MP, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan and Bihar — that saw the maximum number of migrant workers returning over the last three months.
Works under the scheme
The government has identified 25 work areas for employment in villages, for the development of various works.
These 25 works or projects are related to meet the needs of the villages like rural housing for the poor, Plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission, Panchayat Bhavans, community toilets, rural mandis, rural roads, other infrastructure like Cattle Sheds, Anganwadi Bhavans etc.
Recently, Assam CM ordered the arrest of a political commentator who had described Chaolung Sukapha as a “Chinese invader”.
Practice question for mains:
Q. Who are the Ahoms? Describe the role of Ahom Kingdom in cultural assimilation of modern-day Assam.
Who was Chaolung Sukapha?
Sukapha was a 13th-century ruler who founded the Ahom kingdom that ruled Assam for six centuries. Contemporary scholars trace his roots to Burma.
He reached Brahmaputra valley in Assam from upper Burma in the 13th century with around 9,000 followers.
Sukapha is said to have left a place called Maulung ( in Yunnan, China ) in AD 1215 with eight nobles and 9,000 men, women and children — mostly men.
In 1235, Sukapha and his people settled in Charaideo in upper Assam after wandering about for years, defeating those who protested his advance and temporarily staying at different locations.
It was in Charaideo (in Assam) that Sukapha established his first small principality, sowing the seeds of further expansion of the Ahom kingdom.
Who are the Ahoms today?
The founders of the Ahom kingdom had their own language and followed their own religion.
Over the centuries, the Ahoms accepted the Hindu religion and the Assamese language, scholars say.
The Ahoms embraced the language, religion and rituals of the communities living here — they did not impose theirs on those living here.
Today, the Ahom community is estimated to number between 4 million and 5 million.
Why is Sukapha important in Assamese culture?
Sukapha’s significance — especially in today’s Assam — lies in his successful efforts towards the assimilation of different communities and tribes.
He developed very amicable relationships with the tribal communities living here — especially the Sutias, the Morans and the Kacharis.
Intermarriage also increased assimilation processes. He is widely referred to as the architect of “Bor Asom” or “greater Assam”.
A study by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) has detected the presence of singly ionized fluorine for the first time in the atmospheres of hot Extreme Helium Stars.
UPSC may ask a simple statement-based question considering the following points:
If there is the presence of hydrogen, their abundance in universe and how it is different from neutron stars etc.
What are EHe stars?
An extreme helium star or EHe is a low-mass supergiant that is almost devoid of hydrogen, the most common chemical element of the universe.
There are 21 of them detected so far in our galaxy.
The origin and evolution of these Hydrogen deficient objects have been shrouded in mystery.
Their severe chemical peculiarities challenge the theory of well-accepted stellar evolution as the observed chemical composition of these stars do not match with that predicted for low mass evolved stars.
Why is the study significant?
Clues to the evolution of extreme helium stars require accurate determinations of their chemical composition, and the peculiarities, if any, become very important.
Fluorine plays a very crucial role in this regard to determine the actual evolutionary sequence of these hydrogen deficient objects.
The scientists explored the relationship of hot EHes with the cooler EHes, based on their fluorine abundance and spotted it in the former, thus establishing an evolutionary connection across a wide range of effective temperature.
This makes a strong case that the main form of these objects involves a merger of a carbon-oxygen (CO) and a Helium (He) white dwarf.
The detection of enhanced fluorine abundances in the atmospheres of hot EHes solves a decade-old mystery about their formation.
Primatologists have observed that the Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) induce stillbirth of babies killed inside the womb of females, besides practising infanticide.
Try this question from CSP 2013:
Q. In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Karnataka
Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Golden Langurs
IUCN status: Endangered
It is an Old World monkey found in a small region of western Assam, and in the neighbouring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan.
Long considered sacred by many Himalayan people, the golden langur was first brought to the attention of the western world by the naturalist E. P. Gee in the 1950s.
Their habitat lies in the region, south of the Brahmaputra River, on the east by the Manas River, on the west by the Sankosh River, all in Assam, India, and on the north by the Black Mountains of Bhutan
Chakrashila WLS in Assam is India’s first wildlife sanctuary with golden langur as the primary species.
They are listed in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
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Hitting the fish’s eye, and winning over the Mains hurdle.
Where is the fish’s eye?- an exact understanding of what’s been asked and answering to the point and not beating around the bush!
Where do you miss the war of the Mains Exam?
Not getting the essence of the question.
Getting confused with the directives used in the question
Whether to write in points or in paragraph
How to structure the answer in the best possible way
Diagram- where, how, and why?
Making yourself presentable even in your absence
Intro and Conclusion- how to gain mastery in this
These are the most probable questions which almost every UPSC aspirant has in her/his mind, especially regarding the Mains paper. And believe me, it’s not so easy! But then, it’s not impossible also 🙂
Then what NEXT? How to break this Chakravyuha!!!
Not much… we only need some faith in yourself and Civilsdaily and a lot of practice.
“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of Reading”
How Civils Daily Mains essential Program is going to solve your dilemmas???
1. Evidence-based question Framing- keeping in mind the wheel of UPSC
Question Formulation
Q). How is the Law Commission of India Constituted and what are its mandates? Analyze the role of the Law Commission in legal reforms in India. (CIVILS DAILY)
Why this question?
A similar question has been asked by UPSC in 2018 regarding Finance Commission i.e.“How is the Finance Commission of India constituted? What do you know about the terms of reference of the recently constituted Finance Commission? Discuss.”
Question Formulation
Our questions will now specifically state the following
Whether they are straightforward or thought-provoking/analytical.
Whether they have subparts.
Why this question – similar previous year questions, the importance of the theme, etc.
CD Innovation – Rather than the regular uninspiring questions, we have gone the extra mile and crafted unique, intellectually-stimulating questions. These will reward analytical ability and critical thinking.
Example:
(Q.) Intra-party democracy is indispensable for substantive democracy in India. Comment
2. Structured answers with holistic explanation
Model Answers
For ‘thought-provoking/analytical’ type of questions, we’ll provide the best way to approach them.
Alternate introductions
Sub-headings and categorization to enhance readability and answer structure.
OTB – Out of the box points for additional marks- with colour coding
(a.) Use of Question appropriate subheadings- to bring clarity in your thoughts
Sample from our test series:
Q.) What do you understand by price deficiency payment? Can it be a solution to end farmers’ woes in India? Critically Examine. (10 marks)
What is Price Deficiency Payment system?
Woes of Farmers
How can PDP Solve these woes
Challenges in front of PDP
Balanced Other reforms needed along with PDP to end the farmer’s woes
(b.) Continuous flow- so as to bring newness and avoid fragmentation
Taking a cue from the same Question we used in the second part:
How Farmers Will Be Benefited By PDPS:
MSP – The MSP system has many flaws in execution which include:
limited geographical coverage.
Better Cropping Pattern: The PDP system may be more effective than MSPs at ensuring that cropping patterns in India respond to consumer needs.
The price deficiency system may incentivize farmers to diversify beyond the conventional cereals.
Bypassing the need of storage facilities:
It will help curb food grain losses due to lack of adequate storage,
(Q.) What is the importance of Green Finance? So far, how has India performed in terms of Green Finance?
(e.) Colour coding
RED COLOUR TEXT– THESE POINTS ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE. ABSENCE OF THESE MEANS THAT YOU WILL GET BELOW AVERAGE MARKS
GREEN COLOUR TEXT: THESE ARE VALUE ADDED/INNOVATIVE POINTS, WHICH MAY FETCH YOU MORE MARKS IF USED.
Example of Green colour point:
(Q.) Despite its environmental costs, coal is expected to retain its important position in India’s energy mix.
In this answer majority of candidates will mention how coal is abundant in India, how Renewable energy infrastructure is not yet developed enough to meet our energy needs.
However, a Green colour point here will be
How the people of Chota Nagpur region are dependent on coal and their job opportunities will take a hit if we stop using coal. This could further worsen the Naxalite problem in that region. You have added an internal security angle in a geography Question. This is what we mean by an innovative point.
Example of a red color point
Importance of Green Finance
Ecology savior: The environmental benefits include, for example, reductions in air, water and land pollution, reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improvedenergy efficiency while utilizing existing natural resources, as well as mitigation of and adaptation to climate change and their co-benefits.
Green finance involves the effective management of environmental risks across the financial system.
(f.) Different styles of answering so as to reduce monotonicity
Read the Question carefully and in your mind, divide the Question into sub-parts and all of these sub-parts need to be addressed in a structured way.
3 ways(types) to start your introduction:
1 st way is the Context: A question asked on lateral entry.
you can write little context to it like recently the govt has introduced lateral entry for the post of Joint secretary. You can always start with the context
2nd-way definition based: A question asked on do you think competitive federalism is working in India?
In this defining what is competitive federalism in the introduction part and after defining you can come to the main body that is it working or not and the solution. You can start by defining the concept.
3rd way is the Background based/Historical background: There is a question on all India judicial services.
you can start with its background that it was first recommended by law commission 1950s and after that other commissions had recommended this. So you can start with the history of the topic.
3. Experts to evaluate your weaknesses- who have already written Interviews and scored outstanding marks in GS papers
Answer-copy evaluation in the industry has become stagnant. The focus is restricted to superficial, memory-based lapses rather than on analytical excellence and cross-domain inter-linkages.
Our stress will be on the following –
Superior introduction and conclusion.
Usage of subject-specific vocabulary.
Question comprehension: Answer alignment, Question Directive, Breaking down of the Questions into parts.
Articulation proficiency.
Substantiating evidence like Government and International Reports and Indices.
Prominent and contemporary examples.
Presentation: Use of Flowcharts, Tables, Graphs, Data, etc
4. Habitat chat group- in touch with mentors
But why to chat?
Because a single mentor cannot give a 360-degree view for all subjects
Subject wise division of group
Current Affairs based discussion- to provide you the idea of upcoming Questions
Inter-linkages of Paper 1, 2,3 and 4
Resolving Preparation related queries
Group learning
CD Habitat is where everything comes together learning, doubt clearing, notes, references, mentors, and a focussed community. You’re going to learn and discuss like never before. How will your queries be resolved? The moment you have a query, you post it in the group.
5. Video discussion after every test – to give a humanistic touch to your queries and bringing a new at every point
Together we can and together we will. We are here to become Guru Dronacharya. You must be ready to become ARJUN- The Warrior.
This is what our students have to say..
Kamya Misra, Mains Test series, UPSC 2018Kunal Aggarwal, Mains Test Series, UPSC 2018Read the full review here
Let us discuss renewable energy. Recently, state governments increased the standard charges on open access renewable projects and incentives were cut back. So, what can be implications of such steps? Read to know…
What open access power user mean?
Open access allows large users of power – typically those who consume more than 1 MW – to buy power from the open market.
These open access buyers don’t have to depend on a more expensive grid.
Through incentives given by state governments, these non-grid avenues of power purchase have been encouraged in renewable energy projects.
Now, state governments increased standard charges on open access renewable energy projects or are cutting back on incentives.
Reason given by state: Tariff competitiveness of wind and solar power has shown a significant improvement.
Implications:
Credit rating agency ICRA said that with the changes in policy, the viability of open access – against grid-connected energy – is no longer as attractive.
The open-access charges applicable in case of third party sale of power have also increased highlights the rising regulatory risk for such independent power producers (IPPs).
Earlier, concessions were available from levy of cross-subsidy surcharge, transmission and wheeling charges as well as favourable banking facilities to promote the renewable sector.
Now, the power policies in many states have either completely withdrawn or reduced incentives given to open access customers.
Issues for group captive projects
A group captive scheme is where someone develops a power plant for collective usage of many commercial consumers.
At present, a power project is considered ‘captive’ if consuming entity or entities consume at least 51% of the power generated and owns at least 26% of the equity.
The State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) in Maharashtra has recently approved the levy of additional surcharge on group captive projects in renewable sector.
Group captive consumers were earlier exempt from such levy in Maharashtra.
Risk of other state following holds.
Challenges
The viability of power procured under the open access route depends on discount offered by the power producer as compared to the grid tariffs.
The applicable open access charges across the key states are estimated to vary quite widely from Rs.2.5 per unit to Rs. 5 per unit.
Open access projects have tenure (5-10 years) of the power purchase agreements (PPAs) under the third-party sale route as against the 25 year-tenure for PPA in case of utility scale projects.
Net tariff realised for such projects remains exposed to regulatory risk given the likelihood of revision in open access charges by the regulators.
It is also subject to tightening of energy banking norms being observed by SERCs across the states.
Consider the question “Examine the implications of policy changes adopted by the state with regard to open access charges and phasing out of other incentives to Independent Power Producers (IPPs)”
Conclusion
Move by states could jeopardise many projects and also threaten the progress made towards the adoption of clean energy.
Issue of migrant workers caught attention of the nation amid lockdown. This issue has wider implications for the economy. This article highlights need for formulating a program to deal with the migrant labourers’ issue in its entirety.
Issue with many implications: Migrant labour
Out of the total labour force of 465 million workers, around 91 per cent (422 million) were informal workers in 2017-18.
The Economic Survey (2017) estimated 139 million seasonal or circular migrants.
Circular urban migrants perform essential labour and provide services.
Hence, this issue has implications for livelihoods, agriculture, food security, and safety net policy as well as programme responses.
Existing and proposed legal provision
There exists The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act of 1979.
Despite this act, there is no central registry of migrant workers.
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code of 2019 has been introduced in Parliament.
This code seeks to promote the welfare of migrant workers and legal protection for their rights.
The code seeks to merge 13 labour laws, including the Inter-state Migrant Workmen Act, 1979 into a single law.
One nation, one ration card
“One nation one ration card” addresses the problem of ration-card portability.
The move would benefit nearly 670 million people and will be completed by March 2021.
Provisions in the package for migrant workers, small farmers, street vendors
There is a provision of Rs 30,000 crore through NABARD, in addition to the already existing Rs 90,000 crore allocation, for the rabi harvest and post-harvest rabi-related work for small and marginal farmers.
Further, Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit will be provided to two crore farmers across the country.
About Rs 11,000 crore was allocated for the urban poor, which includes the migrant workers, for building shelter homes for the homeless.
Several government-funded housing projects in major cities would be developed into affordable rental housing complexes on a PPP mode.
Free grains for two months
The Centre will transfer 8 lakh metric tonnes of grain and 50,000 metric tonnes of chana to state governments.
Form this stave will provide 5 kg of grain (wheat or rice) per labourer and 1kg of chana per family per month for two months free.
This is expected to benefit up to eight crore migrant workers.
Program for growth and structural transformation
Devicing such a program requires a review of national legal, regulatory and institutional concerns in resettlement and rehabilitation of migrant labourers.
There is a need to adopt a human rights approach to address the socio-legal issues.
The resolution of contradictions in trade, fiscal, monetary and other policies would also require.
Following 3 policy changes are urgently required.
1)The implementation of the report of the task force on migration (2017).
2)Expansion of the outreach of the Integrated Child Development Services– to include migrant women and children.
3) Inclusion of migrant children in the annual work plans of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Given the environment of uncertain livelihoods it is necessary to strengthen the resilience of the financial system and skill workers.
The issues and challenges of migrant workers require leveraging information and communication technologies and the JAM trinity.
Consider the question “Migrant workers issue is an issue with many implications. This issue needs to be considered in its entirety to formulate a speedy and effective response. In light of this suggest the required policy changes.”
Conclusion
The debilitating physical effects of the coronavirus necessitate coordinated and concerted efforts by all stakeholders to meet the challenges of the present and the expectations of the future. We shall overcome.
The shockwave that pandemic sent through the economy has been reshaping the global job market. Gig economy would have to accommodate the new entrants. This article underlines the changes in the gig economy after the pandemic. Four areas that need attention are also discussed here.
What constitutes gig economy?
The word “gig” includes in its current parlance all freelancers, disconnected from the workplace.
Example: drivers of Uber, delivery boys of Zomato, plumbers and electricians of Urban Clap.
The gig economy is not confined to low-skilled jobs. Skilled professionals are also part of it.
How pandemic is reshaping the gig economy
Aviation, hospitality, automobile entertainment and retail are some of the hardest hit sectors.
The classic gig anchors- Uber and AirBnB, have laid off thousands of people.
In contrast to this, highly skilled professionals —laid off by employers — are joining the gig bandwagon.
Surely, job demand will far outstrip supply, at least in the short-term.
What does the future hold?
A Deloitte report from April notes that Indian organisations are considering to expand the share of gig workers.
Declining full-time jobs will lead to increased assignment-based hiring.
For instance, a graphic designer working from home could be in demand with a media house or Netflix may hire AI designer paid by an hour to personalize streaming.
But, what is missing in picture? The national database is missing.
4 focus areas of gig economy
1. National database: A missing link
National database of job seekers and job creators can connect firms with qualified candidates.
A prospective employee would need access to a job database, sorted by skill, geography, duration and emoluments.
Companies should be able to dip into the data pool of talent, experience, location, qualification and expectation.
Currently, both data sets are fragmented and stored in silos.
The government could play the role of a facilitator, in partnership with the private sector.
2. Regulatory protection to gig workforce
The gig economy increases employee vulnerability.
This segment of the economy so far has been outside the ambit of regulatory labour policies.
Social protection like wage protection, health benefits and safety assurance should be made available to gig workers.
The Karnataka government has considered introducing a new labour legislation focused on the gig economy.
3. Prepare college students for freelancing
Apart from regular campus placements, the placement cells need to reorient and focus on preparing students for freelancing opportunities.
For the educated youth, this could be the first step towards entrepreneurship.
4. Gender equality
Gender is another crucial dimension of the digital labour markets.
The low enrolment of girls for higher education in science, technology, engineering and math would constrict their opportunity in the gig world.
Going ahead, this would need greater policy attention to ensure gender parity.
Consider the question “What is the gig economy? Suggest the policy measures to make it more resilient in the present economic context disrupted by the pandemic.”
Conclusion
The government and the private sector would need to collaborate along with academia to build adequate safeguards in the unfolding eco-system.
