This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in the D2E.
Try this question for mains:
Q.Shrinking water bodies and floods in urban landscapes are mutually induced by each other. Analyse.
Water in urban landscapes
Lakes and wetlands are an important part of the urban ecosystem.
They perform significant environmental, social and economic functions â from being a source of drinking water and recharging groundwater to supporting biodiversity and providing livelihoods.
Their role becomes even more critical in the present context when cities are facing the challenge of rapid unplanned urbanisation.
Their numbers are declining rapidly. For example, Bangalore had 262 lakes in the 1960s; now only 10 of them hold water.
Issues with urban water bodies
Natural streams and watercourses, formed over thousands of years due to the forces of flowing water in the respective watersheds, have been altered because of urbanisation.
As a result, the flow of water has increased in proportion to the urbanisation of watersheds.
Ideally, natural drains should have been widened to accommodate the higher flows of stormwater.
But, on the contrary, they have been a victim of various unlawful activities:
(1) Pollution
There has been an explosive increase in the urban population without a corresponding expansion of civic facilities such as infrastructure for the disposal of waste.
As more people are migrating to cities, urban civic services are becoming less adequate.
As a result, most urban water bodies in India are suffering because of pollution. The water bodies have been turned into landfills in several cases.
Guwahatiâs Deepor Beel, for example, is used by the municipal corporation to dump solid waste since 2006. Even the Pallikarni marshland in Chennai is used for solid waste dumping.
(2) Encroachment
This is another major threat to urban water bodies. As more people have been migrating to cities, the availability of land has been getting scarce.
Today, even a small piece of land in urban areas has a high economic value.
These urban water bodies are not only acknowledged for their ecosystem services but for their real estate value as well.
Charkop Lake in Maharashtra, Ousteri Lake in Puducherry, Deepor beel in Guwahati are well-known examples of water bodies that were encroached.
(3) Illegal mining activities
Illegal mining for building material such as sand and quartzite on the catchment and bed of the lake have an extremely damaging impact on the water body.
For example, the Jaisamand Lake in Jodhpur, once the only source of drinking water for the city, has been suffering from illegal mining in the catchment area.
Unmindful sand mining from the catchment of Vembanad Lake on the outskirts of Kochi has decreased the water level in the lake.
(4) Unplanned tourism activities
Using water bodies to attract tourists has become a threat to several urban lakes in India.
Tso Morari and Pongsho lakes in Ladakh have become polluted because of unplanned and unregulated tourism.
Another example is that of Ashtamudi Lake in Keralaâs Kollam city, which has become polluted due to spillage of oil from motorboats.
(5) Absence of administrative framework
The biggest challenge is the government apathy towards water bodies.
This can be understood from the fact that it does not even have any data on the total number of urban water bodies in the country.
Further, CPCB had not identified major aquatic species, birds, plants and animals that faced threat due to pollution of rivers and lakes.
A group of researchers has measured the global magnetic field of the Sunâs corona for the very first time.
Try this PYQ:
The terms âEvent Horizonâ, âSingularityâ, `String Theoryâ and âStandard Modelâ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of (CSP 2017)-
(a) Observation and understanding of the Universe
(b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
(c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
(d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth
Basis of the research
The properties of waves depend on the medium in which they travel.
By measuring certain wave properties and doing a reverse calculation, some of the properties of the medium through which they have travelled can be obtained.
Waves can be longitudinal waves (for example, sound waves) or transverse waves (for example, ripples on a lake surface).
The waves that propagate through magnetic plasma are called magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves.
From the theoretical calculation, it can be shown that the properties of the transverse MHD wave are directly related to the strength of magnetic fields and the density of the corona.
How was the Magnetic Field measured?
The team used a technique known as coronal seismology or magnetoseismology to measure the coronal magnetic field which has been known for a few decades.
This method requires the measurement of the properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and the density of the corona simultaneously.
In the past, these techniques were occasionally used in small regions of the corona, or some coronal loops due to limitations of our instruments/and proper data analysis techniques.
The CoMP instrument
The team used the improved measurements of the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP) and advanced data analysis to measure the coronal magnetic field.
CoMP is an instrument operated by High Altitude Observatory, of the U.S.
It is located at Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, near the summit of that volcano on the big island of Hawaii.
Why measure the solar magnetic field?
It is very important to measure the corneal magnetic fields regularly since the solar corona is highly dynamic and varies within seconds to a minute time scale. There are two main puzzles about the Sun which this advancement will help address:
(1) Coronal heating problem
Though the core of the Sun is at a temperature of about 15 million degrees, its outer layer, the photosphere is a mere 5700 degrees hot.
However, its corona or outer atmosphere, which stretches up to several million kilometres beyond its surface, is much, much hotter than the surface.
It is at a temperature of one million degrees or more.
What causes the atmosphere of the Sun (corona) to heat up again, though the surface (photosphere) is cooler than the interior? That is the question which has baffled solar physicists.
Popular attempts to explain this puzzle invoke the magnetic field of the corona. Hence the present work will help understand and verify these theories better.
(2) Mechanisms of eruptions of the Sun
The eruptions on the Sun include solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
These are driven by magnetic reconnections happening in the Sunâs corona.
Magnetic reconnection is a process where oppositely polarity magnetic field lines connect and some of the magnetic energy is converted to heat energy and also kinetic energy which leads to the generation of heating, solar flares, solar jets, etc.
Yesterday, August 7th was celebrated as the National Handloom Day. It was in 2015, the first National Handloom Day was celebrated.
Try this PYQ:
What was the immediate cause for the launch of the Swadeshi movement? (CSP 2010)
(a) The partition of Bengal done by Lord Curzon.
(b) A sentence of 18 months rigorous imprisonment imposed on Lokmanya Tilak.
(c) The arrest and deportation of Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh; and passing of the Punjab Colonization Bill.
(d) Death sentence pronounced on the Chapekar brothers.
Why 7th August?
With the partition of Bengal, the Swadeshi Movement gained strength.
It was on August 7, 1905, that a formal proclamation was made at the Calcutta Town Hall to boycott foreign goods and rely on Indian-made products.
What is handloom?
While different definitions for the word have evolved since the Handloom (Reservation and Articles for Production) Act, 1985, where âhandloomâ meant âany loom other than power loomâ, in recent years it has become more elaborate.
In 2012, a new definition was proposed: âHandloom means any loom other than power loom, and includes any hybrid loom on which at least one process of weaving requires manual intervention or human energy for production.â
Back2Basics: Swadeshi Movement
Credit to starting the Swadeshi movement goes to Baba Ram Singh Kuka of the Sikh Namdhari sect, whose revolutionary movements which heightened around 1871 and 1872.
It gained momentum with the partition of Bengal by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon in 1905 and continued up to 1911.
It was the most successful of the pre-Gandhian movements.
Its chief architects were Aurobindo Ghosh, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai, V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, Babu Genu.
Swadeshi, as a strategy, was a key focus of Mahatma Gandhi, who described it as the soul of Swaraj (self-rule). It was strongest in Bengal and was also called the Vandemataram movement in India.
Important phases of the Movement
1850 to 1904: developed by leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Gokhale, Ranade, Tilak, G. V. Joshi and Bhaswat K. Nigoni. This was also known as the First Swadeshi Movement.
1905 to 1917: Began in 1905, because of the partition of Bengal ordered by Lord Curzon.
In a resumption of bilateral and multilateral military exercises which were deferred due to coronavirus (COVID-19), India will take part in the Russian Kavkaz 2020 strategic command-post exercise next month.
Go through the list for once. UPSC may ask a match the pair type question asking exercise name and countries involved.
The Kavkaz 2020 is also referred to as Caucasus-2020.
The exercise is aimed at assessing the ability of the armed forces to ensure military security in Russia’s southwest, where serious terrorist threats persist and preparing for the strategic command-staff drills.
The main training grounds that will be involved are located in the Southern Military District.
The invitation for participation has been extended to at least 18 countries including China, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey apart from other Central Asian Republics part of the SCO.
Indian Railways introduced the first âKisan Railâ from Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar).
Try this question for mains:
Q.Discuss the role of agricultural marketing and logistics for doubling farmerâs income by 2022.
Kisan Rail
From Maharashtra’s Devlali to Bihar’s Danapur, the train will cover the journey of 1,519 kilometres in over 31 hours.
It will take stops at Nasik Road, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Itarsi, Jabalpur, Satna, Katni, Manikpur, Prayagraj Chheoki, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar and Buxar.
This train will help in bringing perishable agricultural products like vegetables, fruits to the market in a short period of time.
The train with frozen containers is expected to build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, inclusive of fish, meat and milk.
It is a step towards realizing the goal of doubling farmersâ incomes by 2022.
Other facts
Indian Railways have earlier run single commodity special trains like Banana Specials etc.
But this will be the first-ever multi-commodity trains and will carry fruits like Pomegranate, Banana, Grapes etc and vegetables like Capsicum, Cauliflower, Drumsticks, Cabbage, Onion, Chilies etc.
Seeking to completely overhaul Indiaâs education system, the Union Ministry of Education, formerly known as the Human Resource Development Ministry, introduced the National Education Policy 2020. The set of reforms encompasses a whole range of ideas and promises, from vocational education through schools to higher studies.
âEducation is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.â – Malcolm X
Backgrounder: Education Policies in India
Education Policy lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities -both the ‘foundational capacities ‘of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order‘ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem-solving â but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.
The implementation of previous policies on education has focused largely on issues of access and equity. The unfinished agenda of the National Policy on Education 1986, modified in 1992 (NPE 1986/92), is appropriately dealt with in this Policy. A major development since the last Policy of 1986/92 has been the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 which laid down legal underpinnings for achieving universal elementary education.
Evolution of Education Policy in India
University Education Commission (1948-49)
Secondary Education Commission (1952-53)
Education Commission (1964-66) under Dr D. S. Kothari
National Policy on Education, 1968
42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976- Education in Concurrent List
National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986
NPE 1986 Modified in 1992 (Programme of Action, 1992)
S.R. Subrahmanyam Committee Report (May 27, 2016)
K. Kasturirangan Committee Report (May 31, 2019)
Some of the major pathbreaking policies and their features:
Earlier major Educational Policies
(Year)
Key Features
1968
Based on the report and recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1964â1966)
Indiaâs first National Policy which called for a “radical restructuring” and proposed equal educational opportunities
It gave the “three-language formula” to be implemented in secondary education
1986
Introduced under Rajiv Gandhiâs Prime Ministership, expected to spend 6% of GDP on education for the 1st time
It called for “special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity”
It called for a “child-centered approach” in primary education, and launched “Operation Blackboard“
Also called for the creation of the “rural university” model, based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi
1992
1986 Policy modified in 1992 by the P.V. Narasimha Rao government
It laid down a Three â Exam Scheme: JEE/AIEEE/State EEE (Engineering Entrance Exam)
 The National Education Policy, 2020
It marks the fourth major policy initiative in education since Independence.
The last one has undertaken a good 34 years ago and modified in 1992.
Based on two committee reports and extensive nationwide consultations, NEP 2020 is sweeping in its vision and seeks to address the entire gamut of education from preschool to doctoral studies, and from professional degrees to vocational training.
Features of the 2020 policy:
1) Languages
A perfect mix: The policy raises the importance of mother tongue and regional languages; medium of instruction until class 5 and preferably beyond should be in these languages. Sanskrit and foreign languages will also be given emphasis.
No compulsion: The policy also states that no language will be imposed on the students.
More to clarify: The government clarified that the language policy in NEP is a broad guideline; and that it is up to the states, institutions and schools to decide the implementation.
2) School education
New structure of schooling: The “10 + 2” structure will be replaced with “5+3+3+4”.
Reforms in the exam: Instead of exams being held every academic year, school students will only answer three exams, in classes 3, 5 and 8.
Novel assessment by PARAKH: Board exams will be continued to be held for classes 10 and 12 but will be re-designed. Standards for this will be established by an assessment body PARAKH.
Report cards will be “holistic”, offering information about the student’s skills.
Inter-disciplinary approach: This policy aims at reducing the curriculum load of students and allowing them to be more “inter-disciplinary” and “multi-lingual”.
One example given was “If a student wants to pursue fashion studies with physics, or if one wants to learn bakery with chemistry, they’ll be allowed to do so.”
Software coding: Coding will be introduced from class 6 and experiential learning will be adopted.
The Midday Meal Scheme will be extended to include breakfasts. More focus will be given to students’ health, particularly mental health, through the deployment of counsellors and social workers.
3) Higher education
Revamped UG/PG courses: It proposes a multi-disciplinary bachelors degree in an undergraduate programme with multiple exit options.
MPhil (Masters of Philosophy) courses are to be discontinued to align degree education with how it is in Western models.
Increasing GER: A Higher Education Council of India (HECI) will be set up to regulate higher education. The Council’s goal will be to increase the gross enrollment ratio.
The HECI will have three verticals: National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC), to regulate higher education, including teacher education, while excluding medical and legal education; the National Accreditation Council (NAC), a “meta-accrediting body”; and the Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC), for funding and financing of universities and colleges.
This will replace the existing National Council for Teacher Education, All India Council for Technical Education and the University Grants Commission.
The National Testing Agency will now be given the additional responsibility of conducting entrance examinations for admissions to universities across the country, in addition to the JEE Main and NEET.
The policy proposes to internationalize education in India. Foreign universities can now set up campuses in India.
3) Teacher education
The NEP 2020 puts forward many policy changes when it comes to teachers and teacher education.
To become a teacher, a 4 year Bachelor of Education will be the minimum requirement needed by 2030.
The teacher recruitment process will also be strengthened and made transparent.
The National Council for Teacher Education will frame a National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education by 2021 and a National Professional Standards for Teachers by 2022.
4) Other changes
Under NEP 2020, numerous new educational institutes, bodies and concepts have been given legislative permission to be formed. This includes:
National Education Commission, headed by the PM of India
Academic Bank of Credit, a digital storage of credits earned to help resume education by utilising credits for further education
National Research Foundation, to improve research and innovation
Special Education Zones, to focus on the education of underrepresented group in disadvantaged regions
Gender Inclusion Fund, for assisting the nation in the education of female and transgender children
National Educational Technology Forum, a platform to facilitate the exchange of ideas on the technology used to improve learning
The policy proposes new language institutions such as the Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation and the National Institute/ Institutes for Pali, Persian and Prakrit. Other bodies proposed include the National Mission for Mentoring, National Book Promotion Policy, National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
Regulatory cholesterol is the bane of governance in India, with poor outcomes to boot.
An analysis: Hits and misses of the Policy
NEP 2020 is an amalgamation of need-based policy, cutting-edge research and best practices, paving the way for New India.
1) Targets âAntyodayaâ
With an extensive focus on universalizing access from early childhood to higher education, integrating over two crore out-of-school children, and concerted efforts directed at socio-economically disadvantaged groups, the policy ensures last-mile delivery, embodying âAntyodayaâ.
2) A revamped curriculum
Through a convergence of efforts and erasing traditional silos in workflows, early childhood care and education will be delivered through a new curriculum as well as a play- and activity-based pedagogy.
Along with a dedicated national mission for foundational literacy and numeracy, NEP 2020 will be significant for bolstering the most critical phases of learning, building a strong foundation for education.
3) Departure from the âoldâ school
NEP marks a departure from archaic practices and pedagogy.
Revamped curriculum, adult education, lifelong learning and the vision to ensure that half our learners have exposure to at least one vocational skill in the next five years is characteristic of the shift from rote to applied learning.
Through a skill gap analysis, practice-based curriculum and internships with local vocational experts, NEP 2020âs âLok Vidyaâ, echoes the PMâs clarion call of being âVocal for Localâ.
4) An evidence-based policy
With the NITI Aayogâs mandate to facilitate evidence-based policy, there is a strong belief in the fact that what canât be measured canât be improved.
Till date, India lacks a comprehensive system for regular, credible and comparable assessments of learning outcomes.
The MoHRD undertook a rigorous consultation process in formulating the draft policy – “Over two lakh suggestions from 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), 676 districts were received.
5) Focus on Teacherâs skilling
Teacher education is reimagined with a comprehensive curricular framework, multidisciplinary programmes and stringent action against substandard institutions.
Driven by SEQIâs vision for teacher adequacy and transparent systems for merit-based selection and deployment, online systems for teacher transfers and planning will ensure that the right teachers are in the right institutes.
6) Academic credit bank
The creation of an academic credit bank, the impetus to research, graded autonomy, internationalization and the development of special economic zones are vital to rebranding India as the higher education destination.
Further, multilingual education and efforts to enhance the knowledge of India could restore the countryâs educational heritage from the glory days of Takshashila and Nalanda â creating a system thatâs modern yet rooted.
7) Departure from over-regulation
NEP 2020 makes a bold prescription to free our schools, colleges and universities from periodic âinspectionsâ and place them on the path of self-assessment and voluntary declaration.
Transparency, maintaining quality standards and a favourable public perception will become a 24X7 pursuit for the institutions, leading to all-round improvement in their standard.
A single, lean body with four verticals for standards-setting, funding, accreditation and regulation is proposed to provide âlight but tightâ oversight.
8) Getting a job-ready generation
With the new policy coming in picture, the school and college education will not only be seen as a facilitator of degree but it will be treated as a medium to build personality and itâll help the students in their holistic professional growth.
The flexibility and autonomy now presented to the future workforce will enable them to explore a variety of options and build more relevant and in-demand skills rather than following traditional career paths.
9) Sweeping in vision
Based on two committee reports and extensive nationwide consultations, NEP 2020 is sweeping in its vision.
It seeks to address the entire gamut of education from preschool to doctoral studies, and from professional degrees to vocational training.
It acknowledges the 21st century need for mobility, flexibility, alternate pathways to learning, and self-actualization.
Issues with the policy
The new policy has tried to please all, and the layers are clearly visible in the document. It says all the right things and tries to cover all bases, often slipping off keel.
1) Lack of integration
In both the thinking, and in the document, there are lags, such as the integration of technology and pedagogy.
There are big gaps such as lifelong learning, which should have been a key element of upgrading to emerging sciences.
2) Language barrier
There is much in the document ripe for debate â such as language. The NEP seeks to enable home language learning up to class five, in order to improve learning outcomes.
Sure, early comprehension of concepts is better in the home language and is critical for future progress. If the foundations are not sound, learning suffers, even with the best of teaching and infrastructure.
But it is also true that a core goal of education is social and economic mobility, and the language of mobility in India is English.
3) Multilingualism debate
Home language succeeds in places where the ecosystem extends all the way through higher education and into employment. Without such an ecosystem in place, this may not be good enough.
The NEP speaks of multilingualism and that must be emphasised. Most classes in India are de facto bilingual.
Some states are blissfully considering this policy as a futile attempt to impose Hindi.
4) Lack of funds
According to Economic Survey 2019-2020, the public spending (by the Centre and the State) on education was 3.1% of the GDP.
A shift in the cost structure of education is inevitable.
While funding at 6% of GDP remains doubtful, it is possible that parts of the transformation are achievable at a lower cost for greater scale.
5) A move in haste
The country is grappled with months of COVID-induced lockdowns.
The policy had to have parliamentary discussions; it should have undergone a decent parliamentary debate and deliberations considering diverse opinions.
6) Overambitious
All aforesaid policy moves require enormous resources. An ambitious target of public spending at 6% of GDP has been set.
This is certainly a tall order, given the current tax-to-GDP ratio and competing claims on the national exchequer of healthcare, national security and other key sectors.
The exchequer itself is choked meeting the current expenditure.
7) Pedagogical limitations
The document talks about flexibility, choice, experimentation. In higher education, the document recognizes that there is a diversity of pedagogical needs.
If it is a mandated option within single institutions, this will be a disaster, since structuring a curriculum for a classroom that has both one-year diploma students and four-year degree studentsâ takes away from the identity of the institution.
8) Institutional limitations
A healthy education system will comprise of a diversity of institutions, not a forced multi-disciplinarily one.
Students should have a choice for different kinds of institutions.
The policy risks creating a new kind of institutional isomorphism mandated from the Centre.
9) Issues with examinations
Exams are neurotic experiences because of competition; the consequences of a slight slip in performance are huge in terms of opportunities.
So the answer to the exam conundrum lies in the structure of opportunity. India is far from that condition.
This will require a less unequal society both in terms of access to quality institutions, and income differentials consequent upon access to those institutions.
 Making it happen: Way Forward
This ambitious policy has a cost to be paid and the rest of the things dwells on its implementation in letter and spirit.
Public investment is considered extremely critical for achieving the high-quality and equitable public education system as envisaged by the policy, that is truly needed for India’s future economic, social, cultural, intellectual and technological progress and growth.
Implementation of the spirit and intent of the Policy is the most critical matter.
It is important to implement the policy initiatives in a phased manner, as each policy point has several steps, each of which requires the previous step to be implemented successfully.
Prioritization will be important in ensuring optimal sequencing of policy points, and that the most critical and urgent actions are taken up first, thereby enabling a strong base.
Next, comprehensiveness in implementation will be key; as this Policy is interconnected and holistic, only a full-fledged implementation, and not a piecemeal one, will ensure that the desired objectives are achieved.
Since education is a concurrent subject, it will need careful planning, joint monitoring, and collaborative implementation between the Centre and States.
Timely infusion of requisite resources – human, infrastructural, and financial – at the Central and State levels will be crucial for the satisfactory execution of the Policy.
Finally, careful analysis and review of the linkages between multiple parallel implementation steps will be necessary in order to ensure effective dovetailing of all initiatives.
Conclusion
Indiaâs political economy has simply not made quality education a top priority. What has changed in the last couple of decades is the explosion of aspiration and demand for education. But that demand has yet to be channelized into institutional change.
Its’ too early to judge
This policy is an ambitious and complex document and it has been adopted during a pandemic and a lockdown, which renders discussion and debate difficult.
It lays down a roadmap for the next two decades. But, there are many reasons why this policy needs close scrutiny, a full debate, for what it says and what it doesnât.
For instance, what are its implications for the majority of those covered under the acronym SEDGs (Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups) in the text?
This is particularly crucial as the document visualizes increased âbenignâ privatization of education, attempting to distinguish this from commercialization.
In a situation of growing privatization and the near-collapse of public institutions of higher education, how these policies will be implemented is a matter of concern.
There is no getting away from the need for a highway and device access for all, to enable the future of learning. The NEP is but one step towards freedom in education. So much, including the concepts of synchronous learning, of batch-processing and of provision as patronage is gone and we must embrace the change.
The article tracks the latest developments in the field of AI by the leading technology companies.
Integrating AI in the phone
Over the last few years, most mobile phone manufacturers have been content with design upgrades, apart from specs.
Samsung launched a device which has been able to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in its phones.
In the case of S-Pen, Samsung demonstrated that it has been able to reduce latency between pen operation and what appears on the screen to 9 milliseconds using predictive analysis.
Latency is a major concern in technologies like smart cars.
Samsung also showcased active noise cancellation, which again uses prediction analysis to drown out ambient noises.
Appleâs virtual event also focused on higher integration and more uses of AI.
Siri has become even smarter and is increasingly being integrated with more services.
The camera function of Apple devices, for instance, pieces together a picture using best angles to create the perfect image.
Samsung and Apple now can monitor health more accurately using their smartwatches.
Future scope
This indicates how much further we are moving towards a future with more edge computing.
This computing will power technologies like a smart car.
Given the progress in IoT, there is a huge likelihood that those betting early on AI integration will reap the biggest rewards of the connected living market.
Consider the question “What is artificial intelligence? How it could transform the world of technology?”
Conclusion
Integration of AI in the devices we use in everyday life holds a promising future for us. India must encourage its development.
The article suggests the 5 point strategy to balance the interest of borrowers and lenders. Banks hold the special significance for the country and so require special and stricter regulation.
Context
 COVID creates deep pain but we must resist consistently choosing borrowers over lenders.
We should persist with our multi-year five-pillar strategy to sustainably raise our Credit to GDP ratio from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.
Issue of lending
A modern economy grows by lending.
 But fiscal constraints or natural disasters often create temptations to disguise spending as lending.
The last 20 years have given three lessons:
1) Giving loans is easier than getting them back.
Corporate credit growing from Rs 18 lakh crore in 2008 to Rs 54 lakh crore in 2014 created a Rs 12 lakh crore bad loan problem.
2) Accounting fudging and restructuring would not help.
3) Government banks need more than capital.
Government banks’ risk-weighted assets are lower than two years ago despite a Rs 2 lakh crore capital infusion.
History recommends patiently balancing financial inclusion and stability by persisting with our five-pillar strategy.
1) Bank competition
Raising credit availability and lowering its price needs competition-driven innovation.
Capital should be chasing Indian banking given its high net interest margins, high market cap to book value ratios, and massive addressable market.
Yet, the RBIâs on-tap licencing has few applications pending.
We need many more banks.
2) Private bank governance
Private banks are only 30 per cent of deposits but 80 per cent of bank market capitalisation.
Private banks are a special species with 20 times leverage, but this makes privatised gains and socialised losses possible.
Recent failures suggest problems with public shareholder collective action and the attention, skill, and courage of board directors.
Private bank governance must move from a perpetual private fiefdom to trustees that hand over in better condition to the next generation.
3) Government bank governance
Over 10 years, government companies have sunk from 30 per cent of Indiaâs market capitalisation to 6 per cent.
Government banks mirror this decline â their 70 per cent bank deposit share translates to only 20 per cent bank market capitalisation share.
Many have irrational employee costs to market capitalisation ratios ex- Bank of India with 58 per cent.
We need only four government banks with strong governance and no tax access for capital.
4) RBIâs regulation and supervision
Recent failures in financial institutions reinforce the importance of statutory auditors, ethical conduct, shareholder self-interest, and risk management.
They also suggest a first-principles review that raises the RBIâs regulation and supervision.
Zero failure is impossible, but the RBI should boldly re-imagine its current mandate, structure and technology.
5) Non-bank regulatory space
Regulatory differences traditionally existed between banks and non-banks.
But progress in payments, MSME lending, and consumer credit suggest that non-banks are as important for financial inclusion.
They need more regulatory space and supervision.
Conclusion
We wonât test the RBIâs COVID worst-case scenario of 14.7 per cent bad loans but handling the inevitable COVID bank pain needs resisting short-termism. In the long run, we are not all dead.
Original article: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rbi-bank-and-the-covid-pain-india-gdp-6543101/
Post-academic research have a direct bearing on national development. India needs to focus on it along with academic research. This article explains this issue.
Context
The Government of India is in the process of revisiting the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy.
At this stage we need to ponder the question: what kind of research should be funded?
How to measure the maturity level of a particular technology?
Experts have come up with frameworks and terminology to provide a comprehensive picture and avoid any value judgement.
One approach was proposed by NASA in the form of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL).
TRL-1 corresponds to observation of basic principles. Its result is publications.
TRL-2 corresponds to formulation of technology at the level of concepts.
Then the TRL framework advances to proof of concept, validation in a laboratory environment, followed by a relevant environment, and then to prototype demonstration, and ending with actual deployment.
An alternative is to use the terminology âAcademic Research (AR)â, and âPost-Academic Research (PAR)â.
To provide some granularity, one can divide PAR into early-stage PAR, and late-stage PAR.
Late-stage PAR has to be done by large laboratories (national or those supported by industry).
AR and early-stage PAR can be done at higher education institutions and large laboratories.
Importance of Post-Academic Research(PAR)
From the perspective of national development, pursuit of AR alone, while necessary, is not sufficient.
AR and PAR, when pursued together and taken to their logical conclusion, will result in a product or a process,
Or it can also result in a better clinical practice, or a scientifically robust understanding of human health and disease, or provide inputs for a policy decision.
Issues in comparing investment in research among countries
1) We cannot compare data with other countries without having correspondence between Indiaâs data and data reported by others.
Countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report research statistics according to the Frascati Manual.
2) India has to decide where to increase investment: in AR or in PAR.
Research and national development
Investment in research can translate into national development only through pursuit of PAR.
Our industry has not reached a stage where they can absorb research being done by higher education institutions.
This reveals that research being pursued is either not addressing national needs or is limited to AR.
Way forward
Judging the growth of Science-and-Technology based only on publications (e.g. research papers) provides an incomplete picture.
We should increasing the technology intensity of industry, which was identified as one of the goals of the STI policy issued in 2013.
This needs reiteration and a mechanism should be devised to monitor progress with the objective of becoming an âAtmanirbhar Bharatâ.
The STI policy should emphasise PAR to ensure that investment in research results in economic growth.
To motivate the research community to pursue at least early-stage PAR, the reward system needs significant reorientation.
Academics in higher education institutions pursuing AR should pursue early-stage PAR themselves, or team up with those who are keen to pursue PAR.
Consider the question “Examine the factors that responsible for the lack of research and development in India? Also, elaborate on the importance of post-academic research in the country.”
Conclusion
These factors are sufficient to indicate that academic research is necessary, but not sufficient and we must focus on PAR adequately.
The Supreme Court has referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench a batch of petitions challenging the 103rd Constitution Amendment of 2019 that provides 10% reservation for Economically Backward Section (EWS).
Try this question for mains:
Q.What are the various constitutional challenges posed by the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act?
What does the reference mean?
A reference to a larger Bench means that the legal challenge is an important one.
As per Article 145(3) of the Constitution, âthe minimum number of Judges who are to sit for the purpose of deciding any case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitutionâ shall be five.
The Supreme Court rules of 2013 also say that writ petitions that allege a violation of fundamental rights will generally be heard by a bench of two judges unless it raises substantial questions of law.
In that case, a five-judge bench would hear the case.
Laws made by Parliament are presumed to be constitutional until proven otherwise in court.
The SC had refused to stay the 103rd Amendment. A reference will make no difference to the operation of the EWS quota.
What is the 103rd amendment about?
It provides for 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for EWS, by amending Articles 15 and 16 that deal with the fundamental right to equality.
While Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, Article 16 guarantees equal opportunity in matters of public employment.
An additional clause was added to both provisions, giving Parliament the power to make special laws for EWS as it does for SCs, STs and OBCs.
The states are to notify who constitute EWS to be eligible for reservation.
Issues with the law
The SC agreed that the case involved at least three substantial questions of law, whether:
First, itviolates the Basic Structure of the Constitution. This argument stems from the view that the special protections guaranteed to socially disadvantaged groups is part of the Basic Structure and that the 103rd Amendment departs from this by promising special protections on the sole basis of economic status.
Second, itviolates the SCâs 1992 ruling in Indra Sawhney Case, which upheld the Mandal Report and capped reservations at 50%. In the ruling, the court held that economic backwardness cannot be the sole criterion for identifying backward class.
The third challenge has been of private, unaided educational institutions. They have argued that their fundamental right to practise a trade/profession is violated when the state compels them to implement its reservation policy and admit students on any criteria other than merit.
What are the governmentâs arguments?
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment filed counter-affidavits to defend the amendment.
When a law is challenged, the burden of proving it unconstitutional lies on the petitioners.
The government argued that under Article 46 of the Constitution, part of DPSP, it has a duty to protect the interests of economically weaker sections.
1) The very identity of the Constitution has not been altered.
2) Countering the claims about Indra Sawhney principle, the government relied on a 2008 rulingâ Ashok Kumar Thakur v Union of India, in which the SC upheld the 27% quota for OBCs. Here, the court accepted that the definition of OBCs was not made on the sole criterion of caste but a mix of caste and economic factors, to prove that there need not a sole criterion for according reservation.
3) For the unaided institutions, the government argued that the Constitution allows the Parliament to place âreasonable restrictionsâ on the right to carry on trade.
B2BASICS
What are the significances of the EWS quota?
Address economic inequality: Currently, the economically weaker sections of citizens have remained excluded from attending higher educational institutions and public employment due to their financial incapacity. Therefore, the 10% quota is progressive and could address the issues of educational and income inequality in India.
Constitutional recognition:The proposed reservation through a constitutional amendment would give constitutional recognition to the poor from the upper castes.
Remove stigma associated with Reservation: It will gradually remove the stigma associated with reservation because reservation has historically been related with caste and most often the upper caste look down upon those who come through the reservation.
What are the challenges before the EWS quota?
1.Eligibility criteria:
Critics claim that the 8 lakh income threshold is very high and will practically cover nearly all population not already covered by reservations.
Notably, NSSO and IT department data shows that at least 95% of Indian families will fall within this limit.
Other eligibility criteria have also claimed to be flawed.
2.Sole economic criteria:
The Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney judgement has maintained that a backward class cannot be determined mainly with respect to the economic criterion.
Hence introducing reservation based on economic criteria would invite judicial scrutiny.
3.50 percent limit:
The SC has put a cap for reservations at 50% â the current proposal will exceed the limit and hence could be legally challenged.
4.Determining economic backwardness:
This is a  major challenge as there are concerns regarding the inclusion and exclusion of persons under the criteria.
5.Enforcement:
The implementation of the legislation would also be a great challenge since the states do not have the finances to enforce even the present and constitutionally mandated reservations.
Shrinking jobs:
When the government is trying to restrict its public services through the advancement of technology in the government system, providing quota in jobs will be a useless move.
6.Encouraging reservations:Â
The intent of constitutional makers as originally manifested via Article 15 and 16 was to be reviewed after 10 years. However, instead of restricting the policy of positive discrimination, the government is pushing it in some or other forms.
7.Populist initiative:
When elections are near, many populistsâ measures are put forward by political parties such as loan waiver, reservations, etc. Considering the low levels of political literacy and awareness among masses, political parties take leverage of the same thus impacting the socio-economic and political structure at large.
8.Lack of proofs to back the outcomes:
Even after years of reservation policy, there are no considerable pieces of evidence to support the achievements of the original intent of affirmative action. For instance, only about 4 percent each of rural Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste households have a member in a government job.
9.Lack of Level Playing Field:
It has to be noted that the Upper ladder in the reserved category are mainly benefitted from the policy whereas the benefits do not reach the marginalized. It may also happen with respect to reservation based on economic criteria as well.
What is the way forward?
One-time usage:Â Make sure that beneficiaries use their reserved category status only once in their lifetime. For example, a person shall not be allowed to use the reservation for jobs if he/she has already used it for college admissions. Aadhaar can be utilized for this purpose in order to prohibit the second usage.
Quality of education:Â The government should focus on quality in addition to access. For instance, it is no use to give reservation to the poor people in college admission if the quality of the education is low = they get no job. Hence, the quality of education should be given due attention from the primary school stage itself.
Vocational education:Â should be promoted with the necessary skills and knowledge to make them industry ready.
Entrepreneurship:Â Create a spirit of entrepreneurship and make them job giver instead of a job seeker.
Social upliftment measures:Â Alternative as well as effective social upliftment measures should be adopted instead of just focussing on reservation aspect.
