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  • [Burning issue] Future of Reservations in India

    reservation

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    Context

    • In the recent EWS judgment by the Supreme Court, Three judges on the Constitution Bench said the policy of reservation in education and employment cannot continue for an indefinite period.
    • The statement made highlights the issue of reservations in India. Therefore, this edition of the burning issue will analyze the issue of reservations in India, its future, challenges and way forward.

    About the Reservation Policy of India

    • Reservation is a system of affirmative action in India that provides for historically disadvantaged groups.
    • The legal origin of the Reservation Policy in India began with the lying down of the Government of India Act, of 1919, and the Communal award in 1932.
    • Post-independence, based on provisions in the Indian Constitution (Article 15, Article 16 and Article 335), it allows the Union Government and the States and Territories of India to set reserved quotas or seats, which lower the qualifications needed in exams, jobs openings, university admissions, scholarships, promotions, etc. for “socially and educationally backward citizens.
    • Reservation is primarily given to all 4 groups: Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker Section, abbreviated as SC, ST, OBC, and EWS respectively. Originally only SC and ST communities were eligible for reservation.
    • In 1987, it was extended to include OBCs after the implementation of the Mandal Commission report. In 2019, the reservation was extended for the Economically Weaker Section within the General Category, however, all the categories mentioned receive different monetary values for their reservation: usually SC, and ST draws higher quota or benefits, then OBC, then EWS.

    Constitutional provisions regarding the reservation

    The Constitution of India lays down certain provisions regarding the reservation in India, namely:

    • Article 15(4) of the Indian Constitution states that the State has the right to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
    • Article 15(5) of the Indian Constitution states provisions created for the reservation of SC, ST, and Backward classes in private educational institutions.
    • Article 16(4) of the Indian Constitution states that the State has the right to make provisions for the reservation to provide adequate representation of all the castes in Government services.
    • Article 330 and 332 of the Indian Constitution provides for specific representation through the reservation of seats for SCs and STs in the Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies respectively.

    Current situation of reservations in India

    • Currently, Reservation is given to different categories of applicants in educational institutions or government jobs.
    • Scheduled Castes get 15%, Scheduled Tribe -7.5%, Other Backward Class (OBC) -27%, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)-10%, and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities get 4% reservation.
    • From above, it is clear that 60% reservation is given to various categories such as SCs, STs, OBC, and EWS with respect to government jobs and educational institutions.
    • Initially, the reservation was provided based on social and educational backwardness. But, after the 103rd Constitutional Amendment of 2019, economic backwardness was also considered for reservation.
    • Every state has the right to reserve certain seats for underprivileged people. The state-wise distribution of reservations varies from state to state. For example, The total reservation in Maharashtra State was 52%, Tamil Nadu has 69% reservation etc.

    The biggest debate related to Reservations: Should reservations continue?

    Yes, it should!

    • The low representation of Reserved communities: According to data presented by the Education Minister in the Rajya Sabha, in Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, only 2.1 per cent of candidates admitted to the Ph.D. programs were from the ST category, 9 per cent were from SC and 8 per cent from OBC categories from 2016-2020. Most of the IITs do not have a single professor from the SC/ST community.
    • Still lack equal opportunity: Even though India is progressing, still there is a need to provide reservations to certain classes of society. It is the duty of the government to provide equal opportunity and status to unprivileged people. Even today many people belong to the lower caste and do not have access to equal opportunity and status.
    • Discrimination continuing: the real purpose of introducing reservation was to break the age-old caste prejudices and discrimination against the reserved communities. But, Even after years of independence, the lower caste people are looked upon in the same way they were some years ago. Great caste discrimination still exists in rural areas.
    • Gives a Level Playing field: Reservation provides a level playing field as it is difficult for the backward sections who were historically deprived of education, skills, and economic mobility to suddenly start competing with those who had access to those means for centuries.
    • Reducing opportunities for reserved community: since LPG reforms, the privatization of PSU and the education sector has led to reduced opportunities for the reserved communities due to a lack of reservation in the private sector hence reservations in public institutions seem to be a tool to compete with general category candidates.

    The flip side. Reservation should not continue!

    • Causing a “race to backwardness”: the reservation policy has led to race among several new communities, even dominant regional caste groups to demand reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.   
    • Becoming redundant: Reservation through a caste-based system has become redundant in the modern age and is taking away opportunities from those who are underprivileged in economical terms.
    • Strengthening casteism: Moreover, the reservation system only divides the society leading to discrimination and conflicts between different sections since it is oppressive and does not find its basis in casteism. It is promoting casteism in India.
    • Ever widening quotas: with new castes, categories and tribal communities being added to the list the beneficiaries of the reservations, the quantum of the reservation is increasing year by year, breaching the 50% quota limit set by SC in the Indira Sawney case.
    • Loss of original purpose of reservations: According to Surith Parthasarthy, Advocate Madras HC, the reservation policy today has lost its original purpose to end the prejudice against certain communities and correct historical injustice. But today it has become a tool to gain public employment and seats in public educational institutes.
    • Reservation is not a fundamental right: It is a settled law, time and again reiterated by the Supreme Court, that there is no fundamental right to reservation or promotion under Article 16(4) or Article 16(4 A) of the Constitution. Rather they are enabling provisions for providing reservation if the circumstances so warrant (Mukesh Kumar and Another vs State of Uttarakhand & Ors. 2020).
    • An inefficient system: TheJustice G. Rohini Commission’s report concluded that 97% of central OBC quota benefits go to just under 25% of its castes. As many as 983 OBC communities — 37% of the total — have zero representation in both central government jobs and admissions to central universities. Also, the report states that just 10% of the OBC communities have accrued 24.95% of jobs and admissions.
    • Opening pandora box: the reservation issue is giving rise to new challenges like the demand for caste census, the definition of creamy layers, reservation in the private sector, domicile-based reservations etc.

    Important Supreme Court cases related to Reservations

    Indra Sawhney Judgment (1992)

    • In the judgment, a nine-judge bench presided by CJI MH Kania upheld the constitutionality of the 27% reservation.
    • But it put a ceiling of 50% unless exceptional circumstances warranted the breach so that the constitutionally guaranteed right to equality under Article 14 would remain secure.
    • While Article 16(1) is a fundamental right, Article 16(4) is an enabling provision and not an exception.
    • Further, the Court directed the exclusion of the creamy layer by way of horizontal division of every other backward class into creamy layer and non-creamy layer.

    M. Nagaraj (2006) Case

    • A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court declared the 1995 amendment as not vocative of the basic structure of the Constitution.
    • It laid down certain conditions which included the collection of quantifiable data showing the backwardness of the class and inadequacy of representation of that class in public employment.
    • The bench held that the creamy layer among SCs and STs is to be excluded from the reservation.

    Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta (2018)

    • It was authored by Justice Rohinton Nariman and indicates a critical turn in the jurisprudence of reservation.
    • In this case, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court was called on to examine the wisdom of the 2006 judgment.
    • This task was to examine the constitutionally recognized socio-economic backwardness of the SCs and STs which may not require any further substantiation.
    • It was also contended that the requirement to identify creamy lawyers among SC and STs fell foul of Indra Sawhney’s decision.
    • The constitution bench invalidated the requirement to collect quantifiable data in relation to SCs and STs.
    • It upheld the principle of applicability of creamy lawyers in relation to SCs and STs.

    Dr. Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil vs Chief Minister (2021)

    • Despite the Indra Sawhney ruling, there have been attempts on the part of many States to breach the rule by way of expanding reservation coverage.
    • The Maharashtra Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act 2018, (Maratha reservation law) came under challenge before the Supreme Court.
    • This case was referred to a bench of five judges to question whether the 1992 judgment needs a relook.
    • Interestingly, the Supreme Court affirmed the Indra Sawhney decision and struck down Section 4(1)(a) and Section 4(1)(b) of the Act which provided 12% reservation for Marathas in educational institutions and 13% reservation in public employment respectively.
    • This judgment gave out a strong message that some State governments blatantly disregard the stipulated ceiling on electoral gains rather than any exceptional circumstances.

    What is needed right now- Reforms!

    • Evidence-based policy option: We need to develop a wide variety of context-sensitive, evidence-based policy options that can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of specific groups.
    • Institution: We need an institution like the Equal Opportunities Commission of the United States or the United Kingdom which can undertake two important but interrelated things: Make a deprivation index correlating data from the socio-economic-based census of different communities. And Undertake an audit on the performance of employers and educational institutions on non-discrimination and equal opportunity and issue codes of good practice in different sectors.
    • This will make the formulation of policy and its monitoring simpler at an institutional level.
    • Similar suggestions were made a decade ago in the recommendations that the expert committee for an Equal Opportunities Commission (2008) made in its comprehensive report that it submitted to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

    Conclusion

    • The policy of reservation can be fair and effective if it acts as affirmative action for the benefit of the backward sections of society. To meet the aim of the reservation policy, its aid should reach the majority of the population which is considered an underprivileged section of society.
    • In the present time, there is a need to revise the reservation policy of India so that the benefit can reach the marginalized sections of the deprived classes. But while revising the reservation policy, we must ensure that the benefit of the reservation should reach the socially, economically, and educationally backward sections of society. Social, educational and economic criteria should be taken cumulatively to determine the backward classes of the society.

    As Justice Ravindran in the Ashok Kumar Thakur vs Union of India case rightly said, “When more people aspire for backwardness rather than of forwardness, the country itself stagnates”.

  • 12th Nov 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    12th Nov 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

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  • Giving More Autonomy to Universities

    Universities

    Context

    • It is sad but not surprising that none of India’s institutions of higher education appears in the list of top 100 universities of the world.

    Background: Ranking of the of the Indian Institutes

    • According to the QS World ranking: The 2023 edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world university ranking reckons that three of India’s higher educational institutions amongst the top 200 of the World. Another three are counted among the top 300 whereas two more in the top 400.
    • As per the Times Higher education Ranking: The Times Higher Education (THE) ranking places only one Indian institution among the top 400 of the worlds.
    • Academic rankings: Rankings are the same with the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). Barring one of the most eminent public-funded deemed universities of the country, all the rest are Institutions of National Importance (INIs) the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), to be specific.

    Why other universities reflect poor performance than IITs and INIs?

    • IITs have more autonomy: IITs are not only better funded but also generally self-governed, enjoying a greater degree of autonomy as they fall outside the regulatory purview of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
    • Strict UGC regulations: Funded through the University Grants Commission (UGC), universities are all subject to a very strict regulatory regime.
    • Micro-management of universities functioning: Abiding by UGC regulations and AICTE guidelines, encompasses almost all aspects of their functioning be it faculty recruitment, student admission and the award of degrees. In many cases, they are micro-managed by the regulatory authorities.
    • Very less autonomy to UGC affiliated Universities: Most of the universities have become so comfortable with the practice that they rarely assert their autonomy.
    • Ranking on basis of compliance: Central universities in the country are also ranked on the basis of their ‘obedience’ to regulatory compliances. Even in the academic domain, many of them are comfortable in publicly stating that they have adopted the model curricula, pedagogy and syllabi prescribed by the regulatory bodies, even though the same may have been only indicative.

    Universities

    What are the good practices of best universities around the world?

    • Importance to autonomy: The best universities in the world are continuously sensitized about the importance of their autonomy and are trained and enabled to make their own decisions.
    • University autonomy tool for comparison: The European University Association (EUA), for example, prescribes a ‘university autonomy tool’ that lets each member university compare its level of autonomy vis-à-vis the other European higher education systems across all member countries.
    • Four specific autonomies for ranking: By focusing on four autonomy areas (organizational, financial, staffing, and academic) the EUA computes composite scores and ranks all the countries in Europe.

    Universities

    What are the efforts taken to improve the universities performance?

    • National education policy 2020: A large number of commissions and committees, including the national policies on education (including the National Education Policy 2020), have highlighted the need for higher education autonomy. The new education policy seeks to completely overhaul the higher education system, and to attain this objective, repeatedly emphasizes the need for institutional autonomy.
    • Academic and administrative autonomy: The NEP regards academic and administrative autonomy essential for making higher education multi-disciplinary, and that teacher and institutional autonomy are a sine qua non in promoting creativity and innovation.
    • Independent board of management: The policy considers a lack of autonomy as one of the major problems of higher education and promises to ensure faculty and institutional autonomy through a highly independent and empowered board of management which would be vested with academic and administrative autonomy.
    • Light but tight regulation: It argues for a ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework and insists that the new regulatory regime would foster a culture of empowerment. Further, it goes on to say that by relying on a robust system of accreditation, all higher education institutions would gradually gain full academic and administrative autonomy.

    Conclusion

    • Universities in India have been losing their autonomy. In the two years since the approval, announcement, and gradual implementation of the NEP, universities in India today are far less autonomous than earlier. If India wants to be leader in knowledge and patent economy then its universities must be freed from clutches of unreasonable regulations.

    Mains Question

    Q. Why Indian universities does poor on world ranking of universities? Autonomy of university is keystone to improve the performance of universities. Examine.

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  • Making the Indigenous Defence Industry Self-Reliant and Globally Competitive

    Defence

    Context

    • Defence-Expo 2022 held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in October drew attention to a major policy initiative, the need for India to acquire the appropriate degree of “atma nirbharata” (self-reliance) in the defence sector and the arduous path ahead.

    What is the present status of defence supplies in India?

    • High dependency on foreign supply: Even as India aspires to become a $5-trillion economy, it is evident that it faces many national security inadequacies. The high dependency index on foreign suppliers (traditionally the former USSR now Russia) for major military inventory items is stark.
    • Risk of National vulnerability: This dependency induces a macro national vulnerability and dilutes India’s quest for meaningful and credible strategic autonomy.
    • Undermining national interest: Furthermore, the current gaps in combat capacity expose the chinks in the Indian ability to safeguard core national security interests. The Galwan setback apropos China is illustrative.

    Defence

    Do you know the following examples of Indigenous defence production?

    • INS Vikrant: The commissioning of the indigenously-designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
    • SLBM Missiles: The recent test fired SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) from the INS Arihant is indigenously bulit.
    • LCH Prachand: The induction of the made in India Prachand LCH (light combat helicopter) is significant leap.
    • Kalashnikov-type light weapon: The conclusion of a deal with Russia to manufacture a Kalashnikov-type light weapon/small arms in India.
    • 155mm artillery Gun: The 155-mm artillery guns being designed and manufactured in the country.

    Current scenario of India’s Defence export

    • Rising defence export: India’s defence exports have grown eight times in the last five years.
    • Exporting the defence material to 75 nations: India is exporting defence materials and equipment to more than 75 countries of the world. In 2021-22, defence exports from India reached $1.59 billion (about Rs 13,000 crore).
    • Target of $5 billion export: The government has now set a target of $5 billion (Rs 40,000 crore).” This is an ambitious target and will demand mission-mode resolve to be realised.

    Why our defence industry is not competitive at global stage?

    • Import of critical components: India does not yet have the domestic competence to fully design and manufacture any significant combat weapon/platform and is dependent on the foreign supplier for the critical components that lie at the core of the combat index of the equipment in question.
    • Partial methods of indigenous manufacturing: While it is commendable that India is now going to manufacture the C295 transport aircraft in a collaboration with AirBus, France, the reality is that the engine, avionics, landing gear, etc, will come from abroad and the integration will be done by the Indian entity.
    • Soft defence export: While India now claims that it will soon become a major arms exporter, the composition of such inventory leans towards the “soft” category (clothing, helmets, surveillance equipment).
    • No major defence manufacturing hub: India missed the industrial design and manufacturing bus, a national competence demonstrated by nations like South Korea and China, over the last five decades. Technological advances have made the design and manufacture of the semiconductor chip the new currency of national prosperity and military power.

    Ways to make India’s defence industry globally competitive?

    • Increasing the investment in R&D is necessary: At the heart of this challenge is the grim reality that historically, India has not invested enough in the national research and development (R&D) effort. As per data collated by the World Bank, India has been able to allocate only 0.66 per cent of GDP (2018) towards R&D, while the world average is 2.63 per cent.
    • Matching with the Global players in R&D: The comparable individual R&D allocation (per cent of GDP) for some other nations is as follows: Israel 5.44; USA 3.45; Japan 3.26; Germany 3.14; China 2.4; and Turkey 1.09.
    • Making the R&D prior national issue: Providing a sustained fillip to the national R&D effort across the board (state, corporate and academia) remains critical if India is to emerge as a credible military power and one would identify this as a high-priority issue for the national security apex the CCS (cabinet committee on security).

    defence

    Read this news Defence- Expo 2022

    • India’s flagship exhibition on land, naval and homeland security systems.
    • Defence-Expo 2022 was the 12th edition, held in Gandhinagar, Gujrat
    • Largest participation with 75 countries so far.
    • A milestone under Atmanirbhar Bharat policy.

    Conclusion

    • The push to achieve self-reliance in defence is commendable. India must step up R&D to achieve competence in design, manufacture of combat weapons/platforms. Meaningful indigenisation and credible “atma nirbharta” calls for sustained funding support, fortitude and an ecosystem that will nurture this effort.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the current state of indigenous defence production in India? Why Indian defence industry is not Globally competitive?

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  • In news: Kisan Rail Project

    kisan rail

    Punjab has assured Kerala Government to provide paddy straw for usage as fodder for livestock using the Kisan Rail Project.

    Why such move?

    • Kerala, being a land-stressed coastal state, does not generate enough roughage that can be used as fodder for cattle.
    • It ranks second in milk production after Punjab.
    • The move will help Punjab to deal with the excessive paddy straw which contributes to stubble burning.

    About Kisan Rail Project

    • In the Union Budget 2020-21 an announcement was made by the Union Finance Minister regarding the launch of Kisan Rail.
    • The idea behind running Kisan Rail services is to move perishables including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fishery and dairy products from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions.
    • The speedy rail movement would thus ensure minimum damage during transit.

    How can farmers transport their produce?

    • The farmers have to approach the Chief Parcel Supervisor of the Railway Stations from where the Kisan Rail service is scheduled to originate or to have enroute stoppage, along with their consignment.
    • Due care is taken to ensure that the packing condition is not faulty.
    • The consignment is weighed and charges are levied as per the prescribed parcel rates (P-scale).

    Salient features

    • 50 percent subsidy is given in freight for transportation of fruits and vegetables.
    • The subsidy is being borne by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under their Operation Greens – TOP to Total scheme.
    • There is no minimum limit on quantity that can be booked, enabling small famers to reach bigger and distant markets.
    • Kisan Rails are based on the concept of multi commodity, multi consignor, multi consignee and multi stoppages – to help small farmers with lesser produce to transport their consignment without any middleman.

    Need for such scheme

    • Farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, often find it difficult to sell their produce in markets beyond a certain distance.
    • This is primarily due to factors such as non-availability of affordable transport, delay in transit resulting in damage/decay to produce, and unwillingness of road transporters to carry small sized consignments.

    Benefits provided

    • Access to markets: Vast network of Indian Railways enables farmers from remote villages to connect to the mainstream market and sell their agricultural produce.
    • Helps prevent food wastage: It saves times and encourages farmers to transport their perishables to greater distances and bigger markets.
    • Getting better deal for farmers: Kisan Rail is a factor enabling improvement in terms of trade for farmers and the real returns received by farmers for their produce.
    • Doubling farmers’ income: Access to such markets will enable farmers to sell their produce at a better price, which will go a long way in fulfilling Government’s vision of ‘doubling farmers’ income.’

     

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  • Back in news: Supreme Court Collegium

    The Supreme Court has lambasted the Centre for withholding names recommended or reiterated by the collegium for judicial appointments, even saying that the government is using silence and inaction as “some sort of a device” to force worthy candidates and prominent lawyers to withdraw their consent.

    Why in news?

    • The Union Law Minister since few months has launched a relentless attack on the collegium system for lack of transparency.

    What exactly is the Collegium System?

    • The collegium system was born out of years of friction between the judiciary and the executive.
    • The hostility was further accentuated by instances of court-packing (the practice of changing the composition of judges in a court), mass transfer of HC judges and two supersessions to the office of the CJI in the 1970s.
    • The Three Judges cases saw the evolution of the collegium system.

    Evolution: The Judges Cases

    • First Judges Case (1981) ruled that the “consultation” with the CJI in the matter of appointments must be full and effective.
    • However, it rejected the idea that the CJI’s opinion, albeit carrying great weight, should have primacy.
    • Second Judges Case (1993) introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”.
    • It added that it was not the CJI’s individual opinion, but an institutional opinion formed in consultation with the two senior-most judges in the Supreme Court.
    • Third Judges Case (1998): On a Presidential Reference for its opinion, the Supreme Court, in the Third Judges Case (1998) expanded the Collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior-most colleagues.

    How does the collegium system work?

    • The collegium of the CJI and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court make recommendations for appointments to the apex court and High Courts.
    • The collegium can veto the government if the names are sent back by the latter for reconsideration.
    • The basic tenet behind the collegium system is that the judiciary should have primacy over the government in matters of appointments and transfers in order to remain independent.

    The procedure followed by the Collegium

    Appointment of CJI

    • The President of India appoints the CJI and the other SC judges.
    • As far as the CJI is concerned, the outgoing CJI recommends his successor.
    • In practice, it has been strictly by seniority ever since the supersession controversy of the 1970s.
    • The Union Law Minister forwards the recommendation to the PM who, in turn, advises the President.

    Other SC Judges

    • For other judges of the top court, the proposal is initiated by the CJI.
    • The CJI consults the rest of the Collegium members, as well as the senior-most judge of the court hailing from the High Court to which the recommended person belongs.
    • The consultees must record their opinions in writing and it should form part of the file.
    • The Collegium sends the recommendation to the Law Minister, who forwards it to the Prime Minister to advise the President.

    For High Courts

    • The CJs of High Courts are appointed as per the policy of having Chief Justices from outside the respective States. The Collegium takes the call on the elevation.
    • High Court judges are recommended by a Collegium comprising the CJI and two senior-most judges.
    • The proposal, however, is initiated by the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned in consultation with two senior-most colleagues.
    • The recommendation is sent to the Chief Minister, who advises the Governor to send the proposal to the Union Law Minister.

    Does the Collegium recommend transfers too?

    • Yes, the Collegium also recommends the transfer of Chief Justices and other judges.
    • Article 222 of the Constitution provides for the transfer of a judge from one High Court to another.
    • When a CJ is transferred, a replacement must also be simultaneously found for the High Court concerned. There can be an acting CJ in a High Court for not more than a month.
    • In matters of transfers, the opinion of the CJI “is determinative”, and the consent of the judge concerned is not required.
    • However, the CJI should take into account the views of the CJ of the High Court concerned and the views of one or more SC judges who are in a position to do so.
    • All transfers must be made in the public interest, that is, “for the betterment of the administration of justice”.

    Loopholes in the Collegium system

    • Lack of Transparency: Opaqueness and a lack of transparency, and the scope for nepotism are cited often.
    • Judges appointing Judge: The attempt made to replace it with a ‘National Judicial Appointments Commission was struck down by the court in 2015 on the ground that it posed a threat to the independence of the judiciary.
    • Criteria: Some do not believe in full disclosure of reasons for transfers, as it may make lawyers in the destination court chary of the transferred judge. It has even been accused of nepotism.

    Way ahead

    • In respect of appointments, there has been an acknowledgment that the “zone of consideration” must be expanded to avoid criticism that many appointees hail from families of retired judges.
    • The status of a proposed new memorandum of procedure, to infuse greater accountability, is also unclear.
    • Even the majority of opinions admitted the need for transparency, now Collegiums’ resolutions are now posted online, but reasons are not given.

     

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  • SC orders release of all convicts in Ex-PM Assassin Case

    sc

    The Supreme Court has ordered for the immediate release of six convicts who are serving life sentence for more than three decades in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

    What is the news?

    • The Bench referred to the case of their former co-convict G. Perarivalan, who was granted premature release by the apex court this year in exercise of its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.

    What does Pardon mean?

    • A pardon is a government/executive decision to allow a person to be absolved of guilt for an alleged crime or other legal offense as if the act never occurred.

    Why need a Pardon?

    • Pardons can be granted when individuals are deemed to have demonstrated that they have “paid their debt to society”, or are otherwise considered to be deserving of them.
    • Pardons are sometimes offered to persons who were either wrongfully convicted or who claim that they were wrongfully convicted.
    • Pardons are sometimes seen as a mechanism for combating corruption, allowing a particular authority to circumvent a flawed judicial process to free someone that is seen as wrongly convicted.

    What does Article 161 say?

    • Article 161 of the Constitution provides the Governor with the power to remit or commute the sentence of any prisoner.
    • The Governor’s decision will be subject to judicial review by the constitutional courts.
    • The advice of the State Cabinet is binding on the Governor in matters relating to commutation/remission of sentences under Article 161.

    Why did the Supreme Court intervene here?

    • In its judgment in the Perarivalan case in May, the apex court had held that the State Cabinet’s advice was binding on the Governor under Article 161 (Governor’s power of clemency) of the Constitution.
    • The Governor had no business forwarding the pardon pleas to the President after sitting on it for years together.

    Back2Basics: Article 142

    • Article 142 provides discretionary power to the Supreme Court.
    • It states that the court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
    • Such decree shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament.
    • It is usually used in cases involving human rights and environmental protection.

     

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  • US removes India from its Currency Monitoring List

    The United States’ Department of Treasury has removed India from its Currency Monitoring List. India had been on the list for the last two years for alleged manipulation of Rupee.

    What is Currency Manipulation?

    • Currency manipulation refers to actions taken by governments to change the value of their currencies relative to other currencies in order to bring about some desirable objective.
    • It is a designation applied by the US Department of the Treasury, to countries that engage in what is called “unfair currency practices” that give them a trade advantage.
    • The typical claim – often doubtful – is that countries manipulate their currencies in order to make their exports effectively cheaper on the world market and in turn make imports more expensive.

    Why do countries manipulate their currencies?

    • In general, countries prefer their currency to be weak because it makes them more competitive on the international trade front.
    • A lower currency makes a country’s exports more attractive because they are cheaper on the international market.
    • For example, a weak Rupee makes Indian exports less expensive for offshore buyers.
    • Secondly, by boosting exports, a country can use a lower currency to shrink its trade deficit.
    • Finally, a weaker currency alleviates pressure on a country’s sovereign debt obligations.
    • After issuing offshore debt, a country will make payments, and as these payments are denominated in the offshore currency, a weak local currency effectively decreases these debt payments.

    US treasury’s criteria for currency monitoring

    To be labelled a manipulator by the U.S. Treasury:

    • Countries must at least have a $20 billion-plus bilateral trade surplus with the US
    • foreign currency intervention exceeding 2% of GDP and a global current account surplus exceeding 2% of GDP

    Which are the countries under this list?

    • China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan are the seven economies that are a part of the current Currency Monitoring List.
    • China’s failure to publish foreign exchange intervention and broader lack of transparency around key features of its exchange rate mechanism.

     

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  • Species in news: Himalayan Gray Langur

    langur

    Differences in altitude make a primate species in the same Himalayan habitat choose between flowers and fruits as food options beyond their staple menu of leaves, a new study has revealed.

    Himalayan Gray Langur

    • The Himalayan (Kashmir) Gray Langur or the Chamba Sacred Langur (Semnopithecus ajax) is a colobine, meaning leaf-eating monkey.
    • It is considered an endangered species in IUCN red list.
    • According to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the langur is a protected species under Schedule II.
    • Globally, its population is estimated to be less than 1,500 mature individuals in 15-20 groups.

    Protection measures

    • The Gray Langur was once considered a sub-species of the Semnopithecus entellus, commonly known as the Bengal Sacred Langur or Hanuman Langur, but it was separated as a species in 2005.
    • Two protected habitats of the species namely Machiara National Park and Dachigam National Park are located in politically disturbed areas.
    • Machiara National park is in Pak-Occupied Kashmir where there is very little scope for scientific inputs.

     

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?

    (a) Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda, Asiatic Wild Ass

    (b) Kashmir Stag, Cheetah, Blue Bull, Great Indian Bustard.

    (c) Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey, Saras (Crane)

    (d) Lion Tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur, Cheetah

     

    Post your answers here.

     

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  • Who was Nadaprabhu Kempegowda?

    kempegowda

    PM unveiled a 108-feet tall bronze statue of ‘Nadaprabhu’ Kempegowda in Bengaluru, credited to be the city’s founder.

    Who was Nadaprabhu Kempegowda?

    • Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, a 16th century chieftain of the Vijayanagara empire, is credited as the founder of Bengaluru.
    • It is said that he conceived the idea of a new city while hunting with his minister, and later marked its territory by erecting towers in four corners of the proposed city.
    • Kempegowda is also known to have developed around 1,000 lakes in the city to cater to drinking and agricultural needs.
    • He was from the dominant agricultural Vokkaliga community in south Karnataka.

    Political motives behind

    • Kempegowda is an iconic figure among Karnataka’s second most dominant Vokkaliga community after Lingayats.
    • Political parties plan to woo the Vokkaliga community by honoring Kempegowda.
    • The statue would be known as the ‘Statue of Prosperity’.

     

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  • 11th Nov 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    11th Nov 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1159]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1159]

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  • 10 steps to writing UPSC Mains answers like a topper. Comparative Analysis of toppers’ approach | Register for recorded session, PDF & Value-added notes

    10 steps to writing UPSC Mains answers like a topper. Comparative Analysis of toppers’ approach | Register for recorded session, PDF & Value-added notes

    Register for recorded session. Day 2: 12th Nov, 5 pm (Saturday) | 10 steps to writing UPSC Mains Answers like a topper. Comparative analysis of toppers’ approach | Register for the LIVE session, PDF & Value-added notes

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    If there is a book you must read to correct your faults, fill your loopholes, and strengthen your logic, it is nothing but your own writing. And for UPSC, your answer writing in mains will decide whether you sit on a DM/SP’s chair or not. 

    There is no need to become a writer to write a mark-leaving answer in UPSC mains. 

    Every year the aspirants who follow only 10 IMP steps, get a single-digit rank for themselves. Below are the Toppers mentored by Sukanya ma’am.

    Acknowledging the need to ensure a holistic mains answer writing strategy, Sukanya ma’am is taking up a Mains Workshop to help you make a comparative analysis of toppers’ approach along with the top 10 steps/skills to write UPSC mains answers like a topper.

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    Objectives of the special masterclass:

    • How to understand the demand of a question fully and correctly before contemplating an answer for it. 
    • How toppers develop a basic mental framework of the answer before committing anything on the paper
    • It is very difficult to write anything for the examiner. So, what is the best way to introduce as well as conclude your answer?
    • How to focus on Questions’ directives and go ahead with a minimum but effective requirement.
    • How to divide the main body of the answer into paragraphs or bullets as required.
    • How long should your introduction and conclusion be?
    • Where to and how to apply opinion-based answers!
    • The correct approach to writing a fact-based answer
    • How to maintain ‘accuracy’, ‘brevity’, and ‘Clarity’ in each and every answer
    • How to do a comparative analysis of toppers’ approach. How do they create an on-demand answer and how do they follow the answer writing basic rules- ‘Brainstorming’, ‘Outlining’, ‘Idea/Argument placement, and ‘Structuring’ 

    Do and don’t of UPSC to keep in mind while answering writing? The most common mistakes will also be discussed. 

    Details of the workshop

    Date: 12th November 2022

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  • 11th Nov| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1            Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

    GS-2           Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests.

    GS-3          Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

    GS-4          Case Studies

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Regionalism in India is not a new topic of debate and is strengthening its roots slowly and steadily. In this context, differentiate between region and regionalism. Analyse the major issues that lead to the demand for regionalism in India and how it is a challenge for national integration? (15 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 Although the India-Russia relationship stands strained by the larger geopolitical realities which neither of them is in completely control of, there exists significant potential for cooperation between the two sides. Discuss. (15 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 Without substantially fostering rural India’s growth, the Indian growth story cannot be claimed to be inclusive. Highlighting the challenges in rural growth, suggest solutions for the same. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 The farmer unions in one of the states has called for mass protest owing to large number of arrears/their dues not being paid by the private sugar factories for the last two years. On the day of mass protest, farmers turned up in huge numbers and at several places the protest turned violent. There were instances of stone pelting, vehicle burning etc. The police were not able to control the violent protesters at some places and had to resort to lathi charge. But at one of the places, police resorted to firing in which four farmers were killed. This further aggravated the situation as farmers at other places also resorted to violence to protest against police action. Looking at the intensity of the situation, under opposition pressure, one of the Minister of the state gave the statement that farmers did not die due to police firing but there were some anti-social elements amongst the protesters who fired in order to create unrest in the state. This statement of the Minister instead of calming the protesters further angered them as some eyewitness testified to news channels about the deaths being the result of police firing. All this further projected government in bad light and the police action has come under severe criticism by various sections of intelligentsia. The public sentiment has started to sway in favour of the protesting farmers. There is huge pressure on the government to diffuse the tension, address farmers’ grievances and take action against the police personnel involved in firing at the protesters since the protesters have started blocking all the major state highways which has crippled the day-to-day routine of the people of the state. Further, there is danger that the situation may get out of control anytime. Suppose you are the district magistrate where the incident has taken place: a) You have to address the press conference. What will be your statement to the media if it seeks clarification on whether people died in the police firing as stated by the state minister? b) What are the ethical issues involved in the case? c) What steps will you take to tackle the post-firing situation effectively? (20 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.

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  • Q.4 The farmer unions in one of the states has called for mass protest owing to large number of arrears/their dues not being paid by the private sugar factories for the last two years. On the day of mass protest, farmers turned up in huge numbers and at several places the protest turned violent. There were instances of stone pelting, vehicle burning etc. The police were not able to control the violent protesters at some places and had to resort to lathi charge. But at one of the places, police resorted to firing in which four farmers were killed. This further aggravated the situation as farmers at other places also resorted to violence to protest against police action. Looking at the intensity of the situation, under opposition pressure, one of the Minister of the state gave the statement that farmers did not die due to police firing but there were some anti-social elements amongst the protesters who fired in order to create unrest in the state. This statement of the Minister instead of calming the protesters further angered them as some eyewitness testified to news channels about the deaths being the result of police firing. All this further projected government in bad light and the police action has come under severe criticism by various sections of intelligentsia. The public sentiment has started to sway in favour of the protesting farmers. There is huge pressure on the government to diffuse the tension, address farmers’ grievances and take action against the police personnel involved in firing at the protesters since the protesters have started blocking all the major state highways which has crippled the day-to-day routine of the people of the state. Further, there is danger that the situation may get out of control anytime. Suppose you are the district magistrate where the incident has taken place: a) You have to address the press conference. What will be your statement to the media if it seeks clarification on whether people died in the police firing as stated by the state minister? b) What are the ethical issues involved in the case? c) What steps will you take to tackle the post-firing situation effectively? (20 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

    • Introduce by characterising the role of protests in democracy and the limitations thereon.
    • List the points to be covered in address to the media with assurance for allowing peaceful protests and undertaking investigation.
    • In the next part, list the ethical issues.
    • In the end list the steps to handle the issue emphasizing administrative assistance to peaceful protests, while maintaining vigil.
    • Conclude by summarising the measures.

  • Q.3 Without substantially fostering rural India’s growth, the Indian growth story cannot be claimed to be inclusive. Highlighting the challenges in rural growth, suggest solutions for the same. (10 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

  • Q.2 Although the India-Russia relationship stands strained by the larger geopolitical realities which neither of them is in completely control of, there exists significant potential for cooperation between the two sides. Discuss. (15 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

  • Q.1 Regionalism in India is not a new topic of debate and is strengthening its roots slowly and steadily. In this context, differentiate between region and regionalism. Analyse the major issues that lead to the demand for regionalism in India and how it is a challenge for national integration? (15 Marks)

    Mentor’s Comments-

    • In the introduction, first define region.
    • Next, define regionalism and mention some examples of regional movements in India.
    • Next, list down the major issues that lead to the growth of regionalism.
    • Examine how is it a challenge to national integration. However, mention that regionalism is not always opposed to national integration.
    • Conclude by stating the need for a more cooperative relationship between the nation and the region.

     

  • Vande Bharat: Modern trains need modern infrastructure

    Vande Bharat

    Context

    • When the Prime Minister inaugurated the latest edition of the Vande Bharat train recently, India made a huge leap into the future of mass transportation. The new Vande Bharat Express trains or Vande Bharat 2.0 are expected to usher in an era of faster, safer and more comfortable rail travel for passengers.

    All you need to know about Vande Bharat

    • The Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit train previously known as Train 18
    • It is designed, built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) under the Make in India Initiative
    • Vande bharat running on 5 routes as of November 2022.
    • The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route.
    • All the coaches are equipped with automatic doors, GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, onboard hotspot Wi-Fi for entertainment purposes, and comfortable seats.
    • Vande bharat running on 5 routes as of November 2022.
    • Indian Railways hopes to roll out another 25 Vande Bharat train sets by the end of March 2023.
    • Railways plans to roll out 75 Vande Bharat trains by Independence Day next year

    What is Vande Bharat 2.0?

    • The name may be the same, but this train, the third in the Vande Bharat series, is being dubbed ‘Vande Bharat 2.0’, because of certain upgrades it has received over its predecessors.

    Vande Bharat

    What are the notable upgrades and newly added features in 2.0?

    • Faster and lighter than the previous: This train reaches a top speed of 160 km per hour in 129 seconds, around 16 seconds faster than its predecessor. This is because this train weighs around 392 tonnes, 38 tonnes lighter than the last one, and needs to run almost a km less to attain its top speed.
    • Improved on Riding Index: It also has a better riding index (lower the better) of 3.26 at 180 km per hour, from the earlier 3.87. At a standard speed of 115 km per, its riding index is 3.26, better than 3.62 attained at the same speed by the earlier. In layman’s terms, Riding index is a global benchmark to calculate how comfortable and steady the passenger is while the train is in motion.
    • Fitted with automatic anti-collision system “Kavach”: In terms of safety features, the new train comes fitted with the automatic anti-collision system Kavach, which the previous trains did not have.
    • Improved on safety features: Coaches have disaster lights and their battery backup increased from the last one’s one-hour battery backup. The exterior has eight flatform-side cameras, up from four.
    • Passenger communication facility: There is a passenger-guard communication facility in coaches, which comes with automatic voice recording feature.
    • Making it flood resilient: The new trainset is higher, making it safe from floods up to 650 mm, up from 400 mm.
    • Better quality streaming of audio-visual information with improved network: A centralised coach monitoring system, another new addition, through CCTV cameras, and the internal network supports data at 1 gigabyte per second, This means better quality streaming of audio-visual information.
    • Air purification system: The internal air is filtered through photo catalytic ultra violet air purification system with UV lamp which deactivates 99 per cent of germs, the Railways claims something the earlier trainsets did not have.
    • Onboard infotainment: It also has a wifi-enabled onboard infotainment system and the LCD display in each coach is now 32 inches, up from the 24-inch screen.

    Vande Bharat

    Challenges to the modern railway infrastructure

    • Tracks are not in sync with the modern age trains: This new-age train slammed head-on into the “old-age” country on at least two occasions in its very first week. The train crashed into a herd of cows, damaging the aircraft-like nose of the driver coach car.
    • Poor fencing along the tracks: The railways built a new-age train but forgot to construct fencing along the tracks to prevent bovine collisions.
    • Issues with the battery charging units: Occasional Failure in the battery charging mechanism due to a fault in the charging cable as well as tripping of a circuit breaker needs to addressed.
    • Technical glitches in the alerting software system: Failure to alert the technical glitches in the functioning of the system creating problems and adding up to malfunctioning.

    Conclusion

    • A senior railway official proudly detailed the “superior” features of the Vande Bharat train, which would provide passengers with an “aircraft-like travelling experience” albeit, even quieter than an aircraft, also testified by the Prime Minister But these superior features need superior and resilient infrastructure to achieve the target.

  • Consulting the CM Over the Appointment of The Governor

    Appointment

    Context

    • With the rise in instances of tension, and even standoffs, between State governments and Governors, there is once again a debate on the role of the Raj Bhavan and conduct of Governors, the relation of Governors with the Centre and State government, and whether Chief Ministers should have a say in the appointment of Governors in their respective States.

    Role and responsibilities of governor

    1. Executive Powers:
    • Nominal Head of the government: These powers are exercised by the council of ministers in the name of Governor. Hence Governor is only nominal head and council of ministers is the real executive.
    • Head of the state: He is the constitutional head of the state who appoints the leader of majority party as chief minister. He can seek any information from the chief minister. He appoints the advocate general, chairman and members of the respective state public commission.
    • Can recommend the emergency: He can recommend the imposition of constitutional emergency in a state to the President. During the period of President’s rule in a state, the governor enjoys extensive executive powers as an agent of the President.
    1. Legislative Powers:
    • He is part of state legislative.
    • No bill can become a law until the governor signs it.
    • He can withhold a bill and send it to the President for consideration.
    • He can dissolve the State Assembly before the expiry of its term on the advice of the Chief Minister or as directed by the President.
    • He causes the annual Budget to be presented in the Vidhan Sabha.
    1. Judicial Powers:
    • The governor appoints the district judges.
    • He is consulted in the appointment of the judges of the High Court by the President
    • He can, pardon, remit and commute the sentence of a person convicted by a state court.
    1. Financial Powers:
    • He causes the annual budget to be laid before the Vidhan Sabha;
    • No money bill can be introduced without his prior approval.
    1. Discretionary Powers:
    • Selection of CM: If no party gets an absolute majority, the Governor can use his discretion in the selection of the Chief Minister;
    • Real executive of state: During an emergency he can override the advice of the council of ministers. At such times, he acts as an agent of the President and becomes the real ruler of the state;
    • Report to president: He uses his direction in submitting a report to the President regarding the affairs of the state; and
    • Withhold the assent: He can withhold his assent to a bill and send it to the President for his approval.

    Appointment

    Sarkaria commission’s recommendation on the role of governor

    • Chief minister should be involved in appointment: The powers of the President in the matter of selection and appointment of Governors should not be diluted. However, the Governor of a State should be appointed by the President only after consultation with the Chief Minister of that State. Normally the five-year term should be adhered to and removal or transfer should be by following a similar procedure as for appointment i.e., after consultation with the Chief Minister of the concerned State.
    • Governor should convey assent or dissent in time: There should be a time-limit say a period of six months within which the Governor should take a decision whether to grant assent or to reserve a Bill for consideration of the President. If the Bill is reserved for consideration of the President, there should be a time-limit, say of three months, within which the President should take a decision whether to accord his assent or to direct the Governor to return it to the State Legislature or to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of the Act under article 143.

    Additional suggestions by  NCRWC

    • Committee to appoint the governor: National commission to review the Working of the constitution (NCRWC) recommendations were similar to that of Sarkaria commission. NCRWC has suggested that a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Minister of the state in question shall nominate the Governor.

    Know the basics: Present constitutional arrangement

    • The Governor of a State is appointed by the President for a term of five years and holds office during his pleasure.
    • Only Indian citizens above 35 years of age are eligible for appointment to this office.

    Appointment

    What is the expert’s opinion?

    • Vice-president should be involved: Total composition of the committee is of the ruling party at the Centre. It should be the Vice-President, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition, and maybe the Chief Minister of the State.
    • Governor should be above the chief minister: Getting the Chief Minister involved in the process of selection is not right. The Governor cannot be made to feel that the Chief Minister was one of those responsible for his selection; the Governor has to be above the Chief Minister, be independent, be able to function in a nonpartisan manner, and not be beholden to the ruling party or to the Chief Minister.
    • Minimum qualification to be the governor: we have no criteria, no minimum qualifications laid out for a Governor. These are often retirement perks or rewards for unstinting loyalty to a particular party. Governors cannot be called before a court of law. These are things which have to be kept in mind.
    • A guide to chief minister: The Governor is supposed to be a friend, philosopher and guide, helping from the back, sorting out issues and resolving disputes, even between political parties. The Governor has to at times advise the Centre on what is happening and what needs to be done. That brings the Centre and the State together.

    Conclusion

    • Governors’ role is always in contestation when Centre and state have different government. Governor is a political appointee for political purpose. However, governor should respect the constitutional post he holds and perform his duties and responsibilities without any biases and affiliations.

    Mains Question

    Q. What actions of governors undermines his constitutional position? What are the recommendations of Sarkaria commissions regarding the governor’s office?

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  • Forgotten Heroes: Indian Soldiers in World War-II

    Soldiers

    Context

    • On the eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the guns fell silent over Europe, bringing an end to a brutal first world war that drew in soldiers and contributions from around the world. Indian soldiers and their contribution are not widely recognized in India.

    Background of Indian involvement World War II

    • Fight against Fascism: Two conflicts and a reticence Indian reticence over these two conflicts arises from the uneasy relationship between the Indian contribution to fighting fascism on a global stage and the nationalist movement for freedom at home.
    • Betrayal of nationalistic expectation: The success of the first is seen to have come at the cost of the second. It began with the betrayal of nationalist expectations of greater autonomy for India in return for support during the Great War.
    • No consultation with Indian leaders: This was compounded by the bitterness of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow declaring war on Germany on India’s behalf in 1939 without consulting Indian leaders, and further roiled by the pitting of Indian against Indian when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army sided with the Axis Powers in the hope that this might bring freedom.
    • Fighting for India and for World: But the failure of Indian independence to follow automatically from India’s participation in the wars does not mean that the war efforts extended colonial rule, or were all about protecting Britain: there was fighting on Indian soil to defend India.

    Soldiers

    What is Indian soldiers role in World War II

    • Support of nationalist leaders: Almost 1.5 million men volunteered to fight in the Great War. Indians mobilized four days after Britain declared war on Germany, with the support of nationalist leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi.
    • War in Europe, Asia and Africa: Indians fought with valor and distinction in the trenches of Europe, West Asia and North Africa, earning 11 Victoria Crosses along the way. Of those men, about 74,000 never came home.
    • Largest volunteer for war: India raised the largest ever volunteer army, of 2.5 million, for the Second World War. More than 87,000 of those men are cremated or buried in war cemeteries around the world and in India.
    • Thirty-one Victoria Crosses: 15 % of the total Victoria crosses went to soldiers from undivided India. Without Indian soldiers, non-combatant labourers, material and money, the course of both conflicts would have been very different as acknowledged by Field Marshal Auchinleck, Britain’s last Commander-in-Chief of the Indian.

    The issue of Non-recognition of India’s contribution

    • Indian soldiers are honored by Britain: In Britain, the contribution of the Commonwealth including the Indian subcontinent is memorialized in the Commonwealth Memorial Gates that lead up to Buckingham Palace. The Gates commemorate the campaigns where Commonwealth soldiers served with distinction; there is also a canopy inscribed with the names of the Commonwealth recipients of the George and Victoria Crosses.
    • Indian soldiers fought the Britain’s war: Much of India’s recent history is encapsulated in these gates, in a spirit of gratitude and equality. Britain, after all, has much to be grateful for, but Indians seem less keen to acknowledge this. British perfidy, however, does not in any way reduce the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom. Those who went abroad to fight alongside white British soldiers returned with the knowledge that they were equal to their colonial masters. In not recognizing and honoring this, we push those men back into colonial subjugation.
    • Britain betrayed the hopes of freedom: Some of this ambivalence owes itself to the atrocities of colonial history, which must be acknowledged too. Britain may have handed out 11 Victoria Crosses over the course of the First World War, but it betrayed the hopes of nationalists with the imposition of martial law after the war ended, culminating in the horror of Jallianwala Bagh in April 1919.

    Soldiers

    Does India fought the war for its own sake?

    • Indian fought the Japanese: These were not just European wars to defend foreign lands. India was threatened in the Second World War by advancing Japanese forces who got as far as Burma/Myanmar. They were repulsed in the battles of Imphal and Kohima between March and July 1944. These were brutal battles. In Kohima, the two sides were at one point separated by the width of a tennis court. A Commonwealth cemetery on Garrison Hill, Kohima, contains this epitaph (by John Maxwell Edmonds): ‘When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us, and Say/For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today’.
    • Ultimate sacrifice for India’s freedom: The memory of the almost 10 million battlefield deaths in the First World War and the 15 million or more who were killed fighting the Second World War is now honored in countries around the world on November 11, with nationwide silences and the laying of wreaths. Not so much in India apart from in Army cantonments and at the British Consulate in Kolkata even though over 1,61,000 men made the ultimate sacrifice for India’s freedom.

    Conclusion

    • Seventy-five years after Independence, it is time to honor India’s immense contribution to the world wars and move it from a footnote in another country’s history to the main stage, where it belongs. These were India’s wars too.

    Mains Question

    Q. What role the Indian soldier played in Second world War? What are the issues regarding non recognition of contribution of Indian soldiers in world wars?

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