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  • What is the CyberDome Project? Explain how it can be useful in controlling internet crimes in India

  • How is the government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?

    India’s traditional medicinal knowledge includes thousands of formulations and approximately 45,000 plant species, but faces biopiracy threats from multinational companies patenting indigenous resources without consent or compensation.

    Government Initiatives to Protect Traditional Knowledge

    Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL):

    Translates ancient medicinal texts from Sanskrit, Urdu, Tamil, Persian and other languages into English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese for global patent examiners.

    Contains over 4.48 lakh formulations, including Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Yoga knowledge systems.

    CSIR-TKDL actively files pre-grant oppositions and third-party observations; 283 patent applications were refused, amended, or withdrawn using TKDL evidence.

    The Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Mandates that any foreign individual or commercial entity seeking to use India’s biological resources or traditional knowledge must obtain prior approval from NBA.

    National Biodiversity Authority: NBA is a statutory body implementing the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to protect India’s biological resources and traditional knowledge.

    People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR): Administered by the NBA, PBR serves as a formal tool for recording and maintaining comprehensive localized data on biological resources and their medicinal uses.

    Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) agreements:

    Companies using Indian bio-resources must share royalties or benefits with the National Biodiversity Authority.

    These funds support local Biodiversity Management Committees and tribal communities.

    The Patents Act, 1970:

    States that an invention which is traditional knowledge, or an aggregation or duplication of known properties of traditionally known components, is not patentable.

    Mandates disclosure of the source and geographical origin of biological materials used in patents, with details shared with the NBA.

    Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001: Protects the rights of local communities and farmers over their traditional crop and medicinal plant varieties.

    By safeguarding indigenous medical heritage through the NBA and TKDL, India directly advances SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) while protecting local community rights.

  • Elaborate the impact of National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.

    The NWP is a World Bank-assisted initiative that supports the watershed development component of India’s Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY).

    Project Objectives

    Strengthen Institutions – for better planning, implementation, and monitoring

    Use Technology for Efficiency – using scientific tools like GIS, remote sensing etc

    Improve Water & Soil Management

    Support Rural Livelihoods

    Positive Impact on Agricultural Production in Water-Stressed Areas

    Improved Water Availability – Groundwater levels increased by 0.5-1.2 metres on average in treated watersheds (CWC evaluation).

    Increase in Cropping Intensity

    by 35-60% in many watershed districts (ICAR-NAAS study).

    Higher Crop Yields – Yield increased by 25-40% in millets, 30-60% in pulses, 20-35% in oilseeds (NRSC 2021).

    Diversification to High-Value Crops due to reliable water.

    Reduced Soil Erosion by 40-60% – enhancing long-term soil productivity.

    Growth in Livestock Productivity – Fodder production increased 3-5 times, boosting dairy income in dryland regions.

    Improved Household Income by 27-45%, poverty reduced 12-20% in watershed villages. (World Bank)

    Climate Resilience Strengthened – Enhanced capacity to withstand dry spells, delayed rainfall, and drought cycles.

    Limitations

    Uneven Implementation Across States

    Delays in Planning & Fund Release

    Weak Community Participation

    Poor Post-Project Maintenance

    Limited Integration With Micro-Irrigation

    Fragmented Convergence With Schemes like MGNREGA, PMKSY

    To scale its impact nationally, watershed programmes must be linked with micro-irrigation, FPOs, and market access.

  • What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make food grain distribution system more effective?

    India’s Public Distribution System is the world’s largest food transfer programme and India’s most far-reaching social safety net, accounting for around 50% of the overall social assistance budget.

    Objectives of PDS

    Food security

    Stabilise foodgrain prices

    Prevent hunger and malnutrition

    Safety net during emergencies

    Reformative Steps to Strengthen India’s Food-Grain Distribution System

    National Food Security Act, 2013 – Expanded the PDS coverage to 67% of population

    End-to-End Digitalisation of PDS

    All 20.4 Cr household ration cards digitised

    Aadhaar seeding – over 47 million bogus ration cards removed (2013-21).

    Implementation of Warehouse Inventory Network and Governing System (WINGS) application to automate tagging of mills

    5.33 lakh e-PoS devices installed in all Fair Price Shops.

    One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) – Ensures nationwide portability of PDS benefits.

    Doorstep Delivery of Foodgrains in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi etc.

    Strengthening Storage & Supply Chain

    GPS-based tracking of trucks. Eg- Chhatisgarh

    Expansion of warehouses under PEG Scheme (Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee).

    Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Chandigarh, Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

    Decentralised Procurement in states like Punjab, Haryana, MP, Chhattisgarh, Telangana.

    Nutritional Improvements in PDS

    Introduction of fortified rice under NFSA, ICDS and PM-POSHAN.

    Some states (Tamil Nadu, Odisha) supply pulses, millets, oil and eggs through PDS.

    However, despite these steps there are few challenges

    As per study by Crisil using a ‘thali index’, up to 50% of rural and 20% of urban Indians cannot afford two balanced meals a day

    Even with PDS support, food deprivation remained 40% in rural and 10% in urban areas

    Weak supply chain management – Storage Losses due to poor warehousing and handling. Eg- 40% of the food wasted (1.5 lakh crore or 1% of the GDP)

    Open ended procurement leads to overflowing of FCI godowns

    Diversion – Eg- 28% of allocated foodgrains fail to reach beneficiaries as per HCES 2022-23.

    Inclusion and exclusion errors due to faulty beneficiary identification.

    Corruption and ghost beneficiaries – Over 47 million bogus ration cards cancelled between 2013-2021

    Corruption at Fair Price Shops (FPS) – Issues of under-weighing, overcharging etc

    Fiscal Burden – Food subsidy budget @ 2.1 lakh cr in 2025-26

    Way Forward

    Shanta Kumar Committee Recommendations on Revamping of PDS

    Direct Procurement by States

    Private Sector Involvement in procurement, storage, and distribution

    Diversify the food basket – Include millets, pulses, edible oil and iodised salt for nutritional security.

    Strengthen grievance redressal – Set up toll-free helplines, social audits and citizen charters at FPS level.

    Community monitoring – Involve self-help groups, local bodies and civil society in supervision.

    Universal PDS similar to Tamil Nadu’s model.

    Optimise buffer stock norms to reduce food grain wastage.

    The PDS remains a vital tool for India’s food security and realise SDG 1,2,3,and 12

  • How was India benefited from the contributions of Sir M.Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?

    India’s foodgrains production has surged from 50.8 million tons in 1950-51 to over 357 million tons in 2025. Sir Visvesvaraya and Dr. Swaminathan played a prominent role in this transformation.

    Contribution of Sir M. Visvesvaraya in Water Engineering

    Modernisation of Irrigation Systems – Eg- Invented the automatic weir water floodgates, first installed at KRS Dam

    Major Dams and Multipurpose Projects – Designed the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam, which irrigated 1.2 lakh+ hectares in Mandya region

    Developed water supply and drainage systems for Hyderabad, Pune, Nagpur, Belagavi

    Promotion of Scientific Water Management – Pioneered ideas like integrated river valley development

    Advocated planned economic development through irrigation, power generation, and industrialisation. Eg- Mysore Iron & Steel Works.

    International Projects– worked on water supply and drainage systems in the British Colony of Aden (now Yemen)

    His Mysore State Flood Report in 1909 provided crucial insights on flood management

    Contributions of Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in Agricultural Science

    Chaired the National Commission on Farmers and recommended policies like the MSP formula (C2 + 50%).

    Father of the Green Revolution – Introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice. Eg- “Swarna” rice variety

    Achieving Food Self-Sufficiency – foodgrain production rose from ~72 million tonnes (1965) to over 130 million tonnes (1980s), ending “ship-to-mouth” dependence.

    Promotion of Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Agriculture – Advocated genetic conservation, bio-fortification, and evergreen revolution principles

    He played an instrumental role in developing the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act of 2001.

    Institutional Building

    ICAR modernisation – Director-General from 1972 to 1979.

    Setting up MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF)

    Promoting biotechnology. Eg- research on cryogenetics in potato crops.

    Together, they shaped India’s progress in water management, agriculture, and national development.

    Agriculture Technology

  • How far is Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production?

    Integrated farming system refers to the integration of multiple components of agriculture in a single farm unit to enhance productivity, sustainability and resilience while optimising resource use.

    Resource Use Efficiency by recycling farm by-products into inputs.

    Improved Soil Health through addition of organic matter. Eg- Vermi-composting + green manuring in rice-vegetable-livestock systems.

    Water use efficiency – Eg- .

    Reduction in Pests & Diseases due to practices like crop rotation, intercropping, and mixed cropping.

    Higher Productivity per Unit Area compared to monocropping due to synergistic systems.

    Income Security – Multiple income sources reduce climate and market vulnerability. Eg- crop loss can be offset by milk/poultry/fish income.

    Doubling Farmers income – Eg- paddy cultivation + fish farming + poultry in Tamil Nadu saw income rise by over 100%. (ICAR study)

    Employment Generation – Labour demand increases year-round due to diversified activities

    Enhanced Biodiversity by offering homes for a variety of plant and animal species. Eg- Agroforestry

    Challenges in IFS

    Small and Marginal Land Holdings (86%) restricts integration of enterprises like ponds or livestock.

    High Initial Investment requirement in biogas units, sheds and fish ponds require capital.

    Limited Knowledge & Skills at village level – IFS demands multi-disciplinary expertise.

    Lack of Market Linkages and assured procurement channels for surplus milk, fish, vegetables

    Policy Gaps – Schemes operate in silos rather than landscape-based integrated planning.

    Way Forward

    Promote climate and region-wise IFS models (dryland, coastal, hill).

    Financial Support – low-interest loans + integrated crop-livestock insurance.

    Rural Agri-Logistics Nodes under Gati Shakti Framework to develop cold chains, aggregation centers

    Extension Support through Krishi Sakhis, FPOs and Agri-Startups for training and backward-forward linkages.

    Raising R&D Investment to 1% of GDP

    Budget 2025-26 emphasised Agriculture as the ‘first engine’ for India’s development journey. IFS can be the backbone of this journey.

  • The public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of India in context of budget making during the post liberalization period. Clarify it.

    Post-1991 liberalisation transformed India’s economy from a state-controlled to a more market-driven system. This expanded public spending needs while simultaneously demanding fiscal discipline.

    Need for Public Expenditure

    Provision of Public Goods – Eg- spending on health, education

    Social Welfare & Equity – Eg – Poshan 2.0, PM-Jan Arogya Yojana.

    Infrastructure Development – Eg – National Infrastructure Pipeline.

    Poverty Alleviation & Employment – Eg – MGNREGA wage payments.

    Reducing Regional Imbalances – Eg – Aspirational Districts Programme.

    Counter-cyclical spending during downturns. – Eg – Pandemic stimulus packages.

    Human Capital Development – Eg – PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

    Technological & R&D Support – Eg – Funding for ISRO, Digital India.

    Major challenges in Public Expenditure management

    Interest Payment obligations – The budgetary estimate for 2025-26 – Rs 12.76 lakh crore on interest payments forming 25 % of the government’s total expenditure.

    Low Tax Buoyancy: The tax-to-GDP ratio in India is around 10-12%, lower, while for OECD its 33%.

    Expanding Welfare Commitments – Growth in health, education, pensions, MGNREGA raises recurring liabilities.

    FRBM Constraints – FRBM mandates FD of 4.4% of GDP, limiting fiscal space.

    Poor Budgetary Forecasting : Budgets often overstate revenue projections (15 out of 20 years since fiscal 1998) and understate expenditures (12 out of 20 years since fiscal 1998).

    Fiscal Populism – eg loan waivers to farmers

    Rise in Off-Budget Expenditure – Eg: Food subsidy via FCI, UDAY bonds by states.

    Rise in Public Administration Costs – Eg: 8th Pay Commission can increase salary & pension burden.

    Need for Infrastructure Investment in transport, energy, and urbanisation, but fiscal space remained limited. Eg- As per WB, $2.2 trillion by 2030 is needed

    Public Sector Inefficiencies – Persistent losses in PSUs require budgetary support, reducing room for developmental expenditure.

    External Challenges

    Volatile Crude Oil Prices due to geopolitical instability. India imports 85% of its crude.

    Rising International Commitments under Paris Agreement, SDGs, Sendai Framework etc. Eg- Renewable energy targets.

    Rupee depreciation increases the cost of external debt servicing and capital imports.

    Rising Protectionism and Trade Wars have impacted exports. Eg- Trump H1B visa restrictions

    Increased Defence spending due to External Threat. Eg- 5% increase in defence spending in 2025 than 2024.

    Way Forward for Effective Fiscal Policy in India

    Establish an independent fiscal council to provide unbiased analysis of fiscal policy and enhance transparency and accountability. (15th FC Report)

    Scrutiny of Populist Policies and Outcome-Oriented Budgeting (NITI Aayog)

    Leveraging PPP for mobilizing private sector investment for infrastructure projects. (Economic Survey)

    Reforming Social Welfare Programs: Eg- Shanta Kumar Committee estimated that reforms in PDS could

    Cut down administrative costs by 10-15% through e-governance. (2nd ARC)

    Enhance Tax Buoyancy – to achieve a medium-term growth trajectory of 6.5-7.0% and realize Viksit Bharat vision, tax buoyancy needs to be in the 1.2-1.5 range. (EY Report)

    Improve Centre-State Fiscal Coordination – Encourage states through capex-linked incentives, as in Union Budget 2023-24’s 50-year interest-free loans.

    Strategic Disinvestment – Use proceeds to fund infrastructure, logistics, transport, not for recurring expenditure. (NITI Aayog)

    Efficient expenditure is critical for sustainable budgeting and Viksit Bharat 2047.

  • Enumerate the indirect taxes which have been subsumed in the goods and services tax (GST) in India. Also, comment on the revenue implications of the GST introduced in India since July 2017.

    The Goods and Services Tax (GST), implemented on 1 July 2017, unified India’s fragmented indirect tax system into a single, destination-based tax, aimed at creating a ‘one nation, one tax’ System.

    Indirect Taxes Subsumed under GST

    Revenue Implications of GST Since July 2017

    Rising Revenue Collections – Eg – Average monthly collections rose from to .

    Formalisation – E-invoicing, ITC matching and GSTN integration improved compliance, pushing MSMEs into the formal economy

    Reduction in Cascading – Unified tax with seamless input credit reduced the tax-on-tax effect, improving supply-chain efficiency and indirectly boosting revenues.

    Support for Manufacturing: Correcting inverted duty structures enhances domestic value addition, strengthens export competitiveness, and boosts revenue.

    Ease of Compliance – lower rates under GST 2.0 combined with better compliance can increase GST collections in the medium term.

    Challenges

    Post GST 2.0 revenue shortfall of . Due to reduced rates and zero-rating of many goods.

    PRS Report– the aggregate revenue under GST has declined from 6.5% of GDP in 2015-16 to 5.5% of GDP in 2023-24. (below the 7% GST-to-GDP ratio projected by the 15th FC)

    Initial Revenue Volatility – States faced shortfalls despite compensation, indicating

    High Compliance Burden – Multiple monthly, quarterly, and annual returns, e-invoicing, and ITC reconciliation increase administrative load, especially for SMEs.

    State Revenue Concerns – Dependence on compensation cess and delays in payments strain state finances

    Evasion and fraud through fraudulent activities like fake invoices persist.

    Nearly half of the economy remains outside the GST framework. Eg- petroleum products, real estate, and electricity duties are excluded from GST.

    For higher, predictable and efficient revenue generation, the need is to

    Include petroleum and electricity under the GST

    Anti-Evasion Measures: Eg- Utilizing advanced data analytics

    Bring emerging sectors- crypto-assets, carbon credits under GST

  • Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of policy process – Discuss.

    The Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 41), envisions a welfare state that ensures social justice and empowerment of vulnerable sections. However, their impact is limited due to design and implementation gaps.

    Absence of awareness and active involvement

    Policy Making

    Poor Representation in Design – Lack of beneficiary consultation leads to top-down, one-size-fits-all schemes. Eg- uniform guidelines under PMAY

    Absence of local participation results in policies ignoring grassroots realities.

    Misallocation of Priorities- Without local input, funds get diverted to non-core activities. Eg- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao spent 80% of funds on publicity

    Political populism and short termism rather than long term capability building approach. Eg- Farm Loan Waiver

    Policy Implementation

    Limited Awareness of Rights and Entitlements – Eg- MGNREGA workers rarely claim unemployment allowance due to ignorance of provisions.

    Poor Coordination – Absence of SHGs, PRIs, and NGOs in execution leads to leakages and inefficiency. Eg- leakages in PDS

    Digital and Social Exclusion – Digital illiteracy limits registration and access.

    Policy Monitoring

    Weak Social Accountability Mechanisms – Eg- Social audits under MGNREGA are irregular in several states.

    Absence of Community Oversight- Eg- NFSA grievance redressal committees underperform due to lack of public participation.

    Crisis Management

    In disasters, schemes fail to respond effectively due to missing local coordination. Eg- Migrant crisis during COVID-19 lockdown

    Weak Role of Civil Society in Emergency Delivery- Limited engagement with NGOs reduces last-mile efficiency.

    However, there are few success stories

    Mid-Day Meal (POSHAN) -Reduced hunger and educational deprivation.

    Direct Benefit Transfer saved 3.48 lakh crore of government.

    Social Audit of MGNREGA – Andhra Pradesh Model

    Participatory Democracy – Peoples Plan Campaign of Kerala

    Way Forward

    Institutionalising Social Audit and Citizen Charters with legal backing

    Strengthening Grassroot democracy through effective devolution and principle of subsidiarity

    Bottom-up Planning – Porto Alegre Brazil Model

    Inclusive Development- Involve SHGs, and CSOs in design, execution, and feedback.

    Ensuring “people-centric governance” through information, inclusion, and participation aligns with the vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”

  • “What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions” Explain with suitable examples.

    Former US president Barack Obama called India-US relationship as the most defining partnership of the 21st century. However, in recent years there has been friction in ties due to geopolitical and geoeconomic divergence.

    Roots of Friction- Divergent Strategic Worldviews

    India’s Pursuit of Strategic Autonomy vs US Alliance Model – India’s “strategic hedging” with neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war (2022-24) frustrated the US. Eg- 50% Tariff

    USA’s relationship with Pakistan (recent mineral deal) weakens India’s efforts against Terrorism.

    Fear of USA’s policy of Bait and Bloodletting in India-China relations

    Gap between expectation and recognition – Eg- While the US promotes India as a “pillar of the Indo-Pacific strategy,” it doesn’t offer India the same status as treaty allies like Japan or Australia

    Divergence in Regional Priorities – India’s immediate concerns include China, Pakistan, and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), whereas US priorities Pacific Ocean in QUAD.

    Geoeconomic Issues – US tightening H-1B visa policies or reinstate Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

    U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan (2021) and its aftermath posed regional security concerns for India

    Multilateralism issues – Eg- Disputes on data localization, intellectual property, and agricultural access under WTO

    US sanctions under CAATSA threatened S-400 missile system deal and Chabahar port in Iran

    Human Rights – US criticism of India’s domestic policies (e.g., on religious freedom, digital regulation, or Kashmir) is viewed by India as interference in internal affairs.

    India’s National Self-Esteem and Strategic Ambitions

    Strategic Autonomy and issue based partnerships based on enlightened self interest

    Recognition as an independent global power – Rightful Place in comity of nations.

    Permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

    Technology access and defense co-production as an equal partner.

    Leadership in Global South diplomacy.

    Efforts to Bridge the Gap

    India-US civil nuclear deal of 2008

    Initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) aim for joint R&D in AI, 5G, and quantum tech.

    GE-HAL jet engine co-production, semiconductor MoUs, and defense logistics agreements (LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA).

    Framework agreement to expand defence cooperation over the next 10-years.

    Way Forward

    Balance Strategic Autonomy with Global Cooperation on shared interests – counterterrorism, climate change, and technology governance.

    Engage more actively in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), promote supply chain resilience, and sustainable infrastructure partnerships.

    Prioritize co-production and joint R&D in advanced defense technologies such as cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and surveillance.

    A stronger India-US partnership anchored in mutual respect, collaboration, and global leadership can advance regional stability and multipolar global governance

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