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  • Kerala’s 5 agricultural products get GI Tag

    gi

    Five agricultural products of Kerala have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status.

    Which are the 5 GI products?

    • These are the latest Geographical Indications that have been registered-
    1. Attappady Attukombu Avara: It cultivated in the Attappady region of Palakkad, is curved like a goat’s horn as its name indicates. Its higher anthocyanin content compared to other dolichos beans imparts violet colour in the stem and fruits. Anthocyanin is helpful against cardiovascular diseases along with its antidiabetic properties. Other than this, calcium, protein, and fibre content are also high. The higher phenolic content of imparts resistance against pest and diseases, making the crop suitable for organic cultivation.
    2. Attappady Thuvara: It is having seeds with white coat. Compared to other red grams, Attappady Thuvara seeds are bigger and have higher seed weight. This delicious red gram, which is used as vegetable and dal, is rich in protein, carbohydrate, fibre, calcium and magnesium.
    3. Kanthalloor-Vattavada Veluthulli (garlic): Compared to the garlic produced in other areas, this garlic contains higher amount of sulphides, flavonoids, and proteins. It is rich in allicin, which is effective against microbial infections, blood sugar, cancer, cholesterol, heart diseases, and damages to blood vessels. The garlic cultivated in this area is also rich in essential oil.
    4. Onattukara Ellu and its oil: It is famous for its unique health benefits. Relatively higher antioxidant content in Onattukara Ellu helps in fighting the free radicals, which destroy the body cells. Also, the high content of unsaturated fat makes it beneficial for heart patients.
    5. Kodungalloor Pottuvellari: It is cultivated in Kodungalloor and parts of Ernakulam is consumed as juice and in other forms. This snap melon, which is harvested in summer, is an excellent for quenching thirst. It contains high amount of Vitamin C. Compared to other cucurbits, nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, fibre and fat content are also high in that.
    • The unique features of the products, imparted by the agro-climatic conditions of the geographical area of their production, are the basis for getting a GI tag.

    What are the other GIs tags awarded?

    Adding to the present collection of Geographical Indications (GIs), nine new items, including-

    1. Gamocha of Assam
    2. Tandur red gram of Telangana
    3. Raktsey Karpo apricot of Ladakh, and
    4. Alibag white onion of Maharashtra

     

    Do you know?

    Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are states with the highest number of GI tags, followed by Kerala (35), Uttar Pradesh (34), and Maharashtra (31).

     

    About GI Tag

    • Recognised by the World Trade Organization (WTO), GI is used to denote the geographical territory from where a product, be it agricultural produce, natural product, or manufactured.
    • It conveys the assurance of quality, distinctiveness, and attributes that are unique to that specific geographic region/place of origin.
    • India became a signatory to this convention, when, as a member of WTO, it enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect on September 15, 2003.
    • To protect the GI of goods, a GI registry has been established to administer the GI of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, under the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks.

     

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  • Indian student at Cambridge decodes Panini’s Language Machine

    panini

    A grammatical problem by Panini that has defeated Sanskrit scholars since the 5th Century BC has finally been solved by an Indian Ph.D. student at the University of Cambridge.

    Who was Panini?

    • Panini was a Sanskrit philologist, grammarian, and revered scholar in ancient India, variously dated between the 6th and 4th century BCE.
    • Since the discovery and publication of his work by European scholars in the nineteenth century, Panini has been considered the “first descriptive linguist” and even labelled as “the father of linguistics”.
    • Panini’s grammar was influential on such foundational linguists as Ferdinand de Saussure and Leonard Bloomfield.

    Major literary works

    • Panini is known for his texts- Astadhyayi, a sutra-style treatise on Sanskrit grammar, verses or rules on linguistics, syntax and semantics in “eight chapters” which is the foundational text of the Vyakarna branch of the Vedanga.
    • His text attracted numerous bhashya (commentaries), of which Patanjali’s Mahabhashya is the most famous.
    • His ideas influenced and attracted commentaries from scholars of other Indian religions such as Buddhism.

    What is the recent breakthrough?

    • Panini had an extraordinary mind and he built a language machine unrivaled in human history.
    • The 2,500-year-old algorithm decoded by him makes it possible, for the first time, to accurately use Panini’s so-called “language machine”.
    • This discovery makes it possible to “derive” any Sanskrit word, to construct millions of grammatically correct words, using Panini’s language machine.
    • This is widely considered to be one of the greatest intellectual achievements in history.

    How does this language machine works?

    • Panini’s system – 4,000 rules detailed in his renowned work, the Astadhyayi, which is thought to have been written around 500 BC – is meant to work like a machine.
    • Feed in the base and suffix of a word and it should turn them into grammatically correct words and sentences through a step-by-step process.

    Significance of this development

    • A major implication of the recent discovery is that now there is an algorithm that runs Panini’s grammar.
    • We can potentially teach this grammar to computers.
    • Computer scientists working on Natural Language Processing (NLP) gave up on rule-based approaches over 50 years ago.
    • NLP is a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
    • So teaching computers how to combine the speaker’s intention with Panini’s rule-based grammar to produce human speech would be a major milestone in the history of human interaction with machines.

     

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  • Road ministry notifies new rules on BH Series registration mark for vehicles

    bh series

    The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway has notified new rules to further increase the scope of implementation of the BH series registrations for vehicles.

    What is the update?

    The transport ministry has proposed new rules that would permit transfer of vehicles with BH series registration mark to other persons, who are eligible or ineligible for the getting the series.

    What is Bharat series (BH-series)?

    • There was a procedure of re-registration of a vehicle while moving to another state.
    • A vehicle bearing BH registration mark shall not require assignment of a new registration mark when the owner of the vehicle shifts from one State to another.
    • Format of Bharat series (BH-series) Registration Mark –

    Registration Mark Format:

    1. YY BH #### XX
    2. YY – Year of first registration
    3. BH- Code for Bharat Series
    4. ####- 0000 to 9999 (randomized)
    5. XX- Alphabets (AA to ZZ)

    Why such move?

    • Station relocation occurs with both Government and private sector employees.
    • Such movements create a sense of unease in the minds of such employees with regard to transfer of registration from the parent state to another state.
    • Under section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a person is allowed to keep the vehicle for not more than 12 months in any state other than the state where the vehicle is registered.

    Who can get this BH series?

    • BH-series will be available on voluntary basis to Defense personnel, employees of Central Government/ State Government/ Central/ State PSUs and private sector companies/organizations.
    • The motor vehicle tax will be levied for two years or in multiple of two.
    • This scheme will facilitate free movement of personal vehicles across States/UTs of India upon relocation to a new State/UT.
    • After completion of the fourteenth year, the motor vehicle tax shall be levied annually which shall be half of the amount which was charged earlier for that vehicle.

     

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  • CUET 2023 Notification Out | Exams from 21st-31st May 2023 | Get your dream college with Civilsdaily

    CUET 2023 Notification Out | Exams from 21st-31st May 2023 | Get your dream college with Civilsdaily

    The wait is over! National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Ministry of Education has released the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) Exam calendar.

    The exam will be held from 21st to 31st May 2023. This is the right time you should start your preparation for CUET 2023.

    CivilsDaily has top MCQ tests, the best resources, and dedicated mentorship support for CUET 2023 preparation.

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    CUET 2023 Notification

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    CUET 2023 Eligibility Criteria

    Candidates must check the following eligibility norms before applying for CUET 2023:

    • Nationality: Indian National citizens will be eligible to apply.
    • Qualification: For Ug, candidates must have qualified 12th level exam (with 50% for the General category and 45% for SC/ST category) whereas, for PG, candidates must have a qualified bachelor’s degree from any recognized board or university.

    Age Limit: There will be no age limit to apply for CUET 2023 examination.

    The pattern of the exam

    The CUET will be held online as a computer-based test (CBT) and in two shifts, Slot I (morning) & Slot II (afternoon). The exam duration will be 3 Hours 15 minutes & 3 Hours 45 minutes respectively, depending on the subject combination chosen by the students. A candidate has to write a minimum of one or more exams in both slots.

    Syllabus of the exam

    Discuss the CUET 2023 syllabus in detail for FREE. Click below and schedule a FREE One-to-One call with senior mentors and faculty from CivilsDaily.

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    The students’ fluency in the language is to be tested through questions asked in Reading Comprehension based on different types of passages – Factual, Literary, and Narratives [Literary Aptitude & Vocabulary]. The languages included in Section IA and IB respectively are as mentioned below:

    Section IASection IB
    English, Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, and Urdu.Chinese, German, French, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, Nepali, Russian, Spanish, Tibetan, Dogri, Bodo, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Manipuri, Santhali, and Sindhi.

    For Domain subjects, CUET aspirants are expected to be thorough with their NCERTs.

    Your NCERT books will be the best source of preparation for the domain-specific paper. One can choose from the following subjects for the domain-specific paper. The candidates may choose a maximum of 6 Subjects from the below-mentioned list.

    • Accountancy/ Book Keeping
    • Biology/ Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/Biochemistry
    • Business Studies
    • Chemistry
    • Computer Science/ Informatics Practices
    • Economics/ Business Economics
    • Engineering Graphics
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Environmental Studies
    • Geography/Geology
    • History
    • Home Science
    • Knowledge Tradition and Practices of India
    • Legal Studies
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Education/ NCC /Yoga
    • Physics
    • Political Science
    • Psychology
    • Sociology

    These are again classified as Domain Subjects and Additional Subjects as below:

    Domain SubjectsAdditional Subjects
    Accountancy, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Economics, Geography, History, Home Science, Legal Studies, Maths, Physics, Political Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology.Physical Education, Engineering graphics, Fine arts, Knowledge & Tradition – Practices in India, Entrepreneurship, Teaching aptitude, Mass media, and Agriculture.

    For General aptitude and general awareness tests:

    • General Knowledge & Current Affairs
    • General Mental Ability
    • Numerical Ability
    • Quantitative Reasoning 
    • Logical and Analytical Reasoning

    Click below and schedule a FREE One-to-One call with senior mentors and faculty from CivilsDaily. Also, get FREE resources and tests.

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    https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/cuet-2023/
  • UPSC Current Affairs program to ensure a rank in Top 50 | Samachar Manthan new batches launched for UPSC 2023 and 2024

    UPSC Current Affairs program to ensure a rank in Top 50 | Samachar Manthan new batches launched for UPSC 2023 and 2024

    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan Batch 2 for UPSC 2023
    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan for UPSC 2024

    Samachar Manthan, CivilsDaily’s flagship Current Affairs program for UPSC CSE exam has launched two new batches:

    1. Special Batch 2 for UPSC 2023 aspirants (click) this will also focus on Current Affairs backlog coverage for UPSC Prelims 2023
    2. Samachar Manthan new batch for UPSC 2024 aspirants (click)

    Do you know?

    • 85% of UPSC 2022 Prelims and Mains Questions were from CivilsDaily’s Current Affairs Test Series
    • 100+ rankers vouch for the efficacy of Samachar Manthan, a result-oriented Current Affairs program

    Samachar Manthan registered the highest turnout of UPSC rankers from any Current Affairs program available in the market

    Schedule a FREE call to know how to cover the current affairs backlog for UPSC 2023 Prelims. We will be sharing a personalized strategy and timetable for you as per your UPSC preparation situation.

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    Schedule a FREE call to know how to make current Affairs your strength

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    Click here for Samachar Manthan Yearly for UPSC CSE 2024

    Samachar Manthan Batch 2 for UPSC CSE 2023

    This is going to be a special batch as the focus would be on two things:

    1. Covering the backlog from June 2022 to current month along with answer writing and note making.
    2. Side by side continuing and covering for the current issues for Prelims 2023 and then Mains 2023.
    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan Batch 2 for UPSC 2023 (details here)

    Since Samachar Manthan is a weekly current affairs program we will be designing it for you so that you are covering multiple weeks of current affairs in one week. Eg. Week 1 (June 2022’s first week’s) will be placed with SM Week 28 (current week’s).

    Schedule a FREE call to know how to cover the current affairs backlog for UPSC 2023 Prelims. We will be sharing a personalized strategy and timetable for you as per your UPSC preparation situation.

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    Samachar Manthan Schedule of upcoming lecturesDownload

    Samachar Manthan Yearly for UPSC CSE 2024

    This will be the full-fleged batch for UPSC 2024 aspirants that will continue till Mains.

    Click & schedule 1-1 FREE call for Current Affairs Strategy
    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan for UPSC 2024 (details here)

    This is what our students have to say about Samachar Manthan and Sajal Sir & other faculties.

    Feedback from our students.

    Our ex-students, now rankers.

    Check out Shahansha’s excerpt on how he cleared UPSC 2020:

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    Read more topper’s testimonials (click here)

    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan Batch 2 for UPSC 2023
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    Schedule a FREE call to know how to cover the current affairs backlog for UPSC 2023 Prelims. We will be sharing a personalized strategy and timetable for you as per your UPSC preparation situation.

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  • 16th Dec 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    16th Dec 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1189]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1189]

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Students suicides: A mismatch between rising aspirations, shrinking opportunities

    suicides

    Context

    • Three students committed suicide within 12 hours in Rajasthan’s Kota, which is regarded as the education and coaching hub of India. Known for producing IITians, doctors and engineers, Kota has been in the news for the last few years because of the students’ suicides and depression they suffer.

    What is Suicide?

    • Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death.
    • Mental and physical disorders, substance abuse, anxiety and depression are risk factors.
    • Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress (such as from financial or academic difficulties), relationship problems (such as breakups or divorces), or harassment and bullying.
    • Despite being entirely preventable, India has been increasingly losing individuals to suicide.

    suicides

    The National Crime Records Bureau’s Accidental Deaths and Suicide in India report 2021.

    • The report released this year shows that the number of students’ deaths by suicide rose by 4.5 per cent in 2021.
    • Maharashtra bearing the highest toll with 1,834 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,308, and Tamil Nadu with 1,246.
    • According to the report, student suicides have been rising steadily for the last five years.
    • According to a 2012 Lancet report, suicide rates in India are highest in the 15-29 age group the youth population.
    • According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), in 2020, a student took their own life every 42 minutes; that is, every day, more than 34 students died by suicide.

    suicides

    What are the reasons behind these alarming stats of student’s suicide in India?

    • Education is for livelihood more than knowledge: Education in India has been viewed as a gateway to employment and livelihood rather than to knowledge.
    • Pressure to get into government jobs or highly paid private sector: Many students and their families dream of the coveted ‘sarkari naukri’ (government job) to escape the precarious social, caste and class predicaments they find themselves in.
    • Limited educational infrastructure: The failure of the Union government to improve the country’s educational infrastructure means that exam-oriented coaching had become the norm.
    • Coaching centres as prisons for many students: Cashing in on the ‘hope for a better future,’ coaching centres emerged as one of the predominant industries in the education sector. However, these centres are now being seen as prisons for the many youngsters who join them; where their bodies, souls and dreams are tamed.
    • Number of factors marginalising students who are already vulnerable: Students from marginalised sections are pushed further to the margins through a number of factors, such as the lack of English-medium education; private institutions charging high fees; poor quality education in government-run schools and institutes; ever-growing economic inequality; graduates not having the adequate skills to secure jobs; and caste discrimination.
    • Social ideology of success and failure: The rise of neoliberalism as an economic and social ideology has pushed the youth to blame themselves for their failure to secure their ‘dream job’ while the government continues to shirk its basic responsibility.
    • Flawed neoliberal agenda for failure and success: The neo-liberal agenda keeps propagating the belief that it is not that hard to find success if one works hard enough, normalising the notion that the youth should blame themselves for their ‘failures’.

    suicides

    What are various solutions have been proposed?

    • The myth of the Indian family being supportive also need to be called out: Family, being the primary social unit of the society, shapes the aspirations and dreams of the youth. Family should be supportive in true sense.
    • Deeper introspection is needed instead of make shift solutions: Deeper introspection on structural aspects of the education system is the need of the hour. Instead, we take pride in coming up with Jugaad (makeshift solutions) to manage affairs peripherally, without dealing with the root of problem.
    • Easing pressure in the students: Others have suggested like the guidelines issued by the Board of Intermediate Education in Andhra Pradesh in 2017 to ease the pressure on students, including yoga and physical exercise classes and maintaining a healthy student-teacher ratio.
    • Realising today’s realities and making changes: It is painfully evident that the failure to address the larger issue of a punishing education system that is simply not designed to support young minds or prepare them for today’s economic realities continues.
    • Collective responsibility: Not only family plays a significant role in students life, even the society has a huge influence. We as a society should realise true essence of life and not confine students into success and failure tags. Instead support them empathically in realising their true potential.

    Did you know this solution? What any sensitive person will think of this?

    • Some suggested bordering on the ludicrous, like the Indian Institute of Science’s reported move last year to replace ceiling fans in hostel rooms with those that are wall-mounted.

    Conclusion

    • Scholars have long linked farmers’ suicides to India’s agrarian crisis; it is time that civil society starts looking at students’ suicides as an indicator of a grave crisis of the country’s educational structure, including the institutional structure, curriculum, and the like. The combination of a large population of young people with rising aspirations and an economy with shrinking opportunities has created a public health crisis that requires urgent attention.

    Mains Question

    Q. There has been a steady increase in student suicides in India over the past few years. What are the reasons and suggest what should be done?

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  • Day 11| Daily Answer Wars| CD WarZone

    Topics for Today’s question:

    GS-3         Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

    Question

    Q. Inclusive growth approach is focussed mostly towards education, skilling and job creation. Critically examine the success of various post-liberalization policies of the Indian government in this regard. (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WARS (DAW)?

    1. Daily 1 question either from General Studies 1, 2, 3 or 4 will be provided via live You Tube video session.
    2. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.
    3. The answer needs to be submitted by joining the telegram group given in the link below.

      https://t.me/cdwarzone

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

    1. For the philosophy of Daily Answer Wars and payment: 
    Daily Answer Wars | CD warzone
    Payment Link DAW

  • India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) Strategy amidst the Global Uncertainty

    Deficit

    Context

    • There seems to be considerable optimism about India’s near-term growth prospects now that the major global energy and commodity shocks have subsided. Even if these shocks have subsided, India still faces one big problem of its large current account deficit (CAD). How will this be managed? It turns out that the answer to both questions lies in one word exports.

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    Deficit

    What is Current Account Deficit (CAD)?

    • A current account is a key component of balance of payments, which is the account of transactions or exchanges made between entities in a country and the rest of the world.
    • This includes a nation’s net trade in products and services, its net earnings on cross border investments including interest and dividends, and its net transfer payments such as remittances and foreign aid.
    • A CAD arises when the value of goods and services imported exceeds the value of exports, while the trade balance refers to the net balance of export and import of goods or merchandise trade.
    • CAD = Trade Deficit + Net Income from Abroad + Net transfers

    What has been the recent trend?

    • Swelling CAD: Over the past year, the post-pandemic normalisation has caused the current account deficit to swell to exceptional proportions.
    • Decline in demand abroad: At home, normalisation has spurred a renewed demand for imported inputs. But abroad, it has had the opposite effect, leading to a decline in demand.
    • India’s import soared while exports fell: Foreign households are no longer demanding so many goods now that the lockdowns that kept them in their houses and the fiscal stimuli that gave them the money to spend have both ended. So, India’s imports have soared just at a time when its merchandise exports have started to fall.
    • Statistics for instance: The difference between the value of goods imported and exported fell to $54.48 million in Q4FY 2021-22 from $59.75 million in Q3 FY2021-22.
    • Service sector is saviour: However, based on robust performance by computer and business services, net service receipts rose both sequentially and, on a year, -on-year basis.

    Future projections

    • Looking ahead, the situation seems set to worsen: Foreign demand will slow further as advanced countries slip into what now seem like inevitable recessions.
    • In the backdrop of recession India’s CAD could widen further: In that case, India’s CAD could widen even further, possibly to four per cent of GDP in 2022-23, double the level that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) traditionally regards as “safe”.

    Deficit

    Analysis: How should India respond?

    1. Attracting foreign capital inflow: Attract foreign capital inflows worth at least four per cent of GDP.
    • Is this realistic in time of global uncertainty: The world is currently facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty. Two years of the pandemic, now a land war in Europe, inflation and energy crisis in Europe, interest rate hikes in the history of the US Federal Reserve, slowdown in china, etc. In such an uncertain environment, foreign investors prefer to invest in safe assets such as US government bonds rather than emerging markets like India. As a result, India has witnessed large outflows of foreign capital in 2022-23
    1. Deploying RBI’s Forex to pay for imports: If India cannot attract the required amount of capital inflows, the RBI’s foreign exchange reserves could be deployed to pay for imports.
    • Is this strategy sustainable: The country’s reserves are meant to tide the country over short-term problems, such as commodity price spikes. India’s merchandise exports have been structurally weak, stagnating for the past decade, until the pandemic induced a short-lived boom.

    Deficit

    How depreciating rupee could be helpful?

    • Price needs to be adjusted by depreciating rupee: This means that something fundamental needs to change. Ultimately, India’s CAD reflects a mismatch between the demand and supply of foreign exchange. To restore balance, first and foremost, the price needs to adjust, that is, the rupee needs to depreciate.
    • Exporting becomes more profitable: When this happens, exporting becomes more profitable, inducing more and more firms to explore foreign markets. Meanwhile, foreign demand improves, because the rupee depreciation makes India’s products more price-competitive. As a result, exports increase and the CAD falls.
    • Exchange rate depreciation is helpful in sustained growth: The recovery of the Indian economy from the pandemic was largely fuelled by exports. But with exports now declining, this crucial source of growth has now become uncertain for India. Strengthening the export sector is, therefore, critical for sustaining growth.

    Way forward

    1. Allow the rupee to depreciate,
    2. Encourage foreign firms to produce in India by letting them access their supply chains,
    3. Encourage domestic firms to step up to the competition, and
    4. Create a level playing field for all players.

    Conclusion

    • The large CAD, however, is not a short-term problem: It is a long-term problem requiring a long-term solution. By adopting the discussed strategy, India could potentially solve its two most important macroeconomic problems that are reducing the large CAD and securing rapid, sustained growth.

    Mains question

    Q. What is Current account deficit (CAD)? In a time of global uncertainty How India can reduce its large CAD and secure sustained growth. Analyze

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  • Data protection bill in new Avatar: protecting privacy rights

    Data protection

    Context

    • On November 18th Government released the fourth iteration of the data privacy legislation: The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 (Bill).

    Click and get your FREE Copy of CURRENT AFFAIRS Micro Notes

    Background: Evolution of Demand for the data protection

    • The journey towards data protection legislation began in 2011 when the department of Personnel and Training initiated discussions on the Right to Privacy Bill, 2011.
    • The major fillip to the data protection case was given by the K. Puttuswamy judgment, 2017 where the supreme court held the “Right to privacy” as a fundamental right under Article 21- right to life and personal liberty.
    • After the Puttaswamy judgment, the government-appointed B.N Srikrishna committee the drafting of a law for data protection and privacy. This led to the Justice B.N. Srikrishna committee report which later on led to the Personal Data Protection Bill of 2019.

    Data Protection

    Two major stakeholders of the Legislation Data principles and data Fiduciary

    • Data Principle: Data principles refers to the subject whose data is being processed. While the Bill lists the “duties” of the Data Principals, these have no bearing on the realisation of the rights provided by the Bill.
    • Data Fiduciary: It is an entity that processes this data. The drafters of the Bill seem to be affirming that the Data Fiduciary is responsible for safeguarding the interests of Data Principals.
    • What is Data Fiduciary: The use of the term, “fiduciary” whilst referring to a data processor is significant. In different spheres of the law, when one party owes a “fiduciary” duty towards another a trustee, beneficiary, guardian or ward, the relationship between the two is guided by trust, assurance and good faith.
    • Obligations of data fiduciaries towards data principles: In line with this philosophy, the rest of the Bill describes the obligations of the Data Fiduciaries towards Data Principals, the rights and duties of the latter and the regulatory framework through which data will be processed.

    Two noteworthy aspects of the Bill

    1. Bill outlined the category of Data fiduciaries: In addition to the general obligations to prevent the misuse of the personal data of individuals, the Bill has outlined a category of Significant Data Fiduciaries, entities that are required to comply with additional measures to safeguard the personal data of individuals.
    • Why is this distinction being necessary: This distinction is essential as only companies that process vast amounts of data or have a potential impact on the country’s sovereignty and integrity need to take such stringent measures. Such measures reduce the compliance cost of companies that are at a nascent stage.
    1. Relaxing Data localisation norms: Onerous provisions on “data localisation” in the previous versions of the Bill, which mandated companies to store user data only within India, have been omitted.
    • How this move will maintain balance: The reworked Bill permits the government to notify countries to which data transfers may be permitted. This is a major respite for several tech companies, who have long talked about the infeasibility of the data localisation provisions. A balance has now been struck between the legitimate concerns of businesses and the protection of personal data of individuals.

    Data Protection

    Where else does this bill need attention?

    • Focus remains only on the nature and gravity of the violation: While the Bill is, by and large, comprehensive. Section 25 and Schedule I, that deal with penalties, require elaboration. Section 25 refers to the quantum of financial penalty that must be imposed on a person guilty of non-compliance in matters related to detail. The focus remains only on the nature and gravity of the violation. The proposed legislation does not consider the financial ranking of a company before imposing penalties.
    • The bill must take financial ranking of the company in consideration: The Bill must ensure that the penalties imposed are proportionate to the size and operations of a company, to be effective, fines must not drive companies into economic loss.
    • For instance: A leaf can be taken from the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), amongst other similar regulations, which levies penalties in accordance with the total turnover of companies.

    Data Protection

    What makes this bill distinct and comprehensive?

    • Promoting cooperation: The Bill safeguards individual data, whilst also promoting cooperation between data fiduciaries and the government.
    • As per the India’s requirements: While it draws upon the best practices of foreign jurisdictions, such as Europe and Australia, it has been drafted in a manner that is tailor-made to India’s requirements.
    • Exemptions are restrictive: Even the exemptions granted to the Centre are extremely restrictive and in sync with past judicial precedents and Article 19(2) of the Constitution.
    • Significant shift in drafting legislation: The Bill marks a significant shift in the manner of drafting legislation. Historically, comprehending a piece of legislation in India has usually been akin to the membership of an exclusive club only legal practitioners, policy professionals and a handful of politicians are able to understand and interpret laws.
    • Ensures simplification and accessibility to ordinary citizens: This Bill marks a transition from legalese to legal simplification, it realises that it is in our best interests to ensure that all laws especially legislation that have a significant impact on citizens are made accessible to all individuals irrespective of their professional or educational standing.

    Conclusion

    • The Bill safeguards individual data, whilst also promoting cooperation between data fiduciaries and the government. While it draws upon the best practices of foreign jurisdictions, it has been drafted in a manner that is tailor-made to India’s requirements. Exemptions granted to the Centre are extremely restrictive.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the salient aspects of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill? Discuss what makes it unique and inclusive.

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