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Subject: Governance

Important aspects of Society

  • Electricity Discoms: Public Hearings And Public Participation in Decision Making

    Public Hearings

    Central Idea

    • The scale of operations of electricity distribution companies is clear from the fact that their annual revenue requirement is 20% of the Union Budget. The article discusses the importance of public participation in the decision-making process of electricity distribution companies and the role of public hearings conducted by Electricity Regulatory Commissions (ERCs) in this regard. The central ERC recently issued a public notice where it announced that hearings would resume through in-person mode.

    All you need to know about Electricity Regulatory Commissions (ERCs)

    • Independent body: ERCs are independent statutory bodies established by the government to regulate the generation, transmission, distribution, and trading of electricity in a particular state or region.
    • Role: The primary role of ERCs is to protect the interests of electricity consumers by ensuring that electricity is supplied to them at reasonable and affordable rates while ensuring the financial viability of the electricity sector.
    • Powers: ERCs also have the power to issue licenses to power generation and distribution companies, set tariffs, and adjudicate disputes between stakeholders in the electricity sector.
    • To ensure transparent framework: ERCs are an essential part of the electricity sector, ensuring that there is a fair and transparent regulatory framework that promotes competition, efficiency, and innovation.

    Importance of Public Participation in the decision-making process of electricity distribution companies

    • Transparency: Public participation promotes transparency in the decision-making process, It ensures that stakeholders are informed about the decisions being made, the rationale behind them, and the potential impact on the community.
    • Accountability: It creates a system of checks and balances that helps ensure that decisions made are in the best interest of the public.
    • Improved Decision Making: Public participation can provide DISCOMs with valuable insights and perspectives from the community. This can help improve decision-making by ensuring that decisions are made based on a comprehensive understanding of the issues and the needs of the community.
    • Increased Trust: When the public is involved in the decision-making process, it helps build trust between the community and the DISCOM. This can lead to increased support for the decisions made, greater acceptance of the outcomes, and reduced potential for conflict or opposition.
    • Community Empowerment: Public participation can empower the community to have a voice in the decisions that affect their daily lives. This can lead to a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for the outcomes, as well as increased engagement and participation in future decision-making processes.

    In-person Public Hearings

    1. Pros of In-person Public Hearings
    • Greater sense of community: In-person hearings provide a greater sense of community and allow for face-to-face interactions, which can help build trust and foster dialogue.
    • Physical presence: In-person hearings allow participants to physically be present in the room, which can make it easier for them to be heard and have their concerns addressed.
    • Better understanding: In-person hearings may be more effective at conveying complex information and data, as participants can ask questions and seek clarification in real-time.
    • Increased transparency: In-person hearings can increase transparency as they allow the public to see and hear the proceedings first-hand, and hold regulators and utilities accountable.
    1. Cons of In-person Public Hearings
    • Accessibility: In-person hearings may not be accessible to all members of the public, especially those who are physically unable to attend, live far away, or have other commitments.
    • Time-consuming and expensive: In-person hearings can be time-consuming and expensive to organize and attend, which can deter participation and limit the diversity of voices represented.
    • Limited participation: In-person hearings may limit participation to those who are comfortable with public speaking or who have the means to travel and attend the hearing, potentially excluding some marginalized groups.

    Online Public Hearings

    1. Pros of Online Public Hearings
    • Accessibility: Online hearings are more accessible to a wider audience, as participants can attend from anywhere with an internet connection.
    • Convenience and flexibility: Online hearings provide more convenience and flexibility for participants as they can attend from the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
    • Increased participation: Online hearings may increase participation from diverse groups and those who may not be comfortable with public speaking or traveling to attend an in-person hearing.
    • Cost-effective: Online hearings can be less expensive to organize and attend, which can allow for more resources to be dedicated to other aspects of the regulatory process.
    1. Cons of Online Public Hearings
    • Technical difficulties: Online hearings may be subject to technical difficulties, such as poor internet connection or difficulties with the online platform, which can hinder participation and the effectiveness of the hearing.
    • Limited sense of community: Online hearings may lack the sense of community that in-person hearings provide, potentially limiting the opportunity for dialogue and relationship building.
    • Digital divide: Online hearings may be inaccessible to those who do not have reliable internet access or the necessary technology to participate.
    • Privacy concerns: Online hearings may raise privacy concerns, as participants may be uncomfortable sharing personal information or speaking out in a public forum.

    What could be the best option?

    • A hybrid mode with both in-person and online options is the best approach to ensure quality public participation.
    • Moving back to the pre-pandemic practice of only in-person hearings takes away a convenient avenue for consumer engagement and impacts meaningful interactions that are possible in the in-person platform.
    • The provision of online mode in addition to in-person hearings would strengthen public participation and plug access gaps, provide flexibility of participation to the citizen, and enable a robust avenue for public participation.

    Conclusion

    • Public hearings conducted in hybrid mode, with the choice of mode being left to the citizen, are best suited to improving access and ensuring quality public participation. There is a need for institutions to continue to build infrastructure and experience toward online hearings and make improvements in how online hearings are conducted.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is the role of Electricity Regulatory Commissions (ERCs) in the electricity sector, and why is public participation important in the decision-making process of electricity distribution companies?

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  • In news: One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme

    The government told the Supreme Court that paying all dues to 1.6 million army pensioners under the OROP scheme in one go may not be in the nation’s larger interest as it could disrupt allocations for other public purposes.

    What is OROP Policy?

    • OROP means the same pension, for the same rank, for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement.
    • The concept was provoked by the then decision by Indira Gandhi-led government, in 1973, two years after the historic victory in the 1971 Bangladesh war.

    Origin of the debate

    • The Rank pay was a scheme implemented by the Rajiv Gandhi-led govt in 1986, in the wake of the 4th Central Pay Commission.
    • It reduced the basic pay of seven armed officers’ ranks of 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Majors, Lt. Colonel, Colonels, Brigadiers, and their equivalent by fixed amounts designated as rank pay.

    Implementation

    • In 2008, Manmohan Singh led Government in the wake of the Sixth Central Pay Commission (6CPC), which discarded the concept of rank-pay.
    • Instead, it introduced Grade pay, and Pay bands, which instead of addressing the rank, pay, and pension asymmetries caused by ‘rank pay’ dispensation, reinforced existing asymmetries.
    • The present government has accepted the OROP and disbursed some funds for its implementation.

    Issues with this pension policy

    • The issues, veterans emphasize, are of justice, equity, honor, and national security.
    • The failure to address the issue of pay-pension equity, and the underlying issue of honor, is not only an important cause for the OROP protest movement but its escalation.

    Present status

    • The govt has already released Rs. 5500 crores to serve the purpose, but still, there are some grievances from the veterans’ side.
    • It refined Pensions for all pensioners retiring in the same rank as the average of the minimum and maximum pensions in 2013.
    • The veterans noted governments’ proposal as one rank many pensions since the review of 5 years would lead to differences in pension between senior and a junior.

     

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  • Rural-Urban Dichotomy And The Continuum

    Rural-Urban

    Central Idea

    • The traditional dichotomy of rural and urban, and the accordingly mandated governance structure, seems inadequate to understand and act upon poverty, undernourishment, education, health, environmental management or even development. There is a need to adopt the notion of urban catchment areas delineated along an urban-rural continuum to understand urban-rural interconnections and address issues related to environment and natural resources management.

    What is Rural-Urban Dichotomy?

    • Distinct Division: It is the perception of a clear and distinct division between rural and urban areas, which are seen as two distinct and separate entities.
    • Significant Differences: This dichotomy is based on the assumption that there are significant differences between rural and urban areas in terms of social, economic, and cultural characteristics.
    • Traditional vs modern values: It suggests that rural areas are primarily agricultural, less developed, and have traditional social and cultural values, while urban areas are more developed, industrialized, and have modern values.

    Rural-Urban

    The Rural-Urban Continuum

    • The Rural-Urban Continuum is an alternative perspective that acknowledges the existence of intermediate areas that blur the distinction between rural and urban.
    • An intermediate settlement formation exists between the two extremes where rural and urban functions coexist without distinguishable boundaries.
    • Such formations evolve due to interactions of a complex set of geographical, cultural, economic, and historical processes.
    • The transition from rural to urban follows a graded curve of development, and opportunities for social and economic development depend on one’s location along this curve.

    Importance of the Rural-Urban Continuum

    • Identification of urban catchment areas delineated along an urban-rural continuum would help understand urban-rural interconnections, which is important for making policy decisions across development sectors and for addressing issues related to environment and natural resources management.

    Studies and examples of Rural-Urban Continuum

    • The Desakota Study report:
    • A 2008 report of the Desakota Study Team, Re-imagining the Rural Urban Continuum, was based on studies in eight countries around the world including India.
    • Team’s report in 2008 emphasized understanding the changing relationship between ecosystems and livelihoods under diversified economic systems across the rural-urban continuum as it has important policy implications at all levels.
    • In India, Kerala for instance:
    • Kerala is well known for the rural-urban continuum in the coastal plain. This was noted even by Moroccan traveller Ibn Batuta in the 14th century. The trend further spread over the lowlands and adjoining midlands and highlands.
    • Geographical factors supported by affirmative public policy promoting distributive justice and decentralisation have increased rural-urban linkages and reduced rural-urban differences in major parts of Kerala.
    • The urban industrial interaction in India is spreading rapidly: The urban industrial interaction fields in India are spreading by linking rural areas and also small towns around the mega cities and urban corridors penetrating rural hinterlands.

    Rural-Urban

    Dissolving the boundaries and barriers

    • Technology and globalization led connectivity: Technology and economic globalization have increased mobility of resources and people and enhanced inter- and intra-country connectivity, promoting the rural-urban continuum.
    • Physical distance barriers are melting: The barriers due to physical distance are melting as increasing rural-urban linkages have given rise to diffused network regions.
    • Movement of goods, people and information is rising: Rural hinterlands are connected to multiple urban centers, and the movement of goods, people, information, and finance between sites of production and consumption has strengthened linkages between production and labour markets.

    Changing Ecosystems of the Rural-Urban Continuum

    • Land Use Changes: Agriculturally productive lands are being given for other uses, food security zones are being reconfigured, and areas for pollutant filtering are declining.
    • Impacts on Ecosystem Services and Local Livelihoods: There is an increase in waste dump, enhanced disaster risk, and elevated vulnerability, reducing the access of local people to water, food, fuel, fodder, and fiber from ecosystems.
    • Emergence of Intermediary Market Institutions: At the same time, intermediary market institutions are emerging to provide these goods, which has significant implications for the local people.
    • Escalating Market Value of Land and Marginalization: There is also escalation of market value of land, which further marginalizes them.

    Way ahead

    • Acknowledge the rural-urban continuum in discussions on social and economic development and environmental issues.
    • Identify challenges and opportunities for improving both urban and rural governance and enhancing access to employment, services, institutional resources, and environmental management.
    • Build rural-urban partnership by taking a systems approach, where the city and surroundings form a city region for which a perspective plan is prepared integrating rural and urban plans within a common frame.
    • Move towards a post-urban world where the rural-urban dichotomy will no longer exist.
    • Better map rural-urban linkages by using satellite-based settlement data and integrating it with Census data.

    Conclusion

    • Recognizing and addressing the interconnections between rural and urban areas along a continuum is crucial for effective policy-making and environmental management in India.

    Mains Question

    Q. The rural-urban continuum has drawn wide attention in recent years. In this light discuss the importance of Recognizing and addressing the interconnections between rural and urban areas.

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  • Bengal is tackling fatal Adenovirus Infection

    adenovirus

    Central idea: 19 children below the age of five years have died in State-run institutions due to acute respiratory infection (ARI) caused by Adenovirus.

    What is Adenovirus Infection?

    • Adenoviruses are common viruses that typically cause mild cold or flu-like illness and are usually spread from an infected person to others by close personal contact
    • The virus is transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing and also by touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it
    • While the virus can affect people of any age group, children with low and compromised immunity are at a higher risk
    • Symptoms of the viral infection, other than common cold or flu-like symptoms, include acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pink eye (conjunctivitis), and acute gastroenteritis

    Reasons for outbreak in Bengal

    • Doctors claim that it is the recombinant strain which is the reason for the spike in infections and deaths.
    • Most of the children who have been infected by the virus are less than three years old and were born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Children who are in the age group of six months to preschool are most susceptible to viral infection.

     

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  • Sickle Cell Anaemia screening meets only 1% of target

    anaemia

    Central idea:  The Health Ministry of India set a target to scan one crore people for sickle cell disease in 2022-23. However, with only two weeks left in the fiscal year, the Ministry has completed only 1% of the target.

    What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

    anaemia

    • Sickle Cell Anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the haemoglobin molecule in red blood cells.
    • People with sickle cell anaemia have abnormal haemoglobin that causes their red blood cells to become sickle-shaped, rigid and sticky.
    • These abnormal cells can clog small blood vessels, leading to excruciating pain, organ damage, and a higher risk of infections.
    • Sickle cell anaemia is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means that a person must inherit two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent, to develop the disease.
    • There is no cure for sickle cell anaemia, but treatments are available to manage its symptoms and complications.

    How widespread is it in India?

    • Sickle cell anaemia is prevalent in some parts of India, particularly in tribal and rural areas.
    • According to the ICMR, sickle cell trait is present in about 20-22% of the tribal population in central India, and the disease is present in about 3-5% of the same population.
    • It is estimated that there are about 30 million carriers of the sickle cell trait in India, and around 1.5-2 lakh sickle cell disease patients.
    • The disease is most commonly found in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Gujarat.

    Recent discussions

    • India aims to eradicate sickle cell anaemia by 2047, Finance Minister announced during her Budget 2023 speech.
    • Under the new scheme, 70 million people up to the age of 40 years in affected tribal areas will be screened for the disease.
    • The Health Ministry has assigned tentative State-wise screening targets to the States for timely completion of the exercise.
    • The Ministry is working to create and maintain a central registry for all screened persons to prevent patients from slipping through the cracks.

    Current status of screening

    • Only 1,05,954 people have been screened so far, out of which 5959 people, or 5.62% of those screened were found to be carrying sickle cell disease traits.
    • Regular and timely screening of the population is important, as in a previous screening exercise of over 1.13 crore people in 2016, up to 9,49,057 (8.75%) tested positive for the sickle cell trait, and up to 47,311 of these ended up with full-blown sickle cell disease.

    Way forward

    • Increased screening: Achieving the goal of eliminating sickle cell anaemia would involve screening at least seven crore people under the age of 40 years in multiple phases by 2025-26.
    • Creating awareness: The Health Ministry is working to create awareness amongst those who carry the sickle cell trait to refrain from marrying another person who also carries the trait.
    • Targeted assessment: Pregnant women are a priority group for immediate screening, and in the long-term, screening of targeted population of unmarried adolescents between 10 to 25 years will be undertaken.
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  • What is Digital India Act, 2023?

    india

    The Union government has formally outlined the Digital India Act, 2023 which is a broad overhaul of the decades-old Information Technology Act, 2000.

    Central idea: Reconsideration of Safe Harbour

    • The government is reconsidering a key aspect of cyberspace — ‘safe harbour’.
    • Safe harbour is the principle that so-called ‘intermediaries’ on the internet are not responsible for what third parties post on their website.
    • This is the principle that allows social media platforms to avoid liability for posts made by users.
    • Safe harbour has been reined in in recent years by regulations like the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which require platforms to take down posts when ordered to do so by the government, or when required by law.

    What is the Digital India Act, 2023?

    • The act is a new legislation that aims to overhaul the decades-old Information Technology Act, 2000.
    • The Act covers a range of topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybercrime, data protection, deepfakes, competition issues among internet platforms, and online safety.
    • The Act also aims to address “new complex forms of user harms” that have emerged in the years since the IT Act’s enactment, such as catfishing, doxxing, trolling, and phishing.

    Why was this act enacted?

    • Data privacy: The Digital India Act will be implemented alongside the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, which focuses solely on processing personal data in India.
    • Lawful use of data: It seeks to address the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognizes both the right of the individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process personal data for lawful purposes.
    • Comprehensive regulation: This Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill will work in tandem with each other.

    Key features of the Digital India Act

    • Creating new regulations around newer technology, including 5G, IoT devices, cloud computing, metaverse, blockchain, and cryptocurrency.
    • Reclassifying online intermediaries to separate categories instead of one general intermediary label, each one with its own set of regulations.
    • Removing “safe harbour” immunity for online intermediaries for purposeful misinformation or other content violations from third parties.
    • Creating digital standards and laws regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology.
    • Criminalizing cyberbullying, identity theft, and unauthorized sharing of personal information without consent.

    Significance

    • The Digital India Act provides a legal framework for promoting the growth of the digital economy in India.
    • It aims to create a conducive environment for the development and deployment of digital technologies across different sectors.
    • The Act also addresses various challenges associated with cybersecurity and data privacy, which are critical issues in the digital age.

    Conclusion

    • The Digital India Act is expected to promote digital literacy and increase access to digital services for all citizens.
    • It will help in creating a digital infrastructure that is secure, reliable, and accessible to everyone.
    • The Act will also encourage the adoption of digital technologies in various sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, leading to increased efficiency and productivityhow-to-start-upsc-preparation-from-zero-level

     

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  • One Nation, One Challan Initiative

    challan

    The Gujarat Govt. informed High Court that it’s setting up virtual traffic courts under ‘One Nation One Challan’ initiative while hearing a PIL on the matter.

    What is the One Nation, One Challan initiative?

    • One Nation, One Challan is an initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
    • It aims to bring all related agencies, such as the traffic police and the Regional Transport Office (RTO), on one platform, to enable seamless collection of challans as well as data transfer.
    • The integrated system uses the CCTV network to detect traffic violations and retrieve the registration number of the offending vehicle from applications like VAHAN and SARATHI.
    • An e-Challan is then generated with the relevant penalty amount, and sent to the mobile number linked with the vehicle.

    What did the Gujarat govt inform?

    • In Gujarat, the initiative is operational in three commissionerate areas of Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat since January this year and implementation at Vadodara is underway.

    How does the integration help?

    • Prior to the integration, details of vehicle ownership from a different state could not be accessed through the CCTV network for penalization.
    • Integration of all states’ RTO data and traffic police data with the support of NIC servers allows access to vehicle registration and related data for violators from different states.
    • Challans will be sent directly to the mobile number registered with the vehicle.
    • NIC is set to launch its own application for e-Challan delivery.

    How do virtual traffic courts work?

    • Virtual courts are aimed at eliminating the presence of litigants in the court.
    • An accused can search their case on the virtual court’s website. Upon successful payment of the fine, the case will be shown as disposed of.
    • For now, one court is in the process of being designated as a virtual court for the whole of Gujarat.

     

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  • FCRA licence of Centre for Policy Research suspended

    Union Home Ministry suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

    About CPR

    • The CPR was established in 1973 as a think tank with the mission to contribute to a more robust public discourse about the issues that impact life in India.
    • Its headquarters is located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
    • It is a non-profit, non-partisan, independent institution dedicated to conducting research that contributes to high quality scholarship, better policies.
    • Over the years it has cultivated a reputation as one of the country’s premier public policy think tanks.

    Why was its licence suspended?

    • The CPR allegedly received foreign funds in violation of the FCRA.

    What is FCRA?

    • The FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.
    • First enacted in 1976, it was amended in 2010 when a slew of new measures was adopted to regulate foreign donations.
    • The FCRA is applicable to all associations, groups and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.
    • It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA.
    • The registration is initially valid for five years and it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.

    Why was FCRA enacted?

    • The FCRA sought to consolidate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by individuals, associations or companies.
    • It sought to prohibit such contributions from being used for activities detrimental to national interest.

    What was the recent Amendment?

    • The FCRA was amended in September 2020 to introduce some new restrictions.
    • The Government says it did so because it found that many recipients were wanting in compliance with provisions relating to filing of annual returns and maintenance of accounts.
    • Many did not utilise the funds received for the intended objectives.
    • It claimed that the annual inflow as foreign contributions almost doubled between 2010 and 2019.
    • The FCRA registration of 19,000 organisations was cancelled and, in some cases, prosecution was also initiated.

    How has the law changed?

    There are at least three major changes that NGOs find too restrictive.

    • Prohibition of fund transfer: An amendment to Section 7 of the Act completely prohibits the transfer of foreign funds received by an organisation to any other individual or association.
    • Directed and single bank account: Another amendment mandates that every person (or association) granted a certificate or prior permission to receive overseas funds must open an FCRA bank account in a designated branch of the SBI in New Delhi.
    • Utilization of funds: All foreign funds should be received only in this account and none other. However, the recipients are allowed to open another FCRA bank account in any scheduled bank for utilisation.
    • Shared information: The designated bank will inform authorities about any foreign remittance with details about its source and the manner in which it was received.
    • Aadhaar mandate: In addition, the Government is also authorised to take the Aadhaar numbers of all the key functionaries of any organisation that applies for FCRA registration or for prior approval for receiving foreign funds.
    • Cap on administrative expenditure: Another change is that the portion of the receipts allowed as administrative expenditure has been reduced from 50% to 20%.

    What is the criticism against these changes?

    • Arbitrary restrictions: NGOs questioning the law consider the prohibition on transfer arbitrary and too heavy a restriction.
    • Non-sharing of funds: One of its consequences is that recipients cannot fund other organisations. When foreign help is received as material, it becomes impossible to share the aid.
    • Irrationality of designated bank accounts: There is no rational link between designating a particular branch of a bank with the objective of preserving national interest.
    • Un-ease of operation: Due to Delhi based bank account, it is also inconvenient as the NGOS might be operating elsewhere.
    • Illogical narrative: ‘National security’ cannot be cited as a reason without adequate justification as observed by the Supreme Court in Pegasus Case.

    What does the Government say?

    • Zero tolerance against intervention: The amendments were necessary to prevent foreign state and non-state actors from interfering with the country’s polity and internal matters.
    • Diversion of foreign funds: The changes are also needed to prevent malpractices by NGOs and diversion of foreign funds.
    • Fund flow monitoring: The provision of having one designated bank for receiving foreign funds is aimed at making it easier to monitor the flow of funds.
    • Ease of operation: The Government clarified that there was no need for anyone to come to Delhi to open the account as it can be done remotely.

    Supreme Court’s observation

    • The apex court reasoned that an unbridled inflow of foreign funds may destabilise the sovereignty of the nation.
    • The petitioners have argued that the amendments suffered from the “vice of ambiguity, over-breadth or over-governance” and violated their fundamental rights.
    • But the court countered that the amendments only provide a strict regulatory framework to moderate the inflow of foreign funds into the country.
    • The free and uncontrolled inflow of foreign funds has the potential to impact the socio-economic structure and polity of the country.
    • No one can be heard to claim a vested right to accept foreign donations, much less an absolute right, said the verdict.

    Supreme Court’s assessment of Foreign Funds

    • Philosophically, foreign contribution (donation) is akin to gratifying intoxicant replete with medicinal properties and may work like nectar.
    • However, it serves as medicine so long as it is consumed (utilised) moderately and discreetly, for serving the larger cause of humanity.
    • Otherwise, this artifice has the capability of inflicting pain, suffering and turmoil as being caused by the toxic substance (potent tool) — across the nation.

    Way forward

    • The court said charity could be found at home. NGOs could look within the country for donors.
    • Fundamental rights have to give way in the larger public interest to the need to insulate the democratic polity from the “adverse influence of foreign contributions”.
    • The third-world countries may welcome foreign donations, but it is open to a nation, which is committed and enduring to be self-reliant.
    • An unregulated inflow of foreign donations would only indicate that the government was incapable of looking after its own affairs and needs of its citizens.

     

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  • Academic Freedom in India declined strongly since 2013: Report

    freedom

    India’s academic freedom index is in the bottom 30 percent among 179 countries, according to a new report.

    Academic Freedom Index Update, 2023

    • The report was a collaborative effort of 2,917 country experts worldwide.
    • It was co-ordinated by Swedish think tank V-Dem Institute and the Institute of Political Science at the Friedrich Alexander University in Germany.
    • It identified 22 countries – including India, China, the United States and Mexico – where it said universities and scholars experience significantly less academic freedom today than they did ten years ago.
    • The index score measures five indicators-
    1. Freedom to research and teach
    2. Freedom of academic exchange and dissemination,
    3. Institutional autonomy of universities
    4. Freedom of academic and cultural expression and campus integrity
    5. Absence of security infringements and surveillance on campus.

    What one means by academic freedom?

    • Academic freedom refers to the independence and autonomy that scholars and researchers have in pursuing their academic work, without fear of censorship, retaliation, or repression from the government or other entities.
    • It includes the freedom to conduct research, publish findings, and express opinions and ideas, without interference or pressure from external forces.
    • It is considered a cornerstone of higher education and is essential for the advancement of knowledge and the free exchange of ideas.

    India’s performance

    • India is ranked among the bottom 30% with an index score of less than 0.4 among the 179 countries assessed by the researchers.
    • On a scale of 0 (low) to 1 (high), India scored 0.38, lower than Pakistan’s 0.43 and the United States’ 0.79, says the report. LOL!
    • The report has ranked the United States among the top 50% of countries with an index score just below 0.8. China has been ranked among the bottom 10% with a score of less than 0.1.
    • The report said that academic freedom in India began to decline in 2009 with a drop in university autonomy, followed by “a sharp downturn in all indicators” from 2013.

    Reasons for such poor ratings

    • A lack of a legal framework to protect academic freedom has enabled attacks on academic freedom.
    • The report sees there is notable pressure on the institutional dimensions of academic freedom — institutional autonomy and campus integrity.

    Again anti-India narrative

    • The report sees regime change in India since as a declining trend in the country’s academic freedom.
    • All such reports are being increasingly publicized ahead of India’s general elections in 2024.

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  • VAIBHAV fellowship for Indian Diaspora

    The centre has launched VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad on National Science Day.

    VAIBHAV fellowship

    • The Vaibhav Fellowship is a program that invites overseas Indian scientists and researchers to work with Indian institutions and universities for a period of 2-3 weeks.
    • The program is open to individuals of Indian origin who are working in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
    • The fellowship will provide opportunities for the diaspora to collaborate with Indian scientists and researchers, participate in conferences, and contribute to the development of the country’s science and technology sector.

    Objectives of the Fellowship

    • To create a platform for Indian diaspora scientists and researchers to connect with their counterparts in India and contribute to the country’s growth in the field of science and technology.
    • To foster collaboration between Indian and overseas scientists and researchers, promote knowledge exchange, and build a network of professionals who can contribute to the development of the country.

    Key facts

    • Duration: The fellowship offers researchers an opportunity to work for a minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year with a research institution or an academic institution in India.
    • Corpus: Three years with the government offering the researchers an amount of up to Rs 37 lakh for the entire period.
    • Eligibility: Researchers from institutions featuring in the top 500 QS World University Rankings will be eligible for the fellowship.
    • Who can apply: The applicant should be a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and she or he must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.

    Significance of the fellowship

    • The fellowship provides a platform for Indian scientists and researchers to collaborate with their counterparts abroad, which can help in the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
    • It also provides an opportunity for the Indian diaspora to contribute to the development of their home country.
    • By engaging with the Indian institutions and universities, the diaspora can bring in new ideas, technologies, and expertise that can help in the country’s development.

     

     

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