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Subject: Governance

Important aspects of Society

  • Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar Program

    mera gaon

    Central idea: The government has identified and documented the unique cultural heritage of more than one lakh villages across the country under the National Mission for Cultural Mapping’s Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme.

    Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar

    • The National Mission for Cultural Mapping aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists, and other resources across the country.
    • The programme was launched by the Culture Ministry in 2017 but was handed over to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) in 2021.
    • The programme aims to cover all the 6.5 lakh villages in the country.

    Why such a program?

    • The program seeks to document the cultural identity at the village level by involving citizens to share what makes their village, block, or district unique.
    • The villages have been classified into seven-eight categories based on ecological, developmental, scholastic, historical, and mythological importance.
    • The mapping aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists, and other resources across the country.

    Survey process

    • The survey process involves a CSC Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) conducting meetings with locals and then uploading interesting facts about their village, its places of interest, customs and traditions, famous personalities, festivals and beliefs, art and culture, etc., on to a special application.
    • The IGNCA plans to create special films on 6,500 village clusters showcasing their unique heritage.
    • Short films have been made on 750 cluster villages, which have been shot using drones, and the VLEs would upload these videos on the application as well.

     

  • Govt releases pre-draft of National Curriculum Framework

    curriculum

    The Ministry of Education has released a pre-draft version of National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education.

    National Curriculum Framework (NCF)

    Features

    Details
    What is it? A comprehensive framework for school education in India

    Provides guidelines for the development of curricula and syllabi, textbooks, and teaching practices for schools in India
    Developed by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Education
    Aim To promote a child-centred, activity-based approach to learning that focuses on the development of knowledge, skills, and values
    Development The first NCF was developed in 1986 and subsequently revised in 2000 and 2005.

    The latest pre-draft version of NCF for School Education was released by the Ministry of Education in April 2023.
    Coverage For age groups 3 to 18 years

    Seeks feedback from various stakeholders
    National Steering Committee Set up by the Ministry to undertake and develop NCFs under the chairmanship of K. Kasturirangan.

     

    Salient features of NCF

    (1) Values and Roots

    • A key part of the document is the inclusion of values and its “rootedness” in India.
    • The pre-draft says that the framework is deeply rooted in India in content and learning of languages, in the pedagogical approaches including tools and resources, and in philosophical basis — in the aims and in the epistemic approach.
    • The document further says that it leans towards making students acquainted with true sources of knowledge, which have been a philosophical preoccupation of ancient Indians.
    • These sources focus on six pramanas: pratyaksa, anumana, upamana, arthapatti, anupalabdhi, and sabda.

     

    Six Pramanas

    1.      Pratyaksha: Interpreted as perception through the five senses

    2.      Anumana: Uses inferences to come to new conclusions

    3.      Upamana: Knowing through analogy and comparison

    4.      Arthapatti: Involves knowing through circumstantial implication

    5.      Anupalabdhi: Includes perception of non-existence

    6.      Sabda: Something an individual can only directly know a fraction of all reality through direct experience and inference but must rely on other experts was acknowledged thousands of years ago

     

    (2) Moral Development

    • A part of the document focuses on the moral development of a child through panchakosha vikas or five-fold development.
    • The pre-draft recommends developing moral values for the child through a balanced diet, traditional games, yoga asanas, as well as a wide variety of stories, songs, lullabies, poems, and prayers to develop a love for cultural context.

    (3) Curriculum revamp

    • The pre-draft says that for Grade 10 certification, students will have to take two essential courses from humanities, maths and computing, vocational education, physical education, arts education, social science, science, and interdisciplinary areas.
    • In Grade 11 and 12, students will be offered choice-based courses in the same disciplines for more rigorous engagement.
    • Arts education will include music, dance, theatre, sculpture, painting, set design, scriptwriting, while interdisciplinary areas will include knowledge of India, traditions, and practices of Indian knowledge systems.
    • For Class 11 and 12, the document states that “Modular Board Exams will be offered as opposed to a single exam at the end of the year, and the final result will be based on the cumulative result of each exam.”
    • The framework of the social science curriculum emphasizes understanding and appreciating the feeling of Indianess, ‘bhartiyata,’ by valuing the rich cultural heritage and tradition of the country.
    • It also stresses on identifying and explaining important phases of the Indian national movement against British rule, with special reference to Gandhian and other subaltern movements.

    (4) Social Science Curriculum

    • The pre-draft emphasizes understanding and appreciating the feeling of Indianess, “bhartiyata,” by valuing the rich cultural heritage and tradition of the country.
    • The pre-draft also stresses on identifying and explaining important phases of the Indian national movement against British rule, with special reference to Gandhian and other subaltern movements.
    • It also recommends teaching concepts of Buddhism, Jainism, and Vedic and Confucian philosophies.

    (5) Follow-up processes

    • As a follow-up to the National Education Policy 2020, development of four National Curriculum Frameworks — NCF for School Education, NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education, NCF for Teacher Education, and NCF for Adult Education — have been initiated.
    • The National Steering Committee under the chairmanship of K. Kasturirangan was set up by the Ministry to undertake and develop NCFs.

    Controversy over curriculum revamp

    • The latest round of textbook rationalisation has resulted in some of the most sweeping changes in the curriculum since the NDA government came to power.
    • These changes include removing all references to the 2002 Gujarat riots, reducing content related to the Mughal era and the caste system, and dropping chapters on protests and social movements.
    • Many of these changes are seen as ‘political’, however, their earlier introduction into curriculum was also a political move.

    The furore over Mughal History

    • While some of the content on the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire has indeed been removed from the history textbook for Class 7, the Mughals have not entirely disappeared.
    • For instance, the chapter ‘The Mughal Empire’ in the Class 7 history textbook, Our Pasts – II, has undergone deletions — including a two-page table on the milestones and achievements of the reigns of the emperors Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb.
    • However, the chapter itself has not been removed.
    • Students of Class 7 will continue to learn about the Mughals, though in lesser detail.

    Significance

    • School textbooks have always been seen as playing a crucial role in shaping national narratives, and as a tool for cultivating a desired national identity.
    • NCERT textbooks are read by more than 5 crore students in 18 states around the country, who are seen by political parties as a large captive audience with impressionable minds.
    • It’s not just school students either — candidates preparing for competitive exams such as the Civil Services Examination, SSC, JEE, and NEET, also rely on these textbooks.

  • The Need For Humane Policing In India

    Central Idea

    • The recent case of human rights violation against an IPS officer in Ambasamudram highlights the need for humane policing in India. The history of police brutality across the globe, including in the US, reveals the need for change in the policing system. The pressure to produce results, coupled with corruption and lack of ethics training, contributes to police excesses, which must be curbed.

    History of Policing Excesses

    • Policing Excesses in U.S: The history of policing in many countries is pockmarked by episodes of excesses, and the U.S. is one such country which has had far too many instances of police torture.
    • For example: The Rodney King incident of 1991 in Los Angeles and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 are some examples of police brutality.

    Factors Contributing to Police Excesses in India

    • Corruption among public servants: Corruption is rampant in India and is a major factor contributing to police excesses. Bribery and corruption make it easy for criminals to escape the law and for police officers to use violence and coercion to extract money and other benefits.
    • The pressure to produce results: Police officers are often under tremendous pressure to produce results and show that they are making progress in solving cases. This pressure can lead to an overzealous approach to policing, with officers resorting to torture and other illegal methods to extract information and solve cases quickly.
    • Lack of ethics training: Police officers in India are not given sufficient training in ethics and human rights. This lack of training makes it easier for officers to resort to violence and abuse of power, as they do not understand the consequences of their actions.
    • Political interference: In some cases, politicians and other powerful people may interfere in police investigations or use their influence to protect criminals. This interference can undermine the rule of law and make it more difficult for police officers to do their job effectively and without fear or favor.
    • Poor working conditions: Police officers in India often work long hours in difficult and dangerous conditions. This can lead to stress and fatigue, which can in turn lead to a higher incidence of police excesses.
    • Lack of accountability: There is often little accountability for police officers who commit excesses. In many cases, officers who are found guilty of human rights violations are simply transferred to another location, rather than being punished or dismissed from the force. This lack of accountability sends a message to other officers that they can get away with abuse of power and violence.

    Role of Technology and Ethics in Policing

    • Both technology and ethics are necessary for effective policing: While technology can help solve crimes and improve policing efficiency, ethics and a commitment to human rights are necessary to ensure that police officers act within the law and respect the rights of all citizens.
    • Technology alone is not enough: The technology has played a significant role in improving policing in India, with many officers now trained in the use of modern tools and techniques to solve crimes. However, technology alone is not enough, and that ethics must also be prioritized in policing.
    • Training in ethics must be prioritized at all levels of the police force: Many police officers in India lack sufficient training in ethics and human rights, which makes it easier for them to resort to violence and abuse of power. Training in ethics must be prioritized at all levels of the police force, from the highest-ranking officers to those on the front lines.
    • Police leaders are crucial players: The police leaders, such as DGPs and IGPs, have a crucial role to play in indoctrinating young recruits on the value of sticking to the law and civilised behaviour.

    What is mean by humane policing?

    • Humane policing refers to a style of law enforcement that places a greater emphasis on preserving the human rights and dignity of individuals.
    • Humane policing recognizes that police officers are entrusted with great power and authority and that they have a duty to exercise this power with respect, compassion, and professionalism.
    • It prioritizes building trust and positive relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
    • Humane policing It seeks to avoid the use of excessive force, unnecessary aggression, or intimidation in policing activities.
    • It recognizes the importance of accountability and transparency in law enforcement.
    • It also recognizes the importance of training and education for police officers in areas such as cultural competence, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution.

    Conclusion

    • It is sad and equally true that many in the political firmament subscribe to the philosophy that without physical force on misbehaving citizens, the quality of policing cannot improve and law and order cannot be maintained. This perception has to be changed. India needs a human policing. Moreover, the authorities must take swift action against offending officials to send a strong message that no illegal physical treatment of crime suspects will be tolerated.

    Mains Question

    Q. Rising cases of police excesses reveals the need for change in the policing system. In this backdrop highlight the factors behind Policing Excesses in India and what steps can be taken to promote humane policing?

  • Sodium Intake Target: Challenge of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension

    Sodium

    Central Idea

    • The WHO recently published the ‘Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction’ which sheds light on the progress of its 194 member states towards reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025. Regrettably, progress has been lethargic, with only a few countries making considerable headway towards the objective. Consequently, there is a proposal to extend the deadline to 2030.

    The target of reducing population sodium intake

    • The target of reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025 was set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in 2013.
    • The plan aims to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, by 25% by 2025, and to achieve a 30% reduction in the mean population intake of salt/sodium.
    • The target of reducing population sodium intake is aimed at reducing the burden of hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

    Why reducing sodium intake is essential for India?

    • Reduced sodium intake and decreased blood pressure: There is a strong correlation between reduced sodium intake and decreased blood pressure, leading to a decrease in stroke and myocardial infarction incidence. Lowering sodium intake by 1 gram per day leads to a 5 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, as per a study in The BMJ.
    • Cardiovascular disease: Elevated BP is a critical risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. It contributed to 54% of strokes and 47% of coronary heart diseases globally in 2001.
    • Economic impact of cardiovascular disease on LMICs: Cardiovascular disease has a staggering economic impact on LMICs, estimated at $3.7 trillion between 2011 and 2025 due to premature mortality and disability. This represents 2% of the GDP of LMICs. The Indian economy alone faces losses surpassing $2 trillion between 2012 and 2030 due to cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for effective interventions to mitigate the economic and health consequences of the disease in LMICs.

    Sodium

    How cardiovascular disease and hypertension pose significant challenges in India?

    1. Cardiovascular diseases as primary cause of mortality and morbidity:
    • As per data from the Registrar General of India, WHO, and the Global Burden of Disease Study, cardiovascular diseases have emerged as the primary cause of mortality and morbidity. Data from the Registrar General of India, WHO, and the Global Burden of Disease Study
    • Age-adjusted cardiovascular disease mortality rate increased by 31% in the last 25 years
    • Hypertension as leading risk factor for such diseases in India
    1. Prevalence of hypertension in India:
    • More prevalent among men aged 15 and above compared to women
    • More common in southern states, particularly Kerala, while Punjab and Uttarakhand in the north also report high incidence rates
    1. Pre-hypertensive population in India
    • Defined by systolic blood pressure levels of 120-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure levels of 80-89 mmHg
    • 5% of women and 49.2% of men at the national level
    • Significant risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature mortality for Indians with BP readings between 130 and 139/80-89 mmHg
    • Many Indians classified as pre-hypertensive are now included in the newly defined stage-I hypertension by the American guidelines.
    1. Circulatory system diseases: The 2020 Report on Medical Certification of the Cause of Death shows that circulatory system diseases account for 32.1% of all documented deaths, with hypertension being a major risk factor.

    Global Efforts to Reduce Sodium Intake

    • The WHO aims to reduce population sodium intake by 30% by 2025
    • Only a few countries have made considerable progress towards the objective
    • India’s score of 2 on the WHO sodium score signifies the need for more rigorous efforts to address the health concern

    Sodium

    Government Initiatives

    • Voluntary programmes: The Union government has initiated several voluntary programmes aimed at encouraging Indians to decrease their sodium consumption
    • Eat Right India: The FSSAI has implemented the Eat Right India movement, which strives to transform the nation’s food system to ensure secure, healthy, and sustainable nutrition for all citizens
    • Aaj Se Thoda Kam: FSSAI launched a social media campaign called Aaj Se Thoda Kam.

    Urgent Need for a Comprehensive National Strategy

    • Despite of awareness efforts, the average Indian’s sodium intake remains alarmingly high. Evidence shows an average daily consumption of approximately 11 grams.
    • India needs a comprehensive national strategy to curb salt consumption
    • Collaboration between State and Union governments is essential to combat hypertension, often caused by excessive sodium intake

    Conclusion

    • The excessive consumption of salt can lead to severe health consequences, and India has a pressing need to reduce its sodium intake. While the government has initiated several voluntary programs, these have fallen short of the goal. India needs a comprehensive national strategy, engaging consumers, industry, and the government, to curb salt consumption. Collaboration between State and Union governments is essential to combat hypertension, often caused by excessive sodium intake.

    Mains Question

    Q. Reducing population sodium intake is a critical step towards preventing and controlling non- cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Comment.

  • Citizen-Centric Governance: Important Aspects of Development In Any Democracy

    Central idea

    • Citizen-centric governance is an evolving concept, and to put it into action requires clarity in the actions that civil servants perform and how citizens engage with the state. Citizen engagement is about collaborative partnerships and dialogue and must involve all stakeholders to ensure the overall development of a community or a nation.

    Citizen-Centric Governance

    • Paradigm shift in traditional governance: Citizen-centric governance refers to a paradigm shift in the traditional governance structures where the focus is shifted from the power holders to the citizens.
    • Access to information and services to citizens: Traditionally, governance structures hold the power to make decisions that affect the lives of citizens. But citizen-centric governance focuses on providing citizens with access to information, services, and resources and on engaging them in the policy-making process.
    • Increased citizen participation: The objective of citizen-centric governance is to increase citizen participation in decision-making processes

    Mission Karmayogi

    • Capacity building of civil servants: Mission Karmayogi, the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building has been strategically working to build the capacities of civil servants through various innovative interventions to sensitise and reframe the fabric of citizen participation.
    • karmachari to karmayogi: Today, thousands of railway employees, Gramin Dak Sevaks, police personnel in the UTs and employees of BSNL are all going through an outcome-based capacity-building programme that is shifting them from thinking like a karmachari to acting like a karmayogi.

    Citizen Engagement

    • Citizen engagement refers to how citizens participate in the political, social and economic aspects of their community or society.
    • Citizen engagement is highly embedded in the nature of the political and governance context and existing power relations.
    • It needs to be understood as a core component of any governance system, and in democracies, citizen engagement is a basic principle because it is understood that governments derive their authority and power from the people.

    What the multi-stakeholder engagement requires?

    • Constructive dialogue: Development by the people and for the people is indeed possible. Citizen engagement towards democratising the process of development necessarily involves a constructive dialogue between and amongst all stakeholders.
    • Mutual trust and respect: Meaningful dialogue among the stakeholders the state, citizenry, private sector, media, civil society and academia can sustain only when there is mutual trust. The relationship between these multiple stakeholders needs to be driven by mutual respect and an appreciation of interdependence and reciprocity.
    • Redrawing boundaries of engagement: However, this may involve redrawing boundaries of engagement and roles that stakeholders have traditionally assumed for themselves.
    • Partnership approach: The multi-stakeholder engagement would require the adoption of the partnership approach by all parties involved.

    Conclusion

    • Citizen-centric governance and citizen engagement are important aspects of development in any democracy. By adopting a partnership approach and mutual respect for each other’s roles, stakeholders can work together to ensure the overall development of a community and nation at large. The Indian government’s program, Mission Karmayogi, is a right step towards building the capacities of civil servants and sensitizing them to citizen participation.
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  • Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence in India and Way Ahead

    Central Idea

    • In India, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a widely debated issue due to a lack of systematic estimates. Most estimates have been derived from studies based on school children, revealing that over one crore Indians may be on the autism spectrum. However, there are notable cultural differences in diagnosing autism between countries, which highlights the need to assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders specifically in the Indian context.

    What is Autism?

    • Spectrum disorder: Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour. It is called a spectrum disorder because the symptoms and severity can vary widely between individuals.
    • Common symptoms: Some common symptoms of autism include difficulty with social interactions, such as maintaining eye contact or understanding nonverbal cues, delayed speech and language development, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities.
    • Cause: Autism is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause is not yet fully understood.
    • Cure: There is currently no cure for autism, but early interventions and therapies can help individuals with autism lead fulfilling and independent lives.

    Prevalence of Autism in India

    • Lack of systematic estimates: Autism is a global issue and affects individuals of all cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there is a lack of systematic estimates of autism prevalence in India.
    • Methos failed: Researchers have attempted to estimate prevalence through government hospitals, but this method failed due to the absence of central medical registries.
    • Conservative estimates: As a result, prevalence was estimated through school-based assessments. According to conservative estimates, well over one crore Indians are on the autism spectrum. This highlights the need for further research and attention to address the prevalence of ASD in India.
    • Cultural Differences and Diagnosis of Autism:
    • Notable cultural differences exist in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In the US and UK, the majority of children with autism spectrum diagnosis are verbal, with average or higher IQ, and attending mainstream schools.
    • However, in India, a significant majority of children with a clinical diagnosis of autism also have intellectual disability and limited verbal ability. This difference is driven by sociological factors, such as access to appropriate clinical expertise, provisions for inclusion in mainstream schools, and availability of medical insurance coverage.

    Challenges in Assessing Autism

    • Assessment tools: Assessment of autism spectrum disorder is primarily behavioral, and most widely used autism assessment tools are not available in Indian languages.
    • Indigenous autism assessment tools challenges: There has been a rise in the development of indigenous autism assessment tools. Despite the development of these tools, it can be challenging to compare across different assessment measures.

    Demand and Supply in India

    • Shortage of mental health professionals: Most autism assessment tools need to be administered by specialist mental health professionals. However, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in India, with less than 10,000 psychiatrists, a majority of whom are concentrated in big cities.
    • Delay is costly: Delay in interventions can be costly for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
    • Demand and supply gap need to be met: This gap between demand and supply cannot be met directly by specialists alone, and parallel efforts to widen the reach of diagnostic and intervention services through involving non-specialists is required. Emerging evidence suggests the feasibility of involving non-specialists in autism identification and intervention through digital technology and training programs.

    Way ahead: Need for an All-India Program

    • National program on autism: The need of the hour is to develop a national program on autism in India that links researchers, clinicians, service providers to the end-users in the autism community.
    • Essential components: This program needs to have three essential components that are joined up: assessment, intervention, and awareness.
    • Assessment: Research is needed to develop appropriate assessments and design efficient implementation pathways.
    • Intervention: Clinical and support service workforce needs to be expanded by training non-specialists such that a stepped-care model can be rolled out effectively across the nation.
    • Awareness: Large-scale initiatives need to be launched to build public awareness that can reduce the stigma associated with autism and related conditions.

    Conclusion

    • There are challenges in diagnosing and assessing autism in India which highlights the need for a comprehensive and coordinated effort to address them. By expanding the clinical and support service workforce, training non-specialists, and developing appropriate assessments and interventions, India can improve outcomes for those on the autism spectrum and reduce the stigma associated with the condition. This national program needs to be informed by consultation with different stakeholders, with a primary focus on end-users within the Indian autism community.

  • New India Literacy Program (NLIP)

    literacy

    Central idea: 22.7 lakh adults from 10 states and union territories in India became qualified as literate adults in 2022-23 by passing an assessment test conducted under New India Literacy Program (NLIP).

    What is New India Literacy Program (NLIP)?

    • The NLIP/ Nav Bharat Saksharta Abhiyan is aimed at providing literacy to non-literates in the age group of 15 years and above.
    • The scheme is implemented for a period of five years from FYs 2022-23 to 2026-27.
    • The scheme has five main components, which are as follows:
    1. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy,
    2. Critical Life Skills,
    3. Vocational Skills Development,
    4. Basic Education, and
    5. Continuing Education

    Beneficiaries of the scheme

    • The beneficiaries under the scheme are identified through a door-to-door survey on a mobile app by surveyors in the States/UTs.
    • Non-literates can also avail the benefits of the scheme through direct registration from any place through a mobile app.
    • The scheme is mainly based on volunteerism for teaching and learning.
    • Volunteers can also register through a mobile app for this purpose.

    Implementation of the scheme

    • The scheme is based on technology and implemented predominantly through an online mode.
    • The teaching-learning material and resources have been made available on the DIKSHA platform of NCERT and can be accessed through mobile apps.
    • Furthermore, other modes like TV, Radio, Samajik Chetna Kendra, etc. are also to be used for the dissemination of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.

    Conclusion

    • The New India Literacy Programme (NILP) is a crucial step towards making India a literate country.
    • The scheme’s implementation through technology and the use of volunteers for teaching and learning will make it easier for non-literates to access education.

     

  • Duty exemption for drugs for Rare Diseases

    rare

    Central idea: The Centre has exempted all drugs and food for special medical purposes, imported for personal use, for the treatment of rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 from basic customs duty.

    What are Rare Diseases?

    • Rare diseases are those medical conditions that affect a small percentage of the population.
    • In India, a disease is considered rare if it affects less than 1 in 2,000 people.
    • These diseases are often genetic and are chronic, degenerative, and life-threatening.
    • There are over 7,000 known rare diseases, and it is estimated that about 70 million people in India are affected by them.
    • Many of these diseases do not have a cure, and the treatment can be expensive and difficult to access.

    Need for duty exemption

    • This decision has been taken to help reduce the burden of the cost of treatment for patients and families.
    • The drugs and food required for the treatment of these rare diseases are often expensive and need to be imported.
    • This exemption will result in substantial cost savings and provide much-needed relief to patients with rare diseases.

    Key medicines under this exemption

    • The central government has fully exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a drug used in the treatment of various types of cancer, from basic customs duty.
    • Previously, the GST rate for Keytruda was cut to 5 per cent from 12 per cent in a meeting held in September 2021 by the GST Council.
    • Life-saving drugs Zolgensma and Viltepso used in the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy were exempted from GST when imported for personal use.

    How the new duty exemption works?

    • The exemption has been granted by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) by substituting “Drugs, Medicines or Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP)” instead of “drugs or medicines”.
    • To avail of this exemption, the individual importer has to produce a certificate from the central or state director health services or district medical officer/civil surgeon of the district.

    How are life-saving medicines taxed?

    • Drugs/medicines generally attract basic customs duty of 10 per cent, while some categories of lifesaving drugs/vaccines attract a concessional rate of 5 per cent or nil.
    • In its meeting in September 2021, the GST Council had reduced tax rates for several life-saving drugs.

     

  • Public Policy Education: Essential For Developing Effective Policies

    Central Idea

    • Government policies play a crucial role in determining the future of a country. They not only impact economic growth and public welfare but also improve the ease of living for citizens. Unfortunately, there is a lack of interest in public policy education in India, with only a small percentage of policymakers having formal education in public policy and administration.

    Public policy education

    • Public policy education refers to the study and teaching of the principles, theories, and methods involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that address societal issues.
    • This field of education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, create, and manage public policies effectively.

    How the government policies, economic growth, and public welfare are closely interconnected?

    • Government policies: Governments create and implement policies to guide economic activities, maintain social order, and promote the welfare of their citizens. These policies cover a wide range of areas, such as fiscal and monetary policy, trade policy, education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure development. The effectiveness of these policies can have a direct impact on economic growth and public welfare.
    • Economic growth: Economic growth is the increase in a country’s output of goods and services over time, usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). A growing economy typically leads to higher employment, increased income, and improved living standards for citizens. Government policies play a crucial role in stimulating or hindering economic growth by influencing factors such as investment, consumption, trade, and innovation.
    • Public welfare: Public welfare refers to the overall well-being of a society, encompassing aspects such as income distribution, access to essential services, health, education, and environmental quality. Government policies can significantly impact public welfare by determining the allocation of resources, setting priorities, and providing social safety nets.

    Paucity of Programs

    • As per the All-India Council for Technical Education, there are 3,182 institutions with an approved intake of 4.22 lakh in business management programs, but only about 130 universities that offer public administration programs and only 29 institutes that offer public policy programs.
    • The batch size of public policy courses is 20-60, and there are few jobs available for people pursuing such courses, which disincentivizes educational institutions and students from choosing public management courses.

    Lack of Exposure to Public Management

    • Most civil servants undergo departmental induction training programs that focus on the role they play in their department and not much on how to make good public policies.
    • Consequently, very few civil servants have exposure to public management before joining service, which is critical for developing effective policies.

    Suggestions to boost public policy education in India

    1. Public Management as a Compulsory Subject in UPSC:
    • Public management should be a compulsory subject for the UPSC civil service examination, either as a substitute for one optional subject or an additional paper. This will incentivize universities and private institutions to offer public policy education, research, and case studies at the graduate or post-graduate level, leading to a major boost in public policy education.
    • Additionally, civil servants who join government would have formal education in public management before they enter service, and even those who do not make it to government jobs would develop better understanding and sensitivity towards complexities involved in public management, making them better citizens and effective private sector managers.
    1. Larger Component of Public Policy in Induction Training: Existing training institutions of the government should have a larger component of public policy as part of their induction training. Moreover, a case study bank for training should also be established.
    2. Specialized Positions of Public Policy Analysts: The government can create certain specialized positions of public policy analysts to be picked up from the market directly, thereby creating new job avenues for the graduates of public policy programs.

    Conclusion

    • The lack of formal education in public management has led to governance lagging behind private sector management in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Public policy education is essential for developing effective policies that spur economic growth, public welfare, and improve ease of living for citizens.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is public policy education, and why is it important for policymakers in India to have formal education in public policy and administration? Suggest measures to boost public policy education in India.

  • Healthcare: Remarkable Progress But The Gaps Needs to be Addressed

    Central Idea

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome many challenges and has made significant progress, but there are still many tough health challenges that need to be addressed. There is need to bridge the gap between the services available in metropolitan and Tier-II and Tier-III cities, provide healthcare insurance to the unorganised middle class, and use Artificial Intelligence and digital technology to improve healthcare services.

    Overcoming past challenges

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome seemingly insurmountable problems, including high maternal and infant mortality rates, and low hospital delivery rates.
    • The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) results show that even in the so-called BIMARU states, hospital deliveries have soared to 89 per cent.

    Current Health Challenges

    • Five interrelated challenges: The current macro picture shows at least five interrelated challenges that are pervading the population, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), obesity, and chronic respiratory diseases.
    • NCDs: The proportion of deaths due to NCDs has increased from around 38 per cent in 1990 to 62 per cent in 2016.
    • Obesity: Obesity has increased from 19 per cent to 23 per cent between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. Awareness about leading healthy lives will save millions from illness and decelerate premature death.

    Current state of healthcare in India

    1. Infrastructure:
    • The state of infrastructure matters. Since 2018, governments at the Centre as well as the state have been trying to bolster primary healthcare by establishing health and wellness centres.
    • But there are still huge variations between states, and some states have better arrangements than others. States must step up efforts to improve infrastructure in the healthcare sector.
    1. Bridging the gap in hospital services:
    • In urban areas, the challenge is to bridge the gap in hospital services between large urban agglomerations and Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
    • Large hospital chains provide only 4-5 per cent of the beds in the private sector.
    • Standalone hospitals and nursing homes provide 95 per cent of private hospital beds but are unable to provide multi-specialty, leave alone tertiary and quaternary care.
    • The gaps between services available in the metros and big cities and in districts must be bridged.
    1. Health Insurance Coverage:
    • Low health insurance penetration and the very high personal outgo on healthcare remain a challenge.
    • But over the past three years, more than four crore Indians have bought health insurance.
    • From 2018, the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme for 10 crore poor families has been undertaken to provide insurance against hospitalisation for up to Rs 5 lakh per year per family.
    • Nearly 74 per cent of Indians are either covered or eligible for health insurance coverage.
    1. Use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technology:
    • An emerging concern is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology to improve healthcare services.
    • Surgery assisted by robots, the use of genetic codes, clinical decision support systems, and telemedicine can help in making healthcare more accessible and efficient.

    Conclusion

    • India has shown how the impossible can be achieved, but the healthcare system needs to overcome various challenges to fully redeem its advantage of having the youngest population. The government needs to step up efforts in improving infrastructure, bridging the gap in hospital services, and providing health insurance coverage for the unorganized middle class. It is also essential to regulate the use of AI and digital technology in the healthcare sector to ensure accountability and prevent malpractice.
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