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Subject: Indian Society

  • [24th November 2025] The Hindu OpED: The future of health lies in harmony

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2019] How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?

    Linkage: Traditional medicine is gaining global traction, so protecting it from patenting and biopiracy is now a core policy priority rather than a cultural concern. As India leads the global traditional medicine agenda, this linkage makes the topic very likely to appear in future UPSC exams under health governance, IPR and soft-power.

    Mentor’s Comment

    The global health landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift. Traditional medicine, once seen as alternative, is now being recognised as a scientific and social asset. With India emerging as a hub of innovation and evidence-based traditional research, and hosting the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, the world is witnessing a renewed focus on health systems rooted in balance, sustainability and technology-enabled well-being.

    INTRODUCTION

    Health, in its original meaning, has always signified harmony, within the human body, and between humans and nature. With modern lifestyles driving chronic diseases, mental strain and ecological imbalance, traditional systems of medicine offer a rediscovered pathway to well-being that integrates mind, body, community, and environment. India, with its rich heritage of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa, is repositioning traditional medicine as an engine of science-driven global healthcare transformation.

    WHY IN THE NEWS?

    The Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine hosted by India marks a watershed moment, for the first time, traditional medicine is being institutionalised globally as a scientific, evidence-backed and sustainable component of public health systems. With around 90% of WHO member-states reporting usage of traditional medicine, and India’s AYUSH market reaching USD 34.3 billion, global health priorities are shifting from reactive sick-care to proactive well-being. The Summit signals the beginning of a new chapter where traditional medicine integrates with modern technologies, data analytics and global governance.

    Why is traditional medicine gaining global significance?

    1. Escalating lifestyle diseases: rising non-communicable diseases demand preventive, holistic models of care.
    2. Fragmented systems failing: reactive, curative-centric models cannot ensure long-term public well-being.
    3. Biodiversity-nutrition-livelihood interlinkages: traditional medicine influences food security, sustainability and livelihoods.
    4. Affordability for LMICs: for billions across low- and middle-income regions, traditional medicine remains first access to healthcare.

    How is traditional medicine evolving from belief to science?

    1. Evidence-based research: WHO emphasises integration supported by data, learning and scientific validation.
    2. Shift from consumer preference to collective responsibility: well-being linked to shared ecosystems and sustainability.
    3. Recognition as a scientific and social asset: elevated at the 2023 WHO Summit in Gandhinagar.
    4. Institutional reforms in India: dedicated AYUSH department at BIS, and global standards under ISO/TC 249/SC 2.

    What is India’s leadership role in global traditional medicine?

    1. WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar: a knowledge hub for innovation, analytics and sustainability.
    2. Memorandum of Understanding with WHO: India co-hosts global Summit and participates in shaping global priorities.
    3. Political and scientific commitment: Prime Minister’s focus leads to increasing investments and ecosystem building.
    4. Vision of collective global stewardship: India positions traditional knowledge as shared global heritage.

    How does technology change future pathways of traditional medicine?

    1. Digital health and analytics: enable real-time monitoring, transparency and measurable clinical outcomes.
    2. Sustainability and biodiversity research: bridges traditional practice with ecological protection.
    3. Innovation-led scaling: makes traditional systems compatible with global regulatory and safety frameworks.
    4. Data-driven inclusion: ensures equitable access to health knowledge and solutions.

    How does the Summit reshape global health governance?

    1. Benefit sharing and fair access: ensures equitable utilisation of biological and cultural assets.
    2. Value of local heritage in globalisation: respects indigenous knowledge in global supply chains.
    3. Integration with modern health priorities: aligns traditional medicine with contemporary clinical and public health goals.
    4. Ethical anchoring of future innovation: technology with community-rooted ethics and sustainability.

    CONCLUSION

    The world is moving toward a health model where prevention, sustainability, community participation and science converge. Traditional medicine, empowered by research, technology and equitable access, offers a pathway to resilience against lifestyle diseases and global health inequalities. India’s leadership in steering this transformation reinforces health not as the absence of disease, but as a state of balance between humans and nature.

  • The legal hoodwinking of adivasis

    Introduction

    The cancellation of Ghatbarra (Chhattisgarh) Gram Sabha’s community forest rights (CFRs), despite earlier recognition under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, has triggered concerns about legal fairness, administrative overreach and the future of Adivasi forest governance. The High Court ruling, which upheld the revocation of CFRs based on procedural grounds, marks a sharp break from the FRA’s constitutional promise of recognising customary forest rights and ensuring Gram Sabha consent for diversion decisions. The episode highlights the broader developmental logic that prioritises mining over community rights, creating a precedent with wide implications for forest governance in India.

    Why in the News 

    The Chhattisgarh High Court upheld the cancellation of Ghatbarra’s community forest rights, a rare instance where formally recognised CFRs were later withdrawn. This marks a significant departure from the FRA’s legal protection of settled rights and reveals how administrative technicalities can override Gram Sabha authority. The case is significant because lakhs of trees were felled after diversion was cleared, villagers’ objections were repeatedly sidelined, and legal rights were dismissed as “mistakes”, revealing systemic weakening of Adivasi rights in mineral-rich regions.

    How did the legal contest over Ghatbarra’s forest rights evolve?

    • Long history of disputes: The proposal to divert forests for mining dates back to 2011; reports noted ecological richness and unresolved rights.
    • Procedural irregularities: The Environment Minister allowed diversion despite technical objections; clearances were repeatedly granted and withdrawn.
    • Supreme Court intervention: The Court allowed mining to resume earlier without interfering with reconsideration of clearances.
    • Administrative fast-tracking: Mining proceeded while rights recognition lagged, leading to large-scale felling of forests.

    Why was Ghatbarra’s CFR status revoked?

    • DLC unilateral action: The District Level Committee cancelled CFRs in 2016 while villagers were preparing to litigate.
    • Claim dismissed as ‘mistake’: Authorities argued earlier recognition of rights was erroneous, contradicting FRA’s foundational principle.
    • Failure to meet legal standards: Court held that land had already been diverted and thus claims did not meet FRA criteria.
    • Judicial reliance on technicalities: Court questioned whether legal procedures for settling rights and obtaining Gram Sabha consent were fulfilled, placing burden on petitioners.

    What were the major shortcomings in the High Court’s reasoning?

    1. Misinterpretation of FRA Section 4(7): Court stated rights must be “free of encumbrances,” treating mining as an encumbrance rather than a violation of rights.
    2. Ignoring NGT findings: Earlier National Green Tribunal orders questioning the diversion process were not considered.
    3. Burden shifted to villagers: Petitioners were asked to prove procedural lapses by authorities, contrary to FRA’s mandate.
    4. Judicial shrinkage of community rights: The ruling prioritised administrative procedure over statutory recognition of customary rights.

    Why does this case matter for Adivasi self-determination?

    1. Erosion of Gram Sabha authority: CFRs, intended as a safeguard against arbitrary diversion, were overridden through administrative orders.
    2. Contradiction with Niyamgiri precedent: Supreme Court’s 2013 verdict upheld the primacy of Gram Sabha decisions; Ghatbarra marks a deviation.
    3. Expansion of extractive model: Mines continue to operate even when rights are unsettled; recognition does not ensure control.
    4. Undermining of democratic forest governance: Decision signals that settlements of rights can be reversed for developmental imperatives.

    What does the case reveal about India’s forest governance architecture?

    1. Development-first logic: Mining clearances were treated as faits accomplis, with rights adjudicated after damage was done.
    2. Weak institutional checks: DLCs, FAC, NGT and courts issued conflicting directions, creating procedural gaps that diluted rights.
    3. Strategic use of ambiguity: Authorities used technical ‘non-existence’ of rights to legitimise diversion.
    4. Administrative ritualism: Presence of procedures did not translate into justice; decision-making replicated colonial governance logic.

    Conclusion

    The Ghatbarra judgment illustrates how forest governance mechanisms can be used to dilute, rather than protect, Adivasi rights. Although the FRA envisions community autonomy and ecological stewardship, the ruling demonstrates how institutional language and procedural manoeuvres can sideline these safeguards. The case underscores the urgent need to re-establish statutory primacy of Gram Sabha consent and ensure that rights, once settled, cannot be reversed to accommodate extractive interests.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2016] Why are the tribals in India referred to as the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major constitutional provisions for their upliftment.

    Linkage: This PYQ examines constitutional safeguards and identity recognition of STs. It links with the article as it exposes how policy practice fails ST protections, leading to exploitation despite constitutional guarantees.

  • Govt to begin year-long National Migration Survey from July 2026

    Why in the News?

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), through the National Statistics Office (NSO), will conduct the National Migration Survey 2026–27 from July 2026 to June 2027.

    About the National Migration Survey (2026–27):

    • Overview: A nationwide MoSPI–NSO survey conducted from July 2026 to June 2027 to measure India’s migration rates, patterns, and impacts.
    • Scope: Covers rural–urban and inter-state migration, including short-term, long-term, and return migration.
    • Coverage: Includes all states and UTs except inaccessible parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
    • Focus Area: Captures individual migration, which forms the bulk of movements in India.
    • Data Collected: Records income changes, employment status, health, education, housing, and remittance patterns.
    • Technology Use: Relies on digital handheld devices for accurate, real-time data entry.
    • Return Migration: Examines pandemic-driven and cyclical return flows as a separate category.
    • Policy Use: Enables evidence-based planning for jobs, welfare delivery, and urban development.
    • Historical Context:
      • Earlier Rounds: Dedicated migration surveys conducted in 1955, 1963–64, and 2007–08.
      • Data Gap: After 2007–08, migration information came only partially through PLFS 2020–21.
      • Gender Trend: Female migration mainly due to marriage; male migration largely employment-driven.
      • Need for Survey: First comprehensive national migration study in 17 years.

    Revised Definitions and Methodological Updates:

    • Short-Term Migrant: Updated to include stays of 15 days to less than 6 months for work or job search.
    • Broader Causes: Includes employment, education, marriage, displacement, climate stress, and economic distress.
    • Well-Being Indicators: Adds measures on post-migration stability, access to services, and living conditions.
    • Digital Verification: Uses GPS-enabled handheld devices for real-time validation.
    • Return Migration Category: Formalised to assess cyclical and post-pandemic movements.
    [UPSC 2024] Which one of the following statements is correct as per the Constitution of India?

    (a) Inter-State trade and commerce is a State subject under the State List.

    (b) Inter-State migration is a State subject under the State List.

    (c) Inter-State quarantine is a Union subject under the Union List.

    (d) Corporation tax is a State subject under the State List.

     

  • How grassroots movements and campaigns are shaping India

    INTRODUCTION

    India’s development story is incomplete without recognising the individuals, communities and voluntary organisations working at the grassroots who transform adversity into resilience. Through examples from Subroto Bagchi, Bela Bhatia, and other chroniclers of grassroots India, the article illustrates how local aspirations, bottom-up leadership, and rights-based activism challenge structural inequalities and drive social transformation. These experiences expose gaps in State capacity while showcasing how community-driven initiatives produce sustainable, inclusive models of development.

    WHY IN THE NEWS

    Grassroots movements are in focus because recent literature, from Subroto Bagchi’s The Day the Chariot Moved to Bela Bhatia’s India’s Forgotten Country and Jayapadma R.V.’s Anchoring Change, documents the lived realities of India’s marginalised communities with unprecedented detail. These books reveal striking facts: India’s 96% unorganised workforce, only 2% formally skilled youth under 30, and deepening wage disparities despite economic growth. The narratives demonstrate how individuals like Nunaram Hansda and Muni Tigga overcome systemic barriers, and how activists expose entrenched caste, gender, and tribal injustices. The scale of these challenges, combined with inspiring micro-successes, makes the current wave of grassroots documentation a critical moment for rethinking India’s development model.

    What drives grassroots transformation in India?

    1. Human Stories as Development Indicators: Lived experiences of individuals reveal how opportunity and support systems create upward mobility.
    2. Persistent Structural Barriers: Stereotypes, bureaucratic sloth, corruption, and political inertia undermine access to education, health, and employment.
    3. People-Led Leadership: Many government servants and community workers defy systemic limitations to deliver results, becoming catalysts of local change.

    How does Odisha’s grassroots skilling experience illustrate systemic change?

    1. Scale of Engagement: Bagchi travelled 3,000 km across 30 districts in 30 days to assess ground realities, highlighting the importance of proximity to people for effective policy.
    2. Skill Crisis in India: With 96% of India’s workforce in the unorganised sector, and only 2% formally skilled youth, grassroots skilling becomes central to development.
    3. Personal Transformation as Social Capital: Stories like Muni Tigga, who travelled 37 km daily for wages before becoming an ITI-trained loco pilot, show skilling as empowerment.
    4. Nano-Unicorns: Bagchi’s concept of “nano unicorns” captures how individuals with basic resources but strong intent can transform their lives through new skills.

    How do grassroots narratives expose inequalities and violence?

    1. Caste and Tribal Oppression: Bela Bhatia’s work reveals untouchability, caste massacres, bonded labour, and routine violence against Dalits and Adivasis across States.
    2. Conflict and Displacement: Her documentation of Maoist-State conflict in Bastar exposes how communities face both insurgent and State excesses.
    3. Gendered Violence and Social Vulnerability: Widows, bonded labourers, and women in tribal regions face routine brutality, which grassroots activism brings to attention.
    4. Invisible Suffering: These accounts highlight the “real India”, hunger, widowhood, communal discrimination and armed oppression that rarely enters mainstream policy narratives.

    How do civil society organisations shape alternative models of development?

    1. Voluntary Organisations as Drivers: Works like Grassroots Development Initiatives in India show how NGOs empower marginalised communities through rights-based frameworks.
    2. Reframing Development: Civil society corrects narrative asymmetry by shifting discourse from failure to micro-successes and replicable design principles.
    3. Community-Based Innovations: Grassroots Innovation Movements shows diverse local innovations emerging across India, South America, and Europe.
    4. Alternative Governance: These movements challenge centralised, technocratic models and emphasise participation, dignity, and sustainability.

    What lessons do 75 years of grassroots interventions offer?

    1. Micro-Successes Matter: Anchoring Change argues that hidden successes across sectors demonstrate scalable principles for future development.
    2. Civic Action as Corrective Force: Grassroots interventions often succeed where State mechanisms fail, especially in reaching the marginalised.
    3. Sustainable Development Principles: Design principles such as local participation, contextual solutions, and trust-building emerge repeatedly.
    4. Relevance for India’s Future: These examples underline the need to integrate grassroots wisdom into policy design and leadership structures.

    CONCLUSION

    The collective narratives of grassroots India reveal a profound truth: systemic change does not always originate in government offices or corporate boardrooms. It emerges from forests, hamlets, slums, and skill centres where individuals confront injustice, inequality, and adversity every day. By documenting these experiences, writers and activists show that India’s development depends not just on economic indicators but on human dignity, justice, and opportunity. These stories emphasise that a resilient, equitable future for India must recognise and elevate grassroots leadership.

    Defining Grassroots Movements (Scholarly Grounding)Charles Tilly (Scholar of Social Movements)

    • “Grassroots activism involves sustained, organised public efforts that emerge from ordinary people rather than elites or formal institutions.”
    • Relevance: Highlights movements in Odisha, Bastar, Dalit-Adivasi regions driven by ordinary citizens.

    Paulo Freire-Pedagogy of the Oppressed

    • He describes grassroots mobilisation as the process through which the oppressed develop critical consciousness and challenge unjust systems.
    • Relevance: Bela Bhatia’s work with oppressed communities mirrors Freire’s idea of conscientisation.

    Partha Chatterjee-“Politics of the Governed”

    • Grassroots activism represents the “politics of the governed,” where marginalised groups negotiate with or resist State power.
    • Relevance: Movements against caste atrocities, displacement, bonded labour.

    Rajni Kothari-People’s Movement

    • Grassroots movements arise when institutions fail to address social justice.
    • Relevance: Odisha’s skilling push, Maoist conflict areas, Adivasi rights struggles

    Andre Béteille-Inequality and Social Structure

    • Grassroots actions are essential because institutions reflect the inequalities they are meant to correct.
    • Relevance: The article’s reflections on caste discrimination, tribal exploitation, gendered violence.

    Examples of Grassroots Movements & Campaigns in India

    These examples strengthen UPSC answers while complementing the themes in the article.

    1. Chipko Movement (Uttarakhand)
      1. Women-led forest protection campaign
      2. Classic example of community ownership, ecological consciousness
    2. Narmada Bachao Andolan (MP-Gujarat-Maharashtra)
      1. Medha Patkar leading displaced communities
      2. Connects with Bela Bhatia’s narratives on displacement & state-people conflict
    3. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), Rajasthan
      1. Led to the creation of RTI Act
      2. True example of local transparency movement and aligns with themes of accountability in article
    4. Kudumbashree (Kerala)
      1. Women SHG-based poverty alleviation network
      2. More than 40 lakh women empowered and parallels female empowerment stories in article
    5. Tribal Movements in Bastar & Niyamgiri
      1. Dongria Kondh agitation
      2. Protecting land rights, forests, identity  connects directly to Bela Bhatia’s activism
    6. Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)
      1. Informal sector women organising for rights
      2. Links to the article’s data: 96% of India’s workforce is unorganised
    7. The Right to Food Campaign (Rajasthan-Jharkhand)
      1. Led to legal recognition of the Right to Food (NFSA 2013)
      2. Resonates with themes of hunger, vulnerability, and social security
    8. Swachhagrahis under Swachh Bharat
      1. Local foot-soldiers transformed sanitation at the community level
      2. Example of modern grassroots mobilisation within state systems
    9. Pani Panchayats (Maharashtra)
      1. Community-led water management
      2. Echoes idea of “nano unicorns” where local solutions lead to large impact
    10. Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF)
      1. Works in digitally dark villages
      2. Links to article’s emphasis on digital divide & skilling

    Why Grassroots Movements Matter 

    1. They resolve governance gaps: Where bureaucracy fails, community institutions fill the vacuum.
    2. They build social capital: According to Putnam: “Networks of civic engagement improve societal efficiency.” Grassroots campaigns strengthen trust, cooperation, and shared goals.
    3. They decentralise democracy: True meaning of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments.
    4. They reveal the “invisible India”: Tribal women, bonded labourers, landless farmers 
    5. They catalyse policy innovation: Many national laws (RTI, FRA 2006, NFSA) emerged from grassroots struggles.
    6. They humanise development: Bagchi’s writing makes abstractions like skilling or growth felt through human narratives.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2021] Can Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations present an alternative model of public service delivery to benefit the common citizen? Discuss the challenges of this alternative model.

    Linkage: Grassroots movements in the article show how civil society delivers services where the State falls short, making this PYQ directly relevant. The topic is important because India’s governance gaps increasingly require community-led, bottom-up models to ensure inclusion and accountability.

  • Tuberculosis incidence falling in India by 21% a year: WHO report

    Why in the News?

    The World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025 says India’s TB incidence dropped 21% from 237 to 187 per lakh between 2015 and 2024, almost twice the global decline rate of 12%.

    Tuberculosis incidence falling in India by 21% a year: WHO report

    About Global TB Report 2025:

    • Publisher: Released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in November 2025.
    • India’s TB Incidence Decline: Fell 21 percent from 237 to 187 cases per lakh (2015–2024), nearly double the global decline of 12 percent.
    • Treatment Coverage: Reached 92 percent, with 26 lakh cases diagnosed in 2024.
    • Mortality Reduction: Dropped from 28 to 21 deaths per lakh between 2015–2024.
    • Key Drivers: Community-based screening, molecular diagnostics (CBNAAT / Truenat), Ni-kshay digital tracking, and TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.

    About Tuberculosis (TB):

    • What is it: Bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis mainly affecting the lungs; spreads through air via coughing/sneezing.
    • Types of TB:
      • Pulmonary TB: Affects lungs, highly contagious.
      • Extrapulmonary TB: Affects organs like spine, kidneys, brain, or lymph nodes.
      • Latent TB: Dormant infection, asymptomatic but may reactivate.
      • Active TB: Symptomatic and infectious stage.
      • Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB): Resistant to standard drugs due to incomplete or improper treatment.
    • Medicine Regimens:
      • Drug-sensitive TB: 6-month course- 2 months of HRZE (Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol) + 4 months of HR.
      • MDR-TB: Resistant to Isoniazid and Rifampicin; treated with 18–24-month regimen using Bedaquiline, Linezolid, Levofloxacin, Clofazimine, and Cycloserine.
      • Preventive Therapy: Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) for HIV-positive persons and close contacts of TB patients.

    Various Government Interventions for TB Prevention:

    • National TB Programme (NTP), 1962: India’s first structured TB-control effort; introduced BCG vaccination and district-level treatment services.
    • Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), 1993: Adopted the DOTS strategy; achieved nationwide coverage by 2006, improving standardized treatment and cure rates.
    • Ni-kshay Portal, 2012: Launched as a national digital platform for TB case notification, tracking, and treatment monitoring across public and private sectors.
    • Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, 2018: Introduced nutritional support of ₹500 per month to all notified TB patients through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (2017–2025): Implemented in phased manner; structured around Detect, Treat, Prevent, Build, promoting CBNAAT/Truenat and decentralised care.
    • National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), 2020: Renamed and upgraded from RNTCP; targets TB elimination by 2025 with universal free diagnostics, treatment, and surveillance.
    • Ni-kshay Sampark Helpline, 2023: Launched as a nationwide toll-free platform for patient counselling, treatment support, and follow-up.
    • Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative, 2022: Enabled individuals, NGOs, corporates to adopt TB patients for nutritional and diagnostic support under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan framework.
    • TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, 2024: Large-scale screening campaign covering 19 crore individuals; detected 24.5 lakh TB cases, including asymptomatic infections.

  • We need to move from a caste census with a capital C to one with a small c

    Introduction

    The government’s announcement of a caste census has reignited the social justice debate. After decades of delay, the exercise promises to redefine India’s path toward equality. However, scholars like Anand Teltumbde and sociologist Trina Vithayathil caution that unless thoughtfully designed, the census could become a token gesture perpetuating caste divisions instead of dismantling them.

    Why in the News?

    For the first time in over 90 years, India appears poised to conduct a comprehensive caste enumeration, a long-standing demand of social justice movements. The announcement marked a political and social milestone, yet it raised concerns over methodology, intent, and execution. The last major caste data collection was the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, whose data was never released. Hence, this move represents both continuity and rupture, an opportunity for social reform, but also a test of political sincerity.

    What is the significance of a caste census today?

    1. Historical Backdrop: The last caste enumeration occurred in 1931, and SECC 2011 failed to release its caste data.
    2. Social Justice Milestone: Seen as the next big step in India’s march toward reducing structural caste inequalities.
    3. Relevance to Policy: Data essential for designing targeted affirmative action and inclusive public welfare policies.

    The Peril of a Caste Census

    1. Tokenism Risk: Scholars warn against viewing the caste census as a panacea for social justice without structural reform.
    2. Reinforcement of Hierarchies: Poorly designed enumeration could re-entrench caste identity rather than diminish it.
    3. Ambedkarite Vision: Real emancipation lies in annihilating caste, not merely counting it.

    How do recent scholarly works shape the debate?

    1. Teltumbde’s “The Caste Conundrum”: Advocates linking caste enumeration with transformative social change.
    2. Vithayathil’s “Counting Caste”: Based on bureaucratic fieldwork, highlighting how technical details can determine whether enumeration promotes inclusion or exclusion.
    3. Common Ground: Both scholars stress reflection and purpose, not mechanical data gathering.

    What are the operational and moral questions involved?

    1. Scope and Inclusion: Full enumeration must include all religions (Hindus, Muslims, Christians) and not just OBC, SC, ST categories.
    2. Methodological Integrity: SECC 2011 was flawed, protocols discouraged recording caste among minorities.
    3. Question of Purpose: Census must ask not “what caste are you?” but “how do caste-based structures impact opportunity and power?”

    How can the census become a tool for transformation?

    1. Redesign for Equality: Move from a capital C Census (bureaucratic, divisive) to a small c census (reflective, reformist).
    2. Policy Integration: Use caste data to redesign reservation, education, and economic mobility programs.
    3. Ethical Imperative: Must ensure it does not become a tool to perpetuate caste privilege, but a means to dismantle inherited inequities.

    Conclusion

    The caste census, if executed thoughtfully, can become a historic step toward data-backed equality. But if reduced to political arithmetic, it risks becoming a bureaucratic ritual reinforcing caste privilege. The challenge is to move from enumeration to emancipation from a Census that counts people to one that makes people count.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2018] Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, the caste system cannot be eradicated in India. Comment.

    Linkage: It reflects how caste persists through new political and institutional forms. The caste census debate illustrates this continuity between identity and policy in modern India.

  • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana  (PMUY)

    Why in the News?

    New Delhi CM has announced expanding Ujjwala Yojana to families using traditional stoves or coal heaters to improve air quality and promote clean cooking.

    About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):

    • Overview: Introduced in 2016 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to poor and rural households.
    • Objective: Replace traditional cooking fuels like firewood, dung, and coal with LPG, improving women’s health, reducing indoor pollution, and promoting clean energy.
    • Target and Beneficiaries: Initially aimed to provide 8 crore LPG connections to deprived households by March 2020, with each connection issued in the name of an adult woman from the household.
    • Financial Support: Government provides ₹1,600 per connection, covering the security deposit, first refill, and stove (hotplate)– all free of cost.
    • Subsidy Entitlement: Beneficiaries eligible for up to 12 LPG cylinder subsidies per year (each of 14.2 kg).
    • Eligibility Criteria:
      • Adult woman from a poor household without an existing LPG connection.
      • Must belong to SECC 2011, SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, Forest Dweller, Most Backward Class, or Tea/Ex-Tea Garden Tribe categories.
      • Others can apply under “poor household” category by submitting a 14-point self-declaration.
    • Application Process: Available both online and offline through oil marketing companies.
    • Ujjwala 2.0: Announced in August 2021 to expand coverage by 1 crore new LPG connection, especially targeting migrant workers and urban poor.
      • Financial Assistance: Continued ₹1,600 per connection support with a free stove and first gas cylinder; subsequent refills paid by users.

    Achievements:

    • LPG Coverage Growth: Expanded national LPG coverage from 62% (2016) to 99.8% (April 2021).
    • Employment Generation: Created ~1 lakh jobs in the LPG distribution and logistics network.
    • COVID-19 Relief: Provided 14 crore free refills to PMUY households under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP).
    • Environmental Impact: Significant decline in biomass stove dependence, improving air quality and reducing household emissions.

  • Need to shift focus from food security to nutrition security

    Introduction

    India’s post-Green Revolution success ensured adequate food grain availability and established the foundation for food security through schemes like the Public Distribution System (PDS) and National Food Security Act (2013). However, caloric sufficiency has not translated into nutritional adequacy. Over 35% of Indian children remain stunted, and anaemia affects over half of women of reproductive age (NFHS-5). The Prime Minister’s address at ESTIC emphasizes the need for biofortified crops, sustainable fertilizers, and innovation-led solutions to make nutrition, not just food, accessible and affordable.

    Why in the News

    Prime Minister Modi’s call for a shift from food security to nutrition security at the first ESTIC represents a significant policy evolution. For the first time, a national scientific forum has explicitly linked agriculture, health, and technology to address malnutrition. This highlights India’s new priority: from ensuring “enough food for all” to ensuring “healthy food for all.”

    What is Nutrition Security and How is it Different from Food Security?

    1. Food Security ensures availability and access to sufficient food to meet caloric needs.
    2. Nutrition Security ensures access to safe, diverse, and balanced diets that meet both energy and micronutrient requirements.
    3. Holistic scope: It includes food diversity, clean water, healthcare, and education, linking agriculture to overall well-being.
    4. Policy evolution: India’s focus must evolve from distributing cereals to promoting dietary quality, fortified foods, and local nutrition systems.

    Why is Nutrition Security Critical for India?

    1. Persistent Malnutrition: Over three decades after economic liberalization, India still ranks low in the Global Hunger Index (111/125 in 2023).
    2. Hidden Hunger: Deficiencies of iron, vitamin A, zinc, and iodine affect productivity and cognitive growth.
    3. Economic cost: Malnutrition can cause an annual GDP loss of 2-3%, according to World Bank estimates.
    4. Demographic Dividend: Nutritional well-being determines the cognitive and physical potential of India’s young population.

    What are the Major Challenges to Achieving Nutrition Security?

    1. Calorie-centric PDS: Current public distribution primarily ensures cereals (rice/wheat) with low nutritional diversity.
    2. Agricultural bias: Focus remains on yield maximization, not on nutrient content or crop diversification.
    3. Socio-cultural patterns: Poor dietary habits, gender-based food discrimination, and lack of nutrition awareness persist.
    4. Implementation gaps: Fragmented nutrition programmes (like ICDS, Poshan Abhiyan, Mid-day Meal) lack convergence and data monitoring.
    5. Climate stress: Rising temperatures affect micronutrient quality of crops and food affordability.

    What Strategies Can Strengthen Nutrition Security in India

    1. Biofortification: Development of nutrient-rich crop varieties (e.g., iron-rich bajra, zinc wheat) to tackle hidden hunger.
    2. Crop diversification: Encouraging millets, pulses, and coarse grains through missions like the International Year of Millets 2023.
    3. Fortification of staples: Government’s push for fortified rice in all social schemes (PDS, ICDS, MDM) by 2024.
    4. Integrated policies: Poshan 2.0 integrates various nutrition initiatives under one umbrella for targeted delivery.
    5. Community-based models: Promoting local kitchen gardens and women SHGs for decentralized nutrition access.
    6. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture: Linking agriculture with public health goals via cross-sectoral planning and R&D.

    How Can Science and Technology Catalyze Nutritional Transformation?

    1. Genomic mapping: Identifying crop genes that enhance micronutrient profiles and resilience.
    2. Low-cost fertilizers: Innovations for soil and plant health, directly impacting food nutrition levels.
    3. Digital nutrition monitoring: Use of AI for dietary tracking, malnutrition mapping, and localized health data.
    4. Clean energy for cold chains: Affordable storage systems to prevent nutrient loss post-harvest.
    5. Public-private R&D: Funding mechanisms like the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (₹1 lakh crore) can boost nutrition-focused innovation.

    What are the Policy and Governance Interventions for Nutrition Security?

    1. National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan): Convergence-based approach using real-time monitoring and community mobilization.
    2. Food Fortification Policy: Fortified rice, edible oils, and milk distributed under welfare schemes.
    3. Mid-day Meal Scheme (PM POSHAN): Integration of eggs, fruits, and regional food habits into school nutrition.
    4. Anaemia Mukt Bharat & ICDS: Focused maternal and child health interventions.
    5. NFSA Reforms: Potential inclusion of nutrient-diverse baskets beyond rice and wheat.
    6. NITI Aayog’s SDG Localization: Linking nutrition with sustainable agriculture and local governance through district-level nutrition action plans.

    Conclusion

    India’s food story has been one of abundance without adequacy. As the nation aspires to become a developed economy by 2047, the focus must shift from feeding the population to nourishing it. Nutrition security integrates agriculture, health, gender equity, and science, symbolizing a mature, human-centered development vision. The future lies in a “Nutrition Revolution”, where innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability converge to ensure every Indian is not just fed, but well-nourished.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] Poverty and malnutrition create a vicious cycle, adversely affecting human capital formation. What steps can be taken to break the cycle?

    Linkage: It captures the core developmental challenge of transforming food sufficiency into nutrition sufficiency. It emphasizes how malnutrition erodes human capital and inclusive growth.

  • PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme

    Why in the News?

    The Kerala government has formally signed the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) agreement with the Union Ministry of Education, seeking approximately ₹1,446 crore to modernize government schools across the State.

    About the PM-SHRI Scheme:

    • Objective: To upgrade and modernize government schools as model institutions of quality education aligned with New Education Policy, 2020.
    • Purpose: Promote inclusive, equitable, and holistic education, integrating digital tools, environmental awareness, and vocational learning.
    • Overview: Launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Education as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
    • Scale & Duration: Targets 14,500 schools across India from 2022–23 to 2026–27, after which states will maintain benchmarks independently.
    • Funding Pattern: 60:40 (Centre: States/UTs with legislature), 90:10 (North-Eastern & Himalayan States), and 100% Central assistance (UTs without legislature).

    Key Features of PM-SHRI Schools:

    • Holistic Learning: Focus on creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking beyond rote academics.
    • Pedagogical Shift: Promotes experiential, inquiry-driven, and multilingual education with art and technology integration.
    • Infrastructure Upgradation: Includes Smart Classrooms, Integrated Science & Computer Labs, Vocational/Skill Labs, Atal Tinkering Labs, and Digital Libraries.
    • Green Practices: Encourages solar power use, waste recycling, rainwater harvesting, and organic gardening to create sustainable campuses.
    • Assessment Reform: Moves from memorization to competency-based evaluation, measuring conceptual understanding and application.
    • Innovation Focus: Acts as incubators of educational innovation, influencing reforms across India’s public school system.

    Selection and Monitoring Mechanism:

    • Three-Stage Process:
      • Stage 1 – MoU signed by States/UTs committing to NEP-aligned reforms.
      • Stage 2 – Identification of eligible schools using UDISE+ data.
      • Stage 3 – Challenge Mode competition reviewed by an Expert Committee headed by the Education Secretary.
    • Monitoring System: Implemented via School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) evaluating academic, infrastructural, and administrative standards.
    • Accountability: Continuous digital evaluation, reporting, and performance tracking ensure transparency and sustained improvement.
    [UPSC 2017] What is the purpose of Vidyanjali Yojana?

    1. To enable the famous foreign campuses in India.

    2. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community.

    3. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    Options: (a) 2 only *  (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 2 and 3 only

     

  • Kerala to be declared first State ‘Free of Extreme Poverty’

    Why in the News?

    Kerala will be officially declared free from extreme poverty on November 1st, marking a national first in poverty eradication.

    To assess this, Kerala relied on NITI Aayog’s assessment of Kerala using its Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

    What is Extreme Poverty?

    • Overview: According to the World Bank, extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $2.15 per day (2017 Purchasing Power Parity), representing absolute deprivation.
    • Revised Thresholds: In 2025, the World Bank updated the extreme poverty benchmark to $3/day (PPP 2021) for low-income countries, reflecting inflation and rising living costs.
    • Measurement Basis: It uses Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) to compare cost of living across countries and Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) data as a proxy for income.
    • Nature: Extreme poverty signifies absolute poverty, unlike relative poverty, which measures inequality within societies.
    • Indicators: It encompasses lack of access to essentials such as food security, safe housing, healthcare, education, clean water, and sanitation.

    Extreme Poverty in India:

    • Overview: India has achieved major success in reducing extreme poverty through inclusive growth and welfare-based redistribution over the past decade.
    • Global Benchmark: As per the World Bank (2025), India’s extreme poverty rate declined from 27.1% (2011–12) to 5.3% (2022–23), among the fastest reductions globally.
    • Population Impact: Nearly 270 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty; those living below the $3/day threshold fell from 344 million to 75 million.
    • Rural Transformation: The decline was steeper in rural India, supported by flagship programmes like MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana, National Food Security Act (NFSA), and Ayushman Bharat.
    • Social Protection Role: Expansion of direct benefit transfers (DBT), PDS coverage, and rural employment improved income security and consumption stability.

    What has Kerala achieved?

    • Milestone: Kerala has been officially declared free from extreme poverty as of November 1, 2025, becoming the first Indian state to achieve this feat.
    • Programme Launch: The Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme began in 2021, following one of the first Cabinet decisions of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
    • Scale: Out of 64,006 families identified as extremely poor, 59,277 families have been uplifted after targeted interventions across housing, health, and livelihoods.
    • Interventions:
      • Houses built for 3,913 families and land allotted to 1,338 families.
      • Repairs up to ₹2 lakh provided for 5,651 homes.
      • Essential documents like ration and Aadhaar cards issued to 21,263 individuals.
    • Methodology: Each family was covered through a micro plan, integrating state welfare schemes and social audits with geo-tagged verification.
    • Outcome: Kerala now has 0% extreme poverty, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 1) to eradicate poverty by 2030.
    • Significance: The achievement demonstrates Kerala’s model of inclusive governance, where local bodies, irrespective of political control, collaborated to ensure last-mile welfare delivery.
    [UPSC 2012] The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP support covers which of the following?
    1. Deprivation of education, health, assets and services at household level
    2. Purchasing power parity at national level
    3. Extent of budget deficit and GDP growth rate at national level
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
    (a) 1 only *
    (b) 2 and 3 only
    (c) 1 and 3 only
    (d) 1, 2 and 3