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Subject: Indian Society

  • Indian caste system

    Context

    • Indra Meghwal, a nine-year-old boy from Jalore, Rajasthan, got killed. Indra had dared to drink from the pitcher of Chail Singh, the upper-caste principal of the school, a man so driven by caste entitlement and hatred that it was only death, a hate-filled sacrifice, that could keep the tradition alive.

    What is caste system?

    • Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution.

    How caste system evolved?

    • According to one long-held theory about the origins of South Asia’s caste system, Aryans from central Asia invaded South Asia and introduced the caste system as a means of controlling the local populations. The Aryans defined key roles in society, then assigned groups of people to them.

    Problem’s created by caste system

    • Marriages: Most Indian marriages are arranged by parents. Several factors were considered by them for finding the ideal spouse. Out of which, one’s caste is a significant factor. People do not want their son or their daughter to marry a person from another caste. Just like the word “untouchables” suggests, a Brahmin would never marry a person from an SC or ST caste.
    • Education: Public universities have caste-based reservations for students coming from underprivileged backgrounds. A person from this background can secure a seat in a top tier college with par or below par academic scores based on reservation. However, impoverished Brahmans are disadvantaged with this reservation system. For example, a Brahman has to score 100% on certain exams to get into a top tier university. While the lower caste applicant can even bypass the exam for getting a seat in the university.
    • Jobs: A significant amount of public sector jobs are allocated based on caste reservation. Impoverished communities from Brahman backgrounds get affected significantly because of this reservation.

    Case study / Value addition

    Remember the exemplary act of Gopalganj IAS officer, Rahul Kumar, who had set an example by eating at the dalit widow’s house after villagers objected to her serving the mid-day meal to their children in the local school.

    How Can the Government Solve this Caste Issue?

    • Intercaste Marriage: Cross caste marriage can possibly eradicate the upper and lower caste mentality. Around 5% of marriages in India are between different castes. Around a quarter of the population on matrimonial sites are open to intercaste marriages at the moment.
    • Intercaste Dining: Addressing caste-related issues at large public events can contribute to diversity and inclusion efforts. Several dining events were organized by local state governments to incorporate people from all around the country.

    Affirmative actions by government

    • Provisions in the Constitution
    • Reservations in jobs
    • Reservations in Centre and State legislatures
    • Provisions in panchayats
    • Protect stakeholders by various Acts, safeguarding their land, livelihood, and save them from social evils

    Way forward

    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political agenda includes caste elimination from the country. India has improved to some extent in this 21st century on several fronts.
    • However, there is still lots of room to grow. The Indian government has an effective plan of bringing people together from all walks of life. Yet, certain inherent ideological contradictions will stand in the way while solving this issue. Regardless, that should not deter our hope in escaping the shackles of casteism.

    Conclusion

    • It is just as Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar said, “Caste will stand in your way for political and economical reforms within India.” According to him, eradicating such a strong foundation is extremely difficult yet doable. However, the path to reform has many roadblocks in it.

    Mains question

    Q. Do you think Caste will stand in way for political and economical reforms within India today? Analyse in context of incidents of social discrimination based on caste hierarchy.

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  • Panch prans for better India

    Context

    • PM Modi’s Independence Day speech outlined agenda for a radical transformation of society and nation.

    What are 5 resolves given by PM?

    • Take pride in India’s history.
    • The power of unity.
    • Duties of citizens, such as those of the PM and CMs.
    • Advance with greater conviction and the determination of a developed India.
    • Get rid of any signs of slavery.

    Detail analysis 5 resolves of pm

    (1)First pran: The first pran is about inculcating a culture of thinking big and at scale.

    • The first vow is for the country to move ahead with a big resolve. And that big resolution is of a developed India; and now we should not settle for anything less than that. Big resolution!
    • Some examples include the world’s largest financial inclusion programme, the largest vaccination drive, the largest health insurance programme and the largest social security schemes.

    (2)Second pran: The second Pran is that in no part of our existence, not even in the deepest corners of our mind or habits should there be any ounce of slavery. It should be nipped there itself.

    • Now, 100 per cent this slavery of hundreds of years has kept us bound, has forced us to keep our emotions tied up, have developed distorted thinking in us.
    • We have to liberate ourselves from the slavery mind set which is visible in innumerable things within and around us. This is our second Pran Shakti.

    (3)Third pran: The third Pran is that we should feel proud of our heritage and legacy.

    • Since it is this same legacy which had given India its golden period in the past. And it is this legacy that has an innate capability of transforming itself with time.
    • It is this rich heritage that transcends tests of tide and times. It embraces the new. And hence we should be proud of this heritage.

    (4)Fourth pran: Fourth pran which is equally important is unity and solidarity.

    • Amongst 130 million countrymen when there is harmony and bonhomie, unity becomes its strongest virtue.
    • “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” – is one of the unifying initiatives to actuate the dream of the fourth Pran.

    (5)Fifth pran: Fifth Pran is the duty of the citizens, in which even the Prime Minister, Chief Minister cannot be an exclusion.

    • As they are also responsible citizens and have a duty towards the nation. This virtue is going to be the vital life force if we want to achieve the dreams we have for the next 25 years.

    Challenges before India in next 25 years

    • Skill development and employment for the future: workforce According to the World Economic Forum’s report “The Future of Jobs 2018”, more than half of Indian workers will require reskilling by 2022 to meet the talent demands of the future. They will each require an extra 100 days of learning, on average.
    • Socioeconomic inclusion of rural India: By 2030, 40% of Indians will be urban residents. However, there will also be more than 5,000 small urban towns (50,000-100,000 persons each) and more than 50,000 developed rural towns (5,000-10,000 persons each) with similar income profiles, where aspirations are fast converging with those of urban India.
    • A healthy and sustainable future: As India marches forward, it faces new challenges in health and sustainable living, even as it has achieved key health targets such as polio eradication.

    Conclusion

    • The nation should now only be setting big goals. That big goal is a developed India and nothing less.

    Mains question

    Q. What are the challenges India will face in next 25 years? Discuss the panch pran resolves of PM showing how they will address these challenges.

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  • Labour policies need to change for better quality livelihoods

    Context

    • One of the biggest economic fallout of the pandemic has been the deteriorating labour market conditions.
    • Given the ebb and flow of the pandemic, the growth recovery is likely to be fragmented and will weigh on the number and types of jobs available.

    What is quality and sustainable livelihood?

    • “A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.’’

    Sustainable livelihoods objectives

    • improved access to high-quality education, information, technologies and training and better nutrition and health;
    • a more supportive and cohesive social environment;
    • more secure access to, and better management of, natural resources;

    Definition of labour welfare

    • Labour welfare relates to taking care of the well-being of workers by employers, trade unions, governmental and non-governmental institutions and agencies.
    • Welfare includes anything that is done for the comfort and improvement of employees and is provided over and above the wages.

    Why labour law is needed

    • Labour law aims to correct the imbalance of power between the worker and the employer; to prevent the employer from dismissing the worker without good cause; to set up and preserve the processes by which workers are recognized as ‘equal’ partners in negotiations about their working conditions etc.

    Constitutional mandate

    • Article 41 – The state shall within the limits of its economic capacity and development make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of underserved want.
    • Article 42 – The state shall make provision for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.

    Challenges in labour welfare in India

    • Technical glitches: Under the Constitution of India, Labour is a subject in the concurrent list where both the Central and State Governments are competent to enact legislations. As a result, a large number of labour laws have been enacted catering to different aspects of labour e.g. occupational health, safety, employment etc.
    • Loopholes: Because of the predominantly heavy handed labour regulations (also called as Inspector Raj) with exploitable gaps, the MNCs and domestic organizations have resorted to alternate ways i.e. employing contract labour at less than half the payroll of a permanent employee.
    • Gaps in labour laws: One of the main reasons for labour reforms is the concept of contract labour. Trade Unions suggest that this concept itself should be removed. There is stringent hiring and firing process defined in Industry Disputes Act. It makes it mandatory for the organization to seek Government permission before removing an employee.

    Global best practices  

    • Universal basic income pilot project: For two years Finland’s government gave 2,000 unemployed citizens €560 a month with no strings attached. It was the first nationwide basic income experiment. The concept is slowly becoming difficult for people to ignore.

    How will dynamic policies and labour codes respond?

    • Labour productivity: It is likely to improve with both employees and employers developing a sense of being partners in wealth creation.
    • Labour reform: A transparent environment in terms of workers’ compensation, clear definition of employee rights and employer duties.
    • Compliance un-burdening: Simplified labour codes making compliance easier are likely to attract investments.
    • Formalization of the economy: With more workers in the organized sector, leakage in terms of direct as well as indirect taxes may be plugged.

    Conclusion

    • The guiding principle for India’s labour policy reformers should not merely be ring fencing jobs but safeguarding workers through social assistance, re-employment support (such as that which is provided in several Western nations) and skill building, and supporting employers in employee training and development.

    Mains question

    Q. Why there is need to make labour policies more dynamic? Do you think universal basic income approach will be the best way forward for achieving quality livelihood?

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  • Indian Olympic Association (IOA)

    The Supreme Court has ordered status quo on the implementation of a Delhi High Court order to hand over the affairs of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to a Committee of Administrators (CoA).

    Why in news?

    • The FIFA had recently gone ahead and suspended the AIFF, citing “third party interference”, leaving an air of uncertainty on the prospect of India hosting the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in October.
    • The governance of the AIFF had similarly been transferred to a CoA by the Supreme Court.

    Delhi HC case

    • The high court had passed the order on a petition seeking a direction for redrafting of the IOA constitution in accordance with the National Sports Code, 2021.

    Controversy with IOC

    • According to IOC rules, if any national body is governed by a non-elected body, it is seen as interference by a third party.
    • The moment the CoA takes charge, there is 99 per cent chance that India and our sportspersons will get suspended from all international events and Olympic Games.

    Olympics and India

    • India first participated in the Olympics in 1900 in Paris.
    • The country was represented by Norman Pritchard, an Anglo Indian who was holidaying in Paris during that time.
    • The seeds for creation of an organisation for coordinating the Olympic movement in India was related to India’s participation in the 1920 and 1924 Olympics.
    • Back then, Sir Dorabji Tata suggested the need for a Sports body at National level for promoting Olympic Sport in united India.
    • After the 1920 Games, the Committee sending the team to these Games met, and, on the advice of Sir Dorabji Tata, invited Dr. A.G. Noehren (Physical Education Director of YMCA India) to also join them.

    Establishment of Indian Olympic Association (IOA)

    • Subsequently, in 1923-24, a provisional All India Olympic Committee was set-up, which organised the All India Olympic Games in February 1924.
    • Eight athletes from these Games were selected to represent India at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics, accompanied by manager Harry Crowe Buck.
    • This gave impetus to the development and institutionalization of sports in India, and, in 1927, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was formed, with Sir Dorabji Tata as its founding President and Dr. A.G. Noehren as Secretary.
    • The same year as it was formed, 1927, the Indian Olympic Association was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

    Also read

    Better time for Sports in India: PM

     

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  • Long road ahead: Towards women empowerment

    Context

    • Gender parity is not recovering, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2022. It will take another 132 years to close the global gender gap.
    • As crises are compounding, women’s workforce outcomes are suffering and the risk of global gender parity backsliding further intensifies.

    Why in news?

    • India has one of the world’s lowest female labour force participation rates (LFPR).
    • This means the productive potential of half of the population goes unutilized.

    What is women’s empowerment all about?

    • Women’s empowerment can be defined to promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.

    Why it is needed?

    • Human resource: Empowerment of women is a necessity for the very development of a society, since it enhances both the quality and the quantity of human resources available for development.
    • Sustainable development: Women’s empowerment and achieving gender equality is essential for our society to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

    Constraints in women empowerment

    • Illiteracy: Illiteracy has been found as major constraints for the attainment of women Empowerment in the nation. It is the rate of literacy which governs the reservation, takeover and competition among women for their right in country. Female child are less privileged for attaining schools.
    • Discriminatory nature of male towards female: In India, since the olden days, the men have been in control of politics, social, economical as well as cultural and traditional spheres of life.
    • Religious and cultural beliefs: This is another important constraint of women’s empowerment in India which tightens up the female population. It is because of unknowing believes and following superstitions.
    • Less participation of women in political field: In particular, women them self involves less in the political filed. Their participation is very insignificant in political issues and right as compared to male population.

    What happens if we don’t act?

    • Economical losses: Evidence shows that economic disempowerment of women can result in losses of 10% of GDP in industrialized economies and over 30% in South Asia and in the Middle East and North Africa.
    • Work opportunities: India’s GDP could grow by nearly â‚č3 trillion if women were brought into the labour market and given access to formal, ‘decent’ work opportunities.

    Case study

    Mahila Sanatkar a craftswomen cooperative located in Hyderabad.

    Economic and social  effects: It  is  noticeable  some  social  results  such  as  skill building, self-confidence  enhancement,  the  mobility acquired  by the  women.

    What is needed to improve women’s welfare?

    • Community sensitization: Persistent effort must be directed toward community sensitization to root out patriarchal social norms.
    • Directional efforts: In addition to enforcing existing regulations like minimum wages, there must be supportive ancillary policies including childcare; secure transport; lighting; safety at work; and quotas in hiring, corporate boards, and politics to foster more  women  in  leadership.
    • Universal social mobilization: Identification and inclusion of the poor remains a challenge. There is need to develop community resource persons for participatory identification of poor.
    • Training, Capacity Building & Skill Upgradation: There is lack of appropriate training plans, quality training and availability of expert training institutions.
    • Universal Financial Inclusion: Lack of uniform financial management systems at all tiers of SHGs has impacted the growth in bank accounts, improvement in financial literacy, and absorption capacity of community members.
    • Multiple & Diversified Livelihoods: There is lack of progressive leadership for inclusiveness of small-sized enterprises at the federal level. Market/ forward linkages, is largely missing.

    Conclusion

    • If we improve women’s labour force participation, not only do we harness the massive productive potential of half of the population, but their earnings will yield enormous dividends for the future of the country and economy.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you consider as true women empowerment? Assess the constraints for the same and give directional efforts needed to overcome it.  

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  • How to bring Indian women into the workforce?

    Fewer than one in five Indian women are in the labour force. Four out of five are neither working nor looking for work.

    Why in news?

    • India has one of the world’s lowest female labour force participation rates (LFPR).
    • This means the productive potential of half of the population goes unutilized.

    Why women’s LFPR is so low in India?

    • There are many reasons:
    1. A lack of demand for women workers;
    2. Poor working conditions including low wages,
    3. Safety concerns and exploitation;
    4. Girls studying longer; migration;
    5. Nuclearization of families where there are fewer women to share domestic responsibilities; and
    6. Middle-income effect is where women stop working because the household has enough income.
    • The root of much of this is deep-set patriarchy and neglect for women’s claim to their equal place in a man’s world.

    Why enhancing women’s LFPR is critical?

    • Research and experience highlight that when women have money, they spend it on the well-being of their families.
    • From Brazil’s Bolsa Familia to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package for women with Jan Dhan accounts, policymakers have tried to reap the benefits of putting money in women’s hands.
    • One way to do this is to ensure that more women have jobs, higher wages, and equal pay.

    What is needed to improve women’s employment?

    • Persistent effort must be directed toward community sensitization to root out patriarchal social norms.
    • In addition to enforcing existing regulations like minimum wages, there must be supportive ancillary policies including childcare; secure transport; lighting; safety at work; and quotas in hiring, corporate boards, and politics  to  foster  more  women  in  leadership.

    What obstacles do we confront?

    • Correcting asymmetries of power is hard, especially when it entails changing convention.
    • Men who are blind to their privilege, or will be forced to share their privileges, will resist change.
    • Engendered discrimination results in a lack of labour market demand for women workers.
    • This is visible in policies such as honorariums instead of wages for Anganwadi and Asha workers.
    • It is also evident from over-reliance on home-based work for women, on and offline, instead of doing the hard work to ensure equal opportunity, outcomes, and real choice.

    What happens if we don’t act?

    • A concerted effort to advance gender equity must be a central priority over the next 25 years.
    • Evidence shows that economic disempowerment of women can result in losses of 10% of GDP in industrialized economies and over 30% in South Asia and in the Middle East and North Africa.
    • India’s GDP could grow by nearly â‚č3 trillion if women were brought into the labour market and given access to formal, ‘decent’ work opportunities.

    Way forward

    • If we improve women’s labour force participation, not only do we harness the massive productive potential of half of the population, but their earnings will yield enormous dividends for the future of the country and economy.

     

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  • Practice of talaq-e-hasan not so improper: Supreme Court

    The Supreme Court has prima facie observed that the Muslim personal law practice of talaq-e-hasan is “not so improper”.

    What is Talaq-e-hasan?

    • Talaq-e-hasan is a form of divorce by which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by pronouncing talaq once every month over a three-month period.

    Why did the apex court say this?

    • The SC Bench said a Muslim woman has the option to divorce by the process of khula by returning the dower (mahr) or something else that she received from her husband or without returning anything.
    • This can be as per agreed by the spouses or Qadi’s (court) decree depending on the circumstances.

    Petitioner’s contention

    • The petitioner argued that talaq-e-hasan and other forms of unilateral extra-judicial divorce is an evil plague similar to sati.
    • Talaq-e-hasan is arbitrary, irrational and contrary to Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 and international conventions on civil rights and human rights, the petition submitted.
    • There should be a gender neutral, religion neutral, uniform grounds of divorce and uniform procedure of divorce for all citizens, it read.
    • The petitioner argued that the practice in question was “neither harmonious with the modern principles of human rights and gender equality nor an integral part of Islamic faith”.
    • The practice discriminates against Muslim women as they cannot resort to it against their husbands.

    Why in news?

    • The apex court, while striking down triple talaq in the Shayara Bano case, did not address the issue of talaq-e-hasan.
    • The unilateral practice of divorce was is definitely defies morality.

     

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  • Labour welfare necessity

    Context

    • One of the biggest economic fallout of the pandemic has been the deteriorating labour market conditions.
    • In the years ahead when the health crisis subsides and the economy witnesses a rebound, the healing of the labour market may take some more time. This is because the impact of recovery on this market is always felt with a lag.
    • Given the ebb and flow of the pandemic, the growth recovery is likely to be fragmented and will weigh on the number and types of jobs available.

    Definition

    • Labour welfare relates to taking care of the well-being of workers by employers, trade unions, governmental and non-governmental institutions and agencies.
    • Welfare includes anything that is done for the comfort and improvement of employees and is provided over and above the wages.

    What are labour rights?

    • Labour rights or workers’ rights are both legal rights and human rights relating to labour relations between workers and employers. These rights are codified in national and international labour and employment law. In general, these rights influence working conditions in relations of employment.

    Why labour law is needed

    • Labour law aims to correct the imbalance of power between the worker and the employer; to prevent the employer from dismissing the worker without good cause; to set up and preserve the processes by which workers are recognized as ‘equal’ partners in negotiations about their working conditions etc.

    Constitutional mandate

    • Article 41 – The state shall within the limits of its economic capacity and development make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of underserved want.
    • Article 42 – The state shall make provision for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.

    Necessity for welfare

    • There were only 25 million during the initial period of industrial growth, while the strength of the workers is increasing year after year and hence, need for a mechanism to look into the welfare of the labour.
    • Workers put in long hours of work in unhealthy surrounding and the drudgery of the factory work continues to have adverse effect. To counter these welfare measures were felt necessary.
    • As a result of hardwork, they fall prey to alchoholism, gambling and other immoral activities results in absenteeism and other problems in the organisation. Hence the need was felt.

    Scope for labour welfare in India

    • Contribute to the productivity of labour and efficiency of the enterprise.
    • Raise the standard of living of workers by indirectly reducing the burden on their purse.
    • Be in tune and harmony with similar services obtaining in a neighbouring community where an enterprise is situated.
    • Be based on an intelligent prediction of the future needs of industrial work and be so designed as to offer a cushion to absorb the shock of industrialization and urbanization
    • Be administratively viable and essentially development in outlook.

    Government steps in this direction

    • Social Security Measures: The social security measures would help man to face the contingencies as such it is difficult for him either to work or to get work and support himself and his family. Thus social security measure provides a self balancing social insurance or assistance from public funds.
    • Social Insurance: is described as the giving in return for contribution, benefits up to subsistence level, as of right and without a means test, so that an individual may build freely upon it.
    • Social Assistance: is provided as an supplement to social insurance for those needy persons who cannot get social insurance payments and is offered after a means test.
    • Public Service: is a programme constituting the third main type of social security. They are financed directly by the government from its general revenues in form of cash payments or services to every member of the community falling within a defined category.

    Case study of Finland

    • Universal basic income pilot project: For two years Finland’s government gave 2,000 unemployed citizens €560 a month with no strings attached. It was the first nationwide basic income experiment. The concept is slowly becoming difficult for people to ignore.

    Challenges in labour welfare in India

    • Technical glitches: Under the Constitution of India, Labour is a subject in the concurrent list where both the Central and State Governments are competent to enact legislation. As a result, a large number of labour laws have been enacted catering to different aspects of labour e.g. occupational health, safety, employment etc.
    • Loopholes: Because of the predominantly heavy-handed labour regulations (also called as Inspector Raj) with exploitable gaps, the MNCs and domestic organizations have resorted to alternate ways i.e. employing contract labour at less than half the payroll of a permanent employee.
    • Gaps in labour laws: One of the main reasons for labour reforms is the concept of contract labour. Trade Unions suggest that this concept itself should be removed. There is stringent hiring and firing process defined in Industry Disputes Act. It makes it mandatory for the organization to seek Government permission before removing an employee.

    Conclusion

    • Labour Welfare helps labourers improve their working conditions, providing social security and raising their standard of living.
    • Raise the employee’s morale use the workforce more effectively besides removing dissatisfaction help to develop loyalty in workers towards the organization.

    Mains question

    Q.What is labour welfare according to you? Why it is needed? Explain the challenges in front of Indian labour reforms.

     

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  • Medical education in India

    Context

    • The increasing population (1.32 billion ) and the occurrence of diseases, demands Indian medical education and the training approach to be modified and ensure enhancing practical clinical skills, than just sticking with predominantly theoretical or classroom training.
    • The demand for medicine to be taught in language beside English has been made repeatedly over the years, and was reiterated by union home minister recently.

    Definition

    • Medical education consists of training aimed at ensuring physicians acquire the competencies, skills and aptitudes that that allow them to practice professionally and ethically at the highest level.

    Goal of medical education

    • The goal of basic medical education is to ensure that medical students have acquired the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors that prepare them for a spectrum of career choices, including, but not limited to, patient care, public health, clinical or basic research, leadership and management, or medical education.

    Why medical education in India needs urgent reforms

    • Current Status: Despite being home to one of the oldest medicinal systems in the world, India is still struggling to bring its medical education at par with the leaders around the world. The 541 medical colleges in the country haven’t been able to reach the standard of education that could meet the healthcare needs of the country.
    • Deficiency: The doctor-patient ratio of 1:1655 in India as against WHO norm of 1:1000 clearly shows the deficit of MBBS. While the government is working towards a solution and targeting to reach the required ratio, there is a need to relook at the overall medical education.
    • Post pandemic scenario: The lag in formal medical education has come up evidently post-pandemic when the nation saw the medical fraternity struggling to fill the doctor deficit.
    • Structural issues: It also brought forth the outdated learning methods that most of the medical institutes were using. Due to lockdown and fear of Covid-19 spread, a lot of institutes cancelled lectures and practical sessions.

    Current challenges faced by medical education in India

    • Limited government seats: The number of seats available for medical education in India is far less than the number of aspirants who leave school with the dream of becoming doctors.
    • What data speaks: Of the 1.6 million students who appeared in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in 2021, only 88,120 made it into the 562 medical colleges in the country. Others had to enrol in non-medical courses in India or seek admission to foreign medical colleges. While the number of medical colleges has now increased to 596 (with 89,875 seats), the entry barrier is still high.
    • Lack of skills: Though the institutes are managing to hire professors and lecturers, there is a lack of technical skills. Finding faculties in clinical and non-clinical disciplines is difficult and there are very few faculty development programs for upskilling the existing lot.
    • Lack of infrastructure: The gap in digital learning infrastructure is currently the biggest challenge the sector is facing. There is an urgent need to adopt technology and have resources available to facilitate e-learning.
    • Lack of research and innovation: The medical research and innovation needs an added push as there haven’t been many ground-breaking research here. The education system needs to focus more on increasing the quality of research. Additionally since industry academia partnership is not available, hence innovation also takes a back-seat.

    A recent analysis estimates that India has only 4.8 fully qualified and actively serving doctors per 10,000 population.

    Government steps in tackling these challenges and issues

    • NMC bill: The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 was passed recently by the parliament. The bill sets up the National Medical Commission (NMC) which will act as an umbrella regulatory body in the medical education system. The NMC will subsume the MCI and will regulate medical education and practice in India. Apart from this, it also provides for reforms in the medical education system.
    • MCI suggestion: The Medical Council of India (MCI) launched the globally recognized Competency-based medical education (CBME) for MBBS students in 2019. The CBME curriculum seeks to step away from a content-based syllabus and more towards one that is more practical and aligned with the country’s increasing health demands.
    • Schemes: 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were developed under this initiative, and MBBS classes have already commenced at 18 of the new AIIMS.

    About NMC

    The Aim of the National Medical Commission are to (i) improve access to quality and affordable medical education, (ii) ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country; (iii) promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens; (iv) encourages medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research; (v) objectively assess medical institutions  periodically in a transparent manner; (vi) maintain a medical register for India; (vi) enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services; (vii) have an effective grievance redressal mechanism.

    Steps to be taken 

    • To cater to any unprecedented demand in the future and to bring up the quality of education, the Indian medical education system undoubtedly needs major reforms.
    • While the focus needs to be put on improving the curriculum to bring competency-based education, there are several ways that can help bring reform in the current medical education system. Some of these are;
    1. Leveraging technology to offer digital learning solutions
    2. Capitalizing on e-learning and facilitating infrastructure to support it
    3. Revising curriculum to have more practical training, competency-based skill development
    4. Inculcating problem-solving approach by situational/case-based examination
    5. A broad-based faculty development program to sharpen the competency of teachers
    6. Eliminating caste-based reservation and paving way for merit-based admission
    7. Industry academia collaboration to facilitate innovation

    Way forward

    • There should be a substantial step-up in public investment in medical education.
    • By establishing new medical colleges, the government can increase student intake as well as enhance equitable access to medical education.
    • Besides, it must allocate adequate financial resources to strengthen the overall capacity of existing medical colleges to enrich student learning and improve output.

    Try this question for mains

    Q. Considering the large diaspora of medical students across the globe do you consider there are problems in Indian medical education system? If there are any ,discuss them along with current health status and steps needed to counter them .

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  • Five years after SC verdict, talaq petitioners living as ‘half-divorcees’

    Five years after the Supreme Court’s five-judge Bench under then CJI J.S. Khehar invalidated instant triple talaq in August 2017, the women petitioners continue to live a life of half-divorcees.

    What is triple talaq?

    • ‘Triple Talaq’ is a procedure of divorce under the Sharia Law which is a body of the Islamic law.
    • Under this, a husband can divorce his wife by pronouncing ‘Talaq’ thrice.
    • The Supreme Court invalidated instant triple talaq in the Shayara Bano versus the Union of India case while refraining from commenting on the state of their marriages directly.

    What was the issue all about?

    • The case dates back to 2016 when the Supreme Court had sought assistance from the then Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of “triple talaq”.
    • The hearing also included cases of “nikah halala” and “polygamy”, to assess whether Muslim women face gender discrimination in cases of divorce.
    • The issue gained political momentum on March 2017 when the Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) told the Supreme Court that the issue of triple talaq falls outside the judiciary’s realm.
    • However, on August 22, the Supreme Court set aside the decade-old practice of instant triple talaq saying it was violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.

    Why was triple talaq abolished?

    • In spite of protests by Muslim women and activists world-wide the procedure was most prevalent throughout the country.
    • There are several instances where ‘triple talaq’ has enabled husbands to divorce arbitrarily, devoid of any substantiation.
    • Oral talaq or ‘triple talaq’ delivered through social media platforms like Skype, text messages, email and WhatsApp have become an increasing cause of worry for the community.
    • The ‘triple talaq’ has been abolished in 21 countries including Pakistan, but is still prevalent in India.
    • The Centre reasons that these practices are against constitutional principles such as gender equality, secularism, international laws etc.
    • When these practices are banned in Islamic theocratic countries, the practices could have absolutely no base in religion and are only prevalent to permit the dominance of men over women.

    Why in news now?

    • Half-divorce: Technically still married, practically divorced, they enjoy no conjugal rights nor receive any regular maintenance from the estranged husbands.
    • Cannot remarry: Practically abandoned, the women cannot remarry in the absence of a legally valid divorce.
    • No legal action: After the verdict, none of the men were visited by law enforcement bodies and told to take back their wives.
    • No legal implementation: Further, no arrests could be made for giving instant triple as the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 came into force long after the pronouncement of instant talaq.

     

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