💥UPSC 2026, 2027 UAP Mentorship November Batch
Talk to Mentor

Type: Explained

These Newscards correspond to the explained section of various newspapers. They become immensely important for both prelims and mains and special attention needs to be paid to them

Bills/Act/LawsDOMREthicsExplainedHistorical SitesIndia MappingIOCRop-ed snapPIBPrelims OnlySC JudgementsSchemesSpeciesStatesWorld Mapping

Economic Indicators and Various Reports On It- GDP, FD, EODB, WIR etc

Urgent update: India needs to revise its CPI urgently

Explained | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

Introduction

The October retail inflation data exposed severe inaccuracies in India’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). While headline inflation appeared to fall to just 0.25%, the lowest since January 2012, the decline stemmed from a statistical anomaly, not real deflation. A collapse of 3.7% in the food and beverages index, driven largely by errors in price tracking during a month of actual food inflation (9.7%), dragged the entire CPI downwards. With outdated 2012 weights, GST-era distortions, and wide gaps between measured and perceived inflation, the CPI no longer mirrors reality. The article argues for urgent revision because the index now affects interest rate decisions, welfare planning, and fiscal strategy.

Why in the news 

Retail inflation for October collapsed to 0.25%, a 13-year low, appearing at first as a major success. But this fall was driven not by cheaper food but by a historic 3.7% contraction in the food and beverages category, despite actual food inflation touching 9.7%, the highest of the year. This sharp disconnect, caused by outdated weights and flawed price capture, marks one of the most serious statistical discrepancies in India’s CPI since its creation. With RBI’s interest rate decisions tied to CPI, this mismatch between measured inflation and lived inflation has become a significant policy challenge.

What triggered the inflation anomaly in October 2025?

  1. Historic contraction in food index: The food and beverages category fell 3.7%, the largest drop since the 2012 CPI basket was created.
  2. Actual food inflation 9.7%: Prices in October rose steeply, showing complete divergence between data and reality.
  3. High weightage (46%): Because food accounts for nearly half of CPI, the flawed contraction pulled the entire index downward.
  4. Vegetable prices rising: The fall did not reflect market behaviour; vegetables had been getting costlier.
  5. Statistical anomaly: Not a reflection of cheaper food but a reflection of outdated measurement methods.

Why is India’s CPI no longer accurate or representative?

  1. Outdated base year (2012): Consumption patterns, e-commerce, GST era changes, lifestyle shifts, none are captured.
  2. Misaligned weights: Household spending patterns have transformed; food no longer holds the same share.
  3. GST impact shows inconsistently: Only clothing and footwear showed inflation lower than last year due to GST cuts, not genuine price movement.
  4. Inconsistent category behaviour: Fuel, housing, tobacco, and miscellaneous inflation was higher than last year, contradicting the headline figure.
  5. Price capture errors: Data is often collected from markets that do not reflect actual consumer behaviour.

What is the policy significance of this mismatch between CPI and real inflation?

  1. RBI’s rate decisions distorted: RBI surveyed households and found perceived inflation at 7.4%, far above the official CPI.
  2. Risk of wrong interest-rate moves: The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) uses CPI as its benchmark; incorrect CPI can lead to wrong rate cuts/holds.
  3. Poor signalling to markets: Bond markets, banks, and investors rely on accurate inflation forecasting.
  4. Impact on welfare schemes: Index-linked subsidies, pensions, and poverty estimates become inaccurate.
  5. Misleading economic narrative: Inflation is reported as low while households experience severe price stress.

Why is a new CPI series urgently required

  1. Mismatch with GST regime: The GST tax cuts have altered category prices but CPI weights do not capture this.
  2. Structural change in Indian consumption: Electronics, services, digital expenses, mobility, none adequately represented.
  3. Incorrect urban-rural representation: Spending patterns in rural India have changed substantially.
  4. Temporary factors skewing data: GST rate cuts temporarily depress inflation readings, masking real trends.
  5. Government acknowledgment: Ministry of Statistics has confirmed work on a new CPI series.

What is expected from the upcoming CPI revision?

  1. Greater accuracy: The new index will reduce the gap between statistical inflation and lived inflation.
  2. Improved weightages: Food weight may be reduced; services weight may rise.
  3. Better policy coordination: More accurate inflation data for monetary and fiscal decisions.
  4. Alignment with global practices: Frequent re-basing, digital data capture, and dynamic weighting.
  5. Timeline: Expected from the next financial year, improving CPI reliability.

Conclusion

India’s inflation measurement system is now at a breaking point. The October anomaly exposes the urgent need to modernize the CPI to reflect contemporary consumption and inflation realities. With monetary policy, welfare spending, and economic narratives relying on CPI, statistical distortions can lead to severe policy missteps. A revised CPI, updated, accurate, and GST-aligned, is essential for credible macroeconomic governance.

Value Addition

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

  • Definition: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of consumer goods and services. The CPI measures inflation as experienced by consumers in their day-to-day living expenses.
  • Released by: National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
  • Frequency of release: Monthly, usually around the 12th of every month for the previous month.
  • What is included in the CPI basket:
    • Food & Beverages, Housing, Fuel & Light, Clothing & Footwear, and Miscellaneous services (education, health, transport, communication, recreation, personal care, etc.).
  • Weightage (CPI Combined, 2012 base year):
    • Food & Beverages: ~46%
    • Housing: ~10%
    • Fuel & Light: ~7%
    • Clothing & Footwear: ~6%
    • Miscellaneous: ~31%.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.

Linkage: This PYQ is relevant because food inflation, CPI accuracy, and monetary policy are core GS-III themes repeatedly tested by UPSC. The article shows how flawed CPI weights hid real food inflation, directly weakening RBI’s ability to target inflation.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Trade Sector Updates – Falling Exports, TIES, MEIS, Foreign Trade Policy, etc.

Low taxes spur buying but jobs and incomes will have to grow

Explained | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

Introduction

India’s economy is witnessing strong domestic demand supported by lower income tax and GST rates, easing inflation, a healthy monsoon, and lower interest rates. However, external uncertainties, high U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, and weak goods-export momentum pose headwinds. While consumption, services exports, and government capital expenditure show strength, India’s long-term growth will depend on sustained job creation and rising household incomes.

Why in the News? 

India’s domestic demand is rebounding strongly due to lower income taxes, GST rationalisation, easing inflation, and a good monsoon, marking a sharp contrast to earlier quarters of weak consumption. The IMF upgrading India’s GDP projection for FY25-26 from 6.4% to 6.6% signals strong resilience despite external headwinds. However, goods exports face pressure from U.S. reciprocal tariffs, and income growth has not kept pace with consumption, making it crucial to assess how India can sustain growth without widening inequalities.

What is driving the current revival in domestic demand?

  1. Lower income tax & GST rates: Supported domestic demand as rationalisation reduced consumer burden.
  2. Good monsoon: Enabled agricultural stability, boosting rural purchasing power.
  3. Lower inflation & interest rates: Created favourable consumption conditions in the first half of the year.
  4. Higher government capital expenditure: Surged by 40%, strengthening infrastructure demand and pushing growth.
  5. Higher disbursements by Food & Public Distribution: Supported rural consumption and safety nets.

How is India’s export performance shaping up?

  1. Non-oil goods exports grew 7% in the first half of the year, with overall goods exports rising 10%.
  2. Electronics exports increased 10% in the same period, indicating success of PLI-supported segments.
  3. Items like gems & jewellery, carpets, leather slowed due to global weak demand.
  4. High U.S. tariffs: India’s exports to the U.S. are facing pressure, especially textiles and electronics.
  5. Risk of global consolidation: Export growth may moderate due to volatility in global capital flows.

What is the role of India’s services exports?

  1. Services remain the big buffer: Annual growth projected at around 10%, providing stability.
  2. IT services: Still robust despite global slowdown.
  3. Travel, transport, logistics, professional services: Showing strong expansion post-pandemic.
  4. CAGR of services exports (FY20-FY25): Strong performance contributed substantially to overall GDP.

Why is investment activity picking up?

  1. Government capital expenditure +40%: Major driver of infrastructure formation.
  2. Private sector investment: Modest but improving, with pickup in power, cement, construction, pharma, and logistics.
  3. Lower interest rates: Created enabling conditions for investment in the second half of the year.
  4. High forex reserve ($690 billion): A comfort factor for foreign investors.

Why must jobs and household incomes grow now?

  1. Strong consumption without matching income growth is unsustainable.
  2. Sticky unemployment risks weakening domestic demand.
  3. Labour-intensive sectors (textiles, leather, small manufacturing) face export pressure due to high U.S. tariffs.
  4. Structural reform need: India requires higher household income growth, MSME support, and labour-market reforms to sustain growth.
  5. Long-term challenge: Services-led growth creates fewer jobs, while global slowdown limits export-driven job creation.

Conclusion

India’s growth momentum is increasingly anchored in strong domestic demand supported by rationalised taxes, a good monsoon and inflation moderation. However, sustaining this trajectory requires broad-based income growth, job creation, and resilience in export sectors affected by global uncertainty. Without strengthening labour-intensive sectors and expanding household purchasing power, India’s growth revival may lose steam.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2015] The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree? Give arguments in favour of your answer.

Linkage: Such articles recur because growth-jobs imbalance is a persistent structural issue in India, making it a favorite UPSC theme. The article directly reflects the GS-3 question on “jobless growth” as consumption rises but employment and incomes lag. It helps analyze why India’s recent growth remains demand-led but not job-led, a core UPSC economic concern.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Judicial Reforms

Discord between Supreme Court and Centre over tribunals

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Statutory, Regulatory & Various Quasi-Judicial Bodies

Introduction

Tribunals were established to reduce case pendency and offer specialized adjudication. However, the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and earlier ordinances have led to repeated confrontations between the judiciary and the executive. The heart of the issue is who controls tribunal appointments, tenure, and conditions of service, key determinants of their independence.

Why in the News

The Supreme Court’s hearing of petitions challenging the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, has revived tensions between the judiciary and the executive. The Act reintroduced provisions similar to those struck down in 2021, raising serious questions on legislative overreach and separation of powers.
The friction highlights a persistent constitutional conflict, whether the government can re-legislate provisions nullified by the judiciary, thereby potentially undermining judicial independence.

Legislative-Judicial Tug of War

  1. Recurring Conflict: The 2021 Act was re-enacted despite similar provisions being struck down in the Madras Bar Association cases.
  2. Old Tussle: The conflict dates back to the Finance Act, 2017, which merged and restructured tribunals, transferring appointment powers to the executive.
  3. Judicial Stand: The Supreme Court, through Rojer Mathew v. Union of India (2019), emphasized that executive control compromises judicial independence.

Why Tribunals Matter

  1. Quasi-judicial bodies: Provide speedy, specialized dispute resolution in fields such as taxation, company law, and environmental regulation.
  2. Caseload reduction: Designed to reduce the burden on High Courts and the Supreme Court.
  3. Constitutional relevance: Operate within the framework of Articles 323A and 323B, upholding efficiency while ensuring justice.

Key Provisions under Scrutiny

  1. Four-year tenure: Petitioners argued that short tenures for tribunal members increase executive dependence and curb independence.
  2. Minimum age of 50: Limits the entry of younger judges and advocates, discouraging fresh perspectives.
  3. Centre’s ordinance powers: By re-promulgating similar provisions struck down earlier, the executive bypassed judicial verdicts, violating separation of powers.
  4. Judicial recommendation ignored: Despite the Supreme Court’s suggestion for five-year terms and reduced executive control, the Centre retained earlier structures.

Centre’s Counter-arguments

  1. Efficiency claim: The Union Government maintained that its framework ensures administrative uniformity and timely appointments.
  2. Vacancy delays: The government cited delays due to tribunal restructuring, e.g., 22 vacancies each in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) as of 2022.
  3. Assurance of autonomy: Claimed that the Act “balances independence with accountability,” keeping tribunals within executive purview but without judicial interference.

The Larger Constitutional Question

  1. Judicial Independence: Re-enactment of struck-down provisions challenges the finality of judicial pronouncements under Article 141.
  2. Separation of Powers: Raises concerns over legislative encroachment into the judicial domain.
  3. Checks and Balances: Highlights the tension between Parliament’s sovereignty and constitutional supremacy.

Broader Implications for Governance

  1. Precedent for defiance: If sustained, it may embolden future legislations to circumvent judicial review.
  2. Public trust erosion: Undermines citizen confidence in the impartiality of quasi-judicial institutions.
  3. Administrative justice: Weakens the intent behind tribunals to provide independent, expert, and speedy justice.

Conclusion

The discord over tribunals reflects a larger struggle for institutional balance in India’s democracy. While the Centre seeks administrative control, the judiciary insists on independence as the bedrock of rule of law. The resolution of this dispute will determine how India upholds the integrity of constitutional institutions in the years ahead.

Value Addition

Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021

Background & Context

  1. The Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 replaced the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021.
  2. Aimed at streamlining tribunal functioning and reducing dependence on multiple bodies, but reintroduced provisions previously struck down by the Supreme Court in the Madras Bar Association cases.

Key Features of the Act

  1. Tenure: Chairperson, 4 years or till 70 years (whichever earlier); Members, 4 years or till 67 years.
  2. Minimum Age: Mandates a minimum age of 50 years for appointment, excluding younger judicial talent.
  3. Search-Cum-Selection Committee: Chaired by the Chief Justice of India or his nominee, but final appointments rest with the Central Government.
  4. Abolition of Certain Tribunals: Dissolved 9 appellate tribunals including the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal and Intellectual Property Appellate Board, transferring jurisdiction to High Courts.
  5. Uniform Terms & Conditions: Standardised salary, tenure, and service conditions across tribunals.

Landmark Judicial Interventions

  1. Rojer Mathew v. Union of India (2019): Directed review of tribunal reforms under Finance Act, 2017.
  2. Madras Bar Association v. Union of India (2021): Struck down provisions on tenure and appointment as unconstitutional.
  3. Union of India v. Madras Bar Association (2021, July): Reaffirmed judicial supremacy over tribunal independence.

Constitutional and Administrative Value

  1. Articles 323A & 323B: Empower Parliament and State Legislatures to create tribunals but subject to judicial review.
  2. Basic Structure Doctrine: Tribunal autonomy linked to independence of the judiciary, a basic feature of the Constitution.
  3. Rule of Law: Any dilution of independence violates constitutional morality and judicial accountability.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2018] How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India.

Linkage: The question directly relates to the ongoing SC-Centre conflict over the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021. This relates to the understanding of Articles 323A & 323B, judicial independence, and the balance between tribunal efficiency and constitutional validity.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Foreign Policy Watch: India-Sri Lanka

​Fishing troubles: On India, Sri Lanka, the Palk Bay fishing issue

Explained | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

Introduction

The Palk Bay, a narrow strip separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, has historically been a shared fishing zone. However, repeated arrests of Indian fishermen for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) underline a persistent challenge. Bottom trawling, a destructive fishing practice, has been the core issue fueling ecological degradation, diplomatic tension, and economic distress. The recent arrest on November 9, 2024, reopens the debate on reconciling traditional livelihoods with sustainable and legal marine resource use.

Why in the news?

The arrest of 14 Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy marks another flashpoint in the Palk Bay fishing dispute. This incident is significant because:

  1. Persistence of conflict: Despite decades of talks, fishermen from both nations continue to cross maritime boundaries for catch-rich zones.
  2. Scale of problem: Over 128 fishermen from Tamil Nadu remain in Sri Lankan custody, with boats seized.
  3. Diplomatic urgency: The issue features regularly in bilateral meetings, yet lacks a lasting policy resolution.
  4. Ecological threat: The practice of bottom trawling continues to damage coral beds and marine biodiversity, making it a cross-border environmental crisis.

Why do Tamil Nadu fishermen continue to cross the IMBL?

  1. Livelihood dependence: For thousands of families, fishing remains the only sustainable income source. The depletion of nearshore fish stocks has pushed them toward Sri Lankan waters.
  2. Cost-pressure fishing: Each voyage involves high operational costs, forcing fishermen to maximize yield through fast, large-scale trawling.
  3. Traditional persistence: The term “tradition” is often invoked to justify trawling, despite its destructive ecological footprint.
  4. Rapid voyages: Quick trawling runs enhance profitability but heighten the risk of arrest and confiscation.

What is bottom trawling and why is it destructive?

  1. Definition: Bottom trawling involves dragging weighted nets along the seabed.
  2. Ecological damage: It destroys coral reefs, seabed habitats, and fish spawning grounds.
  3. Stock depletion: Leads to overfishing and long-term decline of commercially valuable species.
  4. Conflict trigger: Sri Lankan fishermen, especially from the Northern Province, oppose bottom trawling as it depletes shared marine resources vital for their post-war recovery.

What are the diplomatic and institutional mechanisms in place?

  1. Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries: Met in Colombo on October 29, 2024 to address arrests and sustainable fishing practices.
  2. Bilateral discussions: Fishermen’s representatives met counterparts in March 2024, but lacked formal sanction or actionable outcomes.
  3. Pending initiatives: The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led People’s Power Party in Sri Lanka, in power for over a year, has yet to show urgency in resolving the dispute.

What policy solutions have been suggested?

  1. Research collaboration: Proposal for a Palk Bay Research Station for ecosystem monitoring and sustainable fishing methods.
  2. Technology transition: Gradual shift from bottom trawling to deep-sea fishing and small-boat operations.
  3. Incentivization: Financial and policy support to Tamil Nadu fishermen to switch to non-destructive gear and practices.
  4. Diplomatic liberalism: New Delhi may consider easing travel and fishing permits within limits to facilitate safe, sustainable livelihoods.
  5. Regulatory measures: Imposing a progressive ban on bottom trawling in Indian waters to signal intent and compliance.

Conclusion

The Palk Bay issue is not merely a border dispute, it is a test of India’s ability to balance livelihood protection with ecological responsibility and regional diplomacy. Persuading fishermen to abandon bottom trawling requires education, compensation, and innovation, not coercion. A cooperative framework, rooted in mutual trust and science-based regulation, can transform a contentious boundary into a shared zone of prosperity and peace.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2013] In respect of India-Sri Lanka relations, discuss how domestic factors influence foreign policy.

Linkage: Domestic political pressures from Tamil Nadu fishermen and state parties shape India’s diplomatic stance toward Sri Lanka. This internal-external linkage influences how New Delhi balances livelihood concerns with bilateral maritime cooperation.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Air Pollution

Clean air is not a privilege: Right to life begins with right to breathe

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Introduction

Clean air is the first vaccine every child deserves. Yet, Delhi’s smog-choked skies and the government’s mechanical emergency responses have normalized a crisis that is eroding the right to life. The article captures how the denial, data manipulation, and ritualized policy measures have made air pollution a silent epidemic. It emphasizes that the right to breathe, embedded in Article 21, must move from rhetoric to enforceable action.

Why in the News?

In an unprecedented moment, hundreds of parents and citizens assembled at India Gate, not under any organization or political banner because their children could not breathe. This spontaneous protest symbolized a moral and civic awakening against the state’s apathy toward air pollution. Despite annual rituals of emergency plans, Delhi’s air quality remains among the world’s worst, turning the illusion of improvement into a cycle of helplessness.

Why air pollution is no longer just an environmental issue

  1. Public Health Emergency: Pollution is now seen as a health crisis, not merely an environmental one. Respiratory illnesses have become endemic; every paediatrician in Delhi treats pollution-linked diseases daily.
  2. Missing Pillar in Policy Response: Despite its virulence, pollution lacks the same national urgency as communicable diseases. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare plays a negligible role, leaving air quality in bureaucratic limbo.
  3. Denial and Normalization: Official classifications such as “very poor” mask the true toxicity levels. Citizens have adapted to smog-filled days as normal.

How policy responses remain performative and cyclical

  1. Emergency Measures: Governments announce recurring “emergency” actions, smog guns, sprinklers, and odd-even traffic rules, once pollution peaks. These actions are reactive, not preventive.
  2. Illusion of Control: Each year’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) triggers cosmetic responses without structural outcomes. Air quality monitors become symbolic instruments of denial.
  3. Absence of Data Transparency: Public access to real-time, verifiable air quality data remains limited. This creates a gap between recorded pollution levels and lived citizen experience.

Why governance and accountability are failing

  1. Diffuse Responsibility: No single authority is answerable for air quality. Pollution control boards, municipal bodies, and ministries work in silos, diluting accountability.
  2. Lack of Continuous Governance: Pollution action is episodic, spiking in winter and fading later. There is need for “clean air by design” through governance that is transparent, continuous, and health-centred.
  3. Absence of Traceable Budgets: Public funds spent on air quality improvements lack traceability, leading to unmeasured outcomes and misplaced priorities.

What citizens are demanding at the grassroots

  1. Unified Public Platform: Protesters demanded a platform like “Arogya Setu for Air”, a citizen-led app guiding mask use, indoor safety, and pollution alerts.
  2. Independent Accountability Body: They sought an autonomous Public Health and Air Quality Commission, answerable to Parliament, to set standards and audit outcomes.
  3. Moral Mobilization: Parents, not activists, led the movement shifting the tone from environmental advocacy to public outrage over children’s health and state indifference.

How the right to breathe links to constitutional and moral rights

  1. Article 21 of the Constitution: The Right to Life includes the right to clean air and water. Citizens at India Gate invoked this right directly, marking a legal and moral inflection point.
  2. State’s Moral Duty: The silence of the state is described as corrosive, a betrayal of its constitutional duty.
  3. Justice and Equity Dimension: Air pollution disproportionately affects children, the elderly, and the poor, converting environmental degradation into a social justice issue.

Conclusion

India’s pollution crisis is not a matter of policy deficiency but moral and institutional inertia. The right to breathe must be treated with the same seriousness as epidemic control. Clean air governance must shift from symbolic emergency actions to continuous, accountable, and health-first systems. The movement at India Gate represents the awakening of civic morality, a reminder that the right to life begins with the right to breathe.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the WHO. How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve these revised standards?

Linkage: This PYQ directly aligns with the article’s call for health-centric air governance and accountability in implementation. This highlights how India’s NCAP must evolve beyond reactive emergency plans to meet WHO’s stricter 2021 air quality benchmarks.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

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

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies

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.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Air Pollution

Air quality beyond AQI: The case for measuring indoor pollutants

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Introduction

Indoor air pollution remains largely unmonitored and unregulated in India despite high exposure levels. Pollutants from construction dust, household fuels, cleaning agents, and aromatic disinfectants accumulate indoors and degrade air quality. Recognising this, researchers from BITS Pilani have developed India’s first IAQ scale (Indoor Air Quality scale), capable of measuring multiple indoor pollutants and providing a health-based score for residential and commercial buildings.

Their findings published in the Royal Society of Chemistry Journal establish benzene as the most dangerous indoor pollutant and call for inclusion of IAQ standards in building codes and smart city frameworks.

Why in the News?

This is the first India-specific scientific model for assessing indoor air pollution beyond the conventional AQI framework.

  1. First-of-its-kind IAQ Scale: Developed by BITS Pilani researchers, enabling precise measurement of multiple indoor pollutants.
  2. Major Data Insight: Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.
  3. Policy Gap: There are no formal regulations or monitoring frameworks for indoor air quality in India.
  4. Health Implications: The study links poor IAQ to headaches, fatigue, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular risks, especially in women and infants.
  5. Call to Action: The research advocates IAQ standards in building codes and smart city designs, a potential policy game changer.

Understanding the New Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Scale

  1. Comprehensive Measurement: Unlike air purifiers, which track only particulate matter and humidity, the IAQ scale captures a wider range of pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, CO, benzene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
  2. Pan-India Modelling: The model integrates Indian demographic data, age groups, geography, income, and housing patterns, to derive a weighted IAQ score.
  3. Weighted Parameters: Exposure time (25.9%), ventilation efficiency (9.8%), and enclosure size (4.4%) form key components of the health-based index.
  4. Scoring System: IAQ scores range from 22 (severe pollution) to 100 (healthy indoor air).

Health Implications of Poor Indoor Air Quality

  1. Sick Building Syndrome: Poor IAQ triggers headaches, fatigue, and irritation, often observed in modern buildings with poor ventilation.
  2. Chronic Diseases: Prolonged exposure causes asthma, COPD, bronchial allergies, and cardiovascular disorders.
  3. High-Risk Groups: Women and infants face higher vulnerability due to longer indoor exposure and cooking-related emissions.
  4. Toxic Emissions: Indoor combustion from fuels, incense, and construction residues increases carbon monoxide and benzene concentration.

Major Pollutants of Concern

  • Benzene:
    1. Most dangerous indoor pollutant identified in the study.
    2. Emitted by aromatic disinfectants, fuels, and solvents.
    3. Long-term exposure is linked to leukaemia, anaemia, and cancer.
    4. Recognised carcinogen by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO):
    1. Generated from gas stoves, oil-burning furnaces, and charcoal grills.
    2. Causes poisoning and oxygen deprivation.
    3. Accumulates in poorly ventilated rooms, leading to long-term toxicity.

Unexpected Sources and Indoor Traps

  1. Aromatic Disinfectants: Release benzene and toxic VOCs during use.
  2. Incomplete Combustion: Burning incense sticks in closed rooms emits carbon monoxide.
  3. Organic Waste Decay: Produces methane and foul-smelling gases; methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
  4. Poor Waste Segregation: Creates landfill-like conditions indoors, compounding toxicity.

Simple Household Interventions for Cleaner Indoor Air

  1. Enhanced Ventilation: Open windows during low-pollution hours and use exhaust fans while cooking.
  2. Segregation of Waste: Keep dry and wet waste separate to prevent methane buildup.
  3. Regulated Burning: Reduce incense burning and switch to non-toxic cleaning products.
  4. Natural Fresheners: Avoid synthetic air fresheners; use herbal or essential oil-based alternatives.
  5. Lifestyle Measures: Routine cleaning, minimal use of chemical cleaners, and proper ventilation improve long-term air quality.

Conclusion

Indoor air pollution, though invisible, represents one of the most persistent and under-addressed public health risks in India. The IAQ scale developed by BITS Pilani researchers provides a data-backed pathway to integrate indoor air monitoring into policy, urban design, and smart city missions. Addressing this silent crisis through ventilation norms, IAQ regulations, and public awareness will mark a major leap toward holistic environmental governance and citizen well-being.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve these revised standards?

Linkage: The WHO’s revised AQGs (2021) set stricter limits for PM 2.5 and NO2, highlighting the need for India’s NCAP to adopt health-based indoor and outdoor air quality standards, aligning with the emerging Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) scale developed by BITS Pilani.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Forest Conservation Efforts – NFP, Western Ghats, etc.

What’s the plan to relocate forest tribes?

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Introduction

The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has drafted a new policy framework titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights” to ensure that any relocation from tiger reserves aligns with the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) and ensures community consent, accountability, and post-relocation monitoring. This follows increasing complaints from Scheduled Tribes that relocations are being conducted without proper consent, despite the FRA granting them rights to reside within traditional habitats.

What is the significance of the new policy framework?

  1. Institutional reform: The framework proposes a National Framework for Community-Centric Conservation and Relocation involving both the Environment and Tribal Affairs Ministries.
  2. Integration of agencies: Suggests joint procedural standards, timelines, and accountability mechanisms across ministries.
  3. Centralized database: Recommends creation of a National Database on Conservation-Community Interface (NDCCI) to record data on relocations, compensation, and post-relocation outcomes.
  4. Independent audits: Mandates annual independent audits by empanelled agencies to ensure FRA compliance and voluntary consent in relocation projects.

Why was this policy needed now?

  1. Implementation gaps: Multiple representations from States and tribal groups highlighted “serious concerns” about non-implementation of FRA in tiger reserves.
  2. Violation of rights: Tribes alleged coercion into relocation despite the FRA allowing habitation within reserves.
  3. Poor monitoring: The Ministry noted lack of data and follow-up on families relocated from reserves since 2007.
  4. Scale of issue: Over 1,566 villages have been relocated from tiger reserves since 2007, affecting 55,000 families; another 94,000 families remain within reserve areas.

What safeguards does the framework propose?

  1. Voluntary relocation: Relocation only if consent is obtained at both Gram Sabha and household levels.
  2. Right to reside: Reaffirms that forest-dwelling communities cannot be relocated without exercising FRA rights to remain in traditional habitats.
  3. Scientific validation: Any relocation must be justified through demonstrable ecological necessity.
  4. Ethical relocation: Proposes “voluntary, scientifically justified, and dignity-based” resettlement, monitored by the NDCCI and independent auditors.

How does the framework address inter-ministerial coordination?

  1. Collaborative approach: Establishes a joint mechanism between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) for approval, execution, and evaluation of relocations.
  2. Defined accountability: Ensures that both ministries share equal responsibility in monitoring and redressal of rights violations.
  3. State participation: State governments to designate nodal officers to ensure compliance with FRA provisions before any relocation.

What challenges remain on the ground?

  1. Administrative inertia: State agencies often bypass FRA provisions, citing wildlife protection laws.
  2. Inadequate consultation: Many Gram Sabhas report incomplete or manipulated consent processes.
  3. Livelihood uncertainty: Compensation often delayed or inadequate, leading to impoverishment post-relocation.
  4. Social dislocation: Tribes such as the Jenu Kuruba in Karnataka allege forced displacement without restoration of ancestral land rights.

How does this align with India’s conservation policy?

  1. Balancing dual goals: The framework emphasizes that tiger conservation and tribal rights are not mutually exclusive.
  2. Legal synchronization: Seeks to harmonize FRA (2006) with Wildlife Protection Act (1972) and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) directives.
  3. Ethical conservation: Shifts focus from coercive protectionism to participatory conservation involving local communities.

Conclusion

The proposed framework is a crucial step toward redefining India’s conservation ethics by embedding human rights into environmental protection. Its success will depend on genuine participation of tribal communities, transparent auditing, and strict accountability from both central and state authorities. Only then can India achieve inclusive conservation that respects both its people and its tigers.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2025] Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.

Linkage: It directly aligns with the issue of forest tribe relocation, where development often entails displacement for conservation followed by inadequate rehabilitation efforts. This highlights the need for a rights-based, consent-driven framework ensuring dignity and livelihood security for displaced tribal communities.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Climate Change Negotiations – UNFCCC, COP, Other Conventions and Protocols

Climate change is driven by human need and greed

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Introduction

Climate change has long been discussed in terms of rising temperatures and carbon emissions, but historian Sunil Amrith reframes it as a moral and historical crisis. His work The Burning Earth explores how human ambition, industrialisation, and inequality have shaped the Anthropocene. The interview highlights that solving the crisis requires not just technology, but a transformation in values, governance, and global justice.

Central Ideas and Dimensions

  1. Human Ambition and the Roots of the Climate Crisis
    1. Moral Dimension: Amrith draws from Mahatma Gandhi’s dictum, “The world has enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.” Industrialisation, driven by greed rather than necessity, transformed humanity’s relationship with nature.
    2. Historical Continuity: Post-industrial societies viewed nature as a source of endless exploitation; colonised nations inherited these extractive systems.
    3. Colonial Legacy: European colonial powers intensified extraction in Asia and Africa, embedding global inequalities in resource use and emissions.
  2. Industrialisation and Technological Faith: A Limited Solution
    1. Technological Optimism: Many assume industrial progress can “fix” climate problems through innovation and decarbonisation.
    2. Historical Warning: Industrialisation was never morally neutral; it was driven by moral ambition and economic expansion.
    3. Inequality in Transition: The Global South is now being asked to decarbonise rapidly despite having contributed less to historical emissions.
    4. Example: The ‘Green Transition’ narrative often benefits rich economies while transferring economic burdens to poorer ones.
  3. Climate Change as a Political, not Merely Technical, Problem
    1. Political Process: Climate negotiations are shaped by historical responsibility and inequality in emission shares.
    2. Distribution of Responsibility: Developed countries hold disproportionate responsibility, yet developing countries bear heavier adaptation costs.
    3. Injustice of Geography: Those least responsible like communities in the Global South face the worst climate impacts.
    4. Global Debate: The question of who should pay and who should adapt is as pressing as the question of how to reduce emissions.
  4. Humanities and the Ethics of Climate Discourse
    1. Beyond Science: Amrith calls for humanities’ involvement, history, anthropology, and moral philosophy, to interpret climate change as a human story.
    2. Changing Relationship with Nature: Understanding industrialisation’s moral and emotional roots can help reshape our relationship with the planet.
    3. Broader Lens: Integrating social, cultural, and ethical frameworks prevents oversimplified “technological salvation” narratives.
  5. The Limits of Techno-fixes and the Role of Human Values
    1. Bill Gates’ View: Technology can solve climate change even if temperatures rise by 1.5°C.
    2. Amrith’s Counterpoint: Even if emissions stopped tomorrow, warming would continue due to locked-in carbon cycles.
    3. Moral Reorientation: Sustainable future demands restraint, compassion, and fairness, not mere efficiency or profit.
    4. Systemic Realisation: Human welfare, not human power, should guide policy; prosperity cannot be measured by GDP alone.

Conclusion

Amrith’s argument reframes the climate crisis as a mirror to human civilization reflecting not just carbon levels, but our collective morality. The path ahead demands ethical reawakening, equitable governance, and historical responsibility, not just green technology. Climate change is not a scientific failure; it is a civilizational test of whether humanity can outgrow its own greed.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2017] ‘Climate Change’ is a global problem. How India will be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change?
Linkage: Climate change is a recurring UPSC theme in GS 3 and Essays. This article adds depth by linking human greed and moral failure to India’s climate vulnerability, especially in Himalayan and coastal regions.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Where states stand on revenue collections, before and after GST

Explained | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

Introduction

Introduced in 2017, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) replaced multiple indirect taxes at both Central and State levels, including excise duty, service tax, and VAT, creating a unified national tax framework. The recent data released by the Central Government for October 2025 indicates a 4.6% year-on-year increase in total revenue collection to ₹1,95,936 crore. However, the state-wise analysis has revealed an emerging concern: while some states have achieved strong revenue growth, others are struggling to reach even pre-GST revenue-to-GDP ratios.

Why in the News

The latest data on GST revenue collection highlights contrasting fiscal trajectories across Indian states. Despite record-high GST collections nationally, several states’ tax-to-GDP ratios remain lower than before 2017, indicating a possible erosion of state fiscal autonomy. The issue has gained attention because:

  1. Sixteen states and Union Territories now earn a smaller share of revenue from GST than pre-GST taxes.
  2. The aggregate revenue from subsumed taxes has declined from 6.1% of GDP in 2015-16 to 5.5% in 2023-24.
  3. The average GST-to-GDP ratio over the past seven years is 2.6%, below the pre-GST average of 2.8%.
  4. This reversal is significant as it questions the efficacy of India’s largest tax reform and the viability of fiscal federalism under GST.

How did GST Change the Tax Landscape?

  1. Unified Tax Framework: GST subsumed indirect taxes such as excise duty, VAT, and service tax under a single national structure, simplifying compliance.
  2. Revenue Flow Shift: Revenue previously collected by states under independent taxes now flows through a shared GST mechanism, altering fiscal control.
  3. Increased Central Dependence: States became dependent on GST compensation cess and Centre’s transfers for revenue stability, altering fiscal autonomy.
  4. Short-term Gains: Initially, GST led to better compliance and formalization, resulting in short-term revenue surges.

How Are States Performing After GST?

  1. Diverse Outcomes: According to PRS Legislative Research, state-level GST revenues continue to trail the pre-GST levels as a share of GSDP.
  2. Declining Tax-to-GDP Ratio: Aggregate revenue from subsumed taxes fell from 6.1% (2015-16) to 5.5% (2023-24).
  3. Below-Average GST Performance: The seven-year average GST-to-GDP ratio (2.6%) is lower than the pre-GST average (2.8%).
  4. Top Performers: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana have shown robust post-GST growth in tax collection.
  5. Lagging States: J&K, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha recorded revenue decline from subsumed taxes as a percentage of GSDP.

Which States Have Been Worst Affected?

  1. Northeastern States: Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Manipur saw an improvement in tax-to-GSDP ratios.
  2. Northern and Central States: Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha saw a decline in subsumed tax revenues.
  3. Urban-Rural Divide: Industrial and service-oriented states benefited, while agrarian and resource-dependent states witnessed fiscal compression.
  4. GST Compensation End: After 2022, when the GST compensation guarantee ended, fiscal stress intensified for states heavily reliant on the compensation mechanism.

What Does the Data Reveal About Fiscal Federalism?

  1. Centre-State Revenue Imbalance: 20 out of 36 states/UTs now collect less than 40% of their revenue from GST, deepening fiscal asymmetry.
  2. Medium-term Fiscal Impact: The 15th Finance Commission projected a GST-to-GDP ratio of 7%, but current data reflects underperformance.
  3. Long-term Fiscal Risks: Declining state revenue autonomy may affect social spending and capital expenditure, widening regional disparities.
  4. Compliance Inefficiency: Multiple tax slabs, refund delays, and compliance burdens continue to affect smaller states’ GST efficiency.

Conclusion

The GST has achieved its unification objective but has not yet ensured revenue equity across states. While high-compliance, industrial states have benefited, smaller and agrarian states remain fiscally strained. The data underscores the need for recalibrating the GST architecture, simplifying slabs, improving IT infrastructure, and enhancing fiscal transfers, to align with the spirit of cooperative federalism and fiscal balance.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2019] Enumerate the indirect taxes which have been subsumed in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. Also, comment on the revenue implications of the GST introduced in India since July 2017.

Linkage: It evaluates the impact of GST on Centre-State revenue balance and indirect tax structure post-2017.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Surrogacy in India

The Second Issue: On Surrogacy for a Second Child

Explained | Social Justice | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

Introduction

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 stipulates that an “intending couple” is eligible for surrogacy only if they do not have any surviving child, biological, adopted or via surrogacy, except where the child is physically or mentally challenged or has a life-threatening disorder.A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court by a couple facing secondary infertility who seek to use surrogacy to have a second child. Their argument: the law’s restriction interferes with the reproductive choices of citizens and treats primary and secondary infertility differently.

What is the law’s objective and rationale

  1. Objective of the Act: The primary stated purpose is to prohibit commercial surrogacy, regulate fertility and surrogacy clinics, and protect surrogate mothers and children born through surrogacy.
  2. Eligibility restriction: Section 4(iii)(C)(II) mandates the ‘no surviving child’ condition for an intending couple.
  3. Rationale for restriction: The government’s position is that the use of another woman’s body for surrogacy demands strict regulation; therefore, limiting eligibility helps prevent exploitation and commercialization.
  4. Court’s interim view: The Supreme Court has indicated the restriction appears “reasonable” but is examining whether the ban on surrogacy for couples with a surviving child amounts to a violation of reproductive choice.

How does the law differentiate primary and secondary infertility

  1. Secondary infertility defined: In this context, it refers to couples unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term despite having borne a child naturally earlier.
  2. Law’s silence on distinction: The Act does not expressly differentiate between primary and secondary infertility in defining “infertility” for eligibility. The petitioners argue the statute uses “infertility” generically and should be read to include secondary infertility.
  3. Effect of the distinction: As a result of the clause, a couple with one surviving (healthy) child is barred from surrogacy for a second child, even if they face medical infertility. The petition argues this amounts to unreasonable discrimination.

Why is this matter significant now?

  1. Reproductive autonomy at stake: The case raises the question whether reproductive choice including whether and how many children to have falls under the fundamental right to privacy and reproductive autonomy (Article 21).
  2. Scale of the issue: Secondary infertility affects a substantial number of couples; the law’s bar effectively restricts access to surrogacy for many intending parents. The article emphasises that restricting access solely because a couple already has a child may not align with the law’s stated objective.
  3. Precedents of regulation being diluted: The Court recently relaxed age restrictions for couples who had frozen embryos prior to the law’s enactment, signalling willingness to interpret surrogacy law expansively.
  4. Contradiction with other family-related rights: There is no law in India capping the number of children a person may have naturally; yet, the surrogacy law imposes a “one-child existing” rule. This invites scrutiny of rational basis for differentiation.

What are the potential implications of a broader interpretation”

  1. Facilitating access: A more expansive reading allowing surrogacy for intending parents would align the law with reproductive autonomy and reduce arbitrary differentiation.
  2. Safeguard against exploitation: The law can maintain its core safeguards against commercialisation and exploitation while enabling access for medically infertile couples seeking a second child.
  3. Policy coherence: It would harmonise the surrogacy statute’s eligibility norms with the lack of statutory restriction on the number of natural children and prevent unjust exclusion of couples.
  4. Legal precedent: A favourable interpretation could open up examination of other eligibility criteria under the Act (such as age or marital status) in light of constitutional rights.

What are the counter-arguments and concerns?

  1. Risk of commercial surrogacy revival: Critics argue liberalising eligibility may inadvertently open doors to exploitation of surrogate mothers and a resurgence of commercial surrogacy in disguised form.
  2. Resource and monitoring constraints: Greater eligibility implies more oversight burden on regulatory infrastructure (ART clinics, surrogacy boards, monitoring of insurance/compensation).
  3. State interest in regulation: The restriction can be defended as within the State’s margin of appreciation to regulate surrogacy in public interest, preserving dignity of women and children.
  4. Potential slippery slope: Expanding eligibility might raise questions about single individuals, LGBTQ+ couples or live-in partners accessing surrogacy, aspects the law currently restricts.

Conclusion

The surrogacy debate in India reflects the evolving tension between state regulation and personal autonomy. While the law rightly seeks to prevent exploitation and commercialisation, it must not overlook the constitutional promise of reproductive freedom and equality. A more inclusive, rights-based interpretation, sensitive to medical realities like secondary infertility, would uphold both ethical safeguards and individual dignity, aligning the law with India’s vision of gender justice and compassionate governance.

Value Addition: Surrogacy Law in India

Legal Framework:

Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

  • Objective: Regulate surrogacy procedures, prohibit commercial surrogacy, and ensure ethical practices in assisted reproduction.
  • Type allowed: Only altruistic surrogacy (no monetary compensation except medical expenses and insurance).
    • Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021
  • Objective: Regulate ART clinics and banks; maintain records, screening, and ethical standards for gamete donation and IVF processes.
  • Together, these Acts create a twin legal framework governing all forms of medically assisted reproduction in India.

Key Provisions of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

  1. Eligibility of intending couple:
    • Must be Indian citizens, legally married, and aged:
      • Husband: 26–55 years
      • Wife: 23–50 years
    • Must possess a certificate of infertility from a District Medical Board.
    • Must not have any surviving child (biological, adopted, or through surrogacy), except if the child is mentally/physically challenged or suffers a life-threatening disorder.
  2. Eligibility of surrogate mother:
    • Must be a married woman with a child of her own.
    • Age limit: 25–35 years.
    • Can act as a surrogate only once in her lifetime.
    • Must be a close relative of the intending couple.
    • Must obtain a certificate of medical and psychological fitness.
  3. National and State Surrogacy Boards: Oversee implementation, formulate policies, and ensure ethical compliance.
  4. Penal provisions:
    • Commercial surrogacy, sale/purchase of human embryos, and exploitation of surrogate mothers attract imprisonment up to 10 years and fine up to ₹10 lakh.

Objectives and Rationale

  1. Prevent commercial exploitation: Protects poor women from being coerced into surrogacy for financial gain.
  2. Ensure child welfare: Guarantees the child’s legal status and parentage from birth.
  3. Promote ethical medical practices: Prevents unregulated fertility clinics and misuse of technology.
  4. Align with constitutional morality: Balances individual reproductive rights with social ethics and public health considerations.

Judicial and Policy Developments

  1. SC observations (2023–2025):
    • Examining secondary infertility cases to test whether barring surrogacy for a second child violates reproductive autonomy under Article 21.
    • Previously allowed age relaxation for couples with frozen embryos prior to enactment of the Act.
  2. Delhi High Court (2023): Directed the government to reconsider rules preventing single women or widows from accessing surrogacy, citing discrimination concerns.
  3. Policy evolution: Shift from the 2015 ban on foreign commercial surrogacy to a 2021 framework permitting only altruistic domestic surrogacy.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2023] Explain the constitutional perspectives of Gender Justice with the help of relevant constitutional provisions and case laws.

Linkage: This question is key as it tests understanding of Articles 14, 15 and 21 on women’s equality and autonomy. This is central to debates like the Surrogacy Act 2021, which restricts reproductive choice and raises issues of bodily rights and gender justice.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Electoral Reforms In India

Why the nomination process needs reform

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

Introduction

The Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, empowers the Election Commission of India (ECI) and returning officers to scrutinize nominations to ensure candidates meet legal qualifications. However, excessive procedural formalism has made nomination scrutiny a potential chokepoint where even minor clerical errors can disqualify legitimate contenders. This procedural rigidity, instead of filtering unqualified candidates, has evolved into a tool of exclusion, undermining electoral fairness and the voter’s right to choice, a core tenet of representative democracy.

Why is the Nomination Process in News?

A young woman from Darda Nagar Haveli recently had her nomination for a municipal election rejected without hearing or clarification, sparking outrage. The issue resonates nationally because it reveals how India’s nomination process. Once a procedural safeguard now functions as a gatekeeping mechanism, often silencing genuine candidates on technical grounds. This marks a sharp contrast with the intended democratic spirit of the RPA and represents a major procedural failure in the electoral framework.

How Does India’s Nomination Process Work?

  1. Legal Framework: Governed by Section 33 to 36 of the RPA, 1951.
  2. Returning Officer’s Power: The RO decides on validity; their decision is final at the nomination stage.
  3. Grounds for Rejection: Nomination can be rejected for “defective or incomplete declaration,” even if trivial.
  4. Judicial Context: The Resurgence India v. Election Commission (2014) case held that a wrong declaration is disqualifiable, but an incomplete one is not. Yet, in practice, both are often treated alike.

What Are the Problems in the Existing Process?

  1. Excessive Proceduralism
    • Focus on compliance over intent: The system overemphasizes technical correctness of forms rather than substantive eligibility.
    • Example: Minor errors like mismatched affidavits, late filings, or missing entries in Form 26 (assets/liabilities) can lead to disqualification.
  2. Discretionary Power and Arbitrary Rejection
    • Unilateral authority: ROs can reject nominations without appeal or review, creating room for bias or manipulation.
    • Violation of Article 326: Denies both the candidate’s right to contest and the voter’s right to choose.
  3. Delay and Lack of Rectification
    • No correction window: Candidates have no opportunity to correct clerical errors before rejection.
    • Contrast: Countries like the UK and Canada allow rectification before the final list is published.
  4. Facilitation vs Filtration
    • Wrong design philosophy: The nomination process should facilitate participation, not filter out candidates on hyper-technical grounds.
    • Outcome: Bureaucratic compliance is rewarded over democratic legitimacy.

How Have Other Democracies Addressed This?

  1. UK Model: Allows candidates to correct nomination papers within a defined time.
  2. Canada: Uses a post-scrutiny correction period to avoid unjust disqualifications.
  3. United States: Courts can overturn wrongful exclusions promptly through expedited hearings.

These systems treat nomination scrutiny as an inclusive process ensuring access, not exclusion, emphasizing facilitation over filtration.

What Can Be Done to Reform the Process?

  1. Institutional Reform
    • Independent Review Mechanism: Introduce an appeal or review system within 24 hours for rejected nominations.
    • Digital Scrutiny System: Online form submissions and auto-validation to reduce human error and bias.
  2. Procedural Reforms
    • Correction Period: Allow 48-hour correction for minor defects, akin to GST return rectifications.
    • Uniform Scrutiny Guidelines: Draft model SOPs by the Election Commission for all states.
  3. Accountability Reforms
    • Recordable Decisions: ROs must record written reasons for rejections; such records should be reviewable by the ECI.
    • Transparency Measures: Make all nominations, scrutiny notes, and rejections publicly available online.

Conclusion

India’s electoral democracy must evolve from a bureaucratic to a participatory model. The nomination process, meant to protect electoral integrity, should not become an instrument of disenfranchisement. Reform should focus on substantive eligibility, procedural fairness, and digital transparency. This ensures that every qualified citizen has a fair opportunity to contest preserving the spirit of democracy envisioned in the Constitution.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2017] To enhance the quality of democracy in India, the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful?

Linkage: Electoral reforms in specific and Election Commission in particular is a recurring theme in UPSC mains exam. This 2017 PYQ covers procedural and legal reforms including nomination scrutiny, transparency in funding, and fair competition.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breakthrough

India AI: Governance Guidelines

Explained | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence has evolved from an assistive tool to an autonomous decision-maker, influencing governance, economy, security, and social life. Recognizing both its potential and perils, the Government of India, through MeitY’s drafting committee (July 2025), released the India AI Governance Guidelines.It is  rooted in the vision of “AI for All”. The framework aims to foster inclusive growth, innovation, and ethical use of AI, ensuring that India’s AI journey is safe, transparent, and globally credible.

Why in the News

For the first time, India has articulated a unified, principle-based framework on AI governance, a techno-legal and institutional roadmap aligning AI with constitutional values and national priorities. It promotes voluntary frameworks over strict regulation marking a shift from restraint to responsible innovation.

What are the Core Principles Guiding India’s AI Governance?

  1. Seven Sutras: Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, Safety, Resilience & Sustainability. These are adapted from the RBI’s FREE-AI Committee report and designed to be sector-neutral and technology-agnostic.
  2. Trust as Foundation: Builds confidence in AI systems by ensuring transparency, safety, and ethical use.
  3. People First: Emphasizes human oversight and empowerment, preventing machine dominance.
  4. Innovation over Restraint: Encourages experimentation with accountability, not prohibition.
  5. Fairness & Equity: Prevents algorithmic discrimination and digital exclusion.

How Does the Framework Promote AI Development and Infrastructure?

  1. Compute Expansion: Over 38,000 GPUs made available to startups and researchers at subsidized rates.
  2. AIKosh Data Platform: Houses 1,500 datasets and 217 models from 20 sectors, ensuring data accessibility with privacy.
  3. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Combines Aadhaar, UPI, and Bhashini for scalable, low-cost AI deployment.
  4. MSME Enablement: AI-linked loans via SIDBI & Mudra, tax rebates for certified AI adoption, and starter packs for sectors like textiles and logistics.

How Does India Address Risk and Regulation in AI?

  1. Balanced Regulation: No separate AI law yet existing laws (IT Act, DPDP Act, Copyright Act, etc.) govern AI harms.
  2. Key Risk Areas: Deepfakes, data poisoning, discrimination, loss of control, national security threats.
  3. India-specific Risk Framework: Classifies harms empirically and promotes voluntary, proportionate compliance.
  4. Content Authentication: Suggests watermarking and provenance tools aligned with global C2PA standards.

How Will Institutions Enforce AI Safety and Accountability?

  1. AI Governance Group (AIGG): Apex inter-ministerial body chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser, coordinating AI policy across ministries.
  2. Technology & Policy Expert Committee (TPEC): Offers domain expertise on law, data, security, and governance.
  3. AI Safety Institute (AISI): Anchors technical safety, risk research, and international collaborations like the Global Network of AI Safety Institutes.
  4. Accountability Measures:
    • Graded Liability System based on role and risk.
    • Transparency Reports, Grievance Redressal Systems, Peer Monitoring, and Self-certifications for compliance.

What is India’s Global and Long-term Vision for AI Governance?

  1. Foresight & Diplomacy: Positions India as a voice of the Global South in AI governance debates (G20, UN, OECD).
  2. AI Incident Reporting System: Centralised database tracking AI harms for national security and regulatory learning.
  3. Techno-Legal Architecture: Concepts like DEPA for AI Training embed consent and privacy by design.
  4. Action Plan:
    • Short-term: Build institutions and awareness.
    • Medium-term: Develop standards, risk frameworks, and legal clarity.
    • Long-term: Evolve global leadership and adaptive legal frameworks.

Conclusion

India’s AI Governance Guidelines represent a paradigm shift from regulation to enablement, balancing innovation with public trust. By rooting governance in human values, institutional cooperation, and digital infrastructure, India positions itself as a responsible AI power, one that prioritizes inclusivity, transparency, and resilience. The framework sets a precedent for the Global South, reflecting India’s vision of “AI for All, AI for Good”.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2023] e-governance, as a critical tool of governance, has ushered in effectiveness, transparency and accountability in governments. What inadequacies hamper the enhancement of these features?

Linkage: The AI Governance Guidelines integrate e-governance and AI to improve transparency, accountability, and citizen-centricity. This addresses the same governance challenges this question targets.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Freedom of Speech – Defamation, Sedition, etc.

What constitutes Contempt of Court in India

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

Introduction

Recent remarks made against the Chief Justice of India and the Supreme Court have sparked nationwide debate on whether such statements amount to contempt of court. This incident is significant as it goes beyond personal criticism, it questions the authority of India’s top court and raises issues regarding the balance between free speech and judicial independence. The spread of such remarks through social media amplifies their impact, prompting discussions about protecting the dignity of the judiciary while upholding democratic accountability.

Understanding the Concept of Contempt

  1. Constitutional Reference: The term ‘contempt of court’ appears in Article 19(2) as a valid ground for imposing reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression.
  2. Lack of Procedural Guidelines: The Constitution does not specify how contempt proceedings should be initiated; these are governed by statutory provisions.
  3. Courts of Record: Under Articles 129 and 215, the Supreme Court and High Courts are designated as Courts of Record, implying their judgments serve as precedents and they possess the power to punish for contempt.

Types of Contempt and Their Legal Basis

  1. Governing Law: The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 provides the legal framework for contempt proceedings.
  2. Classification: Section 2(a) of the Act divides contempt into civil and criminal.
    • Civil Contempt: Wilful disobedience of any court judgment, decree, direction, or undertaking.
    • Criminal Contempt: Publication or act that:
      • Scandalizes or lowers the authority of any court.
      • Prejudices or interferes with judicial proceedings.
      • Obstructs the administration of justice.

How Contempt Differs from Mere Disobedience

  1. Broader Implication: Contempt extends beyond disobedience. It encompasses disruption of justice delivery and diminishing public faith in the judiciary.
  2. Objective: Ensures that the judicial process remains uninfluenced and the authority of courts remains intact.
  3. Public Order Impact: Any act that weakens confidence in the justice system indirectly threatens the rule of law.

Freedom of Criticism vs Judicial Dignity

  1. Legitimate Criticism: The law recognizes that fair criticism of judicial decisions is not contempt.
  2. Boundary of Legality: Criticism crosses into contempt when it transgresses limits of fairness, becomes malicious, or undermines the authority of the court.
  3. Balance Required: Maintaining equilibrium between transparency and respect for institutions is vital to constitutional morality.

Significance of Recent Controversy

  1. Erosion of Judicial Authority: Remarks against the Chief Justice are not just personal; they symbolically attack the institution itself.
  2. Amplification via Social Media: Online circulation transforms isolated opinions into mass narratives, posing greater risks to judicial credibility.
  3. Trigger for Debate: Highlights the need for clear boundaries between criticism, activism, and contempt, particularly in digital public discourse.

Conclusion

Contempt of court serves as a constitutional safeguard for maintaining judicial integrity and authority. However, in a democracy, constructive criticism is vital for institutional reform. The challenge lies in ensuring that such criticism remains responsible, reasoned, and respectful. As public discourse migrates online, India’s legal system must re-examine the contours of contempt to preserve both judicial dignity and freedom of speech, two essential pillars of constitutional morality.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2019] Do you think that the Constitution of India does not accept the principle of strict separation of powers rather it is based on the principle of checks and balances? Explain.

Linkage: This topic is important for both Prelims and Mains. While direct questions can be asked in both, in the mains examination it can be well integrated into various judicial topics. Like in this 2019 question, contempt jurisdiction is part of this checks-and-balances system. Judicial contempt powers are mechanisms for internal checks within the democratic structure.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Electoral Reforms In India

A nationwide SIR

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism

Introduction

India’s Election Commission (ECI) has launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR 2.0) of electoral rolls to address a persistent issue, duplicate and multiple voter entries across constituencies and states. As the electoral roll forms the foundation of Indian democracy, its accuracy directly determines the legitimacy of elections. The initiative represents a nationwide, paperless, tech-driven approach that seeks to align the voter database with digital verification systems, ensuring that every vote counts once and only once.

Understanding the SIR and its Objective

  1. Definition: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR), under the Representation of the People (RPA) Act, 1950, aims to ensure the integrity of electoral rolls and prevent duplication and impersonation.
  2. Objective: To update, verify, and purify the voter database by leveraging technology, interlinked databases, and field-level verification.
  3. Legal Basis: Under Section 22 and 23 of the RPA, 1950, corrections, deletions, and transfers of voter entries are authorized to maintain roll accuracy.
  4. Context: This follows recent legal scrutiny and concerns raised after instances of double voting and duplicate EPIC numbers across states.

Why Duplicate Entries Are a Major Concern

  1. Erosion of Electoral Integrity: Duplicate or multiple entries lead to bogus voting, undermining free and fair elections.
  2. Systemic Weakness: Failures in linking EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Card) data and inter-state coordination have enabled repeated entries.
  3. Case Example: In Prashant Kishor’s case, the same EPIC number was found in two constituencies, revealing system-level flaws.
  4. Administrative Burden: Duplicate entries strain the ECI’s verification apparatus, consuming time, manpower, and digital resources.
  5. Loss of Public Confidence: Recurring discrepancies in electoral lists weaken voter faith in institutional fairness and neutrality.

How the Electoral Roll is Being Purified

  1. Tech Integration: The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) use National Voters’ Service Portal (NVSP), AI-driven duplicate detection, and data cross-verification through NIC and CDAC systems.
  2. Field-Level Verification: Enumerators conduct doorstep distribution and validation of forms to identify discrepancies.
  3. Automated Detection: Use of Common Photo Identity Card (EPIC) data and facial/ID match algorithms ensures high accuracy in identifying duplication.
  4. Legal Safeguards: Voters are given an opportunity to rectify records within six months under the law before deletion.
  5. Accountability Mechanism: EROs are held responsible for false deletion or oversight in duplication verification.

How Technology is Transforming Voter Verification

  1. Digital Synchronization: SIR 2.0 uses centralized databases for unified record-keeping across states.
  2. EPIC-Database Linkage: Integration with Aadhaar and other ID repositories facilitates cross-verification while preventing fraudulent entries.
  3. Machine Learning Models: These identify patterns of duplication and commonalities across datasets.
  4. Paperless Process: Transition from manual to cloud-based verification reduces procedural errors.
  5. Accountability Enhancement: Real-time dashboards enable monitoring of deletions, corrections, and transfers.

Challenges and Procedural Gaps

  1. Administrative Lapse: Failures stem not from technology but from poor implementation and follow-up by EROs.
  2. Inconsistent Updates: Delay in updating inter-constituency migration data leads to overlapping entries.
  3. Procedural Redundancy: Revisions often become ritualistic exercises without systemic correction mechanisms.
  4. Accountability Deficit: Lack of penal action against negligent officials reduces deterrence.
  5. Digital Divide: Areas with limited connectivity face challenges in real-time digital verification.

Way Forward

  1. Institutional Accountability: Make EROs answerable for errors through performance audits.
  2. Continuous Roll Updating: Transition from annual revision to dynamic roll management.
  3. Citizen Participation: Introduce crowdsourced error reporting through verified portals.
  4. Data Integration: Extend linkage with Aadhaar, PAN, and DigiLocker for authentication.
  5. Transparency Mechanism: Establish public dashboards for tracking deletion and addition records.
  6. Legal Framework: Consider amending the RPA to provide statutory backing for digital roll management.

Conclusion

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR 2.0) symbolizes India’s move towards a digitally verifiable democracy, but its success depends on administrative accountability as much as on technology. Ensuring a clean, accurate, and dynamic electoral roll is not a technical formality, it is a democratic imperative. Only a transparent, error-free voter database can sustain public faith in India’s electoral integrity.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to the “one nation-one election” principle.

Linkage: It addresses electoral reform as a structural and procedural issue under the Representation of the People Act (RPA, 1950), the same law governing the SIR initiative. It connects with the broader reform drive for efficient, error-free elections.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Cyber Security – CERTs, Policy, etc

Compound effect: On digital arrest scams

Explained | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Cyber Security

Introduction

The Supreme Court of India’s recent directive for a comprehensive probe into proliferating digital scams underscores the scale and sophistication of cyber fraud plaguing Indian citizens. The Court’s focus on “digital arrest” scams, where criminals impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money highlights a disturbing transformation in global cybercrime: industrial-scale scam operations embedded in Southeast Asian conflict zones.

Why in the News

For the first time, the Supreme Court has intervened directly to address the globalised architecture of digital scams targeting Indian citizens. These scams run from “scam compounds” in Myanmar, Cambodia, and other parts of Southeast Asia combine human trafficking, digital slavery, and organised crime. Thousands of Indians have fallen victim, some trafficked to operate scams, others defrauded online. The situation represents both a national security concern and a humanitarian crisis, demanding urgent multilateral action.

Understanding the ‘Scam Compound’ Phenomenon

  1. Industrial-scale operations: Scam compounds operate from conflict-ridden or special economic zones in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, exploiting weak governance.
  2. Cross-border architecture: These are not isolated crimes but coordinated, transnational enterprises involving militias, private entities, and local regimes.
  3. Digital slavery model: Trafficked individuals are forced, under threat and torture, to perpetrate scams such as “digital arrest,” “pig butchering,” and crypto investment frauds.
  4. State complicity: In Myanmar, regime-backed Border Guard Forces allegedly facilitate these compounds, converting scams into revenue streams for military operations.

KK Park Cyber Scam Hub in Myanmar

How the Digital Scam Network Operates

  1. Recruitment through deception: Victims are lured by fake job ads in cities like Bangkok, offering attractive salaries under visa-free entry regimes.
  2. Trafficking & confinement: Once recruited, they are trafficked into border regions controlled by ethnic militias in Myanmar and held captive in “digital sweatshops.”
  3. Coercive work environment: Workers face violence, sexual harassment, and torture if they fail to meet scam targets.
  4. Key scam types:
    1. “Digital arrest scams” impersonation of law enforcement to extort money.
    2. “Pig butchering scams” combining online romance and crypto fraud.
  5. Crypto laundering networks: Proceeds are funneled via money mules and institutions like Cambodia’s Huione Pay, then converted into cryptocurrency to evade tracing.

Why Southeast Asia Became the Epicentre

  1. Conflict & weak governance: Myanmar’s post-2021 coup turmoil has enabled militia-run economies.
  2. Borderland lawlessness: Regions under Border Guard Forces function beyond formal state oversight.
  3. Economic desperation: Regional instability and poverty create fertile recruitment grounds.
  4. Regime complicity: Militias tax scam centres to fund armed operations, sustaining a vicious cycle of profit and repression.

India’s Dual Crisis

  1. Forced scam labour: Thousands of Indian citizens trafficked and enslaved in these compounds.
  2. Domestic victimisation: Thousands more in India fall prey to online frauds orchestrated by these same captives.
  3. Diplomatic and enforcement challenge: Tackling both victim rescue abroad and fraud prevention at home requires synchronised national and international coordination.

Policy Imperatives and India’s Way Forward

  1. Public awareness campaigns: The Reserve Bank of India and Union Ministries must amplify citizen education about emerging digital fraud patterns.
  2. Cybercrime infrastructure: Strengthening cyber policing, digital forensics, and cross-border data sharing frameworks.
  3. Regional cooperation: Collaborate with China, Thailand, Vietnam, and affected ASEAN nations to forge joint task forces.
  4. Diplomatic pressure: Use bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to pressurise Myanmar’s junta and Cambodia’s regime to dismantle scam hubs.
  5. Global recognition: Mobilise the United Nations to classify this crisis as a modern manifestation of slavery needing urgent international intervention.

Conclusion

The proliferation of scam compounds across Southeast Asia exposes the dark underbelly of the global digital economy where technology meets trafficking. For India, the challenge is dual: protect citizens from victimisation and rescue those coerced into perpetration. This crisis demands that India integrate cyber security, diplomacy, and human rights enforcement under one coordinated regional framework.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] Keeping in view India’s internal security, analyse the impact of cross-border cyber attacks. Also, discuss defensive measures against these sophisticated attacks.

Linkage: This question directly relates to the rise of transnational scam compounds in Southeast Asia that exploit digital networks to target Indian citizens. It underscores the urgent need for coordinated international and domestic cyber defense frameworks.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Hunger and Nutrition Issues – GHI, GNI, etc.

Need to shift focus from food security to nutrition security

Explained | Indian Society | Mains Paper 1: Poverty & Development Issues

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.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Foreign Policy Watch: United Nations

What are the challenges with the High Seas Treaty

Explained | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

Introduction

The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, establishes a legal framework to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas outside national control. It covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean’s surface. Adopted under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, it aims to address threats from climate change, overfishing, and pollution through tools like Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Ratified by over 60 nations in 2024, it will come into effect in January 2026. This makes it one of the most comprehensive global conservation instruments after the Paris Agreement.

Why in the News? 

The High Seas Treaty being ratified by 60+ nations represents a historic step in ocean governance, a domain previously beyond formal protection. For the first time, the international community has agreed on a legally binding mechanism to preserve marine life that exists outside any country’s jurisdiction. This is strikingly different from the earlier regime under UNCLOS, which lacked clear provisions for protecting biodiversity.

What is the High Seas Treaty About?

  1. Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ): Creates an all-inclusive framework to conserve and manage marine biodiversity beyond national boundaries.
  2. Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs): Recognised as a common heritage of humankind, ensuring equitable benefit-sharing between nations.
  3. Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs): Establishes Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to safeguard biodiversity and improve climate resilience and food security.
  4. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs): Mandates prior assessment of projects with potential cross-border or cumulative ecological impact.
  5. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer: Facilitates scientific collaboration, especially for developing nations, combining modern science and indigenous knowledge.

Major Challenges with the High Seas Treaty

  1. Uncertainty over Core Principles
    1. Common Heritage vs. Freedom of High Seas: The “common heritage” principle promotes equitable access and benefit-sharing, while “freedom of the high seas” allows unrestricted navigation and resource use.
    2. Partial Application: The treaty applies the “common heritage” principle only partially, especially for MGRs, reflecting a compromise rather than resolution.
    3. Result: Creates ambiguity in rights and responsibilities of states in exploration, research, and benefit distribution.
  2. Ambiguity in Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs) Governance
    1. Undefined Governance Mechanism: Earlier, no clear framework existed for using or sharing MGRs.
    2. Biopiracy Concerns: Developing nations fear exploitation by developed countries, who could monopolize genetic discoveries and profits.
    3. Equity Gap: The lack of clarity risks excluding Global South nations from scientific and commercial benefits.
  3. Implementation and Enforcement Gaps
    1. Jurisdictional Complexity: The high seas lie beyond national boundaries, making monitoring and enforcement difficult.
    2. Institutional Limitations: While UNCLOS provides a broad legal foundation, there’s no dedicated global enforcement body to ensure compliance.
    3. Dependence on Voluntary Reporting: Could weaken accountability, especially in regulating corporate activities.
  4. Financial and Technological Inequities
    1. Unequal Capabilities: Developing countries lack access to marine technologies for monitoring and sustainable use.
    2. Technology Transfer Gap: The treaty mandates capacity-building, but without specific funding mechanisms, commitments may remain rhetorical.
    3. Risk: Could widen the North-South divide in ocean research and benefit sharing.
  5. Balancing Conservation and Development
    1. Sustainable Use vs. Conservation: Striking a balance between environmental protection and economic opportunities (like deep-sea mining or biotechnology) remains contentious.
    2. Unclear Prioritization: Without clear hierarchy between ecological and developmental objectives, policy conflicts may persist.

Conclusion

The High Seas Treaty represents a landmark effort to bring order and justice to the global commons. Yet, the true test lies in resolving philosophical ambiguities and ensuring equitable implementation. Without robust funding, technology sharing, and accountability mechanisms, it risks becoming another well-intentioned but weak global accord. For India, aligning its Blue Economy strategy with the treaty’s framework will be key to ensuring both ecological and economic dividends.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2022] Discuss global warming and mention its effects on the global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in the light of the Kyoto Protocol, 1997.

Linkage: Both Kyoto Protocol and High Seas Treaty are UN-backed frameworks aimed at addressing global commons issues, air and ocean respectively.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear power sector likely amendments in winter session

Explained | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

Introduction

India’s nuclear sector, long constrained by legal rigidity and liability concerns, is on the verge of transformation. Two yet-to-be-proposed amendments to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010, and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, mark a potential inflexion point for India’s atomic energy policy. These changes aim to attract private participation, foreign technology, and financing for nuclear power at a time when India is seeking reliable base-load alternatives to coal amid renewable intermittency.

Why in the News

The Government of India is preparing two key amendments to the overarching legislation governing the nuclear energy sector. These include:

  1. Easing provisions under the CLNDA, which has so far deterred private and foreign suppliers due to its unique liability clause.
  2. Tweaking the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, to permit private capital participation in nuclear projects, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

This move is significant because private participation in nuclear power generation would be a first in India’s history, potentially unlocking foreign investments, advanced technology, and new energy security pathways.

India’s Atomic Sector: The Turning Point

  1. Policy Stagnation: India’s nuclear sector has been constrained by a state monopoly and the restrictive liability regime under CLNDA 2010.
  2. Base-load Pressure: The growing share of renewables has created an urgent need for dependable, round-the-clock power sources to stabilise the grid.
  3. Technology Imperative: Advanced nuclear technologies like Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and SMRs offer scalability, modularity, and carbon-neutral power generation.

What are the Proposed Legal Amendments?

Liability Law and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLNDA)

  • Objective: To create a mechanism for compensating victims in the event of a nuclear accident while easing supplier liability.
  • Issue: Section 17(b) allows the operator to seek recourse from suppliers, discouraging foreign firms from supplying equipment.
  • Yet to be proposed Change: Easing or redefining supplier liability to allow greater participation by private and foreign firms such as Westinghouse (US) and Framatome (France).
  • Expected Impact: Unlocks foreign investment, technology transfer, and cost-effective reactor construction for the upcoming fleet of nuclear projects.

Atomic Energy Act, 1962-Enabling Private Entry

  • Current Restriction: The Act allows only government entities to construct and operate nuclear power plants.
  • Yet to be proposed Amendment: Permitting private entities to invest in and operate select reactor types, especially Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
  • Outcome: Encourages joint ventures between state-owned NPCIL and private players to accelerate capacity addition.
  • Strategic Aim: To create a hybrid public-private nuclear ecosystem focused on innovation, faster project execution, and flexible deployment.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): The Next Frontier

  1. Definition: Compact, factory-assembled nuclear reactors that can be transported and installed modularly.
  2. Government Focus: NPCIL announced domestic SMR design by March 2024; Reliance Industries, Adani Power, and Tata Power have shown interest.
  3. Advantages:
    1. Scalability: Easier to construct and replicate than large nuclear plants.
    2. Flexibility: Ideal for decentralised base-load generation alongside renewables.
    3. Lower Risk: Smaller footprint and enhanced safety features.
  4. Global Trend: Aligns India with global leaders like the US, Russia, France, and China in SMR technology development.

Why Private and Foreign Participation Matters

  1. Capital Infusion: Nuclear power projects are capital-intensive; private entry reduces fiscal burden on the exchequer.
  2. Technology Access: Enables partnerships with established players like Westinghouse, GE-Hitachi, and Framatome.
  3. Diversification: Strengthens India’s energy mix amid pressure to phase down coal.
  4. Climate Goals: Supports India’s Net Zero 2070 target by ensuring low-carbon, base-load power generation.

Strategic Significance for India’s Energy Security

  1. Energy Reliability: Addresses intermittency of renewables through stable nuclear base-load.
  2. Geopolitical Leverage: Strengthens India’s bargaining position in global nuclear technology markets.
  3. Make in India Synergy: Promotes domestic manufacturing of nuclear components and reactors.
  4. Export Potential: Long-term goal of turning India into an SMR export hub for developing economies.

Conclusion

These likely to be proposed amendments mark a historic liberalisation of India’s nuclear policy, balancing liability protection with private and foreign participation. As India expands its clean energy basket, nuclear power is emerging as the bridge between renewables and reliability, supporting a long-term vision of sustainable, secure, and carbon-neutral growth.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2017] Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India?

Linkage: The PYQ connects past technological indigenization in nuclear science with current policy liberalization through CLNDA and Atomic Energy Act amendments. Both mark India’s shift toward advanced, self-reliant, and globally integrated nuclear energy development.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

Panchayati Raj Institutions: Issues and Challenges

The vision of Model Youth Gram Sabha

Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Panchayats & Local Bodies

Introduction

The Gram Sabha, enshrined in Article 243A of the Constitution (73rd Amendment, 1992), is the cornerstone of India’s Panchayati Raj system. It represents every registered voter in a village and empowers them to deliberate on budgets, plans, and governance priorities. However, despite its revolutionary potential, public participation, especially among youth, has remained minimal.

The Model Youth Gram Sabha seeks to correct this by introducing structured simulations where students, teachers, and professionals engage in decision-making processes. This move shifts civics from a theoretical subject to a lived democratic experience.

Why in the News

For the first time, India is institutionalizing a Model Youth Gram Sabha across 28 States and Union Territories, involving over 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 2200 Kendriya Vidyalayas. This initiative, launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Aspirational Bharat Collaborative, brings Panchayati Raj simulations into school and college curricula. It aims to turn civic learning into active democratic participation, bridging the gap between youth education and local governance.

This development is significant because it transforms village-level democratic institutions into educational tools, helping young citizens internalize governance, decision-making, and accountability, critical for a vibrant democracy.

The Vision of Model Youth Gram Sabhas

Why is the Model Youth Gram Sabha significant?

  1. Grassroots Democracy in Action: Embeds participatory governance within the Panchayati Raj structure, empowering youth to experience real governance processes like village budgeting and development planning.
  2. Educational Innovation: Moves beyond classroom civics by integrating simulation-based learning that mirrors Gram Sabha debates, resolutions, and deliberations.
  3. Nationwide Outreach: Involves 600+ Jawahar Navodaya and 2200+ Kendriya Vidyalayas, training 1,238 teachers from 24 states, demonstrating large-scale civic inclusion.

What are the key features of the initiative?

  1. Collaborative Governance Model: Jointly implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Education, and the Aspirational Bharat Collaborative.
  2. Curricular Integration: Encourages schools and colleges to embed Gram Sabha simulations into learning modules.
  3. Phased Launch: Phase I covers 28 States/UTs; future expansion includes Zilla Parishads and State-run schools.
  4. Teacher Training: Specialized workshops to train educators in deliberation techniques and Panchayati processes.

How does it differ from earlier civic education models?

  1. Beyond Theoretical Learning: Unlike Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha mock sessions, MYGS is rooted in real Panchayati Raj frameworks, ensuring practical governance exposure.
  2. UN-aligned Civic Pedagogy: Echoes the UN model of participatory learning but contextualized for Indian democracy.
  3. From Classroom to Village: Encourages field-level participation by linking school students with local Panchayats.

What are the expected outcomes?

  1. Civic Empowerment: Fosters democratic citizenship, making youth aware of rights, duties, and public accountability.
  2. Policy Awareness: Helps future citizens understand budgeting, development priorities, and resolution-making.
  3. Inclusive Governance: Promotes bottom-up participation, especially in rural youth, bridging rural-urban civic divides.
  4. Democratic Habituation: Converts democracy from a concept into a daily lived experience.

How does it contribute to democratic transformation?

  1. Institutional Strengthening: Empowers future voters to engage meaningfully in Gram Sabha and Panchayat processes.
  2. Critical Skills Development: Trains youth in debate, negotiation, and consensus-building, essential for leadership.
  3. Bridging Cynicism and Participation: Reconnects citizens with governance by reducing alienation from political processes.
  4. Future-ready Governance: Ensures continuity of democratic culture through successive generations.

Conclusion

The Model Youth Gram Sabha embodies the next phase of India’s democratic evolution, from representation to participation. By making civic engagement experiential, it nurtures a generation that values governance not as an abstract idea but as a lived responsibility. A future where citizens grow up debating budgets, resolving issues, and fostering transparency at the grassroots will ensure that democracy remains vibrant, inclusive, and self-sustaining.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2015] In absence of a well-educated and organized local level government system, Panchayats and Samitis have remained mainly political institutions and not effective instruments of governance. Critically discuss.

Linkage: This question assesses the effectiveness of Panchayati Raj Institutions and the need for civic capacity to make decentralisation meaningful. It links with how the Model Youth Gram Sabha cultivates governance literacy and participatory skills among youth to strengthen grassroots democracy.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Join us across Social Media platforms.