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

Type: op-ed snap

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

Foreign Policy Watch: India-United States

[26th November 2025] Hindu OpED Trump-MbS summit- $1 trillion among friends

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union. Explain.

Linkage: The Trump-MbS summit reflects the U.S. strategy of rebuilding alliances to counter China’s growing influence in West Asia, where Beijing has expanded economically and diplomatically. The revived U.S.-Saudi partnership strengthens America’s geopolitical position in a region where China had begun to outpace it.

Mentor’s Comment

The Trump-Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) summit marks a major inflection in West Asia’s geopolitical landscape. The article examines the renewed U.S.-Saudi alignment, its military-economic scale, its contrast with earlier strains, and its strategic implications for India. This simplified yet UPSC-rich analysis helps aspirants understand the evolving balance of power in West Asia and its global consequences.

WHY IN THE NEWS 

The article is significant because the U.S.-Saudi bilateral relationship has revived after years of drift, culminating in Trump’s first West Asia visit where both sides advanced $242 billion defence deals and $270 billion investment commitments, a scale unseen since the 1945 FDR-Saudi pact. The summit signals the return of transactional, high-value U.S.-Saudi cooperation, a sharp contrast to the Biden years of friction, Khashoggi tensions, and Saudi diversification toward China and Russia. This reset represents one of the largest bilateral economic-military consolidations globally, reshaping energy, security, and global power equations.

INTRODUCTION

The U.S.-Saudi partnership has historically shaped post-Second World War geopolitics, especially in energy and security. The Trump-MbS summit renews this legacy by combining massive defence sales, investment promises, and realignment on regional issues such as Iran, sanctions, and energy security. The revived partnership represents both strategic opportunity and geopolitical recalibration.

What drives the renewed U.S.-Saudi strategic alignment?

  1. Historic continuity: Reconnects with the 1945 FDR-Ibn Saud “oil-for-security” pact revived in 2005 and 2025.
  2. Exceptional summit chemistry: Trump and MbS elevated bilateral commitments during Trump’s first regional visit.
  3. High-value agreements: $242 billion military commitments and $270 billion investment forum deals signal unprecedented scale.
  4. Shared interests: Addresses U.S. need for Gulf stability and Saudi need for defence, investment, and autonomy.

How has the bilateral relationship evolved from past highs and lows?

  1. Historical tensions: 1973 oil embargo, 1980s missile purchases from China, Yemen war tensions, and the Khashoggi killing strained ties.
  2. Biden-era rifts: Public criticism of Saudi human rights issues pushed Riyadh closer to China and Russia.
  3. Saudi diversification: Riyadh’s engagement with Xi Jinping and Middle Eastern summits signal multipolar diplomacy.
  4. Return to U.S. orbit: Trump’s visit and renewed defence-economic convergence restore traditional alignment.

What are the key outcomes of the Trump-MbS summit?

  1. Massive defence deals: Commitment to supply $242 billion in U.S. military equipment.
  2. Investment surge: MbS aims to raise Saudi investments in the U.S. economy from $600 billion to $1 trillion.
  3. Energy cooperation: Coordination on oil production to maintain a moderate, sustainable price.
  4. AI & tech collaboration: U.S. and Saudi firms advance “future-ready AI projects,” including AI chips.
  5. Regional stabilisation agenda: Coordination on Iran, Yemen ceasefire, and navigation security.

What are the emerging regional geopolitical implications?

  1. U.S.-Saudi-Russia triangle: Saudi alignment tempers Russian oil revenue by stabilising global oil prices.
  2. Sanctions dynamics: U.S.-Saudi cooperation supports enforcement of sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.
  3. Security architecture: Signals continuity of U.S. commitment to Gulf security despite regional volatility.
  4. NATO+ narrative: U.S. sees Saudi as a “major non-NATO ally,” pushing deeper defence integration.

What does this recalibration mean for India?

  1. Energy stability: Coordinated U.S.-Saudi oil policy keeps prices moderate, critical for India’s energy security.
  2. Defence + tech prospects: Saudi Vision 2030 and U.S. tech investments open new opportunities for Indian firms.
  3. Strategic partnership: India needs to accelerate the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Saudi Arabia.
  4. Geopolitical balancing: India must navigate U.S.-Saudi rapprochement while maintaining ties with Iran and Russia.

CONCLUSION

The Trump-MbS summit revives a historic partnership at a scale unmatched in recent years. By combining large defence contracts, investment flows, and re-alignment on energy security, the U.S.-Saudi partnership is again central to West Asian geopolitics. For India, this moment offers both opportunity and the need for strategic agility.

 

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

Attend Now

Higher Education – RUSA, NIRF, HEFA, etc.

[25th November 2025] Hindu OpED Bridging India’s numeracy gap

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2020] National Education Policy 2020 is in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal-4 (2030). It intends to restructure and reorient education system in India. Critically examine the statement.
Linkage: NEP 2020 aligns with SDG-4 by focusing on equitable, high-quality education and foundational learning. However, implementation gaps and weak learning outcomes, especially in numeracy, limit its SDG-4 impact so far.
Mentor’s Comment
India’s learning crisis has silently shifted from illiteracy to numeracy failure. While the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and NIPUN Bharat Mission strengthened foundational literacy, recent evidence shows that numeracy continues to stagnate sharply, closing the doors of higher education for millions. This article decodes why numeracy outcomes matter for economic, cognitive, and social mobility, and what a multi-pronged policy roadmap must look like.
INTRODUCTION
NEP 2020 identifies Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) as the cornerstone of future learning, and NIPUN Bharat translated this into classroom action. While literacy outcomes have shown improvement, numeracy remains stubbornly low, particularly in conceptual understanding and real-life application. India is now at a point where foundational literacy success must be expanded to higher-order mathematical learning.
WHY IN THE NEWS 
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 shows that while 48.7% of Class 5 students read fluently, only 30.7% can solve a basic division problem, marking an 18% performance gap between literacy and numeracy. No State reports higher numeracy than literacy, highlighting a national trend of mathematics stagnation. Also, nearly 70% of Class 8 students and more than 50% of Class 5 students remain unable to perform basic division, despite classroom-based math instruction. The gap between school learning and real-life mathematical use is widening, closing higher-education opportunities as teens fail to cross the Class 10 board exam numeracy threshold.
Where does India’s numeracy gap originate?
  1. Hierarchical nature of mathematics: partial understanding in lower grades (e.g., place value) blocks higher concepts such as addition and decimals.
  2. Cumulative error effect: once gaps form, students rarely recover, unlike in language.
  3. Traditional syllabus-driven pedagogy: focuses on advancement, not mastery; students progress without clearing conceptual blocks.
Why does classroom learning not translate into real-world mathematical ability?
  1. High classroom performance, low life applicability: Evidence from the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab: students who excel in assessments fail to apply math in real-life situations.
  2. Real-world tasks do not transfer to classroom problems: Children able to handle money or shop-related calculations cannot solve textbook problems.
  3. Mismatch in learning environment: Schooling moves faster than the pace of conceptual consolidation.
What are the consequences of India’s numeracy stagnation?
  1. Academic roadblocks: students struggle in science and mathematics subjects that dominate board exams.
  2. Early exit from education: adolescents leave school before Class 10 due to fear of mathematics.
  3. Reduced human capital formation: failure to master numeracy blocks access to high-skill employment and technical careers.
Why does Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) need expansion beyond early grades?
  1. Persistent learning gaps after Grade 3: 70% of Class 5 and more than 50% of Class 8 students cannot divide.
  2. COVID-19 widened numeracy deficits: most Class 3 students reached upper-primary without core math skills.
  3. Transferable higher-grade pedagogy required: FLN-style teaching must be extended to older students.
What does an effective multi-pronged response look like?
  1. Strengthening middle-grade support: extend FLN interventions to Class 8 to prevent permanent numeracy loss.
  2. Teaching math through everyday life: bills, ratios, fractions, percentages, and measurements.
  3. Child-friendly activity-based pedagogy: aligned with real literacy levels rather than grade-based syllabus.
  4. Embedding numeracy across subjects: problem-solving in science, geography, social sciences.
CONCLUSION
India has cracked foundational literacy but not foundational numeracy. The nation stands at a turning point where classroom success must evolve into real-life mathematical competence, ensuring that students not only pass but thrive academically and economically. Extending FLN-style pedagogy to middle-grade stages remains the most urgent policy priority.

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

Attend Now

Health Sector – UHC, National Health Policy, Family Planning, Health Insurance, etc.

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

op-ed snap | Indian Society | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

PYQ Relevance

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

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

Mentor’s Comment

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

INTRODUCTION

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

WHY IN THE NEWS?

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

Why is traditional medicine gaining global significance?

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

How is traditional medicine evolving from belief to science?

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

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

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

How does technology change future pathways of traditional medicine?

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

How does the Summit reshape global health governance?

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

Attend Now

Foreign Policy Watch: India-ASEAN

[22nd November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: The new direction for India should be toward Asia

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China’s supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter China’s political and economic dominance. Explain this statement with examples.

Linkage: This question is relevant as the article highlights India’s discomfort with Western strategic pressure and the U.S. attempt to position India as a counter-weight to China. It directly links to the theme that India must prioritise Asian partnerships based on autonomy rather than being shaped by Western geopolitical expectations.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s foreign policy stands at its most decisive turning point in decades. Recent global summits have marked a visible discomfort in Western partnerships and a stronger inclination toward Asian platforms such as SCO, BRICS, and ASEAN. If sustained, this pivot could influence not only India’s security and economy but also the balance of power across the 21st century.

Introduction

India is emerging as a global economic heavyweight. At a time when geopolitical polarization between the West and China is intensifying, India is being pushed to define where its long-term interests lie. The article argues that India’s most strategic future lies within the Asian ecosystem, economically, technologically and militarily, rather than within Western-led institutional frameworks.

Why in the News

Diplomatic signals at recent top summits have shown a clear turning point: India expressed discomfort with the U.S. stance on Russia-China while showing greater comfort engaging Asian multilateral platforms. This reverses decades of Western strategic centrality and marks the first open debate about whether India should integrate with a U.S.-dominated global order or anchor its future with Asia’s rapidly rising power architecture.

Is India undergoing a decisive Asian pivot?

  1. Growing tilt toward Asian blocs: India’s policy space is increasingly shaped by negotiations with China and Russia rather than the U.S. and Europe.
  2. Limits of multialignment exposed: External pressure from the U.S. forces India to re-evaluate whether neutrality remains viable.

Why is Western strategic centrality fading for India?

  1. Summit unease and leadership signalling: Interactions at the G-7 and Busan Summit highlighted visible discomfort between Indian and U.S. leadership.
  2. U.S. pressure on trade and Russia policy: Washington expects India to align its tariff playbook and Russian relations to Western priorities.
  3. Security divergence: U.S.-driven defence expectations conflict with India’s commitment to independent threat assessment.

Why does Asia offer a stronger pathway for India’s growth?

  1. Demographic and economic centre of gravity: Two-thirds of global population and global wealth lie in Asia, creating large consumer and innovation markets.
  2. Rise of continental and maritime platforms: BRICS, SCO and ASEAN integrate security with economic restructuring outside WTO constraints.
  3. Technological and industrial complementarities: Asian RCEP supply chains, semiconductor hubs, manufacturing and defence technologies align with India’s development goals.

What hard decisions are demanded from India now?

  1. Strategic autonomy based on Indian capacity: Policy alignment must reflect national strengths rather than expectations of great powers.
  2. Growth-labour dynamic within Asia: Asia offers the highest growth rate and workforce depth but demands competitiveness and industrial performance from India.
  3. Reducing dependency on imported defence systems: Innovation in AI, cyber capability, missiles and marine strength becomes essential.

How does the global AI and military innovation race shape India’s choices?

  1. Shift from land-based warfare to technology-centric warfare: Cyber, naval and AI superiority determine 21st-century power projection.
  2. Asian innovation ecosystem more open than Western models: Western blocs impose regulatory constraints while Asia prioritises co-development and technology transfer.
  3. Defence industrialisation as a growth multiplier: AI-driven defence manufacturing advances both national security and economic output.

Conclusion

India is not compelled to choose between the West and Asia, but strategic realities suggest that Asia provides the most fertile ground for technological development, economic partnerships and military advancement. A calibrated pivot anchored in strategic autonomy and innovation may be the key to India becoming a rule-shaping, rather than rule-following, global power by mid-century.

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

Attend Now

Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector – Pashudhan Sanjivani, E- Pashudhan Haat, etc

[21st November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: India’s fisheries and aquaculture, its promising course

op-ed snap | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: Economics Of Animal-Rearing

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2015] Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India.

Linkage: Same as livestock rearing, fisheries are a key allied sector driving rural non-farm jobs, and are in news due to FAO support and Blue Economy reforms. Hence the topic is highly important for both GS I and GS III. 

Mentor’s Comment

India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector is undergoing structural transformation under the Blue Revolution, backed by FAO support and national reforms. This article decodes the sector’s growth drivers, emerging challenges, policy transitions, and global relevance. It is formatted to suit UPSC Mains expectations with subheadings, value additions, PYQs, and micro-themes for GS papers.

Introduction

India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector has become one of the fastest-growing food-producing systems, contributing significantly to livelihoods, nutrition, exports, and rural economic diversification. Despite record production levels, challenges such as resource overuse, environmental degradation, weak traceability, and constrained market access continue to limit its full potential. FAO’s renewed commitment during World Fisheries Day 2025 highlights the sector’s strategic importance in India’s transition toward sustainable and climate-resilient aquatic food systems.

Why in the News?

The FAO issued a renewed commitment to India’s Blue Revolution on World Fisheries Day (21 November 2025), highlighting India’s rapid rise as a global fisheries powerhouse. India recorded 93.2 million tonnes of capture fisheries and a historic 130.9 million tonnes in aquaculture output, making it the world’s second-largest aquaculture producer. This comes at a time when the sector faces overfishing, habitat degradation, climate stress, and traceability gaps, creating a striking contrast between high growth and mounting ecological pressures. New initiatives, Kisan Credit Card inclusion, Matsya Sampada, Climate-Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages, and private-sector-led compliance, mark a major shift toward science-based, sustainability-linked governance in fisheries.

India’s Rapid Growth Trajectory

  1. Record production: India produced 93.2 million tonnes (capture) and 130.9 million tonnes (aquaculture), valued at $313 billion.
  2. Rising sectoral significance: Livestock and aquaculture contribute 23 million tonnes of aquatic animals, creating major employment.
  3. Expansion of inland aquaculture: Inland fish farming rose from 12.4 million tonnes (2008) to 17.54 million tonnes (2022).
  4. Private sector innovation: Investments in hatcheries, exports, feed, digital compliance, and environmental standards have strengthened value chains.

What Drives Current Reforms?

  1. Blue Revolution initiatives: Schemes like PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) expand climate-resilient freshwater and brackish aquaculture.
  2. Governance improvements: New norms integrate digital licensing, KCC inclusion, and seafood traceability.
  3. Market efficiencies: The government introduced measures for safety, credit, and supply chain upgrades.
  4. Coastal resilience: Projects on Climate-Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages strengthen vulnerable fishing communities.

How is FAO Supporting India’s Transition?

  1. Decades-long collaboration: FAO supports small-scale fisheries, sustainability frameworks, and policy strengthening.
  2. BOBP support: FAO’s Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP) supports governance in small-scale fisheries.
  3. BOBLME and ecosystem-based management: Helps India adopt science-backed conservation, monitoring, and climate adaptation.
  4. Harbour modernisation: Technical Cooperation Programme improves fishing harbours like Vanakbara and Nawabandar.

What Are the Emerging Challenges?

  1. Overfishing and resource stress: Unsustainable catch levels strain marine ecosystems.
  2. Environmental degradation: Water pollution, habitat decline, and climate-induced variability weaken output.
  3. Traceability deficits: Weak monitoring affects export markets and compliance.
  4. Small-scale fishers’ constraints: Limited technologies, market reach, and safety nets restrict livelihoods.

How Does Sustainability Shape India’s Future Path?

  1. Science-based stock assessment: Enables evidence-driven management.
  2. Co-managed monitoring: Joint monitoring through MCS tools improves compliance.
  3. Digital and climate-ready practices: Enhance safety, transparency, and resilience.
  4. Ecosystem-based aquaculture: Embedded in guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture.

Conclusion

India’s fisheries and aquaculture stand at a decisive inflexion point, high growth backed by technology and institutional reforms but constrained by ecological and market vulnerabilities. The combined push from FAO, national missions like PMMSY, climate-resilient strategies, and private-sector compliance systems can position India as a global leader in sustainable aquatic food systems.

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

Attend Now

Water Management – Institutional Reforms, Conservation Efforts, etc.

[20th November 2025] The Hindu OpED: Hidden cost of polluted groundwater

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] The world is facing an acute shortage of clean and safe freshwater. What are the alternative technologies which can solve this crisis? Briefly discuss any three such technologies citing their key merits and demerits.

Linkage: This PYQ is important for UPSC as freshwater scarcity and contamination are core GS-III themes. The article links directly by highlighting toxic groundwater, failing treatment systems, and the urgent need for affordable purification technologies.

Mentor’s Comment

Groundwater contamination in India is no longer a silent environmental issue, it has become an economic, social, and public-health emergency. This topic is highly relevant PYQ for UPSC, as water scarcity and groundwater contamination are recurring GS-III themes. The article directly aligns by showing how polluted aquifers and weak treatment systems make alternative purification technologies essential for India’s water security.

Introduction

Groundwater, the backbone of India’s drinking water and irrigation systems, is now increasingly polluted with heavy metals, industrial residues, and excess fertilizers. Reports from multiple states reveal a rise in fluoride, arsenic, uranium, and nitrate contamination, creating a public-health disaster and long-term economic losses. The issue has moved from isolated pockets to a nationwide development challenge demanding regulatory urgency, technological solutions, and sustainable water governance.

Why in the News

Recent rounds of India’s Groundwater Quality Report (2022) and field evidence from Punjab, Gujarat, Telangana, and Haryana indicate a sharp rise in toxic contamination, including fluoride-linked deformities, arsenic poisoning, and uranium beyond safe limits. The scale is unprecedented: nearly 600 million Indians rely on groundwater, and contamination is now accelerating due to over-extraction, fertilizer misuse, and industrial discharge. The crisis is no longer environmental, it is weakening agricultural incomes, burdening households with high medical costs, and threatening India’s export competitiveness.

What Is Causing Groundwater to Become Toxic?

  1. Heavy Reliance on Groundwater
    • Over-extraction: Agriculture absorbs over 60% of India’s groundwater, exceeding sustainable limits in several districts.
    • Irrigation intensity: Canal systems have stagnated, forcing farmers to depend on tube wells.
    • Result: Declining water tables concentrate pollutants and accelerate toxicity.
  2. Chemical Contamination from Agriculture
    • Excess fertilizer and pesticide use: Leads to nitrate accumulation and leaching into aquifers.
    • Heavy metals: Arsenic, fluoride, uranium exceed permissible limits in many districts.
    • Impact: Childhood skeletal deformities, fluorosis, long-term organ damage.
  3. Industrial and Sewage Discharge
    • Untreated effluents: Lack of sewage treatment expands contamination beyond village boundaries.
    • Industrial residues: Agro-processing and manufacturing hubs increase heavy metal presence.
    • Outcome: Polluted aquifers affecting both rural and peri-urban areas.

How Groundwater Pollution Impacts Health and Society

  1. Rising Health Burden
    • Skeletal deformities, fluorosis, kidney damage: Result of toxic metals in drinking water.
    • Children disproportionately affected: Early-life exposure lowers future productivity.
  2. Debt and Medical Expenditure
    • High out-of-pocket expense: Families spend heavily on hospital visits and bottled water.
    • Wealthier households cope better: Poorer families cannot afford alternative water sources.
  3. Intergenerational Impacts
    • Impaired cognitive development: Arsenic and fluoride exposure affects education outcomes.
    • Lower economic mobility: Chronic illness depresses earning capacity.

How Groundwater Pollution Hurts Agriculture and the Economy

  1. Loss of Farm Productivity
    • Poor water quality reduces crop yields: Long-term exposure to contaminated irrigation water.
    • Heavy metals affect soil health: Reducing crop diversity and nutritional value.
  2. Threat to India’s Export Market
    • Buyers demand stringent quality checks: Contamination threatens rice, spices, fruits, vegetables.
    • The $50-60 billion agri-export sector risks losses due to toxicity and traceability issues.
  3. Vicious Cycle of Over-Extraction
    • Declining tables led to more drilling which leads to more contaminants: Increases farmer indebtedness.
    • High fertilizer use worsens soil chemistry: Further reduces sustainability.

Why Policy Failure Allowed This Crisis to Escalate

  1. Weak Enforcement of Pollution Norms
    1. Inadequate regulation of industrial discharge: Leads to untreated sewage entering aquifers.
    2. Poor monitoring: Rural areas lack regular water quality surveillance.
  2. Lack of Decentralised Treatment Systems
    1. Dependence on centralized schemes: Community-level solutions not prioritized.
    2. Delayed response: Slow implementation of purification units.
  3. Limited Agricultural Diversification
    1. Punjab’s water-intensive cropping pattern: Maintains heavy groundwater stress.
    2. Minimal shift to millets/pulses despite policy incentives.

Way Forward

  1. Nationwide Real-Time Groundwater Monitoring
    • Open access digital platform: Communities should know what they are drinking/using to irrigate.
    • Data-driven planning: Better targeting of polluted zones.
  2. Strengthen Industrial and Sewage Regulations
    • Strict enforcement of effluent norms: Prevent industrial leakages.
    • Expand sewage treatment infrastructure: Particularly in peri-urban zones.
  3. Agricultural Policy Reform
    • Shift away from water-intensive crops: Encourage pulses, maize, oilseeds.
    • Promote micro-irrigation: Reduce water table stress.
  4. Localised Water Purification
    • Community-level treatment plants: Immediate relief in severely contaminated areas.
    • Affordable household filtration for poor families.
  5. Long-Term Water Security Planning
    • Integrating health, agriculture, and environment: Holistic approach to water governance.
    • Prevent groundwater from becoming India’s next major economic crisis.

Conclusion

Groundwater contamination has transformed into a multidimensional crisis affecting public health, agriculture, exports, and intergenerational equity. Without strict regulation, real-time monitoring, and agricultural diversification, the economic and health losses will escalate. India must act decisively before the groundwater crisis becomes irreversible.

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

Attend Now

Agricultural Sector and Marketing Reforms – eNAM, Model APMC Act, Eco Survey Reco, etc.

[19th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: Time to sort out India’s cereal mess

op-ed snap | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: PDS, Buffer Stock & Food Security

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss.

Linkage: This PYQ is central to GS-III themes of food security, MSP, PDS and price stabilization. It links with the article’s focus on excess stocks and distorted procurement, showing why India’s buffer-stock management is becoming unsustainable.

Mentor’s Comment

India faces a cereal management crisis marked by procurement distortions, crop diversification failures, import dependence, and systemic leakages. This article unpacks the urgent concerns raised in “Time to sort out India’s cereal mess” and restructures them into an exam-oriented format that aligns with GS II and GS III themes such as food security, agriculture, subsidies, MSP, PDS, and federal coordination.

Introduction

India’s cereal ecosystem, procurement, storage, distribution, and diversification, stands at a difficult juncture. Excessive focus on paddy and rice under MSP, escalating procurement costs, growing import dependence in edible oils and pulses, and logistical inefficiencies have created structural vulnerabilities. The current controversy in Tamil Nadu’s paddy procurement highlights deeper national issues in cereal governance.

Why in the News

Tamil Nadu’s short-term kuruvai paddy procurement turned contentious due to time overruns and corruption charges, exposing systemic weaknesses in the procurement architecture. Despite years of surplus stock, India faces a paradox of simultaneous overproduction of rice and wheat and rising import dependence on pulses and edible oils, with 55% of edible oil demand met by imports. The scale of misalignment, such as rice stocks at 536.14 lakh tonnes in October, five times the requirement, reveals an unsustainable cereal management model requiring urgent correction.

Understanding the Current Procurement Distortions

  1. Excessive Paddy Procurement: Tamil Nadu’s system led by TNCSC and FCI shows delays, over-coverage, and corruption, with farmers preferring paddy due to assured returns.
  2. High Central Pool Stocks: Rice stocks reached 536.14 lakh tonnes (Oct 2024) against norms of about 102.5 lakh tonnes, reflecting procurement far beyond requirement.
  3. Skewed Crop Incentives: Procurement levels for rice and wheat remain consistently higher than norms, reducing incentives for diversification.

Why India’s Cereal Supply is Misaligned

  1. Surplus in Cereals: India maintains abundant stocks, e.g., rice procurement averaging 322 lakh tonnes over three years, indicating oversupply.
  2. Deficit in Pulses & Oilseeds: Despite large-scale cultivation, imports form a major share: India meets 55% of edible oil demand through imports.
  3. Stagnant Diversification: Farmers hesitate to shift due to uncertain support systems, weak price assurance, and inadequate crop guidance.

Rising Import Dependence and Its Consequences

  1. High Import Bills: Edible oil imports breached 30,000 crore in 2023-24 despite domestic production dips from 157 lakh tonnes to 138 lakh tonnes over a decade.
  2. Geopolitical Risks: Events like the Russia-Ukraine conflict directly increased global edible oil prices, impacting domestic inflation.
  3. Oilseed Production Stagnation: Even after 2004 reforms, domestic acreage rose but yields and self-sufficiency remained stagnant.

Structural Issues in India’s Crop Diversification Strategy

  1. Weak Extension Services: Farmers lack assured technical guidance and support for alternative crops.
  2. Higher Risk in Non-Paddy Crops: Limited MSP procurement outside cereals increases production risk.
  3. Fragmented Procurement Framework: Multiple agencies (FCI, State Corporations, NAFED) lead to inconsistent practices across states.

Why Procurement Reforms are Urgent

  1. Inefficient FPO Integration: FPOs, though expanding, remain nascent and face poor access to credit, logistics, and markets.
  2. Leakages and Diversions: Instances of paddy moving outside the procurement chain due to better prices in open markets distort the system.
  3. Need for Commodity-Specific Strategy: Uniform procurement policies for cereals, pulses, and oilseeds fail to reflect regional agro-ecology and market diversity.

Conclusion

India’s cereal management crisis is not of shortage but of imbalance, overproduction of rice and wheat coexisting with deficits in pulses and edible oils. Procurement distortions, poor diversification incentives, and high import reliance underline the need for structural reforms. A shift towards agro-ecology-based diversification, procurement redesign, and FPO strengthening can realign India’s food security architecture.

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

Attend Now

Judicial Pendency

[18th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: The lower-judiciary- litigation, pendency, stagnation

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Explain the reasons for the growth of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India. As a result of it, has the Indian Supreme Court emerged as the world’s most powerful judiciary?

Linkage: Judiciary is one of the most important topics for GS-II. This PYQ tests how failures of the lower judiciary, delay, pendency, and weak remedies, drive the rise of PILs and expand the Supreme Court’s role. The article directly shows these systemic gaps, explaining why litigants bypass subordinate courts and seek relief through PILs.

Mentor’s Comment

The lower judiciary forms the backbone of India’s justice delivery system. Yet, a combination of procedural complexity, chronic pendency, and structural stagnation has now reached a point where even the Supreme Court has begun to publicly express concern. The following article unpacks the crisis using insights from the given text, presenting it in a UPSC-oriented, structured, exam-ready format.

Why in the News? 

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice, recently flagged the stagnation and systemic decay in India’s subordinate judiciary. With 4.69 crore pending cases in district courts (National Judicial Data Grid), the Court has now asked judges in Delhi to undergo training due to lack of basic knowledge, a move rarely made earlier. This highlights a deep structural crisis, where procedural rigidity, unclear statutes, and administrative delays have created a near-gridlock in India’s justice system, affecting millions of litigants.

Introduction

India’s subordinate judiciary, comprising district and lower courts, handles the vast majority of cases filed in the country. Despite its crucial role, it is plagued by procedural delays, inadequate training, unnecessary litigation, unclear statutes, and case mismanagement. The editorial highlights how routine court processes, outdated laws, poorly drafted statutes, and lack of judicial preparedness have cumulatively created low efficiency and high pendency. Strengthening the lower judiciary is essential for access to justice, rule of law, and economic productivity.

Why Are Procedural Rigidities Choking the Lower Judiciary?

  1. Mandatory procedures: Courts are bound to entertain pleadings, issue repeated summons, and ensure appearances, leading to wasted time and multiple adjournments. Example: Subordinate judges must call every suit for appearance or vakalatnama, often pointless.
  2. Inefficient daily case flow: Judges take up matters from 10:30 AM and continue till evening, leading to exhaustion and slow disposal. Result: Even if cases are adjourned, orders still need dictation.
  3. Heavy clerical & ministerial workload: Quality time is lost, reducing focus on adjudication.

Why Is the Subordinate Judiciary Functioning Below Optimal Capacity?

  1. Lack of experience: Many judges are fresh graduates without adequate training or exposure. Observation-based training plays a minimal role.
  2. Inadequate orientation: Civil judges rarely receive training with senior district or High Court judges in handling evidence, settlements, and procedural complexities.
  3. Absence of structured mentoring: No robust system for judge mentoring and skill development exists.

How Poorly Drafted Statutes Create Litigation Instead of Resolution?

  1. Negative impact of new provisions: Despite claims of faster disposal, many statutes increase complexity. Example: Section 12A of Commercial Courts Act on mandatory pre-institution mediation.
  2. Ambiguity causing additional litigation: Example: Confusion on whether a party that has already exchanged notices can skip mediation.
  3. Statutes creating contradictory interpretations: Judges are unsure whether processes are mandatory or directory, resulting in wastage of time.

What Makes Family and Civil Disputes Especially Burdensome?

  1. Six-month cooling-off confusion: Confusion on whether the six-month period in mutual-consent divorce is mandatory or waivable causes delays.
  2. Two-year separation interpretation: Courts differ on whether the couple must be separately living for two years before filing or after filing.
  3. Unclear appellate steps: Example: When the 90-day limitation begins for filing appeals if the written statement is delayed.
  4. Property disputes: Example: Whether a preliminary decree must be followed by a fresh application to pass a final decree.

How Do Outdated Procedural Laws Deepen Pendency?

  1. Archaic provisions retained: Several Code of Civil Procedure rules continue to burden courts.
  2. Unclear bars to appeal: Example: Whether written statements filed after 90 days can be accepted.
  3. Conflicting decrees: Parties get stuck when preliminary decrees are not automatically converted into final decrees.
  4. Excessive adjournments: Even when mediation fails, the litigant has to refile fresh applications, clogging the system.

Why Must Higher Judiciary Intervene in the Lower Judiciary Crisis?

  1. Review of subordinate court functioning: Supreme Court’s intervention highlights widespread stagnation.
  2. Training requirement: Judges asked to undergo training due to lack of basic knowledge, an unprecedented move.
  3. Need for systemic correction: Simplification of statutes, harmonized procedural laws, and modernization of case-management systems are essential.

Conclusion

The crisis in India’s lower judiciary is structural, not episodic. Procedural rigidity, unclear statutes, inexperienced judges, and outdated rules have combined to create massive pendency. Reform must focus on statutory simplification, judicial training, transparent case management, and harmonized procedural norms. Without systemic changes, the lower judiciary will continue to be a bottleneck in India’s justice delivery and governance framework.

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

Attend Now

Air Pollution

[17th November 22] The Hindu Op-ed: Delhi’s air, a ‘wicked problem’ in need of bold solutions

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

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 links to Delhi’s recurring “severe” AQI episodes and the article’s emphasis on PM2.5 toxicity, life-expectancy loss, and structural regulatory failure. It is relevant because achieving WHO’s revised AQGs requires stronger, coordinated, long-term reforms, precisely what the article argues India’s NCAP currently lacks.

Mentor’s Comment

Delhi’s air crisis has again reached “public health emergency” levels, revealing the chronic and structural nature of India’s most persistent environmental challenge. This article breaks down Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s analysis of Delhi’s air pollution as a “wicked problem,” expands it with UPSC-relevant framing, and provides a structured, exam-oriented guide with value additions, PYQs, micro-themes, and practice questions.

Introduction

Delhi’s annual winter pollution has evolved from a seasonal inconvenience into a chronic public health emergency. Air Quality Index (AQI) levels routinely breach the 400+ “severe” category, shortening life expectancy by up to 10 years in highly exposed regions. The article argues that Delhi’s air crisis is a “wicked problem”, a complex mix of geographical, meteorological, and man-made factors requiring bold, holistic, and long-term solutions.

Why in the News 

Delhi’s air quality has once again plunged into the “severe” category post-Diwali, with AQI values exceeding 400 and triggering health alarms across NCR. What is striking is the persistence: for over a decade, seasonal pollution spikes have recurred despite policies, committees, bans, and monitoring systems. The article highlights the worsening public health impact, including a 10-year reduction in life expectancy, and shows that despite years of institutional attention, the crisis remains structurally unchanged, making this year’s episode another stark reminder of policy failure.

Delhi’s Air Pollution as a Wicked Problem

  1. Complex Interactions: Combines geographical, meteorological, and human-made factors.
  2. Valley-like Topography: Delhi is landlocked with restricted air flow.
  3. Temperature Inversions: Trap pollutants close to the ground in winter.
  4. No Single Villain: Emissions arise from vehicles, industries, agriculture, construction, and households simultaneously.

What Makes the Crisis Structurally Persistent?

  1. Chronic Health Emergency: PM2.5 toxicity linked to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), strokes, cancers, anxiety, depression, and DNA damage.
  2. Reduced Life Expectancy: Exposure reduces life expectancy by up to 10 years in consistently high-PM areas.
  3. Population Movement: People relocate away from Delhi despite career opportunities due to health concerns.
  4. Elderly & Children at Risk: Respiratory illnesses sharply rise during winter.

Why Are the Existing Measures Not Working?

  1. Weak Enforcement: BS-VI vehicles, dust-control norms, and industrial regulations remain poorly enforced.
  2. Rapid Urbanisation: Construction adds 27% of PM emissions; monitoring is patchy.
  3. Outdated Technology: Many industries in NCR still use old boilers and furnaces.
  4. Vehicular Emissions Rising: Over 3 crore vehicles in NCR; old diesel vehicles persist.

Who Are the Major Contributors Highlighted in the Article?

  1. Stubble Burning: Seasonal crop residue burning in Punjab & Haryana adds massive smoke plumes.
  2. Firecrackers: Diwali and wedding fireworks spike PM levels.
  3. Waste Burning: Municipal waste, rubber, and plastic burning persists due to weak surveillance.
  4. Industries: Brick kilns, factories, and outdated machinery emit sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and PM.

Structural Reforms Advocated to Address the Air Pollution Crisis

  1. System-wide Pollution Control Plan: Not piece-meal bans; requires unified regional strategy.
  2. Relocating Polluting Industries: Move red-category industries away from dense areas.
  3. Urban Design Changes: Create green lungs, redesign mobility, and improve public transport.
  4. Electric Mobility Transition: Incentivise EV adoption and shared mobility.
  5. Agricultural Alternatives: Support farmers with smoke-free residue management.
  6. Firecracker Alternatives: Scale up “green crackers”; enforce bans with political will.

Conclusion

Delhi’s air pollution demands collective regional action, technological upgrade, and political resolve. Seasonal, reactive measures have repeatedly failed; the crisis is structural and chronic. Treating it as a “wicked problem” requires system-wide transformation in transport, agriculture, industry, and governance, with long-term investment in cleaner technologies and behavioural change. The window for incrementalism has closed.

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

Attend Now

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

[15th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: Flexible inflation targeting, a good balance

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues

Mentor’s Comment

The debate on India’s Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework is central to macroeconomic stability, especially as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) undertakes the second quinquennial review after adopting FIT in 2016. This article decodes the logic, data trends, inflation-growth dynamics, concerns over inflation bands, and the evolving economic context, translated into UPSC-ready analysis with conceptual clarity.

Introduction

India adopted the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework in 2016, giving statutory autonomy to the RBI for price stability. With the current inflation band of 4% ± 2% up for review in March 2026, economic debate has intensified on whether this band remains appropriate amid structural shifts, supply-side shocks, and the inflation-growth trade-off. The article evaluates India’s experience with FIT, evidence from inflation-growth relationships, and the question of acceptable inflation levels for sustained macroeconomic stability.

Why in the News?

The FIT framework is undergoing its second major review since its inception in 2016, making it a crucial moment for India’s monetary policy architecture. RBI has released a research discussion paper, its most comprehensive assessment yet, presenting long-term inflation-growth data, the first such empirical mapping since 1991. The debate is significant because India’s inflation has remained near the upper tolerance band, raising questions about whether 4% is still an appropriate central target or whether persistent supply shocks require rethinking the framework. The outcome of this review will shape India’s monetary autonomy, fiscal-monetary coordination, and growth stability over the coming decade.

What makes inflation control central to monetary policy?

  1. Inflation as a regressive tax: Disproportionately burdens poorer households whose incomes are not hedged; erodes purchasing power.
  2. High inflation leading to misallocation of resources: Leads to volatile investments and misdirected economic decisions.
  3. Acceptable inflation evolves with context: The Chakravarty Committee (1985) recommended 5% as acceptable, but economic conditions have since changed.
  4. Institutional strengthening since 1994: Post-automatic monetisation era gave RBI functional autonomy; FIT (2016) gave statutory backing for price stability.

How does India’s current FIT framework work?

  1. Inflation band of 4% ± 2%: Offers flexibility while anchoring expectations.
  2. Headline inflation as target: Encourages investment protection from supply shocks; aligns with international norms.
  3. Range-bound inflation despite shocks: India has broadly maintained inflation within the band, reflecting maturing policy credibility.
  4. Mechanism evolves with economic complexity: Framework still young, but institutional autonomy makes it robust.

What should India target-headline inflation or core inflation?

  1. Headline inflation captures supply shocks: Essential in an economy where food inflation significantly affects households.
  2. Misconception on price behaviour: General price level (inflation) differs from relative price changes (e.g., wages, food).
  3. Milton Friedman example: Excess money supply raises general prices; changing relative prices without liquidity expansion cannot cause inflation.
  4. No liquidity expansion leading to no general inflation: Relative price movement alone insufficient to generate sustained inflation.

What does long-term data reveal about inflation and growth?

  1. Quadratic inflation-growth curve (1991-2023): Presented in the article; first time excluding COVID years.
  2. Point of inflection = 3.98%: Growth rises with inflation to ~4%, then declines beyond it.
    1. Implication: India’s acceptable inflation level is just around 4%.
  3. Higher inflation hurts growth: Especially when supply constraints, fiscal stress, and external pressures coincide.

How flexible should the inflation band be

  1. FIT performance so far: Delivered flexibility; monetary authorities operate near upper limit due to shocks.
  2. Risk of staying at the upper band: May undermine framework credibility.
  3. Policy navigation matters: India earlier faced high inflation in the 1970s-80s; monetisation of the deficit made it worse.
  4. Present framework avoids past mistakes: Moves away from fiscal dominance; prevents automatic deficit monetisation.

What determines an acceptable level of inflation?

  1. Phillips Curve insights: Countries with higher income also see higher acceptable inflation levels.
  2. Empirical threshold near 4%: RBI paper’s curve suggests growth maximisation at around 4%.
  3. India-specific vulnerabilities: Supply shocks (food, fuel), climate variability, imported inflation, fiscal constraints.
  4. Need for robust expectations anchoring: Prevents wage-price spiral and demand misalignment.

Conclusion

India’s Flexible Inflation Targeting has broadly succeeded in stabilising inflation expectations while preserving monetary autonomy. Evidence from long-term inflation-growth dynamics reinforces that 4% remains an optimal central target, though India must build greater resilience to supply shocks and strengthen fiscal-monetary coordination. A credible, flexible, and data-driven FIT framework remains essential for India’s growth trajectory over the next decade.

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 highly relevant as food inflation heavily shapes headline inflation under the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework, highlighting the limits of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) tools. It links to the review of the four-percent target and RBI’s role in managing supply-driven inflation.

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

Attend Now

Nuclear Diplomacy and Disarmament

[14th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Donald Trump shakes up the global nuclear order

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Effect Of Policies & Politics Of World On India'S Interests

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.  Explain.

Linkage: China’s denial of nuclear testing and its call for the U.S. to uphold the moratorium illustrate the sharper, more complex strategic rivalry between the two powers. This directly aligns with the PYQ’s theme that China poses a subtler and more challenging strategic threat to the U.S. than the Soviet Union.

Mentor’s Comment

This editorial examines how recent U.S. actions under Donald Trump have disrupted long-standing global nuclear norms, especially the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) framework. The article evaluates implications for global nuclear stability, India’s strategic environment, and emerging arms-race dynamics. It has been rewritten to suit UPSC Mains standards, with structured analysis, value addition, and exam-oriented elements.

INTRODUCTION

The global nuclear order, built since 1945 through treaties, moratoria, and non-proliferation norms, is undergoing significant strain. The U.S. announcement of resuming nuclear testing and redefining CTBT obligations marks a decisive departure from three decades of restraint. This shift impacts nuclear doctrines, arms control regimes, and the behaviour of declared and undeclared nuclear weapon states.

WHY IN THE NEWS 

The CTBT framework faces its sharpest crisis in 27 years after Donald Trump declared that the U.S. may resume nuclear explosive testing, reversing the long-standing global moratorium. This marks the first major deviation from post-Cold War consensus and directly challenges existing verification norms. With Russia abandoning CTBT ratification and China refusing explosive testing, the U.S. move risks triggering a new technological arms race, raising concerns for India’s regional security environment.

How the Nuclear Order Evolved

  1. Post-1945 restructuring: Nuclear stockpiles reduced from ~65,000 warheads in the 1970s to ~12,500 today; nine states now possess nuclear weapons.
  2. NPT framework: NPT created a hierarchy between five permanent nuclear powers and later entrants such as India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
  3. Moratorium period: CTBT negotiations from 1993-96 led to a global halt on explosive tests despite the treaty never entering into force.

Why the U.S. Nuclear Test Resumption Matters

  1. Resumption of explosive testing: President Trump instructed the U.S. DoE and DoD to prepare for renewed testing, reversing a voluntary halt maintained since 1992.
  2. Shift in doctrine: U.S. pursuit of low-yield warheads and submarine-launched cruise missiles signals a move to battlefield-oriented nuclear systems.
  3. Erosion of restraint: The U.S. argues Russia and China conduct “non-explosive yield tests,” challenging Washington’s previous compliance stance.

Why the CTBT Is Facing Breakdown

  1. Treaty not in force: CTBT requires ratification by 187 signatory states; key holdouts include the U.S., China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
  2. Russia’s reversal: Russia withdrew CTBT ratification in 2023, citing U.S. non-ratification.
  3. Competing interpretations: China and Russia continue “zero-yield” testing; the CTBT Organization’s monitoring system detects global activity through 300+ stations.

How New Technology Is Altering the Arms Race

  1. Low-yield weapons: U.S. development of W76-2 warheads creates escalation risks due to tactical usability.
  2. Unmanned and hypersonic systems: Renewed R&D on missile defence, high-tech cruise systems, and autonomous platforms challenges existing deterrence logic.
  3. Doctrinal changes: Nuclear powers pursue counterforce-oriented designs to survive adversary first strikes.

Implications for India

  1. Regional chain reaction: Testing by the U.S., Russia, or China is likely to push Pakistan to follow, widening the deterrence gap with India.
  2. China-Pakistan axis: Deepening technological cooperation complicates India’s security environment.
  3. NPT/CTBT dilemma: India may face pressure on whether to revisit explosive testing if others abandon restraint.

CONCLUSION

The breakdown of CTBT norms marks the most significant shift in the nuclear order since the 1990s. Renewed explosive testing by major powers could trigger competitive modernization cycles and weaken global arms control regimes. For India, the challenge lies in balancing credible deterrence with adherence to restraint-based global norms.

Value Addition

What is CTBT?

  • A multilateral arms-control treaty that bans all nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes.
  • Aims to freeze qualitative nuclear arms race by preventing the development of new warhead designs.

When was it negotiated?

  • Negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) between 1993-1996.
  • Adopted by the UNGA on 10 September 1996.
  • Opened for signature on 24 September 1996.

Why is it not in force?

  • CTBT will enter into force only when all 44 Annex-II states (states with nuclear capabilities at the time) ratify it.
  • As of today, 8 Annex-II states have not ratified/signed:
    U.S., China, India, Pakistan, DPRK, Israel, Iran, Egypt.
  • Because of this, the treaty remains legally incomplete, though politically influential.

Key Provisions

  1. Total Prohibition
    • Bans all nuclear explosions, including:
      • High-yield tests
      • Low-yield tests
      • Subcritical tests (disputed)
    • Applies to all environments: underground, underwater, atmospheric, outer space.
  2. Verification Regime
    • International Monitoring System (IMS) with 300+ stations, using:
      • Seismic sensors
      • Hydroacoustic monitors
      • Infrasound detectors
      • Radionuclide sampling
    • International Data Centre (IDC) analyses global test signals.
    • On-site inspections permitted after treaty enters into force.
  3. Confidence-Building Measures
    • Exchange of information, calibration explosions, technical cooperation.

Institutional Mechanism

  • CTBTO Preparatory Commission (CTBTO-PrepCom) established in 1997.
  • Manages:
    • IMS network construction
    • Data analysis
    • Training and inspection readiness
  • Works despite treaty not being in force.

Significance

  • Creates the strongest global norm against nuclear testing since 1998.
  • Slows modernization of nuclear arsenals.
  • Provides scientific verification for early detection of clandestine tests.
  • Complements Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and FMCT debates.

 

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

Attend Now

[13th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ED: Inter-State rivalry that is fuelling India’s growth

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2020] How far do you think cooperation, competition and confrontation have shaped the nature of federation in India? Cite some recent examples to validate your answer.

Linkage: The article highlights how State-level competition for investment is reshaping India’s federal structure into a more dynamic, State-driven model. This directly reflects the PYQ’s focus on competition and its role in shaping Indian federalism.

Mentor’s Comment

Inter-State competition in India, once viewed as divisive, is now emerging as one of the strongest drivers of economic growth, investment attraction, administrative efficiency, and innovation. This article breaks down why this shift is historically significant, how it is unfolding across States, and what it means for federalism and India’s long-term development trajectory. 

Why In The News

India is witnessing an unprecedented rise in competitive federalism, where States actively race to attract global and domestic investments, from Google’s new AI centre to semiconductor plants and EV manufacturing. For the first time in decades, State governments, not Delhi’s ministries, are driving India’s economic location decisions. States now pitch aggressively to CEOs, negotiate incentives, and showcase governance models. This marks a sharp contrast with pre-1991 India’s centralised industrial licensing regime, where Delhi decided who could produce, how much, and where. Today, State-led rivalry has matured into a credible, stable, rules-based competition that is fuelling India’s growth story.

Introduction

India’s economic geography is being reshaped by a transformation from centrally orchestrated industrial policy to a system where States compete for investment based on infrastructure, governance quality, policy stability, and business confidence. This shift is strengthening India’s federal structure, enhancing innovation, and raising the overall quality of economic outcomes. Inter-State rivalry, far from fragmenting the Union, is forming a mosaic of distinct strengths that collectively widens national opportunities.

How has India moved from central patronage to competitive federalism?

  1. Command-economy restrictions: Earlier, industrial licences, permits, and quotas concentrated power in Delhi; the Centre decided production, capacity, and investment location.
  2. Dismantling of industrial licensing (1991): Reforms shifted economic decisions from Delhi to States, enabling States to attract investors by improving infrastructure, governance, and policy stability.
  3. Decline of political patronage: States now court industries directly instead of relying on Central ministries; competition incentivises better reforms.
  4. Rise of State-led economic diplomacy: States engage corporate boards and CEOs with confidence, signalling maturity in India’s federal design.

What is driving the new wave of inter-State competition?

  1. Investment race for global tech mandates: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka compete for Google’s AI centre, semiconductor units like Micron, and other high-tech industries.
  2. Policy predictability: States offer faster clearances, stable taxation, and improved land/utility arrangements that improve investor confidence.
  3. Infrastructure differentiation: Gujarat’s infrastructure, Maharashtra’s port ecosystem, and Jharkhand’s mineral base reflect unique competitive edges.
  4. Branding and entrepreneurship cultures: Punjab’s business culture, Tamil Nadu’s skilled workforce, and Bengaluru’s innovation ecosystem attract capital.
  5. Healthy rivalry: States emulate each other’s best practices, improving ease of doing business holistically.

How do States showcase competitive strengths to attract global investors?

  1. Clearances and governance: Andhra’s faster approvals and “predictable governance” models attract industries.
  2. Industrial clusters: Noida’s semiconductor parks, Tamil Nadu’s EV manufacturing corridors, and Karnataka’s global capability centres create ecosystems.
  3. Strategic subsidies: Concessional utilities, land pricing, and tax benefits remain tools, but the article emphasises that strength now lies in governance and capability, not only subsidies.
  4. Narrative-building: States brand themselves:
    1. “The Shenzhen of India” for Noida,
    2. “India in the abstract; India in Bengaluru; India in Bhubaneswar” reflects competitive positioning.
  5. Multiple entry points: India’s mosaic of distinct State strengths creates a wide front of opportunities for global investors.

How does inter-State rivalry improve national economic outcomes?

  1. Enhanced innovation: Competition fosters experimentation and adoption of best practices.
  2. Reduced dependency on Centre: States take responsibility for attracting investment rather than waiting for Central allocations.
  3. Better infrastructure standards: Rivalry pushes States to upgrade logistics, industrial parks, and digital infrastructure.
  4. Industry diversification: Multiple states develop high-tech clusters, reducing geographic concentration risks.
  5. Federal solidarity: The article stresses that competition is healthy, credible, and rooted in a shared pursuit of national development.

Why is the new federal compact significant for India’s future?

  1. States pitching confidently: States engage investors directly with clear plans, showing a shift to persuasion-based federalism.
  2. Attracting sunrise sectors: Semiconductor manufacturing, EV production, and advanced electronics are expanding beyond traditional hubs.
  3. Cross-State synergies: Supply chains, manufacturing networks, and services ecosystems now span across borders.
  4. Mature economic federalism: The article argues this is not desperate bidding, but a rational, capability-driven economic design.
  5. Rise of State-led growth poles: Competitive strengths in different States collectively strengthen India’s global economic position.

Conclusion

India’s evolving economic federalism represents a deeper structural shift where States act as active economic agents rather than passive recipients of Central policy. This inter-State rivalry, credible, stable, and innovation-driven, is pushing India toward higher-quality investments, diversified regional growth, and improved governance. It is a long-term transformation that reinforces India’s economic resilience and strengthens the Union through productive competition.

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

Attend Now

Labour, Jobs and Employment – Harmonization of labour laws, gender gap, unemployment, etc.

[12th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Exploited workers, a labour policy’s empty promises

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Discuss the merits and demerits of the four ‘Labour Codes’ in the context of labour market reforms in India. What has been the progress so far in this regard?

Linkage: Building directly on the same reform trajectory, the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 extends the labour codes’ framework of ease of doing business over worker protection. This highlights continued informalisation and weak enforcement.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 arrives at a critical juncture, when over 90% of India’s workforce is informal, and 11 million people endure modern slavery-like conditions. While the government calls it a “rights-driven, future-ready” labour vision grounded in “ancient Indian ethos”, the policy remains mired in contradictions. Behind its digital optimism and flexibility rhetoric lie deep structural issues, casualisation, exclusion of women, erosion of unions, and poor enforcement of safety norms. This article analyses how the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 attempts reform but risks widening inequality instead of bridging it.

Introduction

India’s labour force, the world’s largest after China, is undergoing unprecedented informalisation. A majority of workers remain without contracts, benefits, or occupational safety, particularly in construction, seafood, textiles, and stone quarrying. Against this backdrop, the government has unveiled the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025, the first comprehensive labour and employment policy in independent India, aimed at aligning with India@2047 goals. Yet, its “future-ready” tone contrasts sharply with the daily struggles of India’s informal workers. The draft blends cultural nostalgia with digital platforms and flexible labour regimes, but experts warn that without strong safeguards, it may formalise exploitation under a new vocabulary of efficiency and empowerment.

Why is the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 significant?

  1. First comprehensive labour policy: India has never had a single overarching labour and employment policy before; this is the first draft of its kind.
  2. Presented as “rights-driven” and “future-ready”: The draft positions itself as a framework for inclusive, dignified employment by 2047.
  3. Ground reality contrast: It appears while millions remain in debt bondage or unsafe informal work, revealing a sharp policy-practice gap.
  4. Cultural framing: It draws legitimacy from “ancient Indian ethos” and texts like Manusmriti, a move critics call regressive in a modern labour context.

Does the draft empower workers or employers?

  1. Contractual and casual labour domination: In several sectors (textiles, seafood, stone quarries), workers are hired by middlemen without contracts, paid daily wages, and denied ESI or PF benefits.
  2. Employer-biased flexibility: The draft promotes “ease of doing business” but underplays enforcement of worker rights, effectively institutionalising job insecurity.
  3. Constitutional dilution: The framework overlooks Articles 14, 16 and 21, which guarantee equality, opportunity, and dignity, replacing them with moral and cultural justifications.
  4. ILO mismatch: The policy ignores obligations under ILO Conventions 42, 155, and 156, especially concerning maternity protection, safety, and gender equity.

Can digital optimism bridge the informal-formal divide?

  1. Digital skilling and employment matching: The draft relies heavily on AI-driven National Career Service (NCS) and Skill India digital platforms, promising to reduce mismatches.
  2. Reality check: Digital literacy in India remains at 38%, and most informal workers, particularly women and the elderly, remain excluded from such systems.
  3. eSHRAM limitations: Despite over 30 crore registrations, payouts remain minimal and inconsistent, with large data gaps for unorganised workers.
  4. Algorithmic exclusion: Tech-based hiring may amplify caste and gender bias, lacking oversight on fairness, grievance redress, or algorithmic accountability.

Does the draft align with constitutional and global standards?

  1. Constitutional inconsistency: Ignores equality provisions (Articles 14-16) and fails to guarantee dignity (Article 21) by sidelining unionisation and inspectorate powers.
  2. ILO and OECD compliance gap: India risks non-alignment with ILO Conventions 87 and 98 (freedom of association and collective bargaining) and OECD recommendations on equitable labour transitions.
  3. Rights to collective action: Tripartite bodies (state, employer, worker) are mentioned but not institutionally strengthened, weakening labour representation.

What are the draft policy’s main areas of concern?

  1. Inspectorate dilution: Reduction in on-ground inspections under the garb of self-certification leads to unchecked safety violations.
  2. Gendered impact: While women’s participation is targeted to rise to 35% by 2047, no clear mechanism ensures safe, accessible, or equitable workplaces.
  3. Wage inequality and gig exclusion: Wage Code 2019 is silent on platform workers’ benefits, leaving gig labourers outside social protection systems.
  4. Union erosion: By promoting individual “digital dashboards” over collective negotiations, the draft undermines trade union power and collective action.

What should guide India’s final labour framework?

  1. Universal social protection floor: Extend ESI, EPFO, and health coverage to informal and gig workers.
  2. Reinstate labour inspectorates: Institutionalise independent audits for occupational safety and minimum wage compliance.
  3. Gender-responsive budgeting: Make gender equity measurable through labour audits, wage reporting, and leadership representation.
  4. Digital inclusion safeguards: Ensure data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and accessibility for low-literacy workers.
  5. Constitutional morality over cultural ethos: Replace rhetoric with enforceable rights, ensuring compliance with Articles 14, 19, 21, and 23 (prohibition of forced labour).

Conclusion

The draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 aspires to modernise India’s labour market, but its moral overtones and digital bias risk leaving the poorest behind. Without strong enforcement, union empowerment, and gender-sensitive safeguards, this “future-ready” vision may perpetuate rather than resolve inequality. India’s final policy must reflect constitutional morality, not cultural nostalgia, ensuring labour dignity remains the cornerstone of economic growth.

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

Attend Now

Foreign Policy Watch: India-ASEAN

[11th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A celebration of India-Bhutan ties

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Discuss the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of Maldives for India with a focus on global trade and energy flows. Further, also discuss how this relationship affects India’s maritime security and regional stability amidst international competition.

Linkage: This PYQ reflects the same strategic framework as India-Bhutan relations; where geography, stability, and mutual trust drive India’s Neighbourhood First and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision.

Mentor’s Comment

The 70th birth anniversary of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan, serves as a moment to celebrate not just a monarch’s life but the enduring India-Bhutan partnership that he helped shape. His leadership modernised Bhutan and deepened one of South Asia’s most stable and mutually respectful bilateral relationships built on trust, hydropower diplomacy, and shared values of sustainable development and cultural harmony.

Introduction

The former King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, turned 70 on November 11, 2025. Revered by his people as a Bodhisattva King, he ruled Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006 in favour of his son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Known for introducing the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and steering Bhutan into the modern era, his legacy also symbolizes the deep and evolving friendship between India and Bhutan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Thimphu for the celebrations marks the continuation of this historic bond. This underlines India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and commitment to strengthening Himalayan partnerships.

The Legacy of a Sage King

  1. Modernisation of Bhutan: King Jigme Singye Wangchuck guided Bhutan into the 21st century with policies balancing economic progress, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation.
  2. Buddhist Leadership Ethos: Revered almost like a Buddha, he was loved for his humility and focus on inner happiness, embodied in the philosophy of Gross National Happiness.
  3. Abdication for Reform: His voluntary abdication in 2006 for his son represented a rare act of democratic foresight, leading Bhutan towards constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.

India-Bhutan Relations: A Model of Neighbourhood Diplomacy

  1. Neighbourhood First Priority: Bhutan was the first foreign country visited by PM Modi in 2014 after assuming office, highlighting Bhutan’s symbolic and strategic importance.
  2. Mutual Cultural Affinity: The relationship is grounded in shared civilizational ethos, Buddhism, and trust, rather than transactional diplomacy.
  3. Joint Celebrations: Modi’s participation in the birthday celebrations reflects India’s continued recognition of Bhutan as a trusted Himalayan partner.

Hydropower Diplomacy: The Cornerstone of Economic Partnership

  1. Strategic Energy Partnership: India and Bhutan have developed one of South Asia’s most successful hydropower cooperation models, with electricity from Bhutan’s rivers exported to India.
  2. Economic Impact: Projects like the Punasangchhu-I and Punasangchhu-II hydropower projects contribute significantly to Bhutan’s GDP and India’s clean energy imports.
  3. Job Creation and Development: Revenue from hydropower has raised Bhutan’s per capita income, reflecting a sustainable model of bilateral interdependence.
  4. Private Sector Expansion: Future projects are likely to be developed by private Indian companies in collaboration with Bhutanese partners, expanding beyond state-led initiatives.

Issues of National Security and Strategic Alignment

  1. Advisory Role of the King: Former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck continues to play a strategic advisory role (K4) on national security and foreign policy.
  2. Security Cooperation: India’s Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) works closely with Indian defence forces to secure borders and enhance counter-insurgency cooperation.
  3. Operation All Clear (2003): Bhutan’s successful military operation, supported by India, removed insurgent groups from its territory; a hallmark of trust-based defence partnership.
  4. Geopolitical Balance: Bhutan continues to balance relations with India while cautiously managing ties with China, guided by India’s support in maintaining sovereignty and stability.

India’s Continued Developmental Support

  1. Hydropower Assistance: India remains Bhutan’s largest partner in hydropower development, ensuring energy security for both nations.
  2. Community Development Projects: Support extends to education, healthcare, and monastic infrastructure, reinforcing India’s soft power in the region.
  3. Trade and Connectivity: India’s assistance in roads, border management, and trade routes enhances regional connectivity under the BBIN framework.

Conclusion

The celebration of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s 70th birthday is more than an homage to a revered monarch, it is a testament to the unbroken trust, shared development, and mutual respect between India and Bhutan. The hydropower-driven partnership continues to set an example of how small states and large neighbours can coexist through equality, respect, and common vision. As India continues to invest in Bhutan’s progress, this Himalayan partnership stands as a model of enduring regional cooperation and spiritual kinship.

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

Attend Now

Electoral Reforms In India

[10th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Burden of proof: On electoral integrity

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2019] In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?

Linkage: This PYQ highlights the core issue of electoral credibility and public trust, mirroring the current allegations of fake voters and data opacity. It reinforces the need for transparency, verifiable mechanisms, and institutional accountability within the Election Commission.

Mentor’s Comment

The article “Burden of Proof” brings to light the intensifying debate over the integrity of India’s electoral rolls following allegations by the Leader of the Opposition regarding fake or duplicate voters in Haryana’s 2024 Assembly election. This issue, though political on the surface, raises deep institutional and constitutional concerns about electoral transparency, systemic accountability, and public trust in the Election Commission of India (ECI). For UPSC aspirants, the piece is vital as it interlinks GS Paper 2 (Election Commission, Electoral Reforms, Transparency) and GS Paper 4 (Ethics in Public Institutions).

Introduction

Elections lie at the heart of Indian democracy, yet their credibility depends on the robustness of electoral rolls and the transparency of electoral processes. The recent allegations made by Rahul Gandhi regarding the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, where he claimed over 25 lakh fake voters in the rolls, have reignited discussions around systemic lapses, procedural opacity, and institutional accountability within the Election Commission of India (ECI). The editorial underscores that while the secrecy of the vote is sacrosanct, the process of voting and verification must remain transparent and auditable to uphold electoral faith.

What are the Allegations and Why Do They Matter?

  1. Mass duplication and fake entries: Rahul Gandhi alleged 25 lakh fake or duplicate voters, including 22 instances of the same woman’s photo used across different booths.
  2. Institutional manipulation: He claimed the manipulation benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and undermined the Opposition.
  3. Systemic failure: These charges indicate structural lapses rather than isolated incidents, raising doubts over ECI’s data integrity.

How Has the Election Commission Responded?

  1. Technical defense: The ECI has relied on procedural arguments, stating that complaints must be raised within stipulated timelines or through election petitions.
  2. Opaque communication: Its defensive posture and tendency to veil electoral data under “voter privacy” have eroded public confidence.
  3. Avoidance of transparency: Despite being procedural sound, such a stance fails to address the perception of bias or inefficiency.

Why is Transparency the Core Issue?

  1. Public trust: The ECI’s reluctance to release video footage or electoral roll details fuels suspicions of manipulation.
  2. Privacy vs. accountability: While vote choice must remain secret, voting activity and verification records should be open to scrutiny.
  3. Opacity breeds doubt: By invoking secrecy, the ECI restricts necessary transparency that could restore faith.

What are the Larger Implications for Democracy?

  1. Erosion of institutional faith: Repeated controversies diminish the moral authority of the ECI.
  2. Systemic trust deficit: Procedural correctness without public communication and transparency undermines democracy’s ethical base.
  3. Global significance: As the world’s largest democracy, India’s electoral credibility carries symbolic importance for democratic legitimacy worldwide.

Way Forward

  1. Release verifiable data: Publish booth-wise video recordings to prove that alleged duplicate voters did not actually vote multiple times.
  2. Differentiate between secrecy and verification: The act of voting should be private, but records of who voted (not how) can remain public.
  3. Independent scrutiny: A Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can strengthen the credibility of electoral rolls through third-party verification.

Conclusion

The editorial’s core argument is that democracy depends not merely on free voting but on verifiable fairness. While the vote’s secrecy is inviolable, the process’s secrecy is dangerous. Rebuilding trust in the Election Commission demands procedural transparency, data openness, and independent auditing mechanisms. Only through public access to verifiable information can the faith of the voter be restored in India’s electoral democracy.

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

Attend Now

Electoral Reforms In India

[8th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A wider SIR has momentum but it is still a test case

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

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: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ensures clean, verified, and inclusive voter rolls, a prerequisite for implementing “One Nation-One Election”. Both aim to reduce electoral fragmentation and enhance institutional credibility in India’s democracy.

Mentor’s Comment

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across multiple States and Union Territories, the first such nationwide exercise after 21 years. This is a technical yet politically sensitive process, central to the integrity of India’s democratic machinery. The SIR’s rollout tests administrative preparedness, inclusivity, and transparency ahead of major elections, including those in Bihar. This article decodes the why, what, and how of the SIR, examining its implications for governance, political participation, and electoral legitimacy, all crucial themes for UPSC GS Paper II (Polity & Governance).

Why in the News

The Election Commission of India launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on November 4, 2025, across nine States and three Union Territories, following its implementation in Bihar. This is the first SIR in 21 years and only the ninth in India’s 75-year electoral history.

It marks a significant institutional reform aimed at updating 51 crore voter records of nearly half of India’s electorate across 321 constituencies and 1,843 Assembly segments. Given that the Bihar SIR was a test case plagued by logistical, legal, and political complexities, the pan-India rollout serves as a stress test for India’s electoral infrastructure and citizen inclusion mechanisms.

Introduction

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) represents the most comprehensive voter list update since the early 2000s. It aims to eliminate duplications, include new electors, and ensure clean, verified rolls before upcoming elections. However, the process faces challenges related to citizenship verification, migration, and state-level customisation, revealing both the strengths and vulnerabilities of India’s electoral architecture.

What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

  1. Definition: A systematic, state-wise verification and revision of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
  2. Objective: To ensure accuracy, transparency, and inclusivity in voter registration, enabling free and fair elections.
  3. Scale: Covers 51 crore electors across 321 constituencies involving 5.33 lakh polling stations and 7.64 lakh booth-level agents.
  4. Timeline: Draft roll on December 9, 2025; final roll on February 7, 2026.
  5. Precedent: First SIR in 21 years, after the last comprehensive revision in 2004.

Why Was a Nationwide SIR Needed?

  1. Electoral Gaps: Regular annual updates failed to address mass migration, duplication, and exclusion errors.
  2. Bihar Experience: The Bihar SIR revealed outdated rolls, multiple entries, and dead voters, pushing ECI to extend the process nationwide.
  3. Inclusivity Goals: To bring marginalised and mobile populations (e.g., migrants, first-time voters) into the democratic fold.
  4. Supreme Court Concerns: Emphasised the need for ‘clean and transparent’ electoral rolls as foundational to electoral legitimacy.

How is the SIR Different from Regular Roll Revision?

  1. Depth of Verification: Involves door-to-door enumeration and mandatory document verification.
  2. Decentralised Accountability: Booth Level Officers (BLOs) given fixed time frames for inclusion/exclusion decisions.
  3. Transparency Mandate: The term ‘document’ must be entered for each elector to ensure traceability.
  4. Technological Integration: ECI uses data analytics and cross-verification to detect duplication or absence.
  5. Flexibility: Though standardised nationally, procedures vary by State due to differing local challenges and citizenship laws (e.g., Assam).

How Does the SIR Strengthen Electoral Legitimacy?

  1. Authenticity of Rolls: Builds a citizen-owned voter base, verified through both local and digital checks.
  2. Political Party Engagement: Booth-level agents of political parties ensure collective scrutiny and confidence in the system.
  3. Institutional Collaboration: States are required to provide dedicated staff and avoid officer transfers during the process.
  4. Error Minimisation: Reduction in ‘zero appeals’ cases, i.e., disputes over wrongful exclusions/inclusions.
  5. Legal Sanction: Backed by Supreme Court validation, strengthening constitutional trust in the ECI.

What Are the Remaining Challenges?

  1. State-Specific Complexities: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal express concerns over exclusion of eligible voters.
  2. Administrative Burden: Requires massive coordination across 21,000+ officers and State governments.
  3. Social Sensitivities: Citizenship verification in Assam and border districts remains politically charged.
  4. Public Trust Deficit: Needs sustained communication to avoid alienation of first-time or marginalised voters.
  5. Past Precedent: The Bihar experience showed that data errors and delayed grievance redress erode legitimacy.

Conclusion

The Special Intensive Revision marks a transformative shift in India’s electoral administration. While it reflects institutional momentum and transparency, its success depends on ground-level execution, inter-state coordination, and public confidence. The SIR is both a logistical challenge and a democratic opportunity, a crucial test for the ECI’s credibility in ensuring a clean, inclusive, and verifiable electoral base.

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

Attend Now

[7th November 2025] The Hindu Oped: Redraw welfare architecture, place a UBI in the centre

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2015] In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.

Linkage: The shift from price subsidies to Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) improved efficiency and targeting in welfare delivery. Universal Basic Income (UBI) is the next step in this evolution, moving from targeted transfers to universal, unconditional income support that ensures inclusion and economic stability.

Mentor’s Comment

As automation, artificial intelligence, and widening inequality reshape global economies, India faces an urgent need to rethink its welfare model. Universal Basic Income (UBI) , once dismissed as utopian, is emerging as a viable economic tool to balance growth with inclusion, stabilize consumption, and future-proof citizens against technology-driven disruptions.

Introduction and Why in the News

India’s wealth gap is at a 75-year high, and technological transformation is outpacing job creation. The article argues that a Universal Basic Income could act as a stabilizer for an economy characterized by automation-led job loss, consumption inequality, and welfare fragmentation. UBI thus represents both an economic necessity and moral evolution, a reform that can ensure social security while sustaining demand in an AI-driven economy.

Understanding UBI in the Economic Context

  1. Concept: A periodic, unconditional cash transfer to all citizens, regardless of income or employment.
  2. Economic Foundation: Acts as a floor for consumption and stabilizer of demand during economic downturns.
  3. Rationale in India: Addresses inefficiencies, leakages, and exclusions in existing welfare subsidies and improves fiscal targeting through direct transfers.
  4. Global Relevance: Countries like Finland, Kenya, and Iran have experimented with variants of basic income to address automation shocks and inequality.

Why India Needs a New Welfare Model

  • Automation and Jobless Growth:
    1. India’s labour-intensive sectors are losing relevance as AI and robotics replace routine work.
    2. A 2023 McKinsey Report estimates 40-45% of Indian jobs risk automation by 2030.
    3. Consumption Inequality: The top 10% hold over 40% of total income, weakening demand from lower strata, a key factor behind India’s K-shaped recovery post-COVID.
  • Fragmented Welfare Spending:
    1. Over 950 central schemes exist; only 20% reach intended beneficiaries (NITI Aayog, 2022).
    2. Rationalizing and merging subsidies could free 1-2% of GDP, enough to fund a phased UBI.

Fiscal Feasibility and Implementation Models

  1. Budgetary Realignment: A UBI costing ₹7,500 per person annually = ~1% of GDP, fiscally manageable by pruning inefficient subsidies.
  2. Digital Readiness: India’s JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) enables transparent Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to 450+ million beneficiaries.
  3. Phased Approach:
    • Start with vulnerable groups (elderly, women, informal workers) and expand gradually.
    • Link with automation tax or digital economy levy to ensure sustainability.
  4. Behavioral Economics View: Unconditional transfers improve human capital investment (nutrition, education) without creating disincentive to work, proven in Madhya Pradesh SEWA UBI Pilot, 2013.

UBI as an Economic Stabilizer

  1. Counter-Cyclical Tool: Maintains aggregate demand in economic slowdowns; ensures liquidity among lower-income households.
  2. Productivity Boost: Financial security allows workers to upskill and pursue entrepreneurial ventures instead of insecure subsistence jobs.
  3. Gender Dividend: Recognizes unpaid care work and enhances female labour participation, a major economic multiplier.
  4. Rural Resilience: Ensures income continuity against climate shocks, agrarian distress, and market failures.

Challenges in Adopting UBI

  1. Fiscal Trade-offs: High recurring costs could strain the fiscal deficit if not balanced by rationalization of subsidies.
  2. Inflationary Pressure: Sudden increase in liquidity may spike prices unless accompanied by supply-side reforms.
  3. Exclusion Risks via Aadhaar/DBT: Digital divide and authentication errors can replicate old exclusion patterns.
  4. Political Economy Resistance: Targeted benefits create patronage networks; universalization dilutes control, making reform politically sensitive.

Global Insights for India

Country Nature of UBI Trial Lessons
Finland (2017-18) €560/month for unemployed Improved well-being, not joblessness
Kenya Cash transfer for 12 years Increased small business formation
Iran (2010) Universal transfer replacing subsidies Reduced poverty without fiscal collapse
Brazil (Bolsa Família) Conditional transfer, near-universal Boosted literacy, health, consumption

India can blend these experiences into a hybrid model: quasi-universal, fiscally prudent, and tech-enabled.

Conclusion

A Universal Basic Income is no longer a moral luxury, it is an economic inevitability in a future where automation, inequality, and climate shocks converge. By realigning subsidies and leveraging digital infrastructure, India can embed economic dignity into fiscal policy. UBI is not about welfare dependency, it is about stabilizing markets through empowered citizens.

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

Attend Now

Electoral Reforms In India

[6th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The malleable Code of Conduct

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2022] Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct.

Linkage: It explores how the Election Commission’s authority evolved through the MCC. It assesses the effectiveness in upholding electoral fairness amid growing political violations.

Mentor’s Comment

The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) represents India’s democratic conscience. It is a self-imposed ethical framework ensuring that elections are fought on fairness, not power misuse. Yet, the political ingenuity in bypassing it reflects a deeper erosion of moral restraint in governance. With recent welfare disbursements in Bihar triggering debate, the MCC stands at a crossroads between relevance and redundancy.

Introduction

The Model Code of Conduct is an ethical framework evolved through consensus among political parties to ensure level competition during elections. It prevents the misuse of official machinery, state resources, and authority to influence voters. However, repeated violations especially by governments announcing pre-poll cash transfers or populist projects show that while the MCC binds in letter, its spirit is increasingly compromised.

Why in the News

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY) launched in Bihar in August 2025 has reignited the debate over MCC violations. Cash disbursements continued into late October and early November, overlapping with the election schedule. Though legally permissible, the scheme’s timing tilted public perception toward favouring the ruling party, raising serious concerns about the sanctity of the electoral process. The controversy marks another instance where governments use public funds to gain electoral mileage, undermining the spirit of the MCC.

Genesis and Purpose of the MCC

  1. Origin and Evolution: The MCC was first used during the 1960 Assembly elections in Kerala, and later adopted nationwide by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the 1962 general elections.
  2. Consensus Document: It was not enacted by Parliament but evolved through agreement among political parties.
  3. Formal Enforcement: The Model Code of Conduct was first issued by the Election Commission of India under the title of ‘Minimum Code of Conduct’ on September 26, 1968 during the Mid-Term Elections 1968-69. The code was further revised in 1979, 1982, 1991 and 2013
  4. Core Purpose: Ensures free, fair, and peaceful elections by preventing misuse of government machinery and undue influence over voters.

When It Is Applicable and Who Enforces It

  1. Trigger Point: The MCC comes into effect immediately from the date the Election Commission announces the election schedule.
  2. Duration: It remains in force until the declaration of election results.
  3. Enforcing Authority: The Election Commission of India is the sole authority for its enforcement and interpretation.
  4. Withdrawal: The MCC automatically ceases once the results are officially declared by the ECI.

What Gets Suspended Under the MCC

  1. Policy Announcements: Ministers and authorities cannot announce new projects, financial grants, or inaugurate schemes that may influence voters.
  2. Public Advertisements: No use of government funds for publicity of achievements or campaigns during this period.
  3. Transfers and Appointments: Major administrative transfers or appointments in departments are prohibited unless approved by the EC.
  4. Use of Official Machinery: Government vehicles, buildings, and personnel cannot be used for electioneering.
  5. Foundation Stones or Inaugurations: These are disallowed if they could project partisan benefit.

What Is Permitted During MCC

  1. Ongoing Projects: Continuing existing schemes and projects (initiated before MCC enforcement) is allowed if there’s no modification or new announcement.
  2. Routine Governance: Day-to-day administration and delivery of essential services can continue.
  3. Emergency Actions: Governments can act during natural disasters or emergencies with EC approval.
  4. Election Campaigning: Political parties are free to campaign, release manifestos, and address voters, provided they follow EC guidelines on ethics and expenditure.

The Challenge of “Violations in Spirit”

Despite the clarity of rules, violations persist:

  1. Cash Schemes: Governments frequently announce last-minute transfers to favourable groups.
  2. Symbolic Launches: Old projects are rebranded as new initiatives to gain media traction.
  3. Moral Erosion: Such acts violate the spirit of fairness, reducing elections to a contest of resource deployment rather than ideas.
  4. Quote Insight: As Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, the MCC is often “more honoured in the breach than in the observance.”

Legal Status and Enforcement Issues

  1. Voluntary Nature: The MCC is a moral code, not a legal statute.
  2. Legal Overlap: Specific violations may be prosecuted under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, or Indian Penal Code (IPC).
  3. 2013 Standing Committee View: Recommended making MCC legally binding, but EC preferred flexibility due to the short election window.
  4. Judicial Constraints: Courts find it difficult to act swiftly during elections, leaving real-time violations unchecked.

Impact on Democratic Integrity

  1. Erosion of Level Playing Field: Pre-poll welfare schemes distort voter perception.
  2. Loss of Trust: Frequent violations weaken public confidence in EC neutrality.
  3. Ethical Degradation: Turning elections into transactional exercises undermines constitutional morality.
  4. Institutional Burden: Constant MCC imposition hampers governance continuity, hence the push for simultaneous elections.

Way Forward

  1. Legal Backing with Flexibility: Grant partial statutory status to the MCC to enhance enforceability while retaining EC’s discretion for quick decisions during elections.
  2. Swift Adjudication Mechanism: Establish fast-track EC tribunals for resolving MCC violation complaints within days, not weeks.
  3. Transparent Public Disclosure: Mandate real-time publication of EC orders and violations to ensure accountability and deter misconduct.
  4. Institutional Empowerment: Strengthen EC’s independence by insulating it from executive interference in appointments and funding.
  5. Ethical Political Culture: Political parties should adopt internal codes of ethics and conduct public pledges to uphold MCC principles.
  6. Simultaneous Elections Debate: Explore synchronizing elections to reduce frequent MCC enforcement disruptions and policy paralysis.
  7. Civic Awareness: Promote voter education campaigns to build public pressure against MCC violations and ethical breaches.

Conclusion

The Model Code of Conduct is not just an election rulebook, it is a mirror reflecting the ethical health of Indian democracy. When leaders manipulate it, they erode not just electoral fairness but the foundational trust between citizen and state. The MCC must therefore be strengthened, through legal clarity, swift EC action, and moral political leadership, so that it remains a living instrument of democracy, not a symbolic ritual.

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

Attend Now

Forest Conservation Efforts – NFP, Western Ghats, etc.

[5th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: India’s forests hold the future

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Environmental pollution is a major environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard.

Linkage: Even though no direct linking PYQ is found. But here forest restoration and carbon sink creation are key mitigation measures in controlling pollution and ensuring ecosystem resilience.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s revised Green India Mission (GIM) signals a decisive shift in the nation’s ecological vision from expanding forest area to restoring ecosystem resilience. The article examines the ambitious plan to restore 25 million hectares by 2030, challenges in afforestation design, and how India can convert green cover into genuine carbon and community assets.

Introduction

India stands at the crossroads of economic growth and ecological sustainability. The recent revision of the Green India Mission (GIM) underscores the goal of restoring 25 million hectares of degraded forest and non-forest land by 2030, directly linked to India’s climate pledge of creating a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The central question now is not just how much land India restores, but how well it does so.

Why in the News

The release of the revised Green India Mission blueprint (2025) marks a crucial development in India’s environmental policy. For the first time, the emphasis shifts from mere tree planting to ecological restoration and community participation. With India’s forests showing a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency (IIT Kharagpur-BITS Pilani, 2025), the focus on quality over quantity becomes imperative. The GIM’s success or failure will significantly impact India’s climate commitments and rural livelihoods dependent on forests.

Afforestation in India: From Quantity to Quality

  1. New Scientific Evidence: A 2025 IIT Kharagpur study found a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency of dense forests due to rising temperatures and soil drying.
  2. Beyond Canopy Cover: The discovery challenges the old assumption that “more trees mean more carbon sinks” and instead emphasizes ecological resilience.
  3. Shift in Mission Focus: Between 2015-2021, ₹575 crore was disbursed for afforestation; forest and tree cover rose from 21.16% to 25.17% by 2023 yet qualitative degradation persists.

What Are the Core Gaps in India’s Afforestation Strategy?

  1. Community Participation: Despite the Forest Rights Act (2006) empowering local communities, many plantation drives bypass their consent, eroding trust and legitimacy.
  2. Ecological Design: Monoculture plantations of eucalyptus and acacia reduce biodiversity, leaving forests vulnerable to drought and pests.
  3. Financing and Implementation: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) holds ₹95,000 crore, but fund utilization remains inconsistent. Delhi, for instance, used only 23% of funds between 2019-2024.

What Are the Emerging Success Stories?

  1. Odisha: Joint Forest Management Committees are now part of revenue-sharing and planning processes.
  2. Chhattisgarh: Forest departments are experimenting with biodiversity-sensitive plantations and promoting village carbon markets.
  3. Himachal Pradesh: Launched biochar programmes to reduce fire risk and generate carbon credits.
  4. Tamil Nadu: Nearly doubled mangrove cover in three years, advancing coastal carbon storage.

How Can India Finance and Implement Effective Restoration?

  1. Utilizing CAMPA Funds: Efficient allocation and transparent dashboards can ensure accountability.
  2. Innovative Tools: Integration of carbon markets, adaptive management, and public dashboards can align national and state-level efforts.
  3. Technical Training: Expanding institutes like IIFM Bhopal or the upcoming Byrnihat Ecological Institute to train field staff in ecological design.
  4. Public-Community Collaboration: Linking local monitoring with national reporting systems will enhance ground-level legitimacy and data reliability.

What Lies Ahead for India’s Forest Future?

  1. Smarter Restoration: Focus must shift from planting to ecological engineering using native species and local hydrology.
  2. Inclusive Climate Action: Empowering communities ensures climate justice and sustainable forest governance.
  3. National Movement Approach: Collaboration between civil society, research institutions, and local communities can transform GIM from a government scheme to a people’s mission.

Conclusion

India’s forests are more than carbon sinks, they are the nation’s ecological infrastructure. The revised Green India Mission represents a shift from greenwashing metrics to resilient ecosystems. With rigorous monitoring, community inclusion, and scientific restoration, India can make its forests not only a tool for carbon sequestration but a foundation for climate-resilient growth.

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

Attend Now

Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

[4th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The case for energy efficiency

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2022] Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.

Linkage: The question relates to India’s renewable energy transition and the feasibility of meeting its 2030 targets. The article links by emphasizing that without efficiency and subsidy realignment, rising renewable capacity alone cannot ensure a cleaner grid.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s clean energy transition faces a paradox: even as renewable capacity doubles, the electricity flowing into homes is becoming dirtier. The rise in India’s grid emission factor despite record renewable expansion reveals deep systemic challenges, capacity-generation mismatch, demand peaks, and underutilization of renewables. This editorial decodes why energy efficiency, the “first fuel”, must become central to India’s decarbonisation strategy.

Introduction

India’s non-fossil fuel sources now account for about 50% of total installed capacity, yet its grid emission factor (GEF) has worsened from 0.703 tCO₂/MWh in 2020-21 to 0.727 tCO₂/MWh in 2023-24 (Central Electricity Authority). This anomaly highlights that while renewable capacity has expanded, fossil-fuel-based generation still dominates. To make India’s grid cleaner and more reliable, scaling up energy efficiency and flexibility is essential.

Why Is India’s Grid Getting Dirtier Despite More Renewables?

  1. Grid Emission Factor (GEF): This measure of carbon intensity has increased instead of falling, reflecting rising dependence on coal during peak demand hours.
  2. Installed capacity doesn’t always equate to generation: Renewables deliver less electricity annually compared to thermal or nuclear sources.
  3. Coal’s dominance: Fossil fuels continue to meet the marginal demand, making India’s grid more emission-intensive even with rising renewable capacity.

What Explains the Capacity-Generation Mismatch?

  1. Low capacity utilisation: Solar and wind plants run at only 15-25% utilisation, versus 65-90% for coal and nuclear.
  2. Temporal mismatch: Solar peaks during afternoon hours, while demand peaks at night, requiring fossil backup.
  3. System inflexibility: Lack of energy storage, flexible grids, and responsive pricing structures forces reliance on coal during non-solar hours.
  4. Data point: In 2023-24, renewables (including hydro) supplied only 22% of total electricity; the rest came from fossil fuels.

How Can Energy Efficiency Bridge the Gap?

  1. First fuel approach: Efficiency reduces demand before generation, lowering peak load, reducing reliance on coal during evening peaks.
  2. Economic benefit: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) reports savings of 200 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) between FY2017-FY2023. This is equivalent to 1.29 GT of CO₂ and savings of ₹76,000 crore.
  3. Enabler of renewables: Efficiency flattens demand peaks, preventing renewable curtailment and enhancing integration of solar and wind.
  4. Preventing lock-in: Replacing old, inefficient technologies avoids long-term carbon lock-ins.

What Policy and Structural Changes Are Needed?

  1. Battery integration: Enabling homes and offices to connect storage systems for balancing demand.
  2. Appliance efficiency: Transition to 4-star and 5-star appliances with updated standards.
  3. Market mechanisms: Incentives for consumers to shift electricity usage to periods of high renewable availability.
  4. Scrappage policy: Phasing out inefficient fans, motors, and air conditioners through targeted rebates.
  5. RTC renewable procurement: Promote Round-the-Clock (RTC) renewable electricity, currently costing less than ₹5/kWh, to replace coal power.

Why Energy Efficiency Must Be at the Core of Decarbonisation Strategy

  1. Invisible yet indispensable: Efficiency is distributed and diffuse, but without it, India’s energy transition remains incomplete.
  2. Global comparison: Nations like France, Norway, and Sweden have achieved GEFs of 0.1-0.2 tCO₂/MWh via high efficiency and nuclear-hydro mix.
  3. India’s targets: National Electricity Plan (2023) projects India’s GEF to fall to 0.548 by 2026-27 and 0.430 by 2031-32.
  4. Integrated approach: A balance of renewable expansion, storage, and efficiency measures is key to achieving India’s Net Zero by 2070 target.

Conclusion

India’s clean energy paradox underscores that generation capacity alone cannot drive decarbonisation. Efficiency, flexibility, and policy coherence must shape the next phase of transition. Making energy efficiency the “first fuel” and embedding it across homes, industries, and infrastructure will determine how India powers its future while keeping its grid truly green.

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.