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  • Anti Defection Law

    Anti-defection Law and The Loopholes

    op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Parliament & State Legislatures

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Tenth Schedule of the Constitution

    Mains level: Anti-defection law and the challenges

    defection

    Central Idea

    • On February 17, the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the party’s Bow and Arrow symbol to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction, in effect recognizing it as the original party founded by Babasaheb Thackeray.  Strengthening Anti-defection law becomes relevant again.

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    Background: The most dramatic and unique political crisis

    • Division in the party: The political crisis in Maharashtra began last year after a group of 40 of the 55 Sena MLAs walked out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance under the leadership of Mr. Shinde, which caused a division in the party.
    • Fight of Name and Symbol: Both the Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde sides staked claim to the party name and symbol, each claiming to represent the real Shiv Sena.
    • The ECI said that it had based its decision on a test of majority: It said the group of MLAs supporting the Shinde faction got nearly 76% of the votes polled for the 55 winning Shiv Sena candidates in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, while the Uddhav Thackeray faction got 23.5% of votes.

    Exam Spotlight

    • The crisis has thrown the spotlight once again on the anti-defection law, whose purpose is to prevent political defections.

    What is Anti-defection Law?

    • Tenth Schedule: The Anti-Defection Law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution punishes MPs/ MLAs for defecting from their party by taking away their membership of the legislature.
    • Power to the speaker: It gives the Speaker of the legislature the power to decide the outcome of defection proceedings.
    • 52nd Amendment Act, 1985: It was added to the Constitution through the Fifty-Second (Amendment) Act, 1985 when Rajiv Gandhi was PM. The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies.

    What was the need to have this law then?

    1. Vies in favour
    • Defection was recognized as an evil that needed to be curbed: Defections cause destabilization and lead to governments falling, which can have negative impacts on the country’s political and economic stability.
    • Law helps to stabilise party system: The law helps to stabilize party systems by consolidating control of the party leadership instead of relying on ideological cohesion or ownership by constituent legislators.
    1. Views against it
    • Law would curb freedom of opinion of the representatives: Some people thought that the law would curb freedom of speech and affect the free exercise of opinion by the members of the legislature who are elected by the people.
    • Undermines the representative system of democracy: The law effectively does away with the representative system of democracy in India by framing democracy as a contest between factions rather than a system of representation and accountability.
    • Limiting the ability of legislators: The law consolidates power in the hands of the party leadership, potentially limiting the ability of individual legislators to represent their constituents’ interests.

    How the law is faring today?

    • Recent events shows that the law needs to be tightened: The kinds of defections which used to take place before the passing of this law are not taking place now. But recent events show that this law needs to be tightened.
    • Third paragraph of tenth schedule was deleted: A little tightening was done earlier by doing away with a split, that is, paragraph three of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. It had said, if there is a split in a particular party, and one-third of the legislators move along with the breakaway group, they will not be disqualified. So, split was a defence against disqualification.
    • No authoritative interpretation of the law: there is a very disturbing trend, which is to interpret paragraph four (decision on questions as to disqualification on ground of defection) in a particular way, because there is no authoritative declaration of law from the Supreme Court on the exact application of it.
    • No timeline fixed for the Speaker: In the 10th Schedule currently, there is no timeline fixed for the Speaker to determine the issue and the purpose of this anti-defection law is defeated.

    Conclusion

    • People are principal stakeholders in a democracy; parties are merely the institutional intermediaries. Democracy needs stable parties, but controlling legislators removes their representative role. Need of the hour is to fix the loopholes in the system because the continuous cycle of instability adversely affects the people, who are the primary stakeholders in a democracy and suffer the most.

    Mains Question

    Q. The events of spilt within the political are rising posing a challenge to the Anti defection law In this backdrop discuss the need of Anti defection law?

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

    Four-day workweek: Analysis

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Issues relating growth and development, employment

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: 4-day work week, advantages and disadvantages

    Four-day workweek

    Central Idea

    • Much is being made about the major breakthrough in one of the largest-ever experiments with a four-day workweek in Britain. Sixty-one companies were part of the six-month trial and 56 of them have opted to continue with the program, while 18 have made it permanent. 4 Day Week Global trial, overseen by Autonomy, aimed to improve work-life balance by allowing workers to work four days instead of five with the same salary and workload.

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    Advantages of implementing a four-day workweek

    • Improved Work-life balance: Having a positive work-life balance can also allow professionals to adopt a better attitude about their work, as they can return to their jobs well-rested. This can help employees remain productive and enthusiastic while working.
    • Increased job satisfaction: With more free time, employees may feel more satisfied with their jobs and be more engaged at work.
    • Reduced absenteeism and turnover: Offering a four-day workweek could make companies more attractive to potential employees, and employees may be less likely to miss work or leave their jobs if they have a better work-life balance.
    • Increased productivity: Some studies have shown that shorter workweeks can actually boost productivity, as employees may be more focused and efficient during their work hours.
    • Positive environmental impact: Working four days per week decreases the number of times a professional commute to work. This is helpful to the environment, as most vehicles produce emissions that can harm the environment.

    Four-day workweek

    Potential disadvantages

    • Limited impact: The benefits of a four-day workweek may be limited in certain industries or job types, such as those that require shift work or have strict deadlines.
    • Increased workload: Employees may feel pressure to complete the same amount of work in fewer hours, resulting in an increased workload and potential burnout.
    • Reduced productivity: Some employees may find it difficult to maintain focus and productivity over longer workdays. This could lead to a decrease in overall output and quality of work.
    • Impact on customer service: If businesses are closed for an extra day each week, it may be more difficult to provide customer service or maintain consistent operating hours.
    • Reduced income: With a shorter workweek, employees may see a reduction in their pay, which could be a disadvantage for those who rely on their income to cover living expenses.

    Examples of companies/organizations considering a four-day workweek

    • Microsoft Japan: In 2019, the tech giant conducted a trial where employees worked a four-day week and saw a 40% increase in productivity.
    • Iceland: A number of companies and organizations in Iceland have experimented with shorter workweeks, including the country’s government, which is exploring a four-day workweek for public servants.
    • New Zealand: Unilever New Zealand recently announced it would be trialing a four-day workweek for all of its employees, while the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has previously spoken in favor of the idea.
    • Spain: The government of Spain has proposed a three-year trial of a four-day workweek, with the goal of improving work-life balance and boosting productivity.

    Four-day workweek

    Feasibility of Four-day workweek in India’s context

    • Will require a careful analysis: The feasibility and impact of a four-day workweek in India would depend on various factors such as industry type, workforce demographics, and cultural norms. Implementing a four-day workweek in India would require careful analysis of various factors.
    • For instance: With the rise of remote work and the increased focus on work-life balance four day week option could be helpful to enhance productivity with improved work life balance in corporate sector.
    • Complex regulations: India’s labour laws and regulations are complex and provide significant protections for workers. Any changes to work arrangements, including a four-day workweek, would need to comply with these laws and ensure that employees’ rights and benefits are protected.
    • For example: Any reduction in working hours would need to be accompanied by appropriate compensation and benefits to ensure that employees do not suffer financial losses.
    • Specific needs of industries: The feasibility of a four-day workweek would depend on the specific needs of different industries.
    • For instance: While some knowledge-based sectors may be well-suited to a four-day workweek, industries that require continuous operations or shift work, such as manufacturing or healthcare, may face significant challenges in implementing a shorter workweek.

    Conclusion

    • It’s important to carefully consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of a four-day workweek before implementing it in any workplace. The impact may vary depending on the specific work arrangements and the needs of the employees and customers.

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  • Digital India Initiatives

    UPI: Internationalization of Digital Payments

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: S&T – Applications In Everyday Life

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: UPI, PayNow link, UPI LITE, etc

    Mains level: UPI and Internationalization of Digital Payments architecture

    UPI

    Central Idea

    • On Tuesday, the Union government unveiled India’s first cross-border real-time payments systems linkage, with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) connecting with Singapore’s PayNow payment system.

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    What is Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

    • UPI is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly, using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer.
    • It eliminates the risk of sharing bank account details by the remitter.
    • UPI supports both Person-to-Person (P2P) and Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payments and it also enables a user to send or receive money.

    What is PayNow?

    • It is a fast payment system in Singapore.
    • It enables peer-to-peer funds transfer service, available to retail customers through participating banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NFIs) in Singapore.
    • It allows users to send and receive instant funds from one bank or e-wallet account to another in Singapore by using just their mobile number, Singapore National Registration Identity Card (NRIC)/Foreign Identification Number (FIN), or VPA.

    UPI

    Overview: Remarkable success of UPI

    • Changed the landscape of electronic payments: The introduction of UPI in 2016-17 led to a dramatic change in the electronic payments landscape of the country.
    • Instrumental in dramatic growth of digital payments: Along with the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile phones, this payment architecture has been instrumental in facilitating the dramatic growth of digital payments in the country, aided by a conducive regulatory framework.
    • Value and volume increasing day by day: Over the years, various reports by the RBI have documented the significant increase in digital payments transactions in the country, with per person digital transactions growing both in terms of value and volume.
    • Dramatic surge during the pandemic: Contactless payments also witnessed a surge during the pandemic. In fact, as per another study, roughly one-third of households surveyed had transacted digitally for the first time during the lockdown.
    • Statistics for instance:
    1. In January 2023, roughly 8 billion transactions were carried out on the UPI platform, whose value touched almost Rs 13 lakh crore.
    2. In comparison, in January 2020, just prior to the pandemic, 1.3 billion transactions were routed through the UPI platform, which touched Rs 2.1 lakh crore in value.
    • Aided in accelerating financial inclusion: The convenience of real-time transfer of payments, the zero-cost framework for users, the rapid expansion in the acceptance touch-points, have encouraged its widespread adoption. This has also aided in accelerating financial inclusion by providing access to financial services at low cost.

    Did you know? “UPI Lite”

    • UPI Lite is a on device wallet feature similar to the ones seen on popular digital payment apps such as Paytm, Freecharge, MobiKwik and others.
    • The feature will allow you to make faster near real-time small value payments without internet connection via the money added in the wallet.
    • In phase one, UPI Lite will process transactions in near offline mode i.e. debit offline and credit online, and at a later point, UPI Lite will process transactions in complete offline mode i.e. debit and credit both offline.

    UPI

    All you need to know about UPI-PayNow interlinkage facility

    • How is the interlinkage benefit users?
    1. With this facility, funds held in bank accounts or e-wallets can be transferred to /from India using just the UPI ID, mobile number, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA), which is essentially the address to or through which you can make UPI money transfers.
    2. With this payment facility, both inward and outward remittances will happen instantly.
    • Who can undertake remittance transactions through this facility: Account holders of participating banks and financial institutions in India and Singapore.
    • Participating banks in India and Singapore:
    1. Banks from India are Axis Bank, DBS Bank India, ICICI Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of India (SBI). Going forward, the UPI-PayNow interlinkage will cover more banks and financial institutions.
    2. From Singapore, DBS Bank Singapore and Liquid Group (Non-Bank Financial Institution) are selected.
    3. Popular payment platforms such as PhonePe and Google Pay have been excluded from the ambit of this framework. Perhaps, over time, these platforms will also be brought under this framework, aiding in its widespread adoption.
    • The daily transaction limit:
    1. Banks in India have not communicated about any restrictions on transfers yet.
    2. It is Rs 60,000 (around SGD 1,000). Initially, DBS customers can use PayNow-UPI only to transfer funds up to SGD 200 per transaction, capped at SGD 500 per day.
    3. There is no such communication about capping for transferring funds through Liquid Group (Non-Bank Financial Institution) to India.

    UPI

    Conclusion

    • The UPI-PayNow interlinkage is a milestone moment for cross-border transfers. Not only India but the world has witnessed how UPI revolutionized the landscape of domestic digital payment infrastructure. With this encouraging development we are now going to see a similar revolution in the cross-border payments space as well. This internationalization of the digital payments architecture, will help bring down both the cost and the time associated with such transfers, bringing benefits to migrant workers, students, and professionals, among others.

    Mains Question

    Q. Recently India launched its first cross-border real-time payments systems linkage with Singapore. In this light highlight Discuss remarkable success of UPI and prospect of internationalization of UPI.

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

    India’s Rich Biodiversity Needs Science Based Implementation

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: 30×30 pledge, PM-STIAC, PM-PRANAM, MISHTI, Amrit Dharohar scheme

    Mains level: Government initiatives for biodiversity conservation

    Biodiversity

    Central Idea

    • The sum and variation of our biological wealth, known as biodiversity, is essential to the future of this planet. India currently hosts 17% of the planet’s human population and 17% of the global area in biodiversity hotspots, placing it at the helm to guide the planet in becoming biodiversity champions.

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    What is 30×30 pledge?

    • The importance of our planet’s biodiversity was strongly articulated at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, Canada.
    • On December 19, 2022, 188 country representatives adopted an agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by conserving 30% of the world’s land and 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, known as the 30×30 pledge.

    Government’s efforts, Programs with potential

    • Green Growth push in Budget: The Union Budget 2023 mentioned Green Growth as one of the seven priorities or Saptarishis. The emphasis on green growth is welcome news for India’s biological wealth as the country is facing serious losses of natural assets such as soils, land, water, and biodiversity.
    • Green India Mission: The National Mission for a Green India aims to increase forest cover on degraded lands and protect existing forested lands.
    • Green Credit Programme: The Green Credit Programme has the objective to incentivize environmentally sustainable and responsive actions by companies, individuals and local bodies.
    • The MISHTI Program: The Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) is particularly significant because of the extraordinary importance of mangroves and coastal ecosystems in mitigating climate change.
    • PM-PRANAM: The Prime Minister Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM) for reducing inputs of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is critical for sustaining our agriculture.
    • Amrit Dharohar scheme: The Amrit Dharohar scheme is expected to encourage optimal use of wetlands, and enhance biodiversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities and income generation for local communities. If implemented in letter and spirit, Amrit Dharohar, with its emphasis on sustainability by balancing competing demands, will benefit aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem services.
    • For instance: The recent intervention by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to stop the draining of Haiderpur, a Ramsar wetland in Uttar Pradesh, to safeguard migratory waterfowl is encouraging.

    Programs must be science-based

    • Evidence-based implementation: It is critical that these programs respond to the current state of the country’s biodiversity with evidence-based implementation.
    • A science-based and inclusive monitoring programme: A science-based and inclusive monitoring programme is critical not only for the success of these efforts but also for documentation and distillation of lessons learnt for replication, nationally as well as globally.
    • Employing modern concepts of sustainability: New missions and programmes should effectively use modern concepts of sustainability and valuation of ecosystems that consider ecological, cultural, and sociological aspects of our biological wealth.
    • Setting clear boundaries and priorities: With clear system boundaries, prioritisation of the benefits to resource people, and fund-services (rather than stock-flows) as the economic foundation for generating value has enormous potential for multiple sustainable bio-economies.
    • Efficient water use patterns: The future of our wetland ecosystems will depend on how we are able to sustain ecological flows through reduction in water use in key sectors such as agriculture by encouraging changes to less-water intensive crops such as millets as well as investments in water recycling in urban areas using a combination of grey and blue-green infrastructure.
    • Focus must be on ecological restoration: As far as the Green India Mission is concerned, implementation should focus on ecological restoration rather than tree plantation and choose sites where it can contribute to ecological connectivity in landscapes fragmented by linear infrastructure.
    • Choices should be made on evidences of resilience: Choice of species and density should be informed by available knowledge and evidence on resilience under emerging climate change and synergies and trade-offs with respect to hydrologic services.
    • Careful site selection for mangrove initiative: Site selection should also be carefully considered for the mangrove initiative with a greater emphasis on diversity of mangrove species with retention of the integrity of coastal mud-flats and salt pans themselves, as they too are important for biodiversity.
    • Effort in response: In response to these needs, we hope that the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing (Mission to green India’s economy, restore natural capital, and make India a global leader in applied biodiversity science) already approved by PM-STIAC, will be immediately launched by the government.

    Did you know?

    Grey and Blue-Green Infrastructure

    • Grey infrastructure: It refers to traditional man-made infrastructure, such as buildings, roads, and bridges, that are designed to provide human-made services like transportation, water supply, and waste management.
    • Blue-green infrastructure: It is designed to mimic the functions of natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, rivers, and forests, to provide services like stormwater management, water purification, and carbon sequestration.
    • Example: It includes, Rainwater harvesting systems that capture rainwater and recharge groundwater, green roofs that provide insulation and absorb rainwater, Urban parks and green spaces that improve air quality and provide habitat for wildlife, Wetlands and retention ponds that filter pollutants and store excess water during floods
    • Sustainable and resilient: Blue-green infrastructure is often seen as a more sustainable and resilient alternative to traditional grey infrastructure, as it can help to mitigate the impacts of climate change, reduce urban heat island effects, and enhance the quality of life for urban residents

    Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC):

    • PM-STIAC is a high-level advisory body that provides strategic guidance on science, technology, and innovation to the Prime Minister of India.
    • Advises the Indian Prime Minister on science and technology policy, identifying emerging areas, recommending missions and projects, and enhancing the effectiveness of science and technology to tackle national challenges.
    • The council comprises eminent scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers who are appointed by the Prime Minister.
    • PM-STIAC also serves as a forum for stakeholders from academia, industry, and government to interact and collaborate on science and technology initiatives.

    Local community involvement

    • Efforts must be inclusive: Each of these efforts must be inclusive of local and nomadic communities where these initiatives will be implemented.
    • Traditional practices should be integrated: Traditional knowledge and practices of these communities should be integrated into the implementation plans.

    Conclusion

    • Each of the above-mentioned programs has the potential to greatly improve the state of our nation’s biodiversity if their implementation is based on the latest scientific and ecological knowledge.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is 30×30 pledge? Discuss some of the key programs taken by the government to promote green growth and biodiversity conservation.

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  • Parliament – Sessions, Procedures, Motions, Committees etc

    Deputy Speaker Is An Officer of Parliament

    op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution – historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Speaker and Deputy speaker

    Mains level: Importance of Deputy speaker, Constitutional provisions, Parliamentary rules

    Officer

    Central Idea

    • The present Lok Sabha has not elected a Deputy Speaker even after three years and seven months of its term, and the non-election has reached the Supreme Court, which has reportedly sent notice to the Union government; historically, a Deputy Speaker is as important as the Speaker for the House.

    What is the practice?

    • Two presiding officers in Lok Sabha: There are two presiding officers for the Lok Sabha, namely the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, who are elected by the members of the House.
    • Article 93 of the constitution: Under Article 93 of the Constitution, as soon as the House meets after the election these two presiding officers are elected one after the other.
    • Practice of electing speaker and deputy speaker: The practice followed so far has been to elect the Speaker after the oath-taking. Thereafter, within a few days, the Deputy Speaker is also elected.

    Officer

    Office of Deputy Speake Speaker of the Lok Sabha

    • The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is not subordinate to the speaker of Lok Sabha; is responsible for the Lok Sabha. and
    • He/she is the second-highest-ranking legislative officer of the Lok Sabha.
    • He/ She acts as the presiding officer in case of leave of absence caused by death or illness of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

    Pin this Note

    • It is by convention that the position of Deputy Speaker is offered to the opposition party in India.
    • But if a government does not favour an Opposition member for political reasons, it is free to choose a member from its own party.

    The Historical Significance of the office

    • Government of India Act of 1919: The history of the office of Deputy Speaker goes back to the government of India Act of 1919 when he was called Deputy President as the Speaker was known as the president of the central legislative assembly.
    • Role is necessary to share the responsibility of running the House: Although the main functions of a Deputy Speaker were to preside over the sittings of the assembly in the absence of the Speaker and chair the select committees etc., the position was considered necessary to share the responsibility of running the House with the Speaker and guide the nascent committees.

    Did you know?

    • The first Speaker was G V Mavalankar and the first Deputy Speaker was M Ananthasayanam Ayyangar who was elected by the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) on September 3, 1948.
    • Later under the new Constitution, M Ananthasayanam Ayyangar was elected the first Deputy Speaker of the House of the people on May 28, 1952.

    Officer

    Importance of the Office

    • Powers Under Article 95(1) of the Constitution: The Deputy Speaker gets all the powers of the Speaker when the office of the Speaker is vacant, so the Deputy Speaker can also determine the petitions relating to disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
    • Speaker is powerless in matters of revising: The Speaker is powerless in the matter of revising or overruling a decision of the Deputy Speaker. No appeal lies to the Speaker against a ruling given by the Deputy Speaker.

    Conclusion

    • Although the Deputy Speaker gets to exercise these powers only in the absence of the Speaker his decisions are final and binding when he gives a ruling. In the eventuality of the Speaker remaining absent for a longer time due to illness or otherwise the government will have to grapple with the unpredictability of a ruling or an adverse decision by a Deputy Speaker who comes from the Opposition ranks. Article 93 contains a mandatory provision which needs to be carried out by the House.

    Officer

    Mains Question

    Q. Speaker and Deputy speaker of Lok Sabha are known as Officers of the parliament. In this context discuss the importance Deputy speaker.

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  • Foreign Policy Watch: India-United States

    The India-US ICET: Transformative Impact On Bilateral Relations

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: ICET

    Mains level: India-US relations and technology cooperation, Significance of India

    ICET

    Centra Idea

    • Earlier this month, the U.S. and India inaugurated their initiative on critical and emerging technologies (ICET). The promise of this initiative, if fulfilled, could have a transformative impact on India-U.S. relations. On the eve of the dialogue, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said that the big need was to convert intentions and ideas into deliverables. This is where there has usually been a slip.

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    Background

    • India’s attempts towards US Technology Parallels: Since the 1960s, India has made many attempts to jump on the U.S. technology bandwagon.
    • Failed because of mismatch: But all of them have failed, primarily because of the mismatch between the two countries on the purposes for which they collaborated.
    • The ICET is perhaps better positioned: Unlike the earlier iterations, it comes at a time when India, too, has developed technological and managerial capacities and is emerging as a major economic power.

    ICET

    What is Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET)?

    • Launched by PM Modi and President Joe Biden: The ICET initiative was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden in May 2022.
    • Goal to elevate and expand Indo-US Partnership: strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.
    • Directly monitored by PMO and White house: The Prime Minister’s Office in Delhi and the White House in Washington will oversee and direct the ICET.
    • Six focus areas of co-development and co-production: Strengthening innovation ecosystems, defence innovation and technology cooperation, resilient semiconductor supply chains, space, STEM talent, and next generation telecom.

    American aid so far

    • Significant role in India’s development efforts and quest for technological capability: A major driver of the process was the Cold War which persuaded the U.S. to provide sweeping assistance in a range of areas to India. While the Soviet Union emerged as a major player in areas like steel, heavy electricals, petroleum and mining, the U.S. focused on modernising engineering and management education, science and technology (S&T), and agriculture.
    • Nuclear energy cooperation: US helped build India’s first reactors for research and power. An entire generation of Indian nuclear scientists were trained in the U.S., including some who subsequently helped in making nuclear weapons.
    • Aid in Education in initial phase and vice versa: The massive aid provided by the U.S. to modernise Indian education, especially engineering and management, should have led to a growing industrial sector, but the Indian economy stalled in the 1960s and India ended up with a system where IIT and IIM graduates ended up benefiting the U.S. economy.
    • Aid in agriculture: The one area in which India did get lasting and important benefits was agriculture where American S&T helped trigger the Green Revolution and end an era of food shortages.
    • Gandhi-Reagan Science and Technology Initiative: The Gandhi-Reagan Science and Technology Initiative led to the 1984 India-U.S. MoU on sensitive technologies, commodities and information.
    • New American willingness to promote Indian S&T and the arms industry: In 1987, the U.S. agreed to assist India’s Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) programme and allowed the sale of front-line GE 404 engine to India.

    ICET

    Current Status

    • India has steadily advanced in status as a friend of the U.S. and has purchased U.S. weapons and systems worth billions of dollars.
    • It is now deemed to be a Major Defence Partner, though not a Major Non-Nato Ally, a much more useful designation that Pakistan still retains.
    • The course has not been problem-free witness the pressure India faced under CAATSA and on account of its oil trade with Russia.

    Ambitious goals

    • Great deal for India: The ICET has set up a range of ambitious goals which mean a great deal for India. Some of them are aspirational, others political. A few are over the top, such as the belief that the U.S. will help India to develop advanced jet engines.
    • Licence for jet engines: As of now, all that is on the table is the possible licence manufacture of GE-404/414 engines for the LCA. This is not new. But cutting-edge jet engines are the crown jewels of the U.S., which the country will not part with.

    ICET

    Conclusion

    • After presenting the Union Budget, the finance minister said in an interview, “This is a golden opportunity for India. We should really not miss the bus this time.” The remark is truer of the technology and industrialisation bus that the ICET could be.

    Mains question

    Q. What is Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET)? Highlight the significance of ICET for India while noting down the American cooperation so far.

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  • Primary and Secondary Education – RTE, Education Policy, SEQI, RMSA, Committee Reports, etc.

    Shedding The Colonial Legacy By Promoting Mother Languages

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: National Education Policy, International Mother Language Day

    Mains level: Significance of Mother Languages

    Colonial

    Central idea

    • Former Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, has emphasized the importance of shedding the colonial legacy in India by promoting and creating content in mother languages. He has pointed out that during the colonial era, the British rulers-imposed English as the language of administration, education, and communication, which led to the neglect of Indian languages.

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    Colonial

    International Mother Language Day

    • In November 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day in response to the declining state of many languages all over the world.
    • This year’s theme, “Multilingual education a necessity to transform education,” underscores the importance of using multiple languages in framing an impactful system of education.
    • It is appropriate, therefore, that revitalising languages that are disappearing or are threatened with extinction is one of the themes of Mother Language Day this year

    The International Mother Language Day has added significance: Indian context

    • India’s Linguistic heritage: India is an ancient repository of hundreds of languages and thousands of dialects with rich linguistic and cultural diversity. Our languages, which are an integral part of our ancient culture, give us a sense of identity.
    • The threat westernisation poses: The International Mother Language Day has added significance in the Indian context because of the threat westernisation poses to the survival of as many as 42 of our dialects and languages which have fewer than 10,000 users.
    • Grim situation of not having access to education in their mother tongue: The situation is equally grim all over the world with 40 per cent of the speakers of 6,700 languages not having access to education in their mother tongue.

    Colonial

    Highlighting the significance of Mother tongue

    • To express deepest feelings: It is in our mother tongue that we express, with authenticity, our, feelings, values and ideals, as also our literary endeavours.
    • Homeland of our innermost thoughts: The former UNESCO Director-General, Koichiro Matsura, highlighted the irreplaceable significance of one’s mother tongue when he observed that the languages, we learn from our mothers are the homeland of our innermost thoughts.
    • Science must be taught in mother tongue: The Nobel Prize-winning Physicist C V Raman said, “We must teach science in our mother tongue. Otherwise, science will become a highbrow activity. It will not be an activity in which all people can participate.”
    • Better performance: A number of studies have shown that children who learn in their mother tongue in their formative years perform better than those taught in an alien language.
    • View of Gandhiji: Writing in Young India in 1921, Mahatma Gandhi spoke with concern, of the strain of the foreign medium which turned “our children into crammers and imitators.” Gandhiji foresaw how “the foreign medium has made our children practically foreigners in their own land.

    Colonial legacy

    • It been 75 years, still carrying the colonial legacy: Even as we celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, to mark 75 years of Independence, we have not been able to shed this colonial legacy of dependence on English.
    • Mother tongue as a second language: Educators and parents continue to accord unquestioned primacy to English and, as a result, the child is compelled to study his or her mother tongue as a second/third language at school.
    • Building barriers in the path of our progress: Our emphasis on English has, ironically, made the educational system exclusive and restrictive. As a result, while limiting the acquisition of knowledge in technical and professional courses, to a select few, we made it inaccessible to a vast majority of our students.

    Colonial

    Shedding the colonial legacy

    • The National Education Policy (NEP): The NEP 2020 is a farsighted document which advocates education in one’s mother tongue right from the primary-school level.
    • BTech programmes in 11 native languages: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address in 2021, marking the first anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP), hailed the AICTE’s landmark decision to permit BTech programmes in 11 native languages.
    • Promotion of mother tongue education in colleges and universities: The UGC has, in a welcome move, written to governors and chief ministers of various states to give a fillip to measures for the promotion of mother tongue education in colleges and universities.
    • For instance: In a survey conducted by AICTE in February last year of over 83,000 students, nearly 44 per cent voted in favour of studying engineering in their mother tongue, highlighting its necessity.
    • Initiative to give prominence to native language: The Centre’s initiative to give prominence to native languages in employment and job creation is a welcome step.
    • Examinations in native languages: It is also heartening that the Staff Selection Commission has decided to conduct examinations in 13 Indian languages in addition to Hindi and English.
    • Supreme court verdicts accessible in all Indian languages: Similarly, the Supreme Court’s decision to make verdicts accessible in all Indian languages is of great significance.

    Colonial

    Conclusion

    • NEP’s emphasis on mother tongue as the medium of instruction will instil confidence in students belonging to poor, rural and tribal backgrounds. These steps need to be scaled up at all levels. Moreover, we must hasten the process of content creation in mother languages, especially with respect to technical and professional courses. Leveraging technology will drive development in this respect.

    Mains Question

    Q. India has rich linguistic diversity. In this backdrop discuss the importance of mother language specifically in education policy.

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  • Antibiotics Resistance

    Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): An Invisible Pandemic

    op-ed snap | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: AMR

    Mains level: AMR challenges and Government measures

    AMR

    Central Idea

    • While the world is emerging from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the very harmful but invisible pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is unfortunately here to stay. Most countries understood in 2020 the clear and present danger of COVID-19, forcing governments, including India’s, to respond with speed and accuracy. The rapidly rising AMR rates also need an accelerated, multi-sectoral, global and national response.

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    AMR

    What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?

    • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a natural phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to become resistant to antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics that were previously effective in treating infections caused by those microorganisms.

    The Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance

    • Human deaths: In 2019, AMR caused approximately 4.95 million human deaths worldwide, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
    • Report by OECD: A 2018 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that the world could experience a significant rise in resistance to second and third-line antibiotics by 2030.
    • Resistance increases by 5% to 10% every year: A 2022 study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that resistance to broad-spectrum antimicrobials increases by 5% to 10% every year.
    • High rate of resistance found in commonly used drugs: The Indian Network for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (INSAR) also found a high rate of resistance to commonly used drugs such as ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, co-trimoxazole, erythromycin, and clindamycin, underscoring the importance of taking steps to combat AMR.
    • High levels of resistance: WHO has increasingly expressed concern about the dangerously high levels of antibiotic resistance among patients across countries.
    • For example: Ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections. According to WHO, resistance to ciprofloxacin varied from 8.4% to 92.9% for Escherichia coli (E. coli) and from 4.1% to 79.4% for Klebsiella pneumoniae (a bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections such as pneumonia and intensive care unit- related infections). The global epidemic of TB has been severely impacted by multidrug resistance patients have less than a 60% chance of recovery.
    • Adds burden to communicable disease: AMR adds to the burden of communicable diseases and strains the health systems of a country, making it even more challenging to address health crises.

    What is Muscat conference is about?

    • Ministerial Conference on AMR: Third Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (November 24-25, 2022) held in Muscat where over 30 countries adopted the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto on AMR.
    • The conference focused on three health targets:
    1. Reduce the total amount of antimicrobials used in the agri-food system at least by 30-50% by 2030;
    2. Eliminate use in animals and food production of antimicrobials that are medically important for human health;
    3. Ensure that by 2030 at least 60% of overall antibiotic consumption in humans is from the WHO Access group of antibiotics.
    • Muscat Manifesto:
    1. Need to accelerate One Health action: The manifesto recognised the need to accelerate political commitments in the implementation of One Health action for controlling the spread of AMR.
    2. Need to address the overall impact of AMR: It also recognised the need to address the impact of AMR not only on humans but also on animals, and in areas of environmental health, food security and economic growth and development.

    Government efforts so far

    • The National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017-21): The National Action Plan on AMR emphasised the effectiveness of the government’s initiatives for hand hygiene and sanitation programmes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Kayakalp and Swachh Swasth Sarvatra.
    • Increasing community awareness: The government has also attempted to increase community awareness about healthier and better food production practices, especially in the animal food industry.
    • Specific guidelines regarding use and limiting use of antibiotics: The National Health Policy 2017 also offered specific guidelines regarding use of antibiotics, limiting the use of antibiotics as over-the-counter medications and banning or restricting the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in livestock.
    • Called for scrutiny of antibiotic prescriptions: It also called for scrutiny of prescriptions to assess antibiotic usage in hospitals and among doctors.

    AMR

    Examples of Limiting AMR worldwide

    • Less use of Antimicrobials less likely resistance: Scientific evidence suggests that the less antimicrobials are used, it is less likely that there will be an emergence of drug resistance.
    • Netherlands and Thailand: Countries such as the Netherlands and Thailand have decreased their usage by almost 50%.
    • China: In China, the consumption of antibiotics in the agricultural sector has fallen substantially.

    Way ahead: India’s role

    • India committed to strengthen surveillance: India has committed to strengthening surveillance and promoting research on newer drugs.
    • GLASS: It also plans to strengthen private sector engagement and the reporting of data to the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) and other standardised systems.

    AMR

    Conclusion

    • The various G-20 health summits spread through 2023 offer an opportunity for India to ensure that all aspects of AMR are addressed and countries commit to progress. As the current G-20 president, and as a country vulnerable to this silent pandemic, India’s role is critical in ensuring that AMR remains high on the global public health agenda.

    Mains question

    Q. In the backdrop of recently held Muscat Conference on AMR highlight the threats posed by AMR and Discuss India’s efforts in combating the silent pandemic.

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  • Women empowerment issues – Jobs,Reservation and education

    Marital age: Laws Are Not Enough As Enforcement Is Poor

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and Marital age of women and issues

    age

    Central Idea

    • Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to increase the minimum age of marriage of women in India from 18 years to 21 years. The Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, noted that the power to amend the law lies with Parliament.

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    The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021

    • Amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is a proposed amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, which is an Indian law that prohibits the marriage of children below the age of 18 for girls and 21 for boys.
    • Aim to strengthen the existing laws: The bill was introduced in the Indian Parliament in March 2021 with the aim of strengthening the existing law and further protecting the rights of children. Some of the key provisions of the bill include
    • Referred to the Standing Committee: But after Opposition MPs demanded greater scrutiny of the Bill, it was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

    Why the age of marriage of women matters?

    • Age of marriage has bearing on maternal mortality rates, fertility levels, nutrition of mother and child, sex ratios, and, on a different register, education and employment opportunities for women.
    • It is also argued that other factors such as poverty and health services were far more effective as levers for improving women’s and children’s health and nutritional status.

    Some of the key provisions of the Bill

    • Making registration of marriages mandatory: The bill proposes to make registration of all marriages, including child marriages, mandatory. This is aimed at improving the implementation of the law and making it easier to track and prevent child marriages.
    • Making child marriages voidable: The bill proposes to make child marriages voidable at the option of the contracting party who was a child at the time of marriage. This means that a child who was married before the age of 18 can seek to have the marriage declared void, provided it is done within two years of attaining adulthood.
    • Punishment for promoting or permitting child marriage: The bill proposes to increase the punishment for promoting or permitting child marriage. The punishment for such offences will now be imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to one lakh rupees.

    age

    Scrutiny before passing it?

    • Despite of the legal age girl married before their 18th birthday: The caution exercised by the Supreme Court and the advice of the Opposition MPs to scrutinise the Bill before passing it is well grounded. This is because, despite the legal age of marriage for women being 18 years, almost 23% of women who were aged between 20 and 24 years in 2019-21 married before their 18th birthday.
    • State wise: In fact, in the eastern States of Bihar and West Bengal, the share was over 40% In Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, the share was over 25%. The share was below 10% in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand, among other States.
    • Less no of cases reported despite of high prevalence: Despite such a high share of women marrying before turning 18 years, only 1,050 cases were registered under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
    • Question of enforcement gets even bigger: With the Bill proposing to raise the legal age from 18 to 21, the question of enforcement gets even bigger. In India, over 60% of women who were aged between 25 and 29 in 2019-21 married before their 21st birthday. In the eastern States of Bihar and West Bengal, the share was over 70%.

    Way ahead

    • While laws can be changed, enforcement may remain weak as underage marriages are rarely reported.
    • Education, more than wealth, determines women’s marital age
    • Better-educated women have had more control over when they should get married for decades now.
    • The Data Point also showed that due to awareness and better negotiation powers, younger women have pushed up their median marriage age by many years compared to their mothers and grandmothers.

    age

    Conclusion

    • Overall, the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is an important step towards strengthening the legal framework to prevent child marriages in India and ensuring that children are protected from this harmful practice. However, raising the bar alone may not be sufficient. Enforcement while emphasizing education awareness will be the key.

    Mains Question

    Q. While laws can be changed, enforcement may remain weak as underage marriages are rarely reported In this light discuss why the age of marriage of women matters?

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  • Right To Privacy

    Digital Personal Data Protection Bill: Need A Pre-legislative Consultation

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: E-Governance,Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Digital Personal Data Protection Bill and the concerns

    protection

    Central Idea

    • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has drafted a Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill. A data protection law must safeguard and balance peoples’ right to privacy and their right to information, which are fundamental rights flowing from the Constitution. Unfortunately, this Bill fails on both counts.

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    Why do we need data protection?

    • Increasing internet use: India currently has over 750 million Internet users, with the number only expected to increase in the future.
    • Data breaches: At the same time, India has among the highest data breaches in the world. Without a data protection law in place, the data of millions of Indians continue to be at risk of being exploited, sold, and misused without their consent.
    • Individual privacy: Data monetization may happen at cost of individual privacy. The most sought-after datasets are those that contain sensitive personal data of individuals, ex. medical history, and financial data.
    • Lack of writ proceedings against corporate action: Unlike state action, corporate action or misconduct is not subject to writ proceedings in India. This is because fundamental rights are, by and large, not enforceable against private non-state entities. This leaves individuals with limited remedies against private.

    DPDP Bill, 2022 is based on seven principles

    According to an explanatory note for the bill, it is based on seven principles-

    • Lawful use: The first is that “usage of personal data by organisations must be done in a manner that is lawful, fair to the individuals concerned and transparent to individuals.”
    • Purposeful dissemination: The second principle states that personal data must only be used for the purposes for which it was collected.
    • Data minimisation: Bare minimum and only necessary data should be collected to fulfill a purpose.
    • Data accuracy: At the point of collection. There should not be any duplication.
    • Duration of storage: The fifth principle talks of how personal data that is collected cannot be “stored perpetually by default,” and storage should be limited to a fixed duration.
    • Authorized collection and processing: There should be reasonable safeguards to ensure there is “no unauthorised collection or processing of personal data.”
    • Accountability of users: The person who decides the purpose and means of the processing of personal data should be accountable for such processing.

    Why the Bill must be put through a process of rigorous pre-legislative consultation?

    • Dilutes the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act: The Bill seeks to dilute the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which has empowered citizens to access information and hold governments accountable. It is behind the cloak of secrecy that the rights of individuals are most frequently abrogated, and corruption thrives.
    • Fails to safeguard right to privacy: Proposed Bill creates wide discretionary powers for the Central government and thus fails to safeguard people’s right to privacy.
    • For instance: Under Section 18, it empowers the Central government to exempt any government, or even private sector entities, from the provisions of the Bill by merely issuing a notification.
    • The Bill does not ensure autonomy of the Data Protection Board: Given that the government is the biggest data repository, it was imperative that the oversight body set up under the law be adequately independent to act on violations of the law by government entities. The Bill does not ensure autonomy of the Data Protection Board, the institution responsible for enforcement of provisions of the law.
    • Government direct control over the Data Protection Board: The Central government is empowered to determine the strength and composition of the Board and the process of selection and removal of its chairperson and other members.
    • Serious apprehensions of its misuse by the executive: The Central government is also empowered to assign the Board any functions under the provisions of this Act or under any other law.
    • Going digital by design fails to those who do not have meaningful access: The Bill stipulates that the Data Protection Board shall be ‘digital by design’, including receipt and disposal of complaints. As per the latest National Family Health Survey, only 33% of women in India have ever used the Internet. The DPDP Bill, therefore, effectively fails millions of people who do not have meaningful access to the Internet.

    Conclusion

    • The government has been given the power to exempt not only government agencies but any entity that is collecting user data, from having to comply with the provisions of this bill when it is signed into law.

    Mains question

    Q. It is behind the cloak of secrecy that the rights of individuals are most frequently abrogated, and corruption thrives. Discuss.

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