UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 2: Questions on decline in school enrolment in India and Ottawa Convention (Week 97)

QUESTION 1

Critically analyse the implications of the decisions by several European countries to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. Discuss the reasons cited for these withdrawals and evaluate the potential impact on regional security and humanitarian concerns.​

QUESTION 2

The UDISE+ reports indicate a significant decline in school enrolment figures in India, with a reduction of over one crore students from the 2018-19 to 2021-22 average. Critically examine the factors contributing to this decline, including the impact of revised data collection methods.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Critically analyse the implications of the decisions by several European countries to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. Discuss the reasons cited for these withdrawals and evaluate the potential impact on regional security and humanitarian concerns.​

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction is the international treaty that prohibits antipersonnel landmines. It is commonly referred to as the Ottawa Convention or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty.

— The Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Land Mines, held in Oslo in 1997, concluded the Convention.

— According to article 15, the Convention was open for signature by all States from 3 to 4 December 1997 in Ottawa, Canada, and remained open thereafter at the United Nations Headquarters in New York until it entered into force on 1 March 1999.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— NATO allies Poland, Finland, and all three Baltic republics have lined up in recent weeks to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits anti-personnel landmines, citing rising military threats from Russia.

— The efforts threaten to reverse decades of activist agitation for a global ban on a weapon that blights vast expanses of territory and maims and kills civilians long after hostilities have ended.

— All European countries that border Russia have indicated preparations to withdraw from the global accord. The only exception is Norway, which stated last week that despite growing threats, it was critical to maintain the stigma associated with weaponry.

— According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, as countries withdraw from the convention, global demining operations are also stalled due to “crippling” US funding cuts. According to the Landmine Monitor report in 2024, the US government, which has discontinued some of its initiatives as part of Trump’s foreign aid review, was the single greatest supporter of mine action, providing more than $300 million per year, or 40% of overall worldwide support.

— Anti-personnel landmines are often concealed in the ground and designed to detonate automatically when someone steps on them or passes by.

— The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that more than 80% of mine victims are civilians.

— The convention includes procedures to aid victims, many of whom have lost limbs or are permanently disabled. The United Nations declared in October 2024 that Ukraine had become the world’s most mined country. As of August 2024, it reported approximately 1,286 civilian casualties from mines and bomb remnants.

Conclusion:

— The 1997 treaty required countries to eliminate all landmine stocks within four years, but not all have complied, according to the ICRC.

— Some of the nations withdrawing from the landmine treaty, notably Lithuania, are also considering abandoning the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. These are explosive weapons that spread smaller submunitions across a large region.

(Source: Which countries are quitting a key landmine treaty and why?, disarmament.unoda.org)

Points to Ponder

Read more about Ottawa Convention

Russia bordering countries – Map work

Related Previous Year Questions

‘The expansion and strengthening of NATO and a stronger US-Europe strategic partnership works well for India.’ What is your opinion about this statement? Give reasons and examples to support your answer. (2023)

“Increasing crossborder terrorist attacks in India and growing interference in the internal affairs of several member states by Pakistan are not conducive for the future of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).” Explain with suitable examples. (2016)

QUESTION 2: The UDISE+ reports indicate a significant decline in school enrolment figures in India, with a reduction of over one crore students from the 2018-19 to 2021-22 average. Critically examine the factors contributing to this decline, including the impact of revised data collection methods.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Ministry of Education has released two Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) reports — for 2022-23 and 2023-24 — that show a drop of over a crore in school enrolment from the average enrolment figure from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

— Officials in the Ministry of Education have maintained that the drop in school enrolment does not necessarily mean that more children are now out of school. Instead, they have pointed to a “major departure” in how data was collected for the two new reports as the reason for the fall.

— From 2022-23 onwards, data is being collected student-wise, which means that details of each student — their name, address, parents’ name, Aadhaar details — is being entered into the UDISE+ system.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— Enrolment in schools across the country remained around 26 crore from 2018-19 to 2021-22, with annual gains of a few lakh pupils except for the COVID year of 2020-21, when there was a slight drop. This figure fell in 2022-23 to 25.17 crore. It dropped further to 24.8 crore in 2023-24.

— The schools enter the information, and officials say the data is checked at the school cluster, district, and state levels. Bihar has experienced the largest loss of 35.65 lakh in 2023-24 enrolment from 2018-19, followed by Uttar Pradesh with a drop of 28.26 lakh.

— According to the official, this makes UDISE+ “a more accurate registry”. The Ministry has ascribed the data gathering move to a suggestion in the National Education Policy 2020, which intends “to achieve universal participation in school by carefully tracking students, as well as their learning levels”. The information submitted for each student will be used to track their performance and attendance.

— It allowed for offline data entry in remote places, but even that had to be uploaded online at the block level. This also helped keep track of who was accountable for filling out the data, guaranteeing greater responsibility.

Conclusion:

— UDISE was launched in 2012-13 by combining previously distinct information management systems for elementary and secondary education. The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, which reported to the Centre, was in charge of UDISE at the time. Each school would manually record data on enrolment, infrastructure, and teachers on paper. This would then be computerised at the block or district level and compiled at the state level before being shared with the Centre.

— UDISE became UDISE+ in 2018-19, and the Ministry of Education has been personally monitoring it since then. Schools are required to upload their data online via the UDISE+ portal.

(Source: School enrolment down by 1 crore from 2018-19 level: the report, reasons given)

Points to Ponder

Read more about UDISE

Read about National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP)

Related Previous Year Questions

The crucial aspect of the development process has been the inadequate attention paid to Human Resource Development in India. Suggest measures that can address this inadequacy. (2023)

Skill development programmes have succeeded in increasing human resources supply to various sectors. In the context of the statement analyse the linkages between education, skill and employment. (2023)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 96)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 97)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 96)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 95)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 95)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 96)

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