UPSC Key | 5 years of abrogation of Article 370, Prisoner swap and more

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August 5, 2024

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Security

What’s the ongoing story- On August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the abrogation of Article 370 and end of “special status” for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and subsequently, Parliament used its powers under Article 3 of the Constitution, for the first time, to withdraw statehood and create two Union Territories. Five years on, after the Supreme Court put its seal of approval on the constitutionality of the process, two questions loom: Did the abrogation achieve its ends? What is the way forward to bridge the democratic deficit in the UT?

Prerequisites: 

— What was the article 370?

— What is the significance of the removal of Article 370?

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the formation and alteration of states?

Key takeaways: 

— On the economic and governance fronts, there have been gains. Last-mile delivery of services has improved, more than 1,000 public utility services have been digitised; major projects in the PM’s development package are complete or near completion; an estimated Rs 6,000-crore worth of investments are on the ground. 

— The number of tourists visiting the UT went up from 3.4 million in 2020 to 21.1 million in 2023. 

— On the security front, peace has held in the Valley, although strong-arm control has worked more than winning hearts and minds. Recently, however, both the theatre and character of conflict are changing — infiltrators from across the border are more active in the Jammu sector. Pakistan, its partnership with China and its sponsorship of terror, cannot be wished away. This international dimension to the region’s security continues to be a challenge. 

— Despite the detention of several elected leaders in August 2019, the people of J&K have shown their faith in the ballot. In the 2024 general election, voter turnout in an incident-free poll stood at 58.6 per cent — the highest in 35 years. And yet, it’s politics that remains the most significant work in progress.

Too often, the security situation has been cited as a roadblock to restoring statehood. It is important to recognise that a view that sees democracy and security as antithetical to each other is a narrow and limiting one. Undoubtedly, restoring statehood requires a calibrated approach. But it is a process that must begin with alacrity, with clear timelines — SC’s September deadline to hold elections could be a starting point. 

— The Centre needs to realise that the solution to J&K’s problems must involve the man and woman on the street in J&K. Only through people’s involvement in the governance process that alienation can be addressed. There is a consensus that people need to be involved in their governance — they are the primary stakeholders. 

— For the government in New Delhi, fulfilment of this aspiration — while continuing to deal with terrorism with an uncompromising fist — should be the primary metric for judging the success of August 5, 2019.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the various security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir?

— What are the various initiatives taken by the government to counter militancy in Jammu and Kashmir?

— What measures should be taken to promote people’s involvement in governance in Jammu and Kashmir?

Post Read Question:

Winning of Hearts and Minds’ in terrorism-affected areas is an essential step in restoring the trust of the population. Discuss the measures adopted by the Government in this respect as part of the conflict resolution in Jammu and Kashmir. (UPSC CSE 2023)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What’s needed in Jammu

Doctor’s aid

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and Science

Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology, Health

What’s the ongoing story- A digitally connected healthcare ecosystem, it’s now recognised, can improve treatment outcomes, especially in large parts of rural India where the lack of specialists often comes in the way of timely diagnosis and medication. 

Prerequisites: 

— Read about diabetes and its types.

— What are the Non-Communicable Diseases?

— Read about the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission.

Key takeaways: 

— A software, developed by doctors and technicians at AIIMS, Delhi, is a significant initiative in this respect. It can extend specialised diabetes consultation to primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in rural areas.

— Studies have suggested that India’s diabetes burden — already the second highest in the world — is underreported because close to 50 per cent of patients, in both rural and urban areas, are unaware of their condition. Much time is lost before arriving at a diagnosis because the general physician at PHCs or small clinics cannot always join the dots between the diabetic’s symptoms.

— The software is one step towards addressing these deficits. It requires the local-level healthcare professional to feed-in patient data on risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar. It then processes the information to suggest the treatment.

— The country’s diabetes management system requires accessible PHCs run by quality professionals empowered by digital resources. The AIIMS software will also become more potent if it is synced with the electronic repository of the National Health Programme for Non-Communicable Diseases. 

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the benefits associated with the digital health ecosystem? 

— What are the Major Challenges Related to Digital Healthcare in India?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government with regard to digital healthcare in India?

Post Read Question:

(1) Consider the following diseases:

1. Diabetes

2. Hypertension

3. Abdominal obesity

4. Hypercholesterolemia

How many of the above are non-communicable diseases?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

AIIMS develops software to take diabetes care to remote PHCs: How this can change diagnosis, therapy

 

Explained 

In SC verdict, how CJI underlined substantive equality

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international significance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Constitution, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court’s landmark verdict on sub-classification of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) quota marked a milestone for equality jurisprudence.

Prerequisites: 

— What do you understand by the term ‘substantive equality’?

— What is the difference between equality and equity?

— What are the provisions in the constitution of India with regard to equality?

Key takeaways: 

— In his opinion, written for himself and Justice Manoj Misra as part of the 6-1 majority verdict, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud underlined the concept of “substantive equality” — the principle that the law must account for the different backgrounds and historical injustices faced by persons or groups.

— In a string of rulings given over the last seven years, CJI Chandrachud has referred to substantive equality to stress that reservation is a facet of merit, and not an exception to the merit rule. In the sub-classification judgment delivered on August 1, the CJI traced the history of the ways in which the top court has interpreted affirmative action.

— Over the years, the Supreme Court’s view on reservation has evolved. The SC initially took a formal and limiting approach, in which it viewed reservations as an exception to the principle of equal opportunity. Emblematic of this was the court’s view in The State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) where it held that reservation of seats in educational institutions was unconstitutional — there was no express provision that allowed this.

— This led to Parliament enacting the first amendment to the Constitution, which inserted Article 15(4), which is essentially an exception to Article 29 that prohibits discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, language, or any of them with respect to admission into educational institutions.

— Article 335 of the Constitution, which provides for reservation for SCs and STs in services and posts, states that the reservation must be taken “consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration”. In the discourse on reservation in the SC that put emphasis on “maintaining efficiency of service”, reservation was effectively seen as being detrimental to “efficiency”, while “merit” (unreserved posts) was equated with efficiency.

— Drawing from observations and dissenting opinions in other rulings, CJI Chandrachud in his rulings has reframed the quota-versus-efficiency question. In essence, it sees reservation as reflecting the mandate of substantive equality enshrined in the Constitution, and not as a concessionary exception to the equality rule.

For Your Information: 

— In a 6:1 ruling, the Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud permitted states to create sub-classifications within the SC and ST categories for the purpose of according wider protections — through fixed sub-quotas — to the most backward communities within these categories. This overturns the apex court’s 2004 decision in E V Chinnaiah v State of Andhra Pradesh, in which it had held that the SC/ST list is a “homogenous group” that cannot be divided further.

— Article 341 of the Constitution allows the President, through a public notification, to list as SC “castes, races or tribes” that suffered from the historical injustice of untouchability. SC groups are jointly accorded 15% reservation in education and public employment.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the constitutional provisions for the protection of SC and ST?

— What are the arguments for and against the sub-classification of SC, and ST?

— What were the key highlights of Indra Sawhney v. Union of India Judgement?

Post Read Question:

(2) Consider the following statements:

1. In the State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) Supreme court held that reservation of seats in educational institutions was unconstitutional.

2. Article 335 of the Constitution of India provides for reservation for SCs and STs in services and posts.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Sub-classification of SC, ST

Going after the weeds

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and General Science

Mains Examination: GS-III: Agriculture and Science

What’s the ongoing story- Cultivating rice using less water and not burning the leftover straw after harvesting, and wheat without any ploughing and land preparation, has been a holy grail for agricultural scientists and policymakers concerned over the ecological footprint of the two cereal grain crops.

Prerequisites: 

— Climatic conditions for Rice and Wheat Cultivation.

— What are the top 3 rice and wheat-producing states of India?

— What is direct seeding of rice?

Key takeaways: 

— There’s been some breakthrough of late, with the breeding of varieties/hybrids that can “tolerate” the application of a herbicide – Imazethapyr – to control weeds and grasses that affect the growth of crop plants by competing with them for nutrients, water and sunlight. Such breeding efforts are happening both in the public and private sector.

— Normal rice cultivation involves preparing nurseries, where the paddy seeds are raised into young plants that are uprooted and re-planted around 30 days later in the main field. The field in which the seedlings are transplanted is first “puddled” or tilled in standing water to break up the clods and churn the soil to make it soft.

— In wheat, farmers not only burn the stubble from the previously-harvested paddy crop. They also plough the field – initially twice using a harrow or cultivator, followed by an irrigation and either one more ploughing with a rotavator or two with harrow/cultivator.

— Direct-seeded rice (DSR) and zero-tillage (ZT) wheat replace water and repeated field ploughings with a chemical herbicide (Imazethapyr) to take care of weeds.

— DSR dispenses with the need for any paddy nursery, puddling, transplanting and flooding of fields. The paddy seeds can be sown directly, just like wheat.

— Mahyco claims that ‘FreeHit’ ZT technology makes it possible to sow wheat directly – without any paddy stubble burning or even land preparation. Farmers can use a tractor-mounted Super Seeder machine with a rotavator that cuts the standing stubble and mixes it in the soil.

For Your Information: 

— The current kharif season has seen the commercial planting of two basmati varieties (Pusa Basmati 1979 and Pusa Basmati 1985) and two non-basmati rice hybrids (Sava 134 and Sava 127), developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and Savannah Seeds Pvt. Ltd respectively. These contain a mutated acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene that enables farmers to spray Imazethapyr for controlling weeds in rice.

— In the coming rabi (spring-winter) season, Mahyco Pvt. Ltd is expected to launch its wheat varieties, Goal and Mukut, which are also amenable to Imazethapyr application for controlling Phalaris minor (gulli danda), Chenopodium album (bathua) and other such major weeds.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the issues and challenges associated with traditional rice and wheat cultivation?

— What are the benefits of DSR?

— What are the challenges with regard to the DSR?

— What is climate-smart agriculture and various methods related to it.

Post Read Question:

(3) Consider the following statements about direct seeding of rice (DSR):

1. DSR is effective against weeds and saves water compared to transplanting.

2. DSR uses less water per irrigation

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

For direct seeded rice, zero-tillage wheat, RiceTec & Mahyco form JV

West-Russia prisoner swap: How prisoners become geopolitical pawns

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story- Evan Gershkovich, a reporter at Wall Street Journal, and Paul Whelan, a former US Marine, were freed last Thursday as a part of the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Both had been convicted of espionage, and faced lengthy prison sentences in Russia.

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the Geneva Conventions (1949).

— What was the Cold War?

Key takeaways: 

— Since times immemorial, rival groups — whether they be tribes, modern nation-states, or even criminal gangs — have used prisoners as leverage against the enemy. If a rival wants them back, they have to give to the captor something valuable in return.

— There are multiple international treaties, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which govern the treatment and exchange of PoWs. But there is no way to enforce these rules. This means that PoWs remain pawns in international power politics. For instance, Russia has at times held back the release of Ukrainian PoWs in its captivity to build domestic pressure against Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government in Ukraine, according to a Politico report from December 2023.

— Things are slightly different with prisoner swaps like the one from this week, in that there is no written doctrine which guides these exchanges.

— According to Article 2 (1) of the United Nations Charter, “The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members”. This includes the respect of domestic laws of each country. While the fairness of a country’s legal system may be questioned — as it is all the time in international politics — at a principle level, countries can punish foreigners for breaking the law.

— Thus, the price of a prisoner’s freedom varies on a case-to-case basis, depending not just on who the prisoner is, but also on what the country, which has incarcerated them, can get in return for their release.

For Your Information: 

— The 1949 Geneva Conventions are a set of international treaties that ensure that warring parties conduct themselves in a humane way with non-combatants such as civilians and medical personnel, as well as with combatants no longer actively engaged in fighting, such as prisoners of war, and wounded or sick soldiers.

— All countries are signatories to the Geneva Conventions.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the global laws with regard to prisoners and their rights?

— What are war crimes?

— How are prisoners of war treated in international law?

Post Read Question:

“Sometimes, prisoners become standard tools of diplomacy between neighbouring countries.” Explain.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

US and Russia tout prisoner swap as a victory but perceptions of the deal show stark differences

 

Govt & Politics

In Govt’s 100-day plan: Launching Rs 5,000-cr projects in AMRUT 2.0

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and economic development

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Economic Development

What’s the ongoing story- Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, cities are likely to initiate projects worth Rs 5,000 crore, covering water supply, sewage treatment, and rejuvenation of water bodies and parks, as a part of the 100-day agenda of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, during its third term.

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the AMRUT scheme. 

— What are the components of the AMRUT 2.0 scheme?

— What is urbanisation? What are the issues associated with urbanisation?

Key takeaways: 

— Launched in 2021, AMRUT 2.0 aims to provide tap water supply to all households across 4,800 statutory towns in the country. 

— With the aim of universal tap water supply, the first iteration of AMRUT covered 500 cities in the country. Expanding the coverage to all statutory towns, AMRUT 2.0 was approved with a Central assistance of Rs 66,750 crore from 2021-2022 until 2025-2026, with the total estimated outlay at Rs 2.99 lakh crore.

— With two years to go, work on 50 per cent of the projects is yet to start on the ground.

— Projects covering rejuvenation of water bodies, development of parks, groundwater recharge and urban flood mitigation are also being implemented under AMRUT 2.0.

— Under the 100-day agenda, cities also aim to commission sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a total capacity of 500 million litres a day (MLD) that would benefit around 6 lakh households, and 150 MLD of water treatment plants for 2 lakh households, sources said.

For Your Information: 

The purpose of AMRUT is to:

(i) Ensure that every household has access to a tap with an assured supply of water and a sewerage connection;

(ii) Increase the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well-maintained open spaces (parks); and

(iii) Reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. walking and cycling).

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the issues and challenges associated with the AMRUT scheme?

— What measures should be taken to revamp the AMRUT scheme?

— What initiatives have been taken by the Government of India for the urban sector?

(Thought Process: Read about the Smart Cities Mission, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY), PM Svanidhi (Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi Scheme), etc.)

Post Read Question:

What are the challenges faced in implementing the AMRUT scheme? What should be the way forward? 

 

The Ideas Page

J&K task isn’t finished

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Security

What’s the ongoing story-  M N Sabharwal, Manish Sabharwal writes– “The pain, tears and blood in J&K have been caused by Pakistan’s terror factory, radical Islam, Cold War geopolitics, fraught federalism, and separatist politics. But this pain was also helped by the khata (mistake) of Article 370, which was abrogated exactly five years ago today. The decline in violence since validates why it had to go.”

Prerequisites: 

— Read about article 370 and the history of Jammu and Kashmir.

— What is the difference between militants and terrorists?

Key takeaways: 

— “Let’s remember the five interconnected forces that created terrorism in the Valley.

1. Troubled Pakistan: No Pakistani Prime Minister has completed a full term because its “garrison state’’ uses the false threat of India to establish its supremacy over the state and society.

2. Cold War Geopolitics: Kashmir became a pawn in Cold War chess games, with 13 UN resolutions supporting Pakistan in the decade after our mistaken 1948 reference. India didn’t compromise its sovereignty, but Pakistan embraced America…It is hard to imagine terrorism in J&K without Americans abandoning the Afghan Mujahideen they had armed through Pakistan with weapons to fight against the USSR.

3. Radical Islam: India has more Muslims than Pakistan, many Hindus and Buddhists live in Jammu and Ladakh, and the practically Sufi Ahle-et-Quad Islam sect of Kashmir has nothing in common with Wahhabis…Yet, Pakistan’s claims on Kashmir are religiously rooted in the eternal conflict between Dar-ul-Islam (house of Islam) and Dar-ul-Harb (house of infidels).

4. Separatist Politics: Before he died in Srinagar jail, Syama Prasad Mookerjee wrote to Sheikh Abdullah, “There cannot be a republic within a republic. India has been torn into two by the two-nation theory. You are now developing a three-nation theory… this cannot be good for your state or India’’. He was right. Article 370 made soft separatism a profitable local political strategy.

— Recent attacks on the army in the Jammu region show desperation and remind us that the job of ending terror in J&K is far from finished. Risk-taking to restore peace must continue by making J&K Police the frontline of fighting terror,.. encouraging new politicians, restoring statehood starting with the Delhi Model, isolating Pakistan geopolitically, and creating jobs. Abrogating Article 370 was always a necessary, but not sufficient condition for ending terrorism. But as every practitioner of strategy knows, necessary comes before sufficient.”

Points to Ponder: 

— Why is there a rise in terrorist attacks in Jammu?

— What are the internal security issues in the border states?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to counter terrorism in J&K?

Post Read Question:

Analyse internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also, discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Kathua terror attack: Why a military response isn’t enough

It takes skill and scale 

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and Economic development

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Indian Economy, Government Budgeting

What’s the ongoing story- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat writes— “The Budget for 2024-25 is a vision document to bring skill and scale together. The workforce it envisions would be led by the youth.”

Prerequisites: 

— What do you understand by the term “demographic dividend”? 

— What is the significance of skill development?

— Status of skill development in India.

Key takeaways: 

— “The Economic Survey 2023-24 highlights India’s demographic opportunity: A median age of 28. Many young Indians are entering the workforce or are poised to do so. However, there is a significant challenge: Only 51 per cent of Indian graduates are employable.”

—  “Vocational training still does not get the respect it deserves in society. The Ministry of Skill Development’s 2022-23 report reveals that skill training is often seen as a last resort for those who have failed to do well in the realm of formal education.”

— “To address this, the Budget introduces a groundbreaking initiative: The government will provide Rs 5,000 per month to one crore graduates for interning with 500 top companies in India with training expenses covered by the CSR funds of these companies”

— “By incentivising such extensive skilling, the Budget seeks to position India as a global skill and manufacturing hub. This is the marriage of skill and scale, akin to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s highly skilled soldiers but with their numbers in millions.”

— “A significant announcement to handhold industries to hire aggressively and increase their productivity is the announcement of three new schemes with regards to the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)…The schemes will encourage industries to shift their focus towards hiring, manufacturing and expansion on a priority basis.”

— “The vision of the Budget is to combine skill and scale. By focusing on employment and giving the youth the opportunity to lead, the Budget provides a pathway to growth.”

Points to Ponder: 

— Why is there a requirement for skill development of the workforce?

— What are the issues and challenges associated with skill development in India?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government for promoting skill development in the youth?

Post Read Question:

(4) With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018)

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, and financial and digital literacy.It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

UPSC Issue at a Glance | Economic Survey 2023-24: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

 

 

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