UPSC Key: Income Inequality, Ganga Water Treaty and K Radhakrishnan Committee

Right to peaceful protest guaranteed, police excesses can be examined: SC

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

• General Studies IV: Accountability and ethical governance

What’s the ongoing story: Stating that there cannot be police excesses or violence merely because there is an agitation, the Supreme Court on Monday underlined the need for a “balanced” approach, a pan-India “protocol” and a “self-evolved discipline, which is integral to the democratic process”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What the Supreme Court has said over protests, and the limits on them?

• What law says about controlling protests and large number of gatherings?

• How does the law differentiate between lawful and unlawful gatherings?

• Is staging a protest legal in India?

• What forms of protest are allowed

• What is barred?

• Is staging a protest at Parliament allowed?

• Right to protest-what Constitution of India guarantees?

• Under what laws is a protest permitted in India?

• Examine the constitutional balance between the right to protest and the State’s responsibility to maintain public
order.

• What are the challenges faced by police while maintaining law and order during protests?

• Connect the dots the between policing and human rights in a constitutional democracy.

• How can police maintain neutrality during political demonstrations?

• Use of force by police involves an ethical dilemma between protecting public order and safeguarding individual rights-Discuss

Key Takeaways:

• The three-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, was hearing a clutch of petitions, including one by RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, alleging police excesses against protesters in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and elsewhere.

• “Right to protest, peaceful protest, lawful protest, is absolutely guaranteed under the constitutional scheme. So long as there is a peaceful agitation, merely because there is an agitation, there can’t be excesses,” CJI Surya Kant said.

• “There should be a protocol in place. If they want to agitate on an issue… They should be provided with proper space… There should be no restriction or impediment in that. But if there is someone else, some anti-social element, or somebody has done anything wrong, that of course can be taken care of,” the CJI said.

• The CJI advised all sides not to adopt an adversarial approach. “If there are excesses committed, yes, those should be independently looked into. (It) should be examined that who are the persons responsible?

• What kind of excesses have been committed? What are the preventive measures and mandatory guidelines to ensure (such incidents are not repeated)?” he said. The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, fixed Tuesday to hear the petitions. Although the bench had initially fixed Monday to hear two of these petitions, counsels for some fresh petitioners requested that they be heard as well.

Do You Know:

• The right to stage a protest is protected under the Fundamental Right to Freedom. Under Article 19 (1) (a) and (b), citizens have the right to “freedom of speech and expression”, and to “assemble peaceably and without arms.”

• However, these rights are subject to “reasonable restrictions” in the interests of “the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.”

• Thus, while citizens have every right to organise a protest, it has to be done keeping the restrictions in mind. The general practice to regulate a protest in India has been to mark designated spots for it, make police permission mandatory, and impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (earlier Section 144 of the CrPC).

• At the 47th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2021, India’s representative had said in a statement, “One cherished and valuable aspect of the inclusive political life in India, the largest democracy of the world, is the tradition to express grievances through peaceful assembly and marches. Organised, non-violent and popular marches by the people of India was the key weapon in the struggle for independence. Naturally the right to peaceful assembly has been recognised as a fundamental right by the Indian Constitution.

• Article 19 of Indian Constitution guarantees to citizens of India the right to assemble, peacefully without arms, and the right to form associations and unions. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution also guarantees the right to peaceful protest.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍5 key moments from the CJP protest that shook the nation & forced a minister’s resignation

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1) In a multi-ethnic district where both economic competition and historical grievances frequently led to community tensions, a flashpoint has arisen with a Government decision to allocate land for a waste management facility near a tribal hamlet, sparking protests by the tribal community, which claimed that the land was sacred and critical to their cultural identity. At the same time, urban residents and local industries supported the project, citing severe solid waste challenges and health concerns due to lack of a proper disposal site. The conflict has escalated with road blockades, social media campaigns, and allegations of police excesses.
As a responsible Government official, you are tasked with resolving the situation through mediation, ensuring a sustainable outcome that balances environmental needs, tribal rights, and urban public health.
Consider the following statements with reference to the above: (UPSC CSE, 2026)
1. A successful conflict resolution process must begin with acknowledging the cultural concerns of the protesting tribal community before discussing technical alternatives.
2. The Government should move ahead with the project without delay to address urban health concerns, which outweigh the sentiments of a small group.
3. Creating a multi-stakeholder dialogue platform- including tribal leaders, environmental experts, and municipal representatives – to build mutual understanding and help de-escalate tensions.
4. Conducting an independent Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and sharing findings transparently with both sides to facilitate evidence-based decision-making.
Which of the statements given above would contribute to the resolution process?
(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Nation

Western Ghats panel gets one more year as deadlock continues over eco-sensitive area

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: An expert committee constituted in 2022 by the Union environment ministry to examine issues raised by states regarding the demarcation of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in the fragile Western Ghats region was given a year’s extension late last month, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work- Western Ghats (Starting point and ending point), Nilgiri Hills, Doddabetta, Anaimalai Hills, Palani Hills, Cardamom Hills, Agasthyamalai Hills.

• Where do the Western Ghats stretch from?

• Name the place where the Western and Eastern Ghats meet.

• Which States contain parts of the Western Ghats?

• What are the committees constituted on Western Ghats conservation?

• Compare the recommendations of the Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committees in the context of ecological sensitivity and developmental balance in the Western Ghats.

• The Gadgil Committee recommended stronger ecological protection over a larger area of the Western Ghats-True or False?

• The Kasturirangan Committee recommended a comparatively smaller Ecologically Sensitive Area while attempting to balance conservation and development-True or false?

• Why the Western Ghats are regarded as a global biodiversity hotspot?

• Why an expert committee constituted in 2022 by the Union environment ministry?

• Why the Ghats need protection?

• What are the challenges posed by developmental activities such as mining, tourism, and infrastructure in the Western Ghats?

• What is an ecologically sensitive area?

• Which state has the highest number of ecologically sensitive zones in India?

• Which are the states where the areas to be demarcated as ESA?

• Who declares ecologically sensitive areas?

Key Takeaways:

• The extension was given as the committee’s and the Centre’s work on breaking the deadlock on finalising ESAs as demarcated in a July 2024 draft notification, which has lapsed, continues.

• The July 31, 2024, draft notification, published on August 2—which was a sixth iteration of the Western Ghats ESA demarcation—had declared 56,825.7 sq km of the Ghats as ESA, across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

• Under the 2024 draft, ESAs demarcated across states included 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala. It is yet unclear if the ministry plans to renotify a seventh draft notification immediately.

• The expert committee also held a fresh round of consultation with the new Congress-led Kerala government recently, and several sticking points on finalising the area between 8,500 and 8,800 sq km are nearing resolution, people aware of developments said.

• The Western Ghats ESA draft notification was first issued in March 2014, based on the recommendations of the High-Level Working Group chaired by former Indian Space Research Organisation chief K Kasturirangan. The Kasturirangan panel had reviewed recommendations on Western Ghats protection made by the panel led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil. The previous five iterations of the draft notification demarcating ESAs were issued in March 2014, September 2015, February 2017, October 2018, and July 2022.

Do You Know:

• The Western Ghats is a 1,500 km long near-continuous mountain chain running from South Gujarat to Kerala, and is one of the world’s eight “hottest biodiversity hotspots”, harbouring unique plants and wildlife. The forests in the Western Ghats are home to nearly 2,000 species of plants, 84 fish species, 87 amphibian species, 89 reptile species, several bird species, and 12 mammals found only in this region.

• The expert committee is headed by Sanjay Kumar, a former director-general of forests at the ministry, and includes six other members from the fields of ecology, remote sensing, space application, geology, and ministry officials. It is learnt that the committee’s tenure was extended on June 30 till July 2027.

• The Kasturirangan panel’s report identified an area of 1,64,280 sq km, whereas the Gadgil panel identified 1,29,037 sq km as the Ghats’s extent. Compared with the Gadgil panel — which recommended that the entire area be designated as ESA with heavy cross-sectoral restrictions — the Kasturirangan panel adopted a different approach.

• Its analysis found that 60% of the Ghats region was already under “cultural landscape”, which was human dominated and where land was under settlements, plantations, or agriculture. The remaining 40% — 60,000 sq km — was classified as “natural landscape”, a high biological richness, low fragmentation, low population density, and inclusive of national parks, and tiger and elephant habitats.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Govt prepares to notify Western Ghats eco sensitive areas in at least three states

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2) ‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangam Committee Report’, sometimes seen in the news, are related to (UPSC CSE, 2016)
(a) constitutional reforms
(b) Ganga Action Plan
(c) linking of rivers
(d) protection of Western Ghats

Explained

Exam reforms: What the report after 2024 leak said

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

What’s the ongoing story: As the Supreme Court on Monday (July 27) heard petitions seeking changes to the conduct of the NEET examination after the 2026 paper leak controversy, the Centre informed the court that it has constituted a high-powered committee under entrepreneur and Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani to recommend the next phase of examination reforms.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Radhakrishnan Committee?

• The seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan had made set of 101 recommendations to the Ministry of Education-what were those?

• Identify the key recommendations of the Dr. K. Radhakrishnan-led committee to enhance the integrity and transparency of national-level exams. How do these recommendations address issues in data security and prevent future paper leaks?

• What has the panel recommended for the NTA?

• What has the panel said about establishing links with State and district officials and what parallels have been drawn with conducting elections?

• What are the suggestions for the testing process and testing centres?

• What are the long-term measures the panel recommends?

• What is the National Testing Agency?

• Analyse the impact of paper leaks on students and educational institutions.

Key Takeaways:

• This came on the same day the Central government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha to strengthen the anti-paper leak law and increase the punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

• The Centre’s decision regarding the Nilekani-led committee has brought attention to an earlier reform blueprint: the K Radhakrishnan Committee report. The Committee, which was constituted in 2024 after the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy, submitted a report containing 101 recommendations “with short term, medium term and long-term perspective”.

Do You Know:
Here are some key recommendations made by the panel, categorised thematically.

• Limit NTA’s scope: Noting that the NTA has “outstretched itself to accommodate diverse requests from many test indenting agencies” including taking up recruitment tests, the panel has suggested that the agency should primarily conduct entrance exams till its capacity is augmented.
—The panel has recommended that the NTA Director General be assisted by two additional directors general, and directors assigned to specific tasks.
—The agency should be staffed with “domain-specific human resources” and a “leadership team with domain knowledge”.

• Involve state, district officials: The panel has suggested that test centres be sealed in the presence of district administration and police before an exam, and that these centres be guarded till they are de-sealed for the exam — much like polling booths.

• Improving testing process: The panel has recommended multi-session testing, spread over a few days to a couple of weeks. For NEET-UG, it has suggested multi-stage testing (like JEE Main and Advanced).
—To verify the authenticity of a candidate, the panel has suggested a “Digi-Exam” system, much like DigiYatra,

• Long-term measures: The panel has suggested “harmonization and unification of tests” for admissions at the undergraduate level. This would include having a uniform eligibility and admission criteria, number of sessions, mode of testing, among other things.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍NEET, NET irregularities: Radhakrishnan committee seeks suggestions on NTA exam reforms, functioning

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3) Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC CSE, 2012)
1. Directive Principles of State Policy
2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Previous year UPSC main Question Covering similar theme:
📍How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate on your answer. (2020)

The Ideas Page

India, Bangladesh must not just renew Ganga treaty. they should reimagine it

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

What’s the ongoing story: Srinivas Chokkakula Writes-The 1996 treaty, signed after decades of deliberations, reflected a particular political moment of relatively stable bilateral relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What was the Ganga water treaty between India and Bangladesh?

• According to many experts, the Teesta river remained the most contentious issue between two India and Bangladesh-Can you elaborate further on this?

• India and Bangladesh Bilateral Relations-Know in Detail

• India and Bangladesh Bilateral Relations after August 2024-how things changed drastically?

• What are the areas of cooperation between India and Bangladesh?

• What are the issues and challenges between India and Bangladesh?

• How can India and Bangladesh strengthen their relations?

• What is the significance of Bangladesh for India?

• How external influences is shaping domestic policies in Bangladesh?

• Know in detail about India’s Water Disputes or rather India’s water issues with Bangladesh

Key Takeaways:

Srinivas Chokkakula Writes-

• As the 30-year term of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh approaches its conclusion, discussions about its future are gathering momentum. Much of the public debate is about whether the treaty will be renewed or revised. But a more consequential question is, what kind of agreement will it be? The political, institutional and ecological conditions that produced the 1996 treaty are vastly different. The negotiations are likely to be about much more than water sharing at Farakka.

• The 1996 treaty had a single-point agenda of water sharing, following India’s decision to build the Farakka barrage. The treaty provided a flow-dependent water-sharing arrangement that includes a 50:50 pro-rata sharing when the flows at Farakka dip below a limit. Bangladesh has often expressed its dissatisfaction about not receiving its due share during the dry seasons.

• The next Ganga Treaty is not likely to be restricted to this one specific transborder issue. It will transcend territories and borders, within and outside, enlarging the scope of negotiations. The negotiations will be challenging, especially given the new political realities in Bangladesh. But they can also offer new opportunities for robust water diplomacy and enduring relations between India and Bangladesh.

• The negotiations can offer an opportunity to revisit the regional vision that India and Bangladesh jointly championed when SAARC was conceived. The institutional form may have to evolve beyond SAARC, but the underlying strategic rationale has become stronger. The next Ganga Treaty, therefore, presents an opportunity not merely to renew a bilateral water-sharing arrangement but to reimagine a regional strategic vision to address challenges of this new age of shared vulnerabilities and fragmented global economy.

Do You Know:

Srinivas Chokkakula Writes-

• Tensions had brewed over sharing of the Ganga waters since the 1950s, when the Indian government proposed building a barrage at Farakka in West Bengal, some 18 km from what would become the international border between India and (then) East Pakistan. Construction began in 1961 and upon its completion in 1975, the Farakka barrage started diverting waters from the Ganga to the Hooghly river, flushing out the silt around the Kolkata port located on the latter and keeping it navigable for ships.

• But throughout its construction, friction remained and reached a flashpoint in 1976 when Maulana Bhashani, an Awami League party legislator in (by then independent) Bangladesh, led the “Farakka Long March” against India’s water policies, demanding the demolition of the barrage, which he argued had resulted in the drying up of the Padma river (Ganga’s main distributary in Bangladesh) and subsequent desertification.

• Finally, in December 1996, both countries under the leadership of Prime Ministers H D Deve Gowda and Sheikh Hasina signed the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, instituting a 30-year framework for a flow-sharing mechanism during the annual dry season (January to May) and setting up a joint committee to monitor and implement the pact.

• The 1996 Ganga Water Treaty (mea.gov.in) between India and Bangladesh is set to expire in December 2026, and formal negotiations for its renewal are currently facing a complex backdrop of shifting political and environmental dynamics. Both nations have gathered domestic stakeholder inputs, but official high-level talks on the future framework of the text remain in early stages.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Ganga Water Sharing Treaty: Why renegotiating pact tops new Bangladesh government’s list of priorities

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4) Consider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries: (UPSC CSE, 2026)
1. ‘Maitri Setu’, built over Feni river, connects Ramgarh in India with Sabroom in Bangladesh.
2. Jhulaghat suspension bridge connects India with Myanmar.
3. Mechi bridge and its approaches connect Panitanki Bypass in India with Kakarvitta in Nepal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 only
(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
📍Analyze 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. (2018)

Economy

India’s rupee billionaires top 500 for first time, quadruple in 4 years

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies‐ II: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

What’s the ongoing story: The number of individuals who reported a gross total income of at least Rs 100 crore crossed 500 in Assessment Year 2025-26, up 39% from the previous year, the Ministry of Finance said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The finance ministry data showed the number of rupee billionaires as per their income has quadrupled in four years to 576 from 142 in AY 2021-22.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Rising income inequality-what you know?

• What is the significance of India’s first National Household Income Survey?

• ‘Increasing numbers of ultra-high-income taxpayers necessarily indicate rising inequality’-Do you agree?

• What are the issues and challenges posed by income inequality to inclusive growth in India?

• What measures Government of India has taken to achieve equitable growth without discouraging wealth creation?

• How widening the direct tax base contributes to fiscal sustainability?

Key Takeaways:

• Assessment Year refers to the 12 months after the year in which income is earned, or the financial year. As such, AY 2025-26 is 2024-25, or April 2024-March 2025.

• One billion is equal to 100 crore. “There is no statutory definition of the term ‘billionaire’ either under the Income-tax Act, 2025 or under the erstwhile Income-tax Act, 1961,” Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in response to a question by Congress Member of Parliament Murari Lal Meena asking if the government is aware that there has been a significant increase in the number of billionaires in the country.

• Usually, the government releases these figures as part of its income tax return statistics. The last year for which data is available is AY 2023-24. This was released in July 2024.
There is no official measure of incomes in India, with researchers relying on Income Tax return statistics, released by the finance ministry with a lag. However, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is currently conducting the first-ever National Household Income Survey.

• Started in April, the survey will end in March 2027, with the results expected to take a few more months to be processed before their release. Latest GDP data shows that India’s per capita gross national income in 2025-26 was Rs 2.41 lakh in current prices, up 8% from 2024-25.

Do You Know:

• According to Forbes, India has 229 ‘dollar billionaires’ as per their net worth. Since one US dollar is equal to around 96 rupees, dollar billionaires have a net worth of at least Rs 9,600 crore. Meanwhile, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index – also based on net worth, not annual income – estimates there are 23 Indians in the world’s richest 500 people.

• In his answer in Lok Sabha on Monday, Pankaj Chaudhary said the government does not maintain data on aggregate wealth of taxpayers. Further, in response to Meena’s question if the government has conducted any study on the impact of the increasing concentration of income and wealth on income inequality, investment, employment generation, and inclusive economic growth, Chaudhary said data from the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey for 2023-24 (August-July) showed that the Gini coefficient for rural and urban areas had declined to 0.237 and 0.284, respectively. This, he said, was indicative of a narrowing rural-urban gap.

• The MoS in the finance ministry added that India’s labour market had recovered after the Covid pandemic, the unemployment rate for those aged 15 years and above had decreased to 3.1% in 2025 as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, and the government had taken several measures to reduce income and wealth inequality, including a progressive Income-tax structure and increased spending on food, health, education, housing, and social security.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍From Elon Musk to Michael Dell: The world’s 10 richest tech billionaires in 2026

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5) Inclusive growth as enunciated in the Eleventh Five Year Plan does not include one of the following: (UPSC CSE, 2010)
(a) Reduction of poverty
(b) Extension of employment opportunities
(c) Strengthening of capital market
(d) Reduction of gender inequality

Previous year UPSC mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (2020)

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1.(a)  2.(d)  3.(d) 4.(d) 5.(c)

  

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