UPSC Key | NEET-NET crisis, National Security Strategy, Hooch tragedy and more

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The Editorial Page

The big test

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors, issues related to Education.

What’s the ongoing story- K. Sujatha Rao writes:  The nationwide anger over the NEET exam has not subsided. Meanwhile, the government has cancelled the NET examination conducted by NTA, compounding doubts about its institutional integrity. What is important to understand is that cheating or fraud in NEET or NET and other such highly competitive examinations is only a consequence of bad policy.

Prerequisites:

— What is the difference between NEET and NET?

— What is the National Testing Agency (NTA)?

— What is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre?

Key takeaways: 

— The policy for instituting NEET was actively considered in 2010 at the Ministry of Health to address three problems.

(i) Standardising the educational competence of students at the entry level as a majority of students of medical colleges were found to have negligible knowledge of basic sciences such as Chemistry, Physics and Biology.

(ii) Reducing the number of entrance examinations from an estimated 46 to one.

(iii) To eliminate the capitation fees levied by private medical colleges by reducing their discretion and granting admissions based on scores.

— The coaching industry is a consequence of a failed school system due to poor governance. Lackadaisical approaches, unending tinkering with the syllabus, a focus on rote learning rather than enquiry and scientific temper, poor quality of teaching and supervision, large vacancies and inadequate infrastructure have taken their toll.

— Clearly, holding one-size-fits-all national examinations is a lazy response to fundamental systemic neglect of the school system over the years.

— With the failure of the school system, alongside the intention to centralise the education system, which in reality is a concurrent subject, in 2017, the NTA was constituted with the mandate to conduct several examinations such as NEET.

— Since its establishment, the NTA has been ridden with complaints of irregularities, demonstrating its inadequate capacity to conduct complex and important examinations.

— Tamil Nadu has always been opposed to the NEET exam as it was against their perfectly functioning state policy of linking medical college admissions to high school performance. In 2021, Tamil Nadu constituted an Expert Committee headed by Justice A K Rajan. The Rajan Committee brought out startling evidence, showing how rural students from Tamil medium schools lost out heavily in clearing the NEET — between 2017-21, from an average of 15 per cent admissions of Tamil-medium students, the number had fallen to 1.6-3.2 per cent.

— Clearly, NEET disadvantaged rural and poorer students. Tamil Nadu was particularly affected as its sound public health system rested on students from rural backgrounds willing to work in primary health centres without ambitions of migrating abroad.

— The NEET policy needs a revamp based on inputs from all stakeholders, going beyond the polarised politics of today.

— Ideas for consideration could range from:

(i) making the MBBS degree for six years with a pre-medical one year to bring students to “standard” in critical subjects of Zoology, Chemistry and Physics as was the case during the 60s and 70s.

(ii) decentralising the examination to states and universities as it was during pre-NEET times; (iii) constituting regional boards or centralising only the qualifying examination for practising outside the state or going abroad and so on.

— Clearly, the long-term solution is improving schooling quality, decentralising examinations, and institutionalising strict oversight and governance to restore confidence and credibility. Till that is done, the leakage of papers will continue to plague us.

For Your Information:

From Explained

— The UGC-NET is a test conducted twice a year, in June and in December, by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NTA also conducts public examinations like the JEE (Main), the NEET-UG, and the CUET for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The NTA has been conducting UGC-NET from December 2018 onwards. Prior to this, the exam was conducted by the CBSE.

From Editorial

— The NET is the first centrally-conducted examination to be scrapped after the Centre introduced a new anti-paper leak law in February. The investigation could provide crucial lessons in applying the new law to stem a pressing problem that threatens to tar the credibility of the educational and public recruitment systems.

— An investigation by this paper in February found more than 40 instances of paper leaks in 15 states over the last five years, which derailed the schedules of nearly 1.5 crore candidates who had applied for positions in various fields — education, engineering and public works, healthcare and police.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, of 2024?

— What are the implications of the paper leak on the student’s mental health?

— What steps need to be taken to overcome the challenges in conducting the exam?

Post Read Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. The National Testing Agency is a constitutional body constituted in 2017 for conducting entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions.

2. The chairperson of NTA is the Education Minister of the Union government.

Which of the following statements is correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Outrage over paper leaks: what does India’s law against use of unfair means in exams say?

Security, In Black & White

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Defence and Internal Security

What’s the ongoing story- K J Singh writes:  At a recent book-release function, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) made an interesting comment about the formulation of a National Security Strategy (NSS). He reportedly stated “When we talk about the National Security Strategy, I believe it consists of policy, processes, and practices to succeed. In our country, probably all three are addressed. The only thing missing is a written policy. I don’t know why people insist on that.”

Prerequisites:

— What is the role of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)?

— What is the National Security Strategy (NSS)?

— What is the “No-first use” doctrine?

— What was the Doklam crisis?

— What are the theatre commands?

Key takeaways:

— It is well known that most relevant nations, including the otherwise opaque China, not only promulgate an NSS but also publish periodic white papers. Even Pakistan has promulgated its first National Security Policy (2022-26). Neither Israel nor Pakistan can set the template for us, as our challenges are different and require a customised approach. Hence, the issue must be clarified post-haste.

— A well-crafted NSS would foster a “whole of nation” approach and build synergy for harnessing comprehensive national power (CNP). It would also enable the setting of milestones for capability-building for modernisation, infrastructure and the Atma Nirbhar mission.

— The current status of defence planning is worrying and in transition as Defence Plans (five years) and Long Term Perspective Plans (15 years) have been discontinued. The new formats of the Integrated Capability Plan (10 years) and Defence Capability Acquisition Plan (5 years), are yet to stabilise.

— The most critical issue is related to operational clarity and ease of decision making. The NSS could spell out clear-cut ends, ways and means, yet bank on delegation, synergy and operational freedom. At cutting-edge level, it will foster initiative, innovation and improvisation.

— The NSS is also a prerequisite for the operationalisation of theatre commands and transformation. A clearly spelt-out NSS will certainly breed audacious commanders like Field Marshal ‘Sam’ Manekshaw, Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh and Lt Gen Sagat Singh.

For Your Information:

— A National Security Strategy document outlines the country’s security objectives, and the ways to be adopted to achieve these.

— Updated periodically, it defines traditional, non-traditional threats and opportunities while introducing accountability of agencies tasked with the implementation of such responsibilities.

— In a nutshell, a national security strategy would guide the military as well as critical defence and security reforms with strategic implications, providing a holistic view of the overall national security, the threats, and the roadmap to address them.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the Integrated Capability Plan and Defence Capability Acquisition Plan?

— What is the need for the NSS?

— What are the potential benefits and challenges of the NSS?

Post Read Question:

What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in the Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (UPSC CSE 2020)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Expert Explains: What is a National Security Strategy and why India must have one

India to bring in a National Security Strategy: what is it, why is it important?

Injurious to health

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-I: Society

What’s the ongoing story- In 2019, the World Health Organisation warned of a global mental-health crisis, affecting nearly one billion individuals, including 14 percent of adolescents. Studies have established a correlation between social media usage and the possibility of mental-health afflictions.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Digital Service Act of the EU?

— What is the impact of social media on youth?

Key takeaways: 

— In the US, for instance, adolescents who use social media for more than three hours a day have double the risk of anxiety and depression. The sharp upward curve, especially among the young, that has prompted US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to call for warning labels on social media, therefore, is timely.

— But it could only serve as the first step towards addressing what is, in essence, a global crisis. More needs to be done to protect the young from online abuse, harassment, and exposure to inappropriate content.

— In 1975, nearly a decade after the Federal Cigarette Labelling and Advertising Act came into force in the US, the Indira Gandhi government passed legislation called The Cigarettes (Regulations of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1975, which made statutory health warnings on all tobacco products mandatory. What it managed to create was better awareness among users, and, over time, better hygiene.

— Without any curbs, the social-media crisis is poised to escalate. As the world’s second-largest smartphone market with a high internet penetration, it is especially true for the Indian landscape, where there is a sizeable demographic under the age of 18.

— For parents, the difficulty of social media is two-pronged, beginning with the digital gap of a large section with the sophistication of these platforms and extending to the impracticality of keeping a constant tab on their children’s online activities.

— It makes legislation that is binding on Big Tech, similar to the Digital Service Act introduced by the European Union in February this year, an urgent requirement.

— It is only a combination of warning, legislation that bars targeted advertising or collecting sensitive data, and parental guidance that can protect the young and the vulnerable from the pernicious fallouts of social media.

Points to Ponder: 

— How is social media governed in India?

— What is the impact of social media on different sections of society?

— What are the mental health initiatives in India?

Post Read Question:

Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. (UPSC CSE 2023)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Mental health in India: Impact of social media on young Indians

 

Explained

Bihar quota struck down: what is the 50% ceiling that court relied upon?

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors

What’s the ongoing story- The Patna High Court on Thursday set aside notifications by the Bihar government increasing reservation in government jobs and educational institutions from 50% to 65%.

Prerequisites:

— What is the difference between vertical and horizontal reservation?

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the reservation?

— What is the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution?

Key takeaways:

— The 50% ceiling was introduced by the Supreme Court in its landmark 1992 decision in Indra Sawhney v Union of India in order to ensure “efficiency” in administration.

— The 6-3 majority verdict that upheld the 27% quota for socially and economically backward classes (SEBC) set two important precedents — first, it said that the criteria to qualify for reservation is “social and educational backwardness”;

— Second, it reiterated the 50% limit to vertical quotas that the court had laid down in earlier judgments (M R Balaji v State of Mysore, 1963, and Devadasan v Union of India, 1964). The 50% limit would apply unless in “exceptional circumstances”, the court said.

— The only exception to 50% limit  has been the 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) introduced in 2019. In November 2022, a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the EWS quota in a 3-2 verdict that said the 50% ceiling applied only to SC/ ST and OBC quotas, and not to a separate quota that operated outside the ‘backwardness’ framework which was “an entirely different class”.

— Critics of the 50% ceiling argue that it is an arbitrary line drawn by the court, even as the legislature has consistently attempted to push back. On the other hand, an argument is made that breaching 50% would be antithetical to the principle of equality since reservations are an exception to the rule.

— However, there is also a view that reservations are a feature of the fundamental right to equality, and part of the basic structure of the Constitution.

— The 76th constitutional amendment in 1994 inserted the Tamil Nadu reservation law breaching the 50% limit into the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

— In May 2021, a five-judge SC Bench unanimously struck down a Maharashtra law that provided reservation to the Maratha community as unconstitutional, holding that the quota limit could not exceed 50%.

For Your Information:

— The high court set aside the Bihar government’s move to hike quotas – by amending two laws – on various grounds, making it clear that population percentage cannot form the sole basis for it, merit cannot be totally compromised, and the move infringed upon the Constitution’s provisions for the right to equality.

— Another reason for the court’s decision to strike down the government’s decision – which was dubbed a “Nitish master stroke” – is the Supreme Court-stipulated quota ceiling at 50%.The HC called enhancement of quota beyond 50% “bad in law based on principles of equality”.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the arguments for and against the 50% ceiling in reservation?

— Should the 50 percent legal ceiling on reservation be reconsidered?

— What is the need for reservation?

— What other initiatives can be taken by the government for the upliftment of the marginalised?

Post Read Question:

Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine.(UPSC CSE 2018)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Patna HC sets aside Bihar move to raise quota to 65%, says it infringes on right to equality

Engaging China in Modi 3.0

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: International Relations

What’s the ongoing story- It is four years this week since the Galwan clashes of June 15, 2020 that rocked India-China ties, and the border standoff is yet to be resolved. About 50,000 to 60,000 troops are still deployed on each side of the border. Managing the relationship with China is the most pressing challenge for the Narendra Modi government in its third term.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?

— What are the areas of conflict between India and China?

— What is India’s stand with respect to Taiwan?

Key takeaways: 

— “Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important for not just our two countries but the entire region and world,” Modi said. “I hope and believe that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, we will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquility on our borders.”

— The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the relationship between India and China was “about more than the boundary situation”. The two countries “maintain close communication through diplomatic and military channels on handling issues related to the border situation and have made positive progress”, she said.

— FIRST, an exchange of messages between the Prime Minister and Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on the social media platform X — which sources said was the first public interaction between the two leaders — angered the Chinese, who saw this as a provocation.

— India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic ties, and have instead focused on commerce, culture, and education. The profile of the relationship, now in its third decade, has been deliberately kept low owing to Chinese sensitivities.

— SECOND, a seven-member bipartisan delegation of the United States Congress met the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala on Wednesday…The Chinese reacted sharply, and “urged” the US to “adhere to its commitments of recognizing Xizang as part of China and not supporting “Xizang independence”. China refers to Tibet as Xizang.

For Your Information:

— Ladakh certainly has been and will continue to remain a serious flashpoint. There are no borders here except a 1,597 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), a notional demarcation separating India and China since 1962. Even the LAC is not well defined. Both countries have differing perceptions.

— The patrolling is done till 65 earmarked Patrol Points (PPs) stretching from Karakoram to Chumur. The recent dispute points occurred at PP9, 10, 11, 12, 12A and 13 in Depsang, PP14 in Galwan, PP15 and PP16 in Hot Springs/ Chang Chenmo, and PP17 and 17A in Gogra.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China?

— Evolution of India-China relationship

— What are the Indian government efforts to counter Chinese influence?

Post Read Question:

“Belt and Road Initiative” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of : (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) African Union

(b) Brazil

(c) European Union

(d) China

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

India-China border dispute: Beyond the hype, the reality of the LAC

C Raja Mohan writes: Rising power, rising responsibilities — five geopolitical challenges before Modi 3.0

 

Express Network

Toll rises to 38 in Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy, CM forms panel for inquiry

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Issues related to Health, Science and Technology

What’s the ongoing story- The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district rose on Thursday to 38, with 24 others in critical care. Over 100 people are still in hospitals across several districts.

Prerequisites:

— What is hooch?

Key takeaways: 

— Three people have been arrested in connection with the tragedy. Officials said that according to a preliminary probe, the presence of methanol was found in the samples of arrack seized during the probe.

—  Chief Minister M K Stalin announced that ` 10 lakh ex gratia would given to the families of each of the deceased, and`50,000 to those undergoing treatment.

For Your Information:

From Explained

— Hooch is a commonly used term for poor quality alcohol, derived from Hoochinoo, a native Alaskan tribe that was known to produce very strong liquor. Unlike branded liquor which is produced in factories with sophisticated equipment and rigorous quality control, hooch is made in much more crude settings.

— All alcohol is produced using two basic processes: fermentation and distillation. Hooch is produced using distillation of a fermented mixture, generally of locally available yeast, and sugar or fruit (often fruit waste).

— But the setup used for the process is very rudimentary — often just a big vat where the mixture is boiled, a pipe that captures and carries the alcoholic fumes, and another pot where concentrated alcohol condenses. Multiple rounds of distillation are carried out, to produce more potent alcohol.

— There is an inherent risk associated with the crude methods of hooch production. The fermented mixture which is distilled contains more than just consumable alcohol (ethanol). It also contains methanol, an industrial alcohol which is highly toxic for human beings.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the necessary steps need to be taken by the government to avoid hooch incidents?

— What are the arguments in favour and against of alcohol ban?

Post Read Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. The boiling point of methanol is 64.7 ° C which is lower than that of ethanol 78.37 °C.

2. The consumption of Methanol can cause impaired vision, high toxicity and metabolic acidosis.

Which of the following statements 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:

Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy: Why spurious liquor can be deadly

Jaishankar unveils Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Lanka

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: 

Mains Examination:

What’s the ongoing story- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and commissioned the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre built with a USD 6 million grant from India during his first bilateral visit overseas after being re-appointed in the Cabinet.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Indian Housing Project?

— What is the ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy?

— What is the purpose of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC)?

Key takeaways: 

— A statement issued by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said Jaishankar also joined President Wickremesinghe in virtually handing over 48 houses, 24 each in Colombo and Trincomalee, built under the Model Village Housing Project and 106 houses in three up-country estates, built under Phase III of the Indian Housing Project, with funding from India.

— Wickremesinghe and Jaishankar jointly unveiled the virtual plaque to mark the formal commissioning of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Lanka under a USD 6 million grant from India. This includes a center at Navy Headquarters in Colombo, a sub-centre in Hambantota and unmanned installations at Galle, Arugambay, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kallarawa, Point Pedro and Mollikulam.

— Jaishankar said that neighbours such as Sri Lanka are extremely important to India and there is tremendous goodwill for them in India. He said the Indian government reaffirms the ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy and the main purpose of his visit is to underline India’s continued commitment to Sri Lanka as its closest maritime neighbour.

For Your Information:

— Sri Lanka and India are working on an estimated USD 1.2 billion undersea transmission line that will link the island nation’s power grind with that of India to provide energy security to this country, a top Sri Lankan official said.

— On March 1, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement for the development of a hybrid renewable energy system for the Delft, Analativu and Nainativu islands of the northern Jaffna peninsula.

Points to Ponder: 

— Evolution of India-Sri Lanka relationship

— What are the major MoUs signed between India and Sri Lanka?

— What are the challenges in India-Sri Lanka relationship?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. The value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade has consistently increased in the last decade.

2. “Textile and textile articles” constitute an important item of trade between India and Bangladesh.

3. In the last five years, Nepal has been the largest trading partner of India in South Asia.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Mains

‘India is an age-old friend of Sri Lanka.’ Discuss India’s role in the recent crisis in Sri Lanka in the light of the preceding statement. (UPSC CSE 2022)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

India, Sri Lanka working to link power grids via undersea transmission line

Sri Lanka needs to connect with India to benefit from its industrial success: President Wickremesinghe

 

The Ideas Page

A US lesson for Krishi Bhawan

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination:  GS-III: Economy

What’s the ongoing story- Harish Damodaran writes: “Over decades, agriculture ministry has fragmented, been reduced to a shell of its former self. What India needs is a system like the US, with an integrated department and minister.”

Prerequisites:

— What is the role of the Agricultural Prices Commission and Food Corporation of India (FCI)?

— What is the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?

Key takeaways: 

— “Cut to the present times, when the agriculture ministry is a pale shadow of its past. The fragmentation or hollowing out started from around the mid-1970s, when fertilisers (December 1975), rural development (August 1979; it was initially called rural reconstruction), irrigation (January 1980) and food & civil supplies (February 1983) were spun off into separate ministries.”

— The centrifugal tendencies increased with the establishment of a Ministry of Food Processing Industries in July 1988 and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority under the Ministry of Commerce in February 1986.

— The various statutory commodity boards for spices, rubber, coffee, tea and tobacco also function under the Ministry of Commerce. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) are, likewise, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change respectively.

— The fragmentation has only worsened under the Narendra Modi-led government. An independent Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying came into existence in May 2019 and, more recently, a Ministry of Cooperation in July 2021.

— The agriculture ministry, in a nutshell, has been reduced to a shell of its former self. Policy formulation with regard to key farm inputs – fertilisers and water – are outside its purview. Marketing and MSP procurement of foodgrains and cotton are with FCI and CCI that report to other ministries.

— Policymaking cannot be in departmental silos that operate virtually independently of each other. The model should be the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the sole federal agency responsible for public policy on farm production and land conservation, food, nutrition, research, marketing, foreign trade and rural development (which extends to supporting entrepreneurship, housing and utilities) in that country. It is headed by a single secretary (read minister) of agriculture, who reports directly to the US President.

For Your Information:

— Indian agriculture is facing challenges from climate change, falling public investment in research, extension and irrigation, and diminishing private sector interest due to a return of controls, whether on pricing of inputs (fertilisers and seeds), technology (especially release of biotech crops) or exports and stocking limits.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the challenges of the Indian agriculture sector?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government to improve the production and productivity of the agricultural sector?

— What agricultural products are exported and imported by India?

— What is India’s agriculture export policy?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

Which of the following has/have occurred in India after its liberalization of economic policies in 1991? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. Share of agriculture in GDP increased enormously.

2. Share of India’s exports in world trade increased.

3. FDI inflows increased.

4. India’s foreign exchange reserves increased enormously.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 4 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Mains

Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India? (UPSC CSE 2017)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

In Shivraj Chouhan’s appointment as minister, how agriculture gets wealth of his Madhya Pradesh work experience

Challenge for farm sector: How to share growth gains

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