UPSC Key: Supernumerary seats for women in IITs, Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978 and Indian diaspora

6 years after quota for women at IITs, more hostels and a shift in attitudes

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: 

• General Studies I: Social empowerment

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

What’s the ongoing story: From more hostels and washrooms for female students to their own sports teams — a silent revolution has been taking shape at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) over the last six years, ever since a supernumerary quota of 20% was set aside for women.

Key Points to Ponder:

• “A silent revolution has been taking shape at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) over the last six years”-What is this all about?

• What was the rationale behind introducing supernumerary seats for women in IITs?

• How introducing supernumerary seats for women in IITs contributed to achieving gender parity in higher technical education?

• What are the challenges faced by women in pursuing STEM education in India.

• How can policies like the women’s quota in IITs address challenges faced by women effectively?

• What can be the impact of the women’s quota policy on the academic and professional outcomes of female students in IITs?

• “Gender equity in education is not just a social goal but also an economic necessity”-Decode the statement

• Assess the role of gender-specific policies in promoting inclusive growth in India’s education sector. • Discuss the economic implications of increasing female representation in STEM fields?

• Evaluate the role of affirmative action in addressing historical gender imbalances in technical and professional education in India.

• Highlight the potential long-term impacts of increasing women’s representation in IITs on India’s technological and industrial growth.

• What lessons can be learned from the implementation of the women’s quota in IITs?

Key Takeaways:

• The quota, under which extra seats were created instead of reserving them in the existing pool, was implemented in 2018 based on the recommendations of a committee led by then IIT-Mandi Director Timothy Gonsalves, which called it “the required slight push”.

• While most IITs implemented a 14% quota for women in 2018-19, by 2019-20 it stood at 19% and by 2021-22, most of them had 20% seats for women.

• Six years on, data obtained by The Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from 21 of the 23 IITs reveals a steady increase in the number of women entering these prestigious institutes.

• At IIT-Kanpur, the number of women rose from 908 women in 2017 to 2,124 in 2024 – a 133% jump. At IIT-Roorkee, the number went up from 1,489 in 2019-20 to 2,626 in 2024 — a 76.36% jump. IITs in Chennai, Mumbai, Guwahati and Kharagpur, too, saw similar increases.

• According to the data, IITs Delhi and Bombay crossed the 20% threshold as early as 2017 — even before the quota was implemented. Of IIT Delhi’s 2,878 students that year, 607 or 21.09% were women. In the first semester of 2024 at IIT Delhi, that number stood at 840 — a rise of 38.39%. In the case of IIT Bombay, of 2,790 students in 2017, 570 or 20.43% were women.

IIT Delhi, too, has an open house for women students and their parents, where they are encouraged to meet faculty and explore the campus.

• Meanwhile, IIT Kanpur was the last among the seven first-generation IITs to cross the 20% female enrolment mark, reaching the milestone only in 2021. Of its 7,716 students that year, 1,691 or 21.92% were women.

• The increasing presence of women at IITs is in line with the broader pattern of a steady increase in their enrolment in higher education — according to the All India Survey on Higher Education for 2021-2022, the last year for which the data is available, women make up around 48% of the total enrolment, almost on a par with men.

Do You Know:

• The female supernumerary quota in admissions to IITs was introduced in 2018 following the recommendations by a committee headed by the then IIT Mandi director Timothy Gonsalves. Popularly known as ‘the required slight push’, this was aimed at repairing the skewed gender ratio on IIT campuses predominantly occupied by boys.

• Instead of reserving seats in the already existing pool, additional seats were created for girls under the female supernumerary quota.

• With 14 per cent at the beginning of the academic year 2018-19, the number of female supernumerary seats rose to 19 per cent in 2019-20. The aim was to have 20 per cent female supernumerary seats in all IITs by 2021-22.

• The Joint Seat Allocation Authority, also known as JoSAA, is an agency established by the Ministry of Education formerly known as HRD Ministry to manage and regulate the admission to 110 tertiary institutes administered by the Government of India.

• The agency was established by the ministry in 2018 to manage the allocation of seats for admission to 100 Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) and Government Funded Technical Institutes, starting with the 2018-19 academic year.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍With a push in female supernumerary seats, number of women students increases in IITs

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. The women’s quota in IITs led to the creation of supernumerary seats by:
(a) Replacing general category seats
(b) Creating additional seats without affecting existing categories
(c) Reserving within the general pool of seats
(d) Specific to postgraduate courses only

UPSC Previous year Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍“Empowering women is the key to control population growth”. Discuss. (UPSC CSE, 2019)
📍Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalisation on women in India? (UPSC CSE, 2015)
📍Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organisations free from gender bias. Comment. (UPSC CSE, 2013)

Zoos put on alert as avian flu kills 3 tigers, 1 leopard at rescue centre

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

What’s the ongoing story: Three tigers and a leopard at a Nagpur rescue centre have succumbed to avian influenza, prompting the Union government to sound an alert for zoos across the country. This is a rare instance of the highly contagious H5N1 virus affecting rescued wildlife in India.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What caused the deaths of three tigers and a leopard in India?

• What is H5N1 virus?

• What is avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu?

• Why H5N1 virus is highly contagious?

• What is ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NISHAD)?

• Discuss the challenges faced by rescue centres and zoos in managing zoonotic diseases.

• Examine the role of wildlife rescue centres in India in the context of biodiversity conservation and public health.

• What are the socio-economic and ecological impacts of zoonotic disease outbreaks like Avian Influenza?

• “Zoonotic diseases pose a significant threat to wildlife and human populations alike.”—Elaborate

• What is the role of the National Action Plan for Avian Influenza in controlling outbreaks among wildlife and domestic animals.

• “Zoonotic diseases are a global concern with local implications.”—Decode

Key Takeaways:

• This is a rare instance of the highly contagious H5N1 virus affecting rescued wildlife in India.

• In an advisory, the Central Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying directed zoos to comply with the action plan on prevention, control and containment.

• “It is a highly contagious viral disease with zoonotic ramifications. It is, therefore, advised that all zoos remain alert and vigilant for any symptoms among captive animals housed in zoos and incidence, if any, in nearby areas,” stated the January 3 advisory issued by the department, which comes under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

• Despite veterinary intervention, the animals were found dead on December 30, said officials. Nasal, pharyngeal and rectal swabs from the animals were sent the same day to the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NISHAD) in Bhopal, which confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus on January 1.

• The Wildlife Research and Training Centre (WRTC) at Gorewada stated that avian influenza in wild carnivores is typically linked to the consumption of infected prey. “The virus primarily affects birds but can infect mammals, including large cats, through contact with infected birds or contaminated environments,” the WRTC report said.

• An advisory from NISHAD emphasised preventive measures such as avoiding raw poultry or unverified meat sources for carnivores, routine health monitoring of animals and enhanced biosecurity practices like using nets to keep birds away from enclosures. Staff were also advised to wear PPE and monitor themselves for flu-like symptoms post-exposure.

Do You Know:

• Avian influenza is a disease caused by an influenza A virus, affecting birds across many species.
It can have significant consequences for the poultry industry, due to its potential impact on bird health, production and even international trade.

• Although avian influenza does not usually infect people, it is considered a zoonotic virus. That means it can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected birds, and sporadic cases have been seen when outbreaks happen in poultry.

• Some avian influenza viruses are more pathogenic than others. Pathogenic means disease-causing, so if highly pathogenic avian influenza gets into a poultry farm, it can cause sudden and significant mortality.

• With severe mortality rates, avian influenza can heavily impact the health of both poultry and wild birds. Often considered mainly as vectors of the disease, wild birds, including endangered species, are also victims. The consequences of avian influenza on wildlife could potentially lead to a devastating effect on the biodiversity of our ecosystems.
In addition, avian influenza can also cross the species barrier and infect domestic and wild terrestrial and marine mammals.

• The transmission of avian influenza from birds to humans is usually sporadic and happens in a specific context. People who are in close and repeated contact with infected birds or heavily contaminated environments are at risk for acquiring avian influenza.

• The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research is a premier institute of India for research on exotic and emerging pathogens of animals. NIHSAD is an independent institute of ICAR.
—The institute has contributed significantly by detecting many animal diseases of exotic origin and preventing them from entering our country.
—The major objectives of the institute are:
1. To carry out basic & applied research on exotic, emerging and re-emerging diseases of animals.
2. To develop competency for diagnosis & control of exotic/emerging diseases of animals.
3. To create & update a repository and data bank on exotic/emerging pathogens
4. To develop skills in bio risk management & train manpower in the areas of biosafety, biosecurity and biocontainment.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Avian flu: From symptoms to precautions, here’s what you need to know

Previous Year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases? (2015)
(a) AIDS
(b) Bird flu
(c) Dengue
(d) Swine flu

3. Which of the following statements is/are correct? Viruses can infect (2016)
1. bacteria
2. fungi
3. plants
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

GOVT & POLITICS

President, PM to attend Jan 9-10 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event in Bhubaneswar

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 18th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention, a key initiative of the government to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora, in Bhubaneswar on January 9. President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Carla Kangaloo, the chief guest, will address the gathering virtually.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-Know in detail

• Why Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day is celebrated?

• Mahatma Gandhi, 9th January and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-Connect the dots

• Non-resident Indian and Overseas Citizen of India-Compare and contrast

• What is meant by Indian diaspora?

• Why is Indian Diaspora important?

• What is India’s diaspora policy?

• What are the challenges faced by the Indian diaspora in their host countries.

• How can events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas address challenges faced by the Indian diaspora effectively?

• “The Indian diaspora serves as a bridge between India and the global community”-Decode the sentence

• Highlight the contribution of the Indian diaspora in promoting India’s trade, tourism, and technology sectors.

• Evaluate the impact of government initiatives like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on strengthening India’s global image and fostering economic partnerships.

Key Takeaways:

• President Droupadi Murmu will deliver the valedictory address on January 10 and confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, which recognises individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions in fields such as social work, humanitarian efforts, and enhancing India’s global standing.

• As many as 27 individuals and organisations will be honoured this year, from countries like the US, Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Moldova, Myanmar, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

• In a statement Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said ahead of the January 9-10 convention, the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be observed on January 8.

• Overall, the three-day event will see participation by a large number of overseas Indians, including top businessmen, entrepreneurs and economists from over 50 countries, the MEA said.

• This year’s theme is “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat”, aimed at celebrating the bond between India and its overseas Indian community, the MEA statement said.

• The convention, the MEA said, will also offer an opportunity for dialogue between the Indian government and its overseas citizens, allowing for discussions on policies affecting the diaspora — visa regulations, investment opportunities, and community welfare.

• It will also showcase India’s potential as a hub for investment, innovation, and collaboration, encouraging overseas Indians to contribute to the nation’s development.

• Coming just days ahead of the first anniversary of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the PM will also inaugurate an exhibition at the venue, titled ‘Vishwaroop Ram — The Universal Legacy of Ramayana’.

• There would be another exhibition on the diaspora’s contribution to technology and Viksit Bharat, and a third on the spread and evolution of the Indian diaspora, which will showcase rare documents of people who migrated from Mandvi in Gujarat to Muscat in Oman.

• The PBD convention will have five thematic plenary sessions including one on ‘Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: Stories of Migrant Skills’.

Do You Know:

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated on January 9 to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa to India in 1915.

• January 9 was selected as it was the date when Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915. Over the years, he has often been described as the first non-resident Indian of the most famous NRI by various politicians.

• An award called The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is given out as part of the programme. According to the official website, “It is the highest honour conferred on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin; or an organisation or institution established and run by them.”

• The term diaspora traces its roots to the Greek diaspeiro, which means dispersion. The Indian diaspora has grown manifold since the first batch of Indians were taken to counties in the east pacific and the Caribbean islands under the ‘Girmitiya’ arrangement as indentured labourers.

• The 19th and early 20th centuries saw thousands of Indians shipped to those countries to work on plantations in British colonies, which were reeling under a labour crisis due to the abolition of slavery in 1833-34.

• As part of the second wave of migration, nearly 20 lakh Indians went to Singapore and Malaysia to work in farms. The third and fourth wave saw professionals heading to western countries and workers going to the Gulf and west Asian countries in the wake of the oil boom.

• Overseas Indians are classified into three categories: Non-Resident Indians (NRI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs).
— NRIs are Indians who are residents of foreign countries.
—The PIO category was abolished in 2015 and merged with the OCI category. However, existing PIO cards are valid till December 31, 2023, by which the holders of these cards have to obtain OCI cards.
— According to the MEA, PIO refers to a foreign citizen (except a national of Pakistan, Afghanistan Bangladesh, China, Iran, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal) who at any time held an Indian passport, or who or either of their parents/ grandparents/great grandparents was born and permanently resided in India as defined in Government of India Act, 1935, or who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a PIO.
— A separate category of OCI was carved out in 2006. An OCI card was given to a foreign national who was eligible to be a citizen of India on January 26, 1950, was a citizen of India on or at any time after January 26, 1950, or belonged to a territory that became part of India after August 15, 1947.
—Minor children of such individuals, except those who were a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, were also eligible for OCI cards.

• According to an August 22, 2022 report of the Parliamentary committee on external affairs, as on December 31, 2021, there were 4.7 crore Indians living overseas. The number includes NRIs, PIOs, OCIs, and students. Excluding students, the number stands at 3.22 crore, including 1.87 crore PIOs and 1.35 crore NRIs.

• According to the World Migration Report, prepared by the International Organisation for Migration under the United Nations, India has the largest emigrant population in the world, making it the top origin country globally, followed by Mexico, Russian and China.

• Numbers shared by the government in Parliament in 2022 show that the geographical spread of the Indian diaspora is vast. The countries with over 10 lakh overseas Indians include United States of America (44 lakh), United Kingdom (17.6 lakh), United Arab Emirates (34 lakh), Sri Lanka (16 lakh), South Africa (15.6 lakh), Saudi Arabia (26 lakh), Myanmar (20 lakh), Malaysia (29.8 lakh), Kuwait (10.2 lakh) and Canada (16.8 lakh).

• Remittances, according to the World Bank, are a vital source of household income for low- and middle-income countries like India. The latest World Bank Migration and Development Brief, released in November 2022, said, “For the first time a single country, India, is on track to receive more than $100 billion in yearly remittances.”

• The World Migration Report notes that India, China, Mexico, the Philippines and Egypt are (in descending order) among the top five remittance recipient countries, “although India and China were well above the rest”. In 2020, the two neighbours received the largest amounts of international remittances in Asia, with a combined total of more than $140 billion, it added.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Indians abroad: History, spread, remittances

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4. What is the significance of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)?
(a) Celebrates the economic contributions of Indian citizens abroad
(b) Commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India
(c) Marks the establishment of diplomatic relations with major countries
(d) Recognizes the diaspora’s role in preserving Indian culture overseas

UPSC Previous year Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍‘Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries’. Comment with examples. (GS-2, 2020)
📍Indian Diaspora has an important role to play in South-East Asian countries’ economy and society. Appraise the role of Indian Diaspora in South- East Asia in this context (GS-2, 2017)

EXPRESS NETWORK

As 52 villages allege forest rights violations, Tribal Ministry tells MP govt to act

Syllabus:

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

Main Examination: 

• General Studies III: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

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

What’s the ongoing story: Taking cognisance of petitions and complaints from 52 villages on non-recognition of forest rights and attempts at forceful eviction in and around Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has directed the Madhya Pradesh government to examine the matter and resolve it in consultation with state forest departments and concerned district collectors.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve

• What is Forest Rights Act, 2006 and its Provisions?

• Why Forest Rights Act?

• What is the role of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in safeguarding the rights of forest-dwelling communities?

• Discuss the challenges faced by tribal communities in balancing conservation objectives with their livelihood rights, using the case of the Durgavati Tiger Reserve as an example.

• What are the legal and ethical dimensions of forced evictions from protected areas like tiger reserves?

• “The success of wildlife conservation policies depends on community participation”—Decode the quote in the context of the Forest Rights Act.

• What are the implications of forced evictions on the socio-economic and cultural fabric of tribal communities in India?

• Highlight the role of Gram Sabhas in forest governance under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

• How can Gram Sabhas be strengthened to avoid violations like those reported in the Durgavati Tiger Reserve?

Key Takeaways:

• The Centre wrote to the Madhya Pradesh tribal welfare department on December 23 after receiving representations from 52 gram sabhas from Damoh, Narsinghpur and Sagar districts.

• In the representations, it has been alleged that after Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve was notified in September 2023, forest rights claims were denied and villagers were pushed to relocate outside the reserve forcefully, in violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 2006.

• Further, villagers have been restricted from accessing forest resources, forest produce and farms, it has been alleged. “It may be noted that alienation of the communities from exercising their rights as stipulated under FRA, 2006, is a violation of the Act. Therefore, as state governments are FRA implementing authority, it is advised that matters may be examined and resolved in consultation with state forest departments, the concerned district collectors and DFOs,” the MoTA stated in its letter to the MP government.

• The letter was also marked to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes division of the MoTA and Damoh, Sagar and Narsinghpur district collectors for necessary action. Further, it was also marked to the National Tiger Conservation Authority for action and for issuing appropriate directions to wildlife wardens so as to safeguard the interests of the communities.

Do You Know:

• Spread over 2,339 sq km, Rani Durgavati is MP’s newest tiger reserve. It was created by adding the areas of Rani Durgavati and Nauradehi wildlife sanctuaries. In fact, it was formed to compensate for 100 sq km of prime forest that will get submerged in the Panna tiger reserve due to the Ken Betwa River linking project.

• The Wildlife Protection Act enables forest departments to create ‘inviolate’ areas, which are free of human settlements, for tiger conservation. However, such inviolate areas are to be created only after the rights of tribal and forest-dwelling communities are recognised and settled, as per the provisions of the WLPA and FRA. After recognition of rights, villagers can be relocated and rehabilitated only if they wish to do so voluntarily, as per law.

• In December 1996, the Supreme Court ruled that the Forest (Conservation) Act would apply to all land parcels that were either recorded as ‘forest’ or resembled the dictionary meaning of forest. Until then, the FC Act applied to areas notified as forests under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

• In June 2022, the government amended the Forest Conservation Rules to propose a mechanism to allow developers to raise plantations “over land on which the [FC] Act is not applicable”, and to swap such plots against subsequent requirements of compensatory afforestation.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Bill to amend Forest (Conservation) Act passed in Parliament: objections, concerns around it

UPSC Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5. At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006?
(a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(b) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
(c) Ministry of Rural Development
(d) Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Modi to virtually inaugurate Jammu Railway division today

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

What’s the ongoing story: In a boost to connectivity in the region, PM Modi inaugurates Jammu railway division virtually.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Know about Jammu railway division

• Role of infrastructure projects like the Jammu Railway Division in enhancing regional connectivity and integration in Jammu and Kashmir—Brainstorm

• “Railway infrastructure can serve both strategic and economic objectives.” Evaluate

• Highlight the challenges in implementing large-scale railway projects in regions with complex geography, such as Jammu and Kashmir.

Key Takeaways:

• According to a statement, the Jammu railway division will fulfil the long-pending aspiration of the locals by improving their connectivity to other parts of India.

• The new division will create employment opportunities, infrastructure development, promote tourism and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region, it said.

• According to the release, it will comprise the following sections: Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423 route km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21 route km), Batala (excluding)-Pathankot (68.17 route km) and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge section, 163.72 route km).

• The total length of these sections will be 742.1 km. With the creation of this division, the Railways will have 70 divisions under its 17 zones.

• The newly established division will oversee operations on India’s iconic rail projects, including the country’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge and the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River at Kauri.

• The NHAI has completed construction of a four-lane stretch of the National Highway-44 bypassing Banihal town, which used to witness frequent traffic jams.

Do You Know:

• The first railway line in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was built by the British in 1897 over a distance of 40-45 km between Jammu and Sialkot in the plains.

• In 1902 and 1905, a railway line was proposed between Rawalpindi and Srinagar along the course of the Jhelum, which would have connected the Kashmir Valley with the railway network of undivided India. But Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir was in favour of a Jammu-Srinagar line via Reasi, and neither project progressed.

• After Partition, Sialkot went to Pakistan, and Jammu was disconnected from the rail network of India. Until the inauguration of the Pathankot-Jammu line in 1975, the railway station nearest to Jammu and Kashmir was Pathankot in Punjab.

• In 1983, work began on a railway line between Jammu and Udhampur. The 53-km line, estimated to cost Rs 50 crore, was supposed to be completed in five years, but ultimately took 21 years and Rs 515 crore. The project, which was completed in 2004, has 20 major tunnels, the longest of which is 2.5 km long, and 158 bridges, the highest of which is 77 m high.

• With work underway on the Jammu-Udhampur line, the Centre in 1994 announced the extension of the line from Udhampur to Srinagar, and then Baramulla. This was the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railwayline (USBRL) project, which was approved in March 1995 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore.

• The Himalayas are young, and the geologically unstable Shivalik Hills and Pir Panjal mountains lie in the seismically most active Zones IV and V. The terrain is difficult and sees heavy snow in winter, and presented serious challenges in the construction of bridges and tunnels.

• More than 205 km of motorable roads — including a tunnel and 320 bridges — were built at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore to transport heavy machinery, construction material, and workers to construction sites, many of which were on sheer mountain faces at inclines of 70 degrees or more.

• In view of the challenges in the construction of highly complex tunnels and huge bridges in unstable mountainous terrain, Railways engineers devised a novel Himalayan Tunneling Method (HTM), in which horseshoe-shaped tunnels were constructed instead of the usual D-shaped ones. In this method, the site comes down in a curve, giving strength to the structure where the soil above it is loose.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍PM Modi flags off railway project in Jammu and Kashmir: Route, challenges, benefits

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
6. What is the significance of the Jammu Railway Division in India’s railway network?
(a) It is India’s first railway division dedicated to high-speed trains.
(b) It enhances connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir, boosting regional development.
(c) It focuses exclusively on freight movement to border areas.
(d) It is the first division to be fully electrified in northern India.

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

A journey to visibility

Syllabus:

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

Main Examination: General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

What’s the ongoing story: S Irudaya Rajan, Kuldeepsingh Rajput Writes: Due to distress-driven high mobility, they face disenfranchisement, trafficking, lack of unionisation and poor access to public services, and are in urgent need of social protection. However, the e-Shram portal has merely been a ‘registration drive’ for workers — silent on their inclusion in social security.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Discuss the role of central and state governments in ensuring the welfare of migrant workers in India.

• What is the purpose of the eShram portal?

• What are the impact of initiatives like the One Nation One Ration Card and e-SHRAM portal on the socio-economic conditions of migrant workers.

• Evaluate the role of social security schemes in improving the quality of life for migrant workers in India.

• Examine the need for a comprehensive framework to address the challenges faced by migrant workers during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

• “Migrant workers are the backbone of India’s informal economy.” Discuss the statement in the context of their contribution to urban and rural economies.

• What does code on Social Security cover?

• Analyse the barriers faced by migrant workers in accessing basic services such as healthcare, housing, and education. Suggest measures to overcome these challenges.

• Highlight the socio-economic impact of internal migration in India.

• How can the government balance economic growth with the protection of migrant workers’ rights?

Key Takeaways:

S Irudaya Rajan, Kuldeepsingh Rajput Writes:

• The Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E) recently claimed that, with over 300 million workers registered, the e-Shram portal is the largest database of unorganised workers in the world.

• In view of the pathetic condition and exodus of migrant workers during the pandemic, the Supreme Court of India had directed the Union government to build a national database of workers. Subsequently, the e-Shram Portal was started by the MoL&E in May 2021 with the objective of creating a national database of this labour force.

• However, the need to maintain the data of migrants and unorganised workers was identified and recommended much earlier. For instance, the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act (1979) mandated that every labour contractor obtain a licence from the specified authority and provide the particulars of interstate workers employed to the authorities.

• In 2007, the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector insisted upon a universal registration system for migrant workers. The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act (2008) also had a provision for registering workers and issuing an identity card to them. Unfortunately, these recommendations and legal provisions never received adequate attention and for years, migrants and workers remained largely invisible

• Due to distress-driven high mobility, these precarious migrants — mainly seasonal and circular workers — face unique and intense challenges such as disenfranchisement, stigma, trafficking, lack of unionisation, poor access to public services, etc.

• The MoL&E recently launched the ‘One-Stop Solution’ (OSS) to provide seamless access to different social security schemes to e-Shram registrant migrants and workers.

Do You Know:

• According to recent data, female workers comprise 53.59 per cent of all registered workers on the e-Shram platform. This trend is a positive sign, given the labour market has deep-rooted, gendered structural inequalities.

• A large proportion of unorganised workers are inter-state migrants.

• Migrant workers are not a homogeneous category — there is substantial socio-cultural, regional, demographic, and economic diversity.

• e-Shram is a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) launched by the Government of India under the Ministry of Labour & Employment. Its primary purpose is to facilitate delivery of welfare benefits and social security measures to unorganised sector workers across the country. The platform aims to register and provide identity cards to unorganised workers, enabling them to access various government schemes, benefits, and services more efficiently.

• Any worker who is a home-based worker, self-employed worker or a wage worker working in the unorganised sector and not a member of ESIC or EPFO, is called an unorganised worker.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How to facilitate safer and more productive migration patterns

📍Why migrant workers’ issues recur: The absence of data and coordination between states

📍To register unorganised workers, govt launches e-SHRAM

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7. Which of the following legislations governs the welfare and rights of migrant workers in India?
(a) Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
(b) Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970
(c) The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008
(d) All of the above

UPSC Previous year Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? (2021)
📍Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades. (2015)

THE IDEAS PAGE

A happy new year to farmers

Syllabus:

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

Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: Ashok Gulati Writes: If PM Modi wants to make India ‘viksit’ by 2047, agricultural incomes must improve appreciably

Key Points to Ponder:

• “The agriculture sector forms the backbone of India’s economy, yet it faces persistent challenges.” Critically analyse the role of government policies in addressing these challenges.

• Discuss the significance of direct income support schemes like PM-KISAN in ensuring farmers’ welfare.

• Evaluate the impact of digitization and platforms like e-NAM on empowering farmers and enhancing market access for agricultural produce.

• “A robust policy framework is essential to balance the needs of farmers and environmental sustainability.” Discuss this statement in the context of India’s agricultural sector.

• “Diversification in agriculture is critical for increasing farmers’ income and ensuring long-term sustainability.” Discuss this in the context of India’s current agricultural practices.

Key Takeaways:

Ashok Gulati Writes:

• What could I wish for Indian agriculture, a subject that has been my lifelong passion and commitment? My dream would be to see vibrant and sustainable agriculture, which is climate resilient, increases productivity, brings prosperity to farmers, and most of all, improves
the real wages of farm workers, who are at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

• It is only by raising productivity that India can rein in food inflation, which has been playing spoilsport of late.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been literally humbled by veggies inflation at 29 per cent (and potato inflation at 67 per cent) in November 2024. They have not allowed the Bank to reduce the repo rate. That is simply tragic.

• Wheat is likely to be most impacted by heat spikes in February when grain formation happens.

• Agri-R&D as well as agri-extension need a major boost in the coming budget if Indian agriculture has to be climate resilient. In this
context, it may be noted that in the last three years or so, there has been a wide gap between the government’s estimates of wheat production and that of the private trader.

• The government is trying to suppress wheat prices by releasing wheat at about Rs 2,300/quintal in the open market while the minimum support price (MSP) for the forthcoming season is Rs 2,450/quintal and the economic cost to FCI is about Rs 2,800/quintal. This is simply dumping and anti-farmer.

• The system needs a major overhaul. It can be done if the Modi government is bold and remains focused. Else, I am afraid, India will keep limping with occasional falls and injuries in its journey to Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Do You Know:

• A significant decision focused on the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme, which have been extended until 2025-26 with a substantial budget of ₹69,515.71 crore. This initiative aims to protect farmers from losses caused by natural disasters, ensuring their efforts are safeguarded. The creation of the Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT), with a corpus of ₹824.77 crore, represents a pioneering effort to integrate advanced technology into crop insurance.

• Technological advancements such as the Yield Estimation System using Technology (YES-TECH) and the Weather Information and Network Data Systems (WINDS) are poised to transform yield estimation and weather forecasting. These developments provide farmers with critical support to navigate unpredictable climatic conditions, reflecting the government’s dedication to harnessing innovation for the benefit of agriculture.

• Another major decision was the extension of the one-time special package for diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilisers under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) policy until December 2025. An additional allocation of ₹3,850 crore has been made to keep DAP affordable for farmers while encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. This subsidy aims to ease farmers’ financial burden and sustain agricultural productivity, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to improving access to essential resources and bolstering the agricultural economy.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What can the budget do for agriculture

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
8. Which of the following government schemes focuses on income support for farmers in India?
(a) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
(b) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
(c) National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
(d) Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

ECONOMY

‘Income disparity reduced in FY23; top 10% still holds large share of national income’

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: After worsening in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21, income inequality in India has reduced in 2022-23, suggesting effective post-pandemic recovery measures, a working paper released by the People Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE) showed.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Income disparity?

• How Income Inequality is measured?

• Discuss the recent trends in income disparity in India.

• How do government policies impact the distribution of national income?

• What are the challenges associated with addressing income inequality in India?

• How can fiscal and monetary policies be aligned to reduce income inequality in India?

• “The top 10% of the population holding a large share of national income underscores structural inequalities in the economy.”-Decode the statement

• Assess the impact of income inequality on economic growth and social stability in India.

• What is ‘K-shaped recovery’-Know in detail

• Evaluate the effectiveness of social welfare schemes in reducing income inequality in India.

• Examine how unequal access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities contributes to income inequality in India.

Key Takeaways:

• While economic growth has been achieved, income inequality has seen periods of both improvement and deterioration. The Gini index improved from 0.463 post-independence to 0.367 in 2015-16 but worsened to 0.506 by 2020-21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and then improved again to 0.410 in 2022-23.

• While the decline in the Gini index from 0.506 in 2020-21 to 0.410 in 2022-23 suggests improvement in income disparities, the paper flagged the concentration of wealth among the top income earners. Investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, along with social safety nets and progressive taxation, are pivotal for ensuring that the benefits of growth are equitably distributed, the paper said.

• Despite a slight decrease to 30.6 per cent in 2022-23, the top 10 per cent still hold a significant portion of national income. For the bottom 10 per cent, the pandemic period saw their share drop to 1.1 per cent in 2020-21, the lowest point in the dataset, before a slight recovery to 2.4.per cent in 2022-23.

• India’s economic journey reflects a “sea-saw” pattern of inequality, with periods of progress often countered by external disruptions or policy shortcomings, the paper said.

Do You Know:

• The Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income or consumption among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.

• Social welfare schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and financial inclusion initiatives have led to a slight increase in the income share of the bottom 50 per cent.

• The bottom 50 per cent, which includes labourers, traders, small business owners, and small and marginal farmers, saw their share of total household income rise from 15.84 per cent in 2020-21 to 22.82 per cent in 2022-23, even as it stayed lower than 24.07 per cent share in 2015-16.

• The income share of the middle 40 per cent rose to 46.6 per cent in 2022-23 from 43.9 per cent earlier. However, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21 exacerbated existing inequalities, with the income share of the top 10 per cent rising to 38.6 per cent in 2020-21 from 29.7 per cent in 2015-16 due to digitisation and boom in sectors like technology and e-commerce during the pandemic even as the bottom 50 per cent struggled with job losses and economic instability, it said.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India ‘very unequal’, top 10% hold 57% of national income: Inequality Report

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
9. In the context of income inequality, which international organization releases the “World Inequality Report”?
(a) World Bank
(b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
(c) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
(d) World Inequality Lab

EXPLAINED

Why 1978 ‘anti-conversion’ law in Arunachal could now be enforced

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: The Arunachal Pradesh government is working to bring a 1978 Act against “forceful” conversion out of cold storage by framing rules for its implementation, 46 years after it was enacted.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the contentious Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978?

• Why was it enacted?

• Why has it not been implemented so far?

• Why is the act back now?

• What is forced religious conversions?

• What is religious conversion in India?

• Forced conversion in religion and religious conversion-what is the difference?

• Force vs Will (Choice)-How forced conversion in religion is defined in India?

• Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees what?

• Is religious conversion part of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution?

Key Takeaways:

• The contentious Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978 was enacted by the then Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh’s first Legislative Assembly at a time when Arunachal was seeing rapid changes.

• It prohibits religious conversion “by use of force or inducement or by fraudulent means” and entails punishment of imprisonment for up to two years, and a fine of up to Rs. 10,000 for the offence of “converting or attempting to convert” forcefully “from one religious faith to another faith.”

• The Act also requires that every act of conversion be reported to the Deputy Commissioner of the district concerned. A failure to report this invites punishment for the person conducting the conversion as well.

• The Act specifies that “religious faiths” in this context include “indigenous” faiths, which the Act defines as religions, beliefs, observances, customs, etc. “as have been found sanctioned, approved, performed by the indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh from the time these communities have been known…” Included in this definition is Buddhism as practised among the Monpas, Membas, Sherdukpens, Khambas, Khamptis and Singphos; nature worship including the worship of Donyi-Polo among communities in the state; and Vaishnavism in practised by Noctes and Akas.

• Since it was enacted in 1978, successive governments have not framed the rules for its implementation, because of which it has laid dormant for nearly five decades.

Do You Know:

• Arunachal Pradesh is home to a number of different small ethnic communities with an array of different beliefs and practices. The Monpas and Sherdukpens of West Arunachal Pradesh bordering Tibet and Bhutan practice Mahayana Buddhism, while the Khamptis and Singphos in Eastern Arunachal practice Theravada Buddhism.

• Many other tribes engage in polytheistic nature and ancestor worship. Of these, the worship of Donyi Polo in particular, practised by the Tani group of tribes comprising the Nyishis, Adis, Apatanis, Galos, Misings and Tagins, has taken an institutionalised form over the years.

• Unlike other hilly North Eastern states such as Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, Christianity did not become common among Arunachal tribes till the 1950s. This was not just due to the difficult terrain, but also the colonial policy of isolating the “frontier regions” which included restrictions on the entry of missionaries. These restrictions continued even after Independence with the Inner Line system.

• Missionary efforts in the foothill areas of Assam led to inroads into what was then the North East Frontier Agency in the 1950s.

• In 2022, an advocate Tambo Tamin, who is a former general secretary of the Indigenous Faiths and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP), had filed a PIL in the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court appealing for the court to intervene over the “failure” of the state government to frame rules for the Act.

• On September 30 this year, after the Advocate General of Arunachal Pradesh told the court that draft rules had been framed and their finalisation would take another six months, the court closed the petition stating “we expect the concerned authorities to be mindful of their obligations and the draft rules would be finalised within a period of six months from today.”

• Interestingly, the 2011 census enumerated Hinduism as the second largest religion in the state at 29.04%, while ‘Other Religion’ and ‘Buddhist’ were recorded as 26.2% and 11.77% respectively.

• A report on the 1971 census — in which 22% of the population was recorded t as Hindu — 63.5% were recorded as ‘Other Religion’, 0.79% as Chrisitan – the then Director of Census Operations, J K Barthakur had observed that a large number of tribal followers of “indigenous faiths” had returned their religion as Hinduism, which he suspected was because of “similarities” to Hinduism because of multiplicity of deities and “customary rituals.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍In deep freeze since 1978, Arunachal wants to implement Act which curbs religious conversion

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
10. Which Article of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion, including the right to profess, practice, and propagate any religion?
(a) Article 14
(b) Article 19
(c) Article 25
(d) Article 32

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b)  2. (d) 3. (d) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (b) 9.(d) 10. (c)

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