SECURE SYNOPSIS: 08 DECEMBER 2018
NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic– Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Why this question
Social media is omnipresent in our lives and has a huge bearing on society and individuals. This article attempts to examine this and provides a good perspective on the impact of social media which will be useful for paper 1 as well as essay.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain how social media is omnipresent in our lives, and explain the pros and cons of the impact of social media on society.
Directive word
Critically analyze – When asked to analyze, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, all you need to do is look at the good and bad of something and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that about 1.49 billion people on average log onto Facebook daily; every second, on average, around 6,000 tweets are tweeted on Twitter; and since its inception, over 40 billion photographs have been posted on Instagram. This is evidence of the huge presence of social media in our lives.
Body – Discuss the pros and cons of the impact of social media on society. Eg social media and the Internet have drifted from their promise of closing distances and exposing us to the views of those who existed beyond our personal networks. Instead, we find ourselves to be more rigid versions of our former selves; the problems associated with fake news; the role of social media in instigating violence etc. Also discuss the positives such as the fact that social media has become an echo chamber of the society, helped in creating awareness about several issues eg the fight for LGBTQ rights etc
Conclusion – Give a fair and balanced opinion about the impact of social media.
Background:-
- Information and communication technology has changed rapidly over the past 20 years with a key development being the emergence of social media. Both information and opinion need mediums and platforms. The internet is the medium; Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp are the platforms.
How internet and social media platforms pose challenge to society:-
- Legitimate vs fake information:-
- Challenge is how you permit what is considered legitimate content and information, and at the same time disallow the plethora of fake information as well as threats and abuse conveyed through these platforms.
- There are questions raised whether to ban the medium or platform or content.
- Rumours triggering lynchings and riots, data snooping etc.
- Economic loss :-
- A report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations says that between 2012 and 2017, India lost around Rs.20,000 crore due to internet shutdowns.
- Impacts democracy:-
- Social media companies exploit the social environment. This is particularly nefarious, because these companies influence how people think and behave without them even being aware of it. This interferes with the functioning of democracy and the integrity of elections
- Personal information collected:-
- Fundamental business model of social media companies like Facebook poses some serious concerns. Their goal is to collect as much personal information on individuals as possible and then use this information to sell highly targeted advertising to companies. Worldwid e there is very little understanding of what exactly they collected, little regulation and little known about the consequences on democracy.
- This level of data collection represents the concentration of enormous power in the hands of a single corporation. The Cambridge Analytica scandal has highlighted how this power can be used by a small group of people with an agenda to foster polarisation, radicalisation and undermine democratic elections.
- Currently very difficult to control because:-
- The number of users using social media platforms and internet are ever increasing and volume of traffic is huge.
- AI is still in nascent stages and it will take at least a decade to develop such AI which can automatically weed out harmful and unwanted content etc.
- Individual users are increasingly viewed as legitimate targets for mining personal and metadata. Such data can provide an intimate psychological profile including ideological preferences that together help campaign managers target communications and forecast voter behaviour.
- Data theft and identity crisis:-
- Data of millions are taken and used when only 270,000 people knowingly or unknowingly gave consent.
- Individuals often share their data without being aware of it or understanding the implications of privacy terms and conditions.
- Individuals do not have much rights over the data they shared and personal data is considered as the new oil.
- A new study from Pew Research claims that 62 percent of people get their news from social media, with 18 percent doing so very often. Social media’s influence in political campaigns has increased tremendously.
- People are getting trapped in narrower world views that are seeping into not only voter behaviour but everyday personal interactions.
- Health:-
- Researchers have found that hyper-networking leads to negative health behaviour leading to laziness, obesity, depression, drug abuse, isolation or in the worst cases it may even lead to suicide.
- Its heavy usage has ill effects on health issues and there is cyber bullying, online harassment and trolling
- The trolling of women has brought to the fore the disturbing reality of online violence and abuse women face in India.
Social media has some positive impacts as well:-
- Without social media, social, ethical, environmental and political ills would have minimal visibility. Increased visibility of issues has shifted the balance of power from the hands of a few to the masses.
- Social media activism brings an increased awareness about societal issues, questions remain as to whether this awareness is translating into real change.
- Because social media allows people to communicate with one another more freely, they are helping to create surprisingly influential social organizations among once-marginalized groups.
- It helped in creating awareness about several issues, eg the fight for LGBTQ rights etc.
- Social media has definitely made us closer to other parts of the world.
- WhatsApp is important for rural users, as it helps them cheaply connect to family members far away and send pictures of their products to clients across India.
- Social media platforms provide a platform to raise their voice against injustice and inequality.
- Social media have increasingly been adopted by politicians, political activists and social movements as a means to engage, organize and communicate with citizens.
Way forward:-
- Companies claim that they are merely distributing information. But the fact that they are near-monopoly distributors makes them public utilities and should subject them to more stringent regulation, aimed at preserving competition, innovation, and fair and open access.
- Recent laws directed at social media have that changing in Germany, social networks could pay up to $60 million in fines if hate speech isn’t removed within 24 hours.
- Social networks need to enhance their own governance, continue to refine the algorithms, use more “friction” like warnings and notifications for suspicious content expand human oversight, adjust advertising, and continue to share knowledge with other networks to reach those goals.
- India needs to have a legal framework for data protection. It will create a vital and necessary framework against which rights and responsibilities can be articulated, and digressions thereof evaluated.
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- A proper data protection law with an effective enforcement mechanism would ensure recognition for India as a trustworthy global destination for data-based businesses and privacy-conscious consumers while also protecting the Right to Privacy of the people in India.
- Cyber law provisions need to be revised as the current approach of the Indian law is very narrow.
- International agreements form an important node in a web of solutions needed to address security and the rule of law in cyberspace. Given India’s vision of a Digital India and considering the surge in cybercrime, it would be beneficial for India to join Budapest Convention
- Experts have pointed to the importance of aspects such as following basic cyber hygiene and a periodic review of the security facets of one’s profile on various web platforms, especially on social media, where users tend to share personal information.
- When there are no legitimate security or public interest reasons, users should have the right to have their data destroyed.
Topic – Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Why this question
The article discusses the achievements of Gandhi in doing political as well as constructive work and discusses the impact of these work. This article provides an important commentary on the contribution of Gandhi to freedom struggle and uplifting Indian society, and hence this question.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain the impact of the political work and the constructive work done by Gandhi and analyze whether the impact of his political work was much more than his constructive work. Finally, we need to provide a fair and balanced conclusion about the impact of Gandhi.
Directive word
Critically examine – When you are asked to examine, you have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details, and find out the causes or implications if any. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, all you need to do is look at the good and bad of something and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that Throughout his public life in India (1915-48), Gandhi devoted his energies to both the political campaign for India’s freedom as well as a range of socio-economic interventions that were clubbed under the rubric of constructive work. Such activities included communal harmony, the removal of untouchability, sanitation, khadi, village industries and basic education or Nai Talim
Body
- Explain the nature of constructive and political work done by Gandhi.
- Subsequent to the Poona Pact, in 1933-34, Gandhi undertook a countrywide campaign against untouchability. His experiences and thinking in that period deeply informed the shape of constructive work in the 1930s.
- Gandhi’s conception of poorna swaraj or complete independence went beyond the removal of colonialism. He argued that it encompassed political, social and economic freedoms, indeed “freedom in every sense of the term”.
- in order to devote himself to addressing the economic needs of rural India, Gandhi resigned from the Congress in 1934, founded the All-India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) and eventually moved to Sevagram. Crucially, Gandhi mandated that the AIVIA be run “unaffected by and independent of the political activities of the Congress”. Moreover, its workers had to sign a pledge refraining from any form of political activity. These measures were designed to carve out an autonomous sphere for constructive work etc
- Discuss the impact of Gandhi’s political and constructive work. Gandhian constructive workers helped “people in their everyday needs”, thereby gaining “the sympathy of the masses”. However also highlight that the constructive work was attempted not just to gain sympathy for the freedom struggle but also to establish a Ram Rajya or Gandhi’s version of a perfect society.
Conclusion – Mention that While Gandhi met with lesser success in his constructive work compared with his political campaigns, he saw them as an indivisible whole.
Background:-
- Gandhi devoted his energies to both the political campaign for India’s freedom as well as a range of socio-economic interventions that were clubbed under the rubric of constructive work. Such activities included communal harmony, the removal of untouchability, sanitation, khadi, village industries and basic education
Gandhi political strategy :-
- The main pillars of Gandhi’s political philosophy were non-violence, tolerance of others, respect for all religions and a simple life.
- There is more to Gandhi which makes him a political thinker and a relevant social reformer. Gandhi was a dialogical thinker who was open to other horizons of thinking.
- He encouraged inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, so that individuals could see their faith and culture in a comparative and critical reflection of the other.
- Gandhi believed that decentralised politics and an egalitarian economy function better at the level of micro-communities, where citizens can operate in relations of reciprocity and mutuality.
- In Gandhi’s political thinking, the experience of freedom derives not only from constitutional rights but mainly from the diverse modes of participation of the individual in a common humanity.
- Indian democracy survived and became stronger over the years only because India had Mahatma Gandhiand his message that the answer to violence does not lie in violence; that hatred should not be countered by hatred is applicable to India due to the harmony among different communities.
- Mahatma Gandhi and his values have become more relevant for today’s society which is under turmoil and suffering from social evils, corruption, terrorism and violence.
- Gandhian technique of mobilising people has been successfully employed by many oppressed societies around the worldunder the leadership of people like Martin Luther King in the United States, Nelson Mandela in South Africa, and now Aung Saan Sun Kyi in Myanmar, which is an eloquent testimony to the continuing relevance of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi attempts at constructive work :-
- Untouchability :-
- Subsequent to the Poona Pact, in 1933-34, Gandhi undertook a countrywide campaign against untouchability.
- His experiences and thinking in that period deeply informed the shape of constructive work in the 1930s.
- Gandhi’s conception of poorna swaraj or complete independence went beyond the removal of colonialism. He argued that it encompassed political, social and economic freedoms, indeed freedom in every sense of the term.
- In1941, with the political crisis on the boil, Gandhi penned a pamphlet on how to achieve complete independence through truthful and non-violent means. That pamphlet was not a political tract, but was titled ‘Constructive Programme. Gandhi become increasingly convinced of the efficacy and urgency of constructive work.
- He believed constructive work can be thought of as a different mode of politics.
- The questions that Gandhi sought to address through constructive work are very much alive today. While the country has witness high growth rates in recent decades, both urban and rural India are plagued by the problems of social and economic inequality and injustice as well as the challenges posed by a multitude of environmental crises.
- Much like his approach to non-violent politics, Gandhi’s thinking on constructive work also offers useful contemporary lessons to those willing to listen and heed.
- However the constructive work was attempted not just to gain sympathy for the freedom struggle but also to establish a Ram Rajya or Gandhi’s version of a perfect society.
Topic: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the various schemes introduced by the government of India in order to empower women socially and economically.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the issues faced by Indian women. E.g illiteracy, female foeticide, poor representation in workforce, sexual harassment and violence , patriarchal mindset etc.
Body-
Discuss in points and briefly describe the schemes and programmes launched by the government of India to empower women socially and economically. E.g
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
- One Stop Centre Scheme
- Women Helpline Scheme
- UJJAWALA : A Comprehensive Scheme for Prevention of trafficking and Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-integration of Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation
- Working Women Hostel
- SWADHAR Greh (A Scheme for Women in Difficult Circumstances)
- Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)
- NARI SHAKTI PURASKAR
- Mahila police Volunteers
- Mahila E-Haat
- Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK)
- NIRBHAYA
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Background:-
- Women make up half of India’s population. Over the years we have seen women grow in public life – working in offices, representing in international sports, in bureaucracy, politics, international organisations and much more. This change is positive and is happening at a pace faster than ever before.
Women Empowerment Schemes:-
- Financial empowerment:-
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana was launched in 2015, under which small affordable deposits are made in the bank accounts of girls, with the benefit of higher rate of interest.
- Support to Training and Employment Program (STEP) is aimed at adding new skills to women.
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, has within two years brought in 16.34 crore women under the banking system.
- Encouraging Entrepreneurship
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, the government has provided credit to small entrepreneurs without collateral. 75% of these loans have been given to women, with 9.81 crore women entrepreneurs already benefitting from them under the scheme.
- Over 47 lakh SHGs have been promoted under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
- Skill development is another key aspect for raising the potential of our female workforce. Half of the certificates awarded under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana have been given to women candidates.
- To reach the yet unreached women across the country, ministry has recently launched the Mahila Shakti Kendra scheme. Under this 3 lakh student volunteers are fanning out across the country to directly reach women at village level with government schemes and services for their empowerment.
- The government seeks to bring women to the forefront of India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing access to loans, markets and training.
- The MSME Development Organisations (MSME-DO), the various State Small Industries Development Corporations (SSIDCs), the nationalised banks and even NGOs are conducting various programs including Entrepreneurship Development Programs (EDPs) to cater to the needs of potential women entrepreneurs.
- SIDBI has been implementing two schemes for women entrepreneurs namely, Mahila Udyam Nidhi and Mahila Vikas Nidhi.
- A few government efforts at promoting entrepreneurship and innovation are:
- Start-up India.
- Stand-up India.
- Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP).
- Trade related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD).
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
- Science for Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED).
- Mudra Yojana for women.
- NITI Ayog launched Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP).
- Empowering Motherhood
- The paid maternity leave for working women to 26 weeks empowers them as they need not fear loss of salary or job due to childbirth.
- In order to extend protection to the unorganised sector as well, pregnant and lactating mothers are provided cash incentives under the PM Matru Vandana Yojana.
- Women health:-
- To empower women and protect their health, the Ujjawala scheme has been introduced, which provides free LPG cylinders to women from BPL families to replace unclean cooking fuels.
- Women safety:-
- 33% reservation for women in the police force is also being implemented.
- The Nirbhaya Fund is also being used to roll-out comprehensive plans to make 8 major cities in the country safer for women and also improve our forensic analysis abilities in cases of sexual assault.
- National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) scheme 2016-17 is a combined strategy for inter-sectoral convergence of programs for women, with the use of multiple communication tools in advocacy campaigns.
- Women’s helpline came into existence to reach out to women in distress.
- Women’s SHGs have mobilised and facilitated women in availing facilities for development, be it information, financial or material resources or services.
- In all such women-centric programs, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) forms an inseparable part.
- The issue of women’s empowerment caught the entire nation’s imagination with the launch of ‘Beti Bachhao Beti Padhao’ program at Panipat in Haryana in 2015, one of the worst affected districts in the state, with the abysmally low Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB).
- The program has already begun showing positive gains. Reason for its success is the success of public communication strategy which is based on innovative local level interventions.
- Other schemes are:-
- One Stop Centre Scheme
- UJJAWALA :
- A Comprehensive Scheme for Prevention of trafficking and Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-integration of Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation
- Working Women Hostel
- Swadhar Greh (A Scheme for Women in Difficult Circumstances)
- Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)
- Nari shakti puraskar
- Mahila E-Haat
- Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK)
Success of the schemes :-
- India has been successful in achieving gender parity in school education. Even in technical and professional education the representation is significantly increasing.
- The literacy rate of women has risen from a mere 9% in 1951 to 65% in 2011.
- In the workplace today, every fourth worker in India is a woman. With their increasing participation in a variety of fields, women’s bargaining power in both private and public life is
- Elected women representatives now make up about 46% of our panchayat members. With this the landscape of our country is changing from ground up.
- Institutional births have risen to an all-time high of 79% in 2014-15. The maternal mortality rate has dropped by half in the decade between 2001-03 and 2011-13.
- The number of women with a bank account has also increased.
Criticism:-
- Women still face serious dangers to their life and liberty in our country. We hear of horrific incidents of violence every day.
- Women still contribute a disproportionate amount of unpaid work in their homes and on farms.
- They are often not given an equal say in household or work decisions.
- The conventional ‘one size fits all’ empowerment programmes fail to address problems of the most marginalised women.
- Women’s multiple identities of class, caste, ethnicity, gender and other forms of hierarchy and differences including social locations in households as daughters, daughter-in-law, mothers, mother-in-law, wives and widows tend to push women to the margins and make them more vulnerable to discrimination in terms of access to basic human rights, opportunities and resources.
- To challenge the dominant beliefs of the society in terms of hierarchy, patriarchy and power politics requires empowerment policies and programmes that seek to and understand how the convergence of multiple identities with gender manifests to impede women’s empowerment
- Banking Correspondents (BCs):
- The strategy has not given fruitful results due to lack of adequate branding of BCs because of low incentive and compensation structure and preference for brick and mortar branch by the rural economy.
- Stereotyping of women continues:-
- New stories of violence or sexual harassment against women do appear on newspapers, but often with a bias in reporting.
- Women as serious decision makers or as hard core professionals are mostly being overlooked.
- Their success stories only find place, when they have been able to break the glass ceiling and or have reached the pinnacle of success.
Way forward:-
- Strengthening economic citizenship of women involves meeting her personal aspirations, while she contributes to household’s income and is a caregiver.
- Pursuit of inclusive growth involves the role of the state as a regulator while providing public goods and services alongside liberal socio-cultural norms within the household/ community.
- Fiscal policies like lower taxes did not improve female employment as the gains from it perhaps did not offset the costs involved.
- With stagnant and low share of formal sector employment, the announcement in the Budget 2018, that contribution by new women recruits to EPFO be reduced from 12% to 8% to increase the take home pay may neither incentivize participation nor retention rates.
- MGNREGA increased FWPR, reduced gender gaps in wages in other markets with positive implications on poverty, child and own nutritional status and empowerment.
- Collection of time use data would inform how women spend their time in social production but will also give insights about how men in many families share household work.
- Caregiving and breadwinning are equally important for improved well-being of the individuals in a nation.
Topic: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
Why this question
Transgender persons are one of the most neglected and marginalised section of Indian society, facing neglect from the family as well as the government. It is therefore important to discuss about the problems faced by the community and also look into the the Transgender Bill, 2016 and bring out to what extent it will solve their issues.
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the problems faced by transgenders in India. It also wants us to look into the Transgender Persons bill and express our opinion as to what extent the bill will resolve the issues faced by the community.
Structure of the answer
Introduction- write a few introductory lines about the Transgender persons in India- their population etc. e.g According to the 2011 Census, the number of persons who do not identify as ‘male’ or ‘female’ but as ‘other’ stands at 4,87,803 (0.04% of the total population).
Body-
- Discuss in points the problems faced by them. E.g The transgender communities are discriminated at all levels; rejected by society as well as the family; Apart from begging, the entire community is forced into sex work. The one reason for being forced into sex work is because unavailability of livelihood resources; constant denial of housing in housing societies and other areas leading them to being housed in slums; susceptibility to various sexual diseases, violence and discrimination; negligible political participation etc.
- Discuss the pros and limitations of the Transgender Persons bill. E.g it provides a modified definition of transgender persons in line with international norms; mandatory for any organisation employing transgender persons to designate an official to examine complaints of discrimination and other grievances; comprehensive definition of discrimination; The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare. It directs the central and state governments to provide welfare schemes in these areas etc; cons- section 377, which has been put down by the SC however; issues of reservation in jobs and politics have not been resolved by the bill etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Background:-
- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) conducted the first-ever nationwide survey of the transgender community in India and found that 92% of the people belonging to the community are subjected to economic exclusion.
Problems faced by transgender persons :-
- Historical:-
- Indian Penal Code enacted by the Britishrecognised only two genders, creating a binary that never existed.
- Over time, these constructs were absorbed in Indian society. The community has since faced extreme forms of violence for not conforming to socially dictated gender identities.
- Poverty:-
- In too many cases, this lack of legal protection translates into unemployment for transgender people.
- Harassment and stigma:-
- The community still faces considerable stigma .
- They have to either resort to or are forced into begging or sex work since they remain socially circumscribed from other forms of employment.
- When the Kochi Metro Rail Limited formally employed 23 transgender persons, eight of them dropped out after being unable to find suitable accommodation based on the monthly wages they drew (between Rs.9,000 and Rs.15,000). Many households were unwilling to let out their houses to them.
- Despite recruited in government services like police ,principal etc they drop out due to immense pressure and insensivity by the public.
- Sex work makes this community a high-risk group for HIV according to India’s National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), compounding the stigma they face
- According to the NHRC data, 99% of the transgender community in India have faced social rejection.
- Transgender persons cannot inhabit public spaces and command the same respect because their bodies themselves are considered as stigmatised presences.
- Violence:-
- The community, especially those who are a part of the ‘guru-chela’ structure in Hijra gharanas and practise the traditions of “mangti” and “badhai”, are often harassed, detained under begging prohibition laws, and forced into begging homes.
- Barrier to healthcare:-
- Face barriers to obtaining medically-necessary health services and encountering medical professionals who lacked transgender health care competency.
- Identity Documents :-
- The widespread lack of accurate identity documents among transgender people can have an impact on every area of their lives, including access to emergency housing or other public services.
- The primary crisis faced by the transgender community is a denial of sexual citizenship.
- Exclusion:-
- In the case of transgender children, their families, unable to accept their status, subject them to domestic violence, which often compels these children to leave home.
- Largely, they are estranged from their families, which removes them from one of the most primary forms of social legitimacy. As per the NHRC survey, only 2% of transgender persons in India live with their families.
- Drawbacks in law:-
- Transgender identity is not yet recognised in criminal law, whether as the third gender or as a self-identified male or female.
- There is also no clarity on the application of gender-specific laws to transgender persons.
- There are other issues that worry transgender persons such as their right to property, adoption, marriage, pension, and care for the old and the disabled.
Transgender bill :-
- The latest draft of the bill defines a transgender person as a person whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth
- The 2016 Bill says that no transgender shall be separated from parents or immediate family except on the order of a competent court in the interest of such a person and that if the family is unable to care for the person, the transgender should be placed in a rehabilitation centre.
- The Bill defines a transgender person as one who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male. In addition, the person’s gender must not match the gender assigned at birth, and includes trans-men, trans-women, persons with intersex variations and gender-queers
- A transgender person must obtain a certificate of identity as proof of recognition of identity as a transgender person and to invoke rights under the Bill. Such a certificate would be granted by the District Magistrate on the recommendation of a Screening Committee. The Committee would comprise a medical officer, a psychologist or psychiatrist, a district welfare officer, a government official, and a transgender person.
- The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare. It directs the central and state governments to provide welfare schemes in these areas.
- Offences like compelling a transgender person to beg, denial of access to a public place, physical and sexual abuse, etc. would attract up to two years imprisonment and a fine.
Issues with the bill:
- Government, however, has refused to address two major issues – decriminalising homosexuality under Section 377 that directly concerns transgenders and reservation for transgender community in educational institutions and government organisations.
- Absence of a definition of “discrimination”.
- The Bill provides for the right of a transgender to ‘self perceived gender identity.’ But there are no such mechanisms provided for the enforcement of a right. No corresponding remedy has been provided for this right.
- The right to self-determination of a transgender has been rightly recognized by the Supreme Court under right to life in Article 21 of the Constitution of India, but the objective means to achieve this has not been focused upon.
- The appointment of the District Screening Committee is also against the NALSA judgement which recognized right to self-identity as an inalienable right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India
- Similarly, the bill is silent in areas of health, affirmative action,and decriminalising activities that marginalised trans communities are compelled to undertake to eke out a living. There are also no penal provisions in the law to guard against the trans community being subjected to atrocities and to protect its members in prisons and juvenile homes.
- Another shortcoming in the implementation which the Bill will face is lack of mechanism for representation of the transgenders. For example, as we have a National Commission for Women and for lower castes, a similar type of provision ought to be made here too.
- Although the Bill may come into force, it may still not be effective due to lag in the authorities to act for the rights of the transgenders.
- Further, some provisions of the Bill are also in conflict with the international conventions on transgenders.
Solutions :-
- Sensitising the workforcein protecting the rights and dignity of the community.
- Implement transgender bill effectively :-
- The Bill recommends the formation of a National Council for Transgender Persons that is tasked with monitoring and evaluating policies formulated for transgender persons. This may pave the way for fulfilling the community’s long-standing demand for representation in the Rajya Sabha.
- Leading voices from the community have called for vocational programmes in creative fields, a recommendation made by the Standing Committee too.
- There is need for a comprehensive surveyon the socio-economic status of the community.
- Transgender welfare boardsare needed in different States.
- Transgender persons should take part in the national Census to generate accurate data.
- Explicit policies on transgender-friendly registration and non-discriminationand healthcare workers need to be trained to provide non-judgmental care.
- Standing committee recommendations:-
- Recommended re-drafting the definition of a ‘transgender person’ to make it inclusive and accurate; providing for the definition of discrimination and setting up a grievance redress mechanism to address cases of discrimination and granting reservations to transgender persons.
- There is a requirement of special courts which can deal with the offences against transgenders speedily and effectively.
- The Supreme Court has held that the right to self-identification of gender is part of the right to dignity and autonomy under Article 21 of the Constitution. However, objective criteria may be required to determine one’s gender in order to be eligible for entitlements.
- The Bill states that a person recognised as ‘transgender’ would have the right to self-perceived gender identity. However, it does not provide for the enforcement of such a right. A District Screening Committee would issue a certificate of identity to recognise transgender persons.
- The Bill includes terms like ‘trans-men’, ‘trans-women’, persons with ‘intersex variations’ and ‘gender-queers’ in its definition of transgender persons. However, these terms have not been defined. Certain criminal and personal laws that are currently in force only recognise the genders of ‘man’ and ‘woman’. It is unclear how such laws would apply to transgender persons who may not identify with either of the two genders.
General Studies – 2
Topic – Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities
of various Constitutional Bodies.
Directive word
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to express our knowledge and understanding of the NCW and express our opinion as to whether it needs/ needs not to be given more powers to handle the complaints filed by the aggrieved women more effectively.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the NCW- e.g when it was established and what are its objectives.
Body-
Discuss the powers that need to be given or enhanced so that NCW could function more effectively with regards to complaint redressal. E.g mention that NCW is a statutory body which needs to be given constitutional status; mention the inadequate no of members of the commission and delays in appointment; absence of the powers of the civil court etc.
Conclusion- based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Background:-
- Following the #metoo movementand the constitution of the Group of Ministers (GoM) to look into laws against sexual harassment at the workplace Union minister for Women and Child Development – is likely to make a bid for strengthening the National Commission for Women (NCW) and giving it more teeth to grapple with complaints of harassment made by women.
Yes, more powers need to be given :-
- The ministry wants constitutional status for NCW, which currently has no legal powers to summon police officers or witnesses.
- Functioning of the NCW has to be strengthened and given more powers as part of any effort to strengthen the laws for safety of women at the workplace.
- It did a good work before with more powers it can do more:-
- It took up women related issues and was proactive in Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats, Reviewed laws such as Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, PNDT Act 1994, Indian Penal Code 1860 and the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to make them more stringent and effective.
- The National Commission of Women has evolved an innovative concept of Parivarik Mahila LokAdalat (PMLA) which supplements the efforts of the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) for redressal and speedy disposal of the matters related to marriage and family affairs pending in various courts.
- NCW can only summon the accused but cannot penalize or punish anyone.
- NCW’s functions are dependent on the grants offered by the central government. Financial assistance provided to the Commission is very less to cater to its needs.
- These issues can be resolved :-
- NCW’s members are appointed by the government and the commission does not have power to select its own members.
- NCW lacks concrete legislative power. It enjoys power only to recommend amendments and submit reports.
- Often it takes action only of the issues are brought to light. Unreported cases of suppression and oppression are generally ignored by the Commission.
- NCW has no power to take legal actions against the Internal Complaint Committees which have lackadaisical attitude towards grievance redressal of women facing harassments at workplaces.
Way forward :-
- Commission must be granted the power of selecting its own members. The members should be chosen without any prejudice and should have fair knowledge of law and understands the society and human behaviour.
- More awareness has to be created especially among the rural women about the existence of the Commission. The Commission can employ a person at the district level to bring into light the atrocities occurring at the district level.
- Though the NCW is doing good work for the women in India, the commission address the above mentioned shortcomings and must increase the awareness by conducting country wide campaigns, workshops and consultations.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
6) Discuss the key features of agricultural export policy 2018 and it’s likely impact?(250 words)
Why this question
The Union cabinet Thursday approved an export policy for agriculture, lifting all restrictions on organic and processed food, to help the government’s efforts to double farmers’ income by 2022. Hence we need to know about the details of the policy and it’s likely impact.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the objective and the design of the policy. Thereafter, we need to discuss the impact that the policy is likely to have. In case we feel there are certain areas where the policy could have been slightly different needs to be brought out. Finally, we need to provide a conclusion where we give our view on the policy and discuss way forward.
Directive word
Discuss – Here in your discussion you need to bring out the details of the policy and debate the impact of it.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Mention that The Union cabinet Thursday approved an export policy for agriculture, lifting all restrictions on organic and processed food, to help the government’s efforts to double farmers’ income by 2022.
Body
- Discuss the objectives of the policy
- To double agricultural exports from present US$ 30+ Billion to US$ 60+ Billion by 2022 and reach US$ 100 Billion in the next few years thereafter, with a stable trade policy regime.
- To diversify our export basket, destinations and boost high value and value added agricultural exports including focus on perishables.
- To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
- To provide an institutional mechanism for pursing market access, tackling barriers and deal with sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues.
- To strive to double India’s share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chain at the earliest.
Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.- Analyze how the policy plans to achieve these objectives
- Dedicated clusters could be set up for mangoes, pomegranate, bananas, grapes, tea, coffee, turmeric, and marine products
- set up ‘Brand India’ to promote exports and establish as strong quality regime for exports, and states will be extensively involved.
- attract private investment into production and processing. Etc
- Discuss the issues facing agricultural exports etc and examine how the policy will help in addressing those issues.
Conclusion – Give your view on the policy and discuss the way forward.
Background :-
- Union cabinet approved an export policy for agriculture, lifting all restrictions on organic and processed food, to help the government’s efforts to double farmers income by 2022.
- In order to provide an impetus to agricultural exports, the Government has come out with a comprehensive “Agriculture Export Policy” aimed at doubling the agricultural exports and integrating Indian farmers and agricultural products with the global value chains.
Objectives :-
- Objectives of the Agriculture Export Policy are as under :-
- To double agricultural exports from present US$ 30+Billion to US$ 60+ Billion by 2022 and reach US$ 100 Billion in the next few years thereafter, with a stable trade policy regime.
- To diversify export basket, destinations and boost high value and value added agricultural exports including focus on perishables.
- To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
- To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and deal with sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues.
- To strive to double India’s share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chain at the earliest.
- Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.
The recommendations in the Agriculture Export Policy are in two categories :-
- Strategic 2. Operational
- Strategic:It Includes
(a) Policy measures
(b) Infrastructure and logistics support
(c) Holistic approach to boost exports
(d) Greater involvement of State Governments in agri exports
- Operational:It includes
(a) Focus on Clusters
(b) Promoting value added exports
(c) Marketing and promotion of “Brand India”
(d) Attract private investments into production and processing
(e) Establishment of strong quality regimen
(f) Research & Development
(g) Miscellaneous
Key features of agricultural export policy :-
- Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 seeks to double farm exports to $60 billion by 2022 from $30 billion last year.
- 1,400 crore to set up specialised clusters in different states for different produce to push exports.
Impact :-
- The Policy will double the agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and agricultural products with the global value chains. Exports of agricultural products would play a crucial role in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income by 2022.
- The policy will promote organic, ethnic and indigenous products.
- The policy seeks to diversify exports by products and destination and will focus on high value-added farm produce and perishables. At present, rice, wheat and marine products account for about 52% of the total farm exports.
- Dedicated clusters could be set up for mangoes, pomegranate, bananas, grapes, tea, coffee, turmeric, and marine products, among others. The government will set up ‘Brand India’ to promote exports and establish as strong quality regime for exports, and states will be extensively involved.
- The policy that has strategic and operational elements will also seek to attract private investment into production and processing.
- It will harness export potential of Indian agriculture through suitable policy instruments to make India global power in agriculture and raise farmers income.
- Considering the sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues that farm exports usually run into with many countries, the policy will provide an institutional mechanism to pursue market access and tackle barriers.
- The policy has been designed with extensive consultations with states that have agreed to remove a lot of restrictions including mandi taxes and APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) related conditions.
General Studies – 3
Topic – climate change
Why this question
The framing of the rulebook for tackling climate change in COP 24 is an important step being undertaken to tackle climate change. Hence we need to know the issues involved therein.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain about the major issues that are impeding the framing of the rulebook and what needs to be done.
Directive word
Examine – When you are asked to examine, you have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details, and find out the causes or implications if any.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that the world is in deep trouble. Average global temperatures have crossed a degree Celsius above preindustrial levels and such concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (410 ppm) has never been seen by humans before. The 24th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Katowice, Poland (December 3-14) is meant to take forward steps to address this threat of climate change.
Body
- Explain the macro issue – The purpose of the meeting is to set guidelines, or agree on a rulebook, to implement pledges that were made by various countries at the Paris Climate Conference in 2015. In the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), planned ahead of the Paris COP-21, each country described the actions it would take and the levels to which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be reduced (mitigation). Many of them also described what they would do to improve their capacity to live in a warmer world (adaptation), and the extent to which these goals required support in the form of finance or technology transfer. Framing these rules has several issues involved.
- Discuss the issues involved
- Framing the rulebook means agreeing on such things as common standards to measure emissions, processes for monitoring, reporting and verification (‘MRV’ in climate jargon) of the various actions being taken by individual countries, and guidelines and institutions to facilitate diffusion of appropriate technologies to countries and regions that need them. It also means putting in place clear and transparent accounting mechanisms to measure and verify flows of climate finance.
- track record of the developed countries in fulfilling their finance commitments has been disappointing. They have often been accused by developing countries of double-counting, inflating claims, re-packaging existing aid money as climate finance, and ignoring the requirements of adaptation activities. Developing countries insist that climate finance must be “new and additional” and must be provided for mitigation as well as adaptation efforts as mentioned in the Paris Agreement.
- Countries with average income exceeding $15,000 typically have the capacity and finance and technology to reduce their emissions dramatically. They must also alter their lifestyles considerably, which is required for the transformational change that the 1.5 Degree Report calls for.
- separate stream referred to as “loss and damage” needs attention. This is a provision for support to poor countries experiencing economic and non-economic losses and destruction from climate change events. There has not been much progress on this issue by the task force set up to advance it.
- Explain how the issue is attempted to be resolved at COP24 and what the next course of action should be
Conclusion – Emphasize on the necessity of coming to an agreement as soon as possible for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
Background :-
- In the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) planned ahead of the Paris COP-21 each country described the actions it would take and the levels to which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be reduced (mitigation). Many of them also described what they would do to improve their capacity to live in a warmer world (adaptation) and the extent to which these goals required support in the form of finance or technology transfer.
- The current conference at Poland comes soon after a special publication by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 1.5 Degree Report, according to which what we need are far reaching, speedy transformative changes in our societies in order to stay below 1.5° C. Calling for an immediate and drastic drop in GHG emissions through technology and lifestyles and a focus on mitigation and adaptation.
Why tackling climate change need to look into issues framing the rule book :-
- There has been little progress on finance, technology transfer and capacity development. Article 9 of the Paris agreement calls for financial support from developed countries that is significantly derived from public funds, which should represent a progression beyond previous efforts. This was expected to result in at least $100 billion per year to address needs and priorities of developing countries for mitigation and adaptation. But this is not happening.
- Framing the rulebook means agreeing on such things as common standards to measure emissions, processes for monitoring, reporting and verification (‘MRV’ in climate jargon) of the various actions being taken by individual countries, and guidelines and institutions to facilitate diffusion of appropriate technologies to countries and regions that need them. It also means putting in place clear and transparent accounting mechanisms to measure and verify flows of climate finance.
- Track record of the developed countries in fulfilling their finance commitments has been disappointing. They have often been accused by developing countries of double-counting, inflating claims, re-packaging existing aid money as climate finance, and ignoring the requirements of adaptation activities. Developing countries insist that climate finance must be new and additional and must be provided for mitigation as well as adaptation efforts as mentioned in the Paris Agreement.
- Countries with average income exceeding $15,000 typically have the capacity and finance and technology to reduce their emissions dramatically. They must also alter their lifestyles considerably, which is required for the transformational change that the 1.5 Degree Report calls for.
- Separate stream referred to as loss and damage needs attention. This is a provision for support to poor countries experiencing economic and non-economic losses and destruction from climate change events. There has not been much progress on this issue by the task force set up to advance it.
