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: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country
1. Compare and contrast Non-cooperation movement from the civil disobedience movement. (250 words)
Reference: Modern Indian history by Bipin Chandra
Why the question:
The question is from the static portions of GS paper I , part modern Indian history.
Key Demand of the question:
One is expected to differentiate the Non-cooperation movement from the civil disobedience movement.
Directive:
Compare and contrast – provide for a detailed comparison of the two types, their features that are similar as well as different. One must provide for detailed assessment of the two.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start the answer by briefly describing the philosophy behind both the movements.
Body:
The answer body must compare and contrast the two movements in detail. Non-cooperation movement was launched to unify Hindu and Muslims and to attain Swaraj. On the other hand Civil disobedience movement was launched to attain ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence.
Discuss the mode of operation, methodology, ambition, level mass participation etc. in the two movements.
Conclusion:
Conclude that though both the Non-cooperation movement and civil disobedience movement had many differences, they helped break the myth of benevolent despotism of British raj and unifying masses for future movement for independence.
Introduction
The background to the two movements was provided by a series of events after the First World War which belied all hopes of the Government’s generosity towards the Indian subjects. The non-cooperation and the civil disobedience movements were landmark moments during India’s independence struggle.
Both played a key role in ensuring that India’s independence from British rule was guaranteed on 15th August 1947 and both were the brainchild of Mahatma Gandhi. Although both the movements had the complete independence of India in mind, the manner in which they were executed and the methodology employed were remarkably different.
Body
Background
Non-Cooperation movement (1919-1922): During 1919-22, the British were opposed through two mass movements—the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation. Though the two movements emerged from separate issues, they adopted a common programme of action—that of non- violent non-cooperation. The Khilafat issue was not directly linked to Indian politics but it provided the immediate background to the movement and gave an added advantage of cementing Hindu-Muslim unity against the British’.
Civil Disobedience movement of 1930: The historic march, marking, the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement, began on March 12, and Gandhi broke the salt law by picking up a handful of salt at Dandi on April 6. The violation of the law was seen as a symbol of the Indian people’s resolve not to live under British- made laws and therefore under British rule.
Non-cooperation movement vis-a-vis Civil disobedience movement
- The stated objective of Civil Disobedience movement was complete independence and not just remedying two specific wrongs as in Non-cooperation movement and a vaguely-worded swaraj.
- The methods involved in Salt Satyagraha was violation of law from the very beginning and not just non-cooperation with foreign rule.
- There was a decline in forms of protests involving the intelligentsia in case of Civil Disobedience movement, such as lawyers giving up practice, students giving up government schools to join national schools and colleges.
- Muslim participation was nowhere near the Non-Cooperation Movement level.
- No major labour upsurge coincided with the movement, during the Dandi March.
- But massive participation of peasants and business groups compensated for decline of other features.
- The number of those imprisoned was about three times more after the Dandi march and aftermath in 1930.
- The Congress was organisationally stronger during the 1930’s.
Conclusion
Though both the Non-cooperation movement and civil disobedience movement had many differences, they helped break the myth of benevolent despotism of British raj and unifying masses for future movement for independence.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article highlights the challenges in the success of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and suggests the one-state solution instead.
Key Demand of the question:
Analyse the Israel-Palestine conflict in detail and analyse the amicability of the one-State solution.
Directive:
Analyze – When asked to analyse, 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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the two-state solution.
Body:
It involves dividing Palestine between the state of Israel and the indigenous population of Palestine. It was first offered by the British in 1937 and rejected by the Palestinians already then. In 1947 the United Nations insisted that the Palestinians should give half of their homeland to the settler movement of Zionism. The two-state solution, offered for the first time by liberal Zionists and the United States in the 1980s, is seen by some Palestinians as the best way of ending of the occupation of the West Bank.
Detail upon the interpretation of two-state solution. Highlight the issues associated.
Throw light upon one-state solution.
Conclusion:
Thus, the one-state solution is the way forward in Palestine and that should be the state for all citizens.
Introduction
The idea of partitioning Palestine between the settler movement of Zionism, and later the state of Israel and the indigenous population of Palestine is not new. United Nations and other civilised developed nations insisted that the Palestinians should give half of their homeland to the settler movement of Zionism. However, no solution has emerged even today. The recent airstrikes and causalities is a grim reminder of injustice to Palestinians.
Body
Background
- The Palestinians attempted to convince the international community that the problem was not only about dispensing with half of their homeland but that the settler movement of Zionism would not be content with just half of the country and intended to take as much of it as possible and leave in it as few Palestinians as possible.
- Under the guise of UN support, the new Jewish state took over nearly 80% of historical Palestine and ethnically cleansed almost a million Palestinians (more than half of Palestine’s population), and in the way demolished half of Palestine’s villages and most of its towns in nine months in 1948; an event known by the Palestinians as the Nakba, the catastrophe.
Challenges for implementing the two-state solution
- The two-state solution, offered for the first time by liberal Zionists and the United States in the 1980s, is seen by some Palestinians as the best way of ending of the occupation of the West Bank and at least the partial fulfilment of the Palestinian right for self-determination and independence.
- This is why the Palestine Liberation Organization was willing to give it a go in 1993, by signing the Oslo Accords.
- But the Palestinian position has no impact in the current balance of power. What mattered is how Israel interprets the idea and the fact that there is no one in the world that could challenge its interpretation.
- The Israeli interpretation, until the rise of Benjamin Netanyahu to power in 2009, was that the two-state solution is another means of having the territories, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, without incorporating most of the people living there.
- In order to ensure it, Israel partitioned the West Bank (which is 20% of historical Palestine) into a Jewish and an Arab part. This was in the second phase of the Oslo Accords, known as the Oslo II agreement of 1995.
- The Palestinians were forced to accept it under American and Egyptian pressure. One area, called area C, which consists of 60% of the West Bank) was directly ruled from 1995 until today by Israel.
- Under Mr. Netanyahu, Israel is in the process of officially annexing this area while at the same time ethnically cleansing the Palestinians living in it.
- The remaining 40% of the West Bank, areas A and B under Oslo II, were put under the Palestinian Authority, which optimistically calls itself the state of Palestine, but in essence has no power whatsoever, unless the one given to it, and withdrawn from it, by Israel.
Way Forward
- The only alternative is to decolonise historical Palestine.
- Which means that we should aspire to a state for all its citizens all over the country, based on the dismantlement of colonialist institutions, fair redistribution of the country’s natural resources, compensation of the victims of the ethnic cleansing and allowing their repatriation.
- All this will be so that settlers and natives should together build a new state that is democratic, part of the Arab world and not against it, and an inspiration for the rest of the region which desperately needs such models to push it forward towards a better future.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
‘The Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021’ would come into effect soon. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the objectives of new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. And analyse the concerns associated with non-compliance.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Analyze – When asked to analyse, 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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
The government has notified guidelines: The Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, that seek to provide a grievance redressal mechanism for users of digital platforms of all kinds — social media sites, messaging apps, over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, and digital news publishers.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Discuss first in detail the objectives of the rules.
Broadly, explain what the new rules require digital platforms to do.
Explain the context in which these rules have been framed.
Discuss the concerns around non-compliance.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
For the first time in February 2021, the government, under the ambit of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, had brought in detailed guidelines for digital content on both digital media and Over the Top (OTT) platforms, while giving overriding powers to the government to step in. Today, non-compliance of these rules by platforms such as facebook, twitter, instagram and whatsapp has raised concerns of their ban in India.
Body
Three tier mechanism of regulation
The new rules lay down a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism.
- One will be at the level of each OTT provider. Each complaint will have to be addressed within 15 days.
- If the complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, then the complainant can scale it up to a self-regulatory body collectively established by the OTTs.
- This body will be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, a High Court, or an independent eminent person from the field of media, broadcasting, entertainment, child rights, human rights or other relevant fields. This self-regulatory body also has “censuring” powers in case of any incriminating content.
- The rules say, “In case of any content where it is satisfied that there is a need for taking action to delete or modify the content for preventing incitement to the commission of a cognizable offence relating to public order.”
- To top this, at the third tier, the government has equipped itself with overriding powers in the form of “oversight mechanism”. An inter-ministerial committee will perform this function and it will largely have the same powers as the collective self-regulatory body of the OTTs.
- Over and above all this, the government has equipped itself with “emergency” powers. The rules state, “in case of emergency nature” the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may, “if he is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient and justifiable” give orders to block public access of any information.
- The rules state that he or she has to record the reason for doing so in writing and it will be an interim measure. Importantly, such orders can be released “without giving an opportunity of hearing” to the publishing platform.
Need for regulation
- The issue of content regulation has always been important in India because of the diverse nature of Indian society in terms of religion, economic status, caste and language. Therefore, the effect that digital media has on society forms the basis of its regulation by the state.
- The speed and reach of digital media especially social media have meant that subversive rumours and fake news get aired with impunity.
- This has resulted in serious law and order problems.
- In India, this phenomenon has assumed dangerous proportions. Fake news and hate speech have led to lynchings and communal flare-ups in many parts of the country. This menace needs to be curbed.
- Eg: Delhi Riots, DG Halli riots in Bangalore.
- The Supreme Court had expressed the need to regulate social media to curb fake news, defamation and trolling. It had also asked the Union government to come up with guidelines to prevent misuse of social media while protecting users’ privacy.
- Threat of foreign influence and interference in India’s domestic affairs is more real than ever, particularly from India’s hostile neighbours like China and Pakistan.
- The guidelines could help the government in tightening the noose on Chinese and other foreign companies who are making investments in digital media in the country.
Concerns with non-compliance
- It is unlikely that the intermediaries will be banned from operating in India for non-compliance. However, it may render their operations non-viable as they may be required to proactively monitor their platforms so as to avoid incurring liability.
- Under Rule 7 of the 2021 Rules, if an intermediary fails to observe any of the rules laid down, it loses protection afforded to it by Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Simply put, this would mean that an intermediary like Facebook or Twitter would be open for liability if a third-party user posts unlawful content on their platforms.
- If publication of such information amounts to an offence, the intermediaries hosting such information would also be punishable under the relevant law in the absence of the protection afforded under Section 79.
- Thus, non-compliance of the 2021 Rules would expose the intermediaries to significant liability.
Way Forward
- There is no denying that there are problems with online content, which the government has rightly highlighted now.
- Its release has referred to a 2018 Supreme Court observation that the government “may frame necessary guidelines to eliminate child pornography, rape and gangrape imageries, videos and sites in content hosting platforms and other applications”, besides making a mention of discussions in Parliament about social media misuse and fake news.
- Besides the regulation, data privacy law must be passed immediately as it has been on the back burner. State must also be held accountable in upholding privacy rights of its people.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article reflects upon the concerns around rural distress owing to the pandemic situation and the ways to overcome it.
Key Demand of the question:
Examine the urgent need to strengthen the public distribution system and the MGNREGS to deal with the pandemic induced distress in the rural areas.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the context of the question.
Body:
Highlight the details of the issue with some supporting facts (Take hints from the article).
Explain why there is an urgent need to strengthen the public distribution system (PDS) and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Suggest policies needed for higher growth and reduction in inequality of rural areas. Discuss possible solutions in detail.
Conclusion:
Conclude that Vaccination, expansion in rural healthcare and cash transfers should be part of the strategy to boost demand and address inequalities.
Introduction
Several States are under lockdown again. This will have severe implications for the livelihoods of those in the informal sector. There is adequate evidence that migrant workers and the rural poor have been facing great distress over the past one year and the crisis for food and work is only going to intensify further.
Body
Another migrant crisis and distress situation
- ‘Hunger Watch’ report compared the pre-lockdown situation last year to the situation in October 2020 to assess the impact of the nationwide lockdown.
- The survey involving 4,000 respondents across 11 States exposed the life and livelihood uncertainties of people belonging to low-income categories in the informal sector.
- In October 2020, 27% of the respondents said that they had no income; 40% respondents said that the nutritional quality of food had become “much worse”; and
- 46% of the respondents said they had to skip one meal at least once in the day in October 2020.
- The migrants have again become vulnerable due to the lockdown in different cities. While many have once again headed to their villages, a large population has got stranded in different parts of the country without work.
- The Stranded Workers Action Network, a group of individuals helping distressed migrant workers since last year, has been reaching out to workers for providing essential help.
- According to them, 81% of the people whom they reached out to said that work had mostly stopped since April 15, 2021 and 76% of the workers said they are short of food and cash and require immediate support.
Strengthen the public distribution system and the MGNREGS: Need of the hour
- In this context, there is an urgent need to strengthen the public distribution system (PDS) and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
- The government announced 5 kg free foodgrains for individuals enlisted under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), for May and June 2021.
- The government should expand PDS coverage immediately and include all eligible households under the schemes.
- According to an independent study, about 100 million people are excluded from the ration distribution system owing to a dated database based on the 2011 Census.
- The Centre should also extend the free food grains programme to a year instead of limiting it to two months.
- The economic crisis is likely to last for a long time. It is being reported that India procured record amounts of rice and wheat last year through mandis.
- The total procurement is way more than the current requirement for PDS. It is thus quite possible to expand the safety net of the NFSA.
Conclusion
A large population is facing hunger and a cash crunch. The situation is only becoming more dire as the pandemic continues to rage on. Therefore, the Union government should prioritise food and work for all and start making policy reforms right away.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
Reference: Hindustan Times
Why the question:
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has recommended that India should have Integrated Law Enforcement Centres (ILECs) on all its borders to deal with cross-border crimes.
Key Demand of the question:
Account for the need and importance of recently proposed Integrated Law Enforcement Centres (ILECs) for dealing cross-border crimes.
Directive:
Account – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you are in agreement with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly first reflect upon the Cross-border and trans-national crimes on Indian borders.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Explain first, Issues with current border security mechanism.
Then talk about the Integrated Law Enforcement Centres (ILECs); India should have ILECs on all its borders on the lines of the United States’ Department of Homeland Security and the European Union’s Frontex to deal with cross-border crimes including infiltration, terrorism, smuggling etc.
Account for the advantages of ILECs.
Conclusion:
Conclude that Law and Order is a ‘State subject’. Given the federal balance of power between the Centre and States, an overarching institutional arrangement would require strong political will at the Central level as well as accommodation by the states.
Introduction
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has recommended to the Centre that, India should have Integrated Law Enforcement Centres (ILECs) on all its borders on the lines of the United States’ Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the UK’s Border Agency and the European Union’s Frontex to deal with cross-border crimes including infiltration, terrorism, smuggling of drugs, cattle, fake currency, arms, etc.
Body
Integrated Law Enforcement Centres (ILECs)
- The ILECs, working inside the existing Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), will have the mandate to register, investigate and dispose of all types of cross-border crimes with jurisdiction clearly defined and coinciding with government regulations with respect to border guarding forces.
- They will maintain a wealth of cross-border crime data and process it for short-, medium- and long-term trends.
- Various factors affecting border security, such as political, economic, social, technological and legal environments etc. will be monitored.
- The data will be collated from different stakeholder agencies, mass-and-social-media, as well as cross-border sources.
- Subsequently, the ILECs will establish a situation room, where on the basis of collected, collated and analysed information from various sources, near real-time situation of the borders will be built up; and on the basis of continuous inflows of information, such situation will be updated.
- On the basis of time-series data, the trends of border-crimes in a particular sector of border will be analysed and utilized for planning routine operations by border guarding forces.
Need and importance of ILEC
- There are different agencies active on (India’s) land borders operating within the silos of their specific mandate striving for agency specific micro-level optimization with lesser degree of inter-agencies cooperation, coordination and complementarity.
- In fact, many a time, inter agencies competition leads to sub-optimal outcome at national level.
- There are instances of both gaps as well as overlapping in the role, jurisdiction and working of the agencies.
- India has been lacking synergy when it comes to border security management.
- The ILECs would be very helpful in bringing all agencies together to tackle the border crimes, like Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) – formed after 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has been a success when it comes to counterterrorism
Conclusion
The overall effectiveness of agencies while working in unison is likely to scale up in comparison to the existing situation, where they are working in their respective silos. For example, the powers of interception and electronic surveillance available with IB/RAW etc. can be complemented with the expertise available with NCB, the reach and manpower availability of BSF, the investigative skills and experience of the local police (all available under one roof) to detect and destroy modules focused on narco-terrorism. Same results can be emulated with the ILEC at the borders.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: Financial Express
Why the question:
Article highlights the importance of data driven approach in dealing with the future disruptions and suggests the reforms in the system. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain how data driven approach possibly will help India deal with the future disruptions from climate change and suggest reforms desirable in India’s data ecosystem.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief context of the question.
Body:
Explain that the data-driven tools were used for managing pandemic induced disruption. This offers an opportunity to restructure the data ecosystem for managing the disruptions of the future that are more likely to be driven by climate change.
Throw light upon the policies for data sharing in India; National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), 2012, government portal, data.gov.in etc.
Discuss the challenges associated with it. And suggest reforms needed in data-ecosystem.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
The centrality of data in managing challenges of 21st century has been most evidently demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The adoption of data-driven tools for managing pandemic induced disruption also offers an opportunity to restructure the data ecosystem for managing the disruptions of future that are more likely to be driven by climate change.
Body
India’s data ecosystem: NDSAP
- In Indian context, the National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), 2012 recognises the importance of data in improving decision making, meeting the needs of civil society and generating revenue through either open or, registered and restricted access to datasets.
- In 2012, a government portal (data.gov.in) was also established as a unified platform to enable sharing of data available with ministries, departments and other public agencies for wider public use.
- The sharing of data in this platform, apart from others, is further streamlined through the nodality of Chief Data Officer (CDO) in respective ministries.
- Certain datasets in such platforms are critical to develop a clear understanding of local capacities, its geographical setup, climate risks and vulnerabilities, and unique opportunities for mainstreaming climate action.
Challenges associated
- Though the challenge is not so much about whether we are collecting data, but rather whether it is usable, accessible and if it captures the details that end users are interested in.
- Even after years of the portal’s operationalisation, there are multiple data-sets that aren’t updated regularly (such as CSR expenditures that is available in a separate National CSR portal), or have missing data points (such as crop cultivation data-sets).
- Apart from these issues of quality of available datasets, there are others that just aren’t uploaded in it.
- Though NITI Aayog has indeed brought out more targeted indices to track climate actions such as under SDG-13 (climate action) of SDG India Index.
- But it remains vague in tracking improvements in climate resilience, by solely using number of lives lost due to extreme weather events.
Reforms needed
- A data driven approach to climate resilience necessitates certain fundamental reforms in India’s data-ecosystem.
- First, there is a need to collect complete datasets required to assess climate risks and vulnerabilities.
- This involves collection of datasets that are sex-disaggregated and geo-spatial and collect more nuanced dimensions like behavioural tendencies and disaster response capacities.
- It requires targeted research for designing better questionnaires and identifying new nodes for data collection.
- Updating the next census through minor addition to reflect these data needs could be a good starting point.
- Second, the data collected has to be made reliable and usable through an accountability framework.
- As the CDO currently doesn’t operate in the same legal framework as a Chief Information officer (CIO) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, there exists no liability for errors and omissions.
- A separate legislation in this regard would bring in the much-needed consistency in periodic collection of identified datasets and their proactive sharing in designated platforms.
- Third, there is a need for centralising public data that currently exists with different departments and public institutions.
- Then there are also multiple entities that manage different aspects of data.
- The National Data Governance Centre was planned to be set up in 2019 for precisely this objective, i.e., holding all public data and establishing guidelines for its management, sharing and monetisation. But it is yet to be operationalised.
Conclusion
Data is truly useful when it can provide actionable information, and this is particularly needed for climate-action at sub-national levels. It is time that India places itself on track to address the issues around the known unknowns of climate change, rather than adopting a knee-jerk response to global trends.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of developing green intellectual property.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss development of green intellectual property and explain its significance in achieving environmental sustainability in India.
Directive:
Deliberate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with what you understand by Green intellectual property.
Body:
The term ‘Green Intellectual Property’ refers to the protection of innovations in the field of green technology. It is a concept where innovations which are helpful to environment in one or the other way are legally protected.
India has slowly begun to realize pollution is not only an inconvenient by-product causing environmental degradation but it is also a fundamental threat to growth and development. If not taken seriously and contained, it will have a deep impact on the economy.
This led to a significant change in the mindset of people and political will. Major developments in clean energy technology have paved the way for business opportunities from the ‘green economy transition’
Discuss the benefits in detail, give examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude that robust IP protection facilitates green technology creation, adaptation and distribution. Depletion of non-renewable resources is taking place at a very fast pace and the availability of the same is finite. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a change towards a more sustainable lifestyle based on green technologies, which is part of the development of new global environmental policies and a stronger protection of IP rights is an integral part of this process.
Introduction
India has slowly begun to realise pollution is not only an inconvenient by-product causing environmental degradation but it is also a fundamental threat to growth and development. If not taken seriously and contained, it will have a deep impact on the economy. This led to a significant change in the mindset of people and political will. Major developments in clean energy technology have paved the way for business opportunities from the ‘green economy transition’.
Body
Green intellectual property: Meaning
- All green tech innovations are protected through the development of ‘green intellectual property’, which refers to the legal protection of innovations and advancements in the field of green technology.
- About 13 per cent of India’s high-value patents are related to green tech, which is in line with the world average.
- Overall, India is not a leading inventor of green-tech systems, although it performs significantly better than other low- to middle-income nations.
- In 2013, India successfully filed 1,140 high-value green patents, while Brazil filed 300 and South Africa 150. China filed 16,000.
- The vast majority of green patents are concentrated across a few nations.
- In recent times, India has seen a surge in churning out green patents. In 2017, it gave out 2,505 green patents.
Development of green intellectual property
- There is an inevitable demand for clean technologies. Countries that upskill appropriately and create industries to manufacture it has much to gain.
- They can accumulate value from the export of clean technologies and gain access to international markets.
- China has already positioned itself as the world’s leading exporter of affordable photovoltaic cells, Europe is innovating in wind and Japan and the USA are giving out patents in electrical vehicles.
- Countries that will focus their attention on fossil fuels will find themselves losing on market share in the international market.
- This turns out to be a “green marathon” because of the time taken to develop new skills and industries, and gain expertise in it.
- Countries mastering this early have a comparative advantage over others in the green market of goods / services.
Significance of Green technology especially for India
- By the adoption of green technologies, global warming caused due to emission of greenhouse gases and our sheer dependence on non-renewable sources of energy has been reduced gradually.
- Instead, we have found new and alternative sources of energy like wind, solar and biomass, through diving into this innovation of green technology.
- Hence, this will be a win-win situation for India in terms of both environmental sustainability and economic development.
- India is currently planning on one of the largest green energy projects that will generate 20,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power and 3,000 MW from wind farms on 50,000 acres of land in Karnataka.
- Green technology is not cheaper but is labour-intensive. This is a boon for India as it will create employment opportunities for our abundant labour force.
- The more we use green technology, the more it will expand our base for employment leading to economic development in the long run.
- In terms of scale, India is in an advantageous position. It has an established industry in low-carbon environmental goods and services (LCEGS).
- It has the third-highest LCEGS sales in Asia (second-highest in terms of proportion of gross domestic product).
- The country has a large scope of having a green boom in the coming years as it already has a market for green goods / services.
- It has several advantages ranging from knowledge spill overs to economies of scale, which makes it favourable for India to develop into a large green market with ease.
Conclusion
In the context of climate change and global warming, there arises a dire need to establish a robust innovation system, and facilitate access and reform the effective intellectual property systems. This will help keep the development, evolution and innovation in technology, products and services required in strong-arming the dynamic shift to the green economy.
