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: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
As Gujarat features a tableau commemorating a massacre of Bhil tribespeople by colonial troops in 1922, as India delves into the history of tribal engagement with the British.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about how various forms of oppression resulted in various tribal revolts and its significance.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by mentioning that eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries witnessed many tribal uprisings against the oppression of ruling class.
Body:
Mention about the various issues faced by tribals such as imposition of a high land revenue demand by the state, corrupt practices, the colonial policies further aggravating their hardships such as destruction of Indian handloom and handicraft industries eviction of peasants from their lands, encroachment on tribal lands etc, money lenders, eviction etc. Cite a few instances of peasant and tribal revolts such as Bhil, Mappila, Santhal etc to substantiate your points.
Next, write about the reasons for the failure of these revolts.
Next, Write about its significance of these tribal revolts.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning that in the long run up to the National freedom struggle, the Peasants and tribals struggle evolved and became part of main stream national movement eventually.
Introduction
Tribal movements in India arose during the British colonial period due to the colonial oppression. Tribal movements or rebellions were due to occupation of tribal land and interference and overwhelming them with outside cultures hampering the lives of the tribals.
Body
The causes for the tribal uprisings included
- Imposition of Land revenue Settlement. For instance, Famine, enhanced land revenue demands and economic distress goaded the Chuar aboriginal tribesmen of the Jungle Mahal of Midnapore district and also of the Bankura district (in Bengal) to take up arms.
- British policies and acts like the establishment of the Forest department in 1864, Government Forest Act (1865) and Indian Forest Act (1878)which restricted the activities of tribals in forest areas led to their ire against the British. g.: Koya revolt against British for denial of tribal’s rights over forest areas.
- Extension of settled agriculture. E.g.: : The British expansion on their territory led to an uprising by the martial Pahariyas of the Raj Mahal Hills in 1778.
- New excise regulations which imposed a ban on tribals to make their own liquor, an important trait of their culture.
- Large scale transfer of forest land. g.: large-scale transfers of land from Kol headmen to outsiders like Hindu, Sikh and Muslim farmers and money-lenders who were oppressive and demanded heavy taxes.
- Restrictions on shifting cultivation in forest. For eg.: Khasi and Garo rebellions against occupation of hilly land and ban on shifting cultivation.
- Introduction of the notion of private property.
- Exploitation by low country traders and money lenders. E.g: Santhal rebellion against moneylenders and traders. The Ulgulan uprising against money lenders
- Work of Christian Missionaries and against the interference of other religions such as Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. g: Tana Bhagat Movement
Significance
- The uprisings helped create an united notion against the oppressive nature of British rule.
- It laid bare the colonial rule of East India company.
- It played an important role in bringing the tribal people together and imparting to them the consciousness of belonging to one country.
- The Tribal rebellions in India took place for social, cultural and political reasons, particularly against the acquisition of their land and exerted their rights over forest resources.
Reasons for failure
- Though these early movements created a healthy culture promoting expression of local dissent against authoritarianism, they also faced certain limitations.
- Though as single events, these revolts were powerful and pervasive in their region; from the national perspective, they were localised and isolated events that didn’t capture the popular imagination of the nation at large. This limited the effect that these uprisings could have had.
- Additionally, most of these uprisings arose from dissatisfaction over local grievances, and the rest of the nation could not identify with the agitating persons and express empathy for their grievances.
- The uprisings were not revolutionary in ideas, thought or ideology, but were just external manifestations of protests over particular grievances.
- They presented no alternate solution to the public, and failed to galvanise them into action.
- The leaders of most of these uprisings were semi-feudal in character and hence, had a traditional, conservative outlook.
- They were easily satisfied if the British provided even minor concessions or agreed to their specific demands.
- Hence, no large scale reform of society was perceived or even demanded for by the people participating in these protests.
Conclusion
It is evident that the colonial rule even, during the days of the east India Company witnessed numerous uprising and disturbances. These varied grievances reached their climax in the revolt of 1857, which in spite of targeting certain groups of Indians remains the prominent uprising against the British before the beginning of the Indian Freedom movement.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Difficulty level: Moderate.
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the objectives of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat scheme and to evaluate to what extent it has furthered cooperative federalism in India.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining cooperative federalism in India.
Body:
In the first part, write about the objectives of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat scheme.
Next, write about successes of the scheme in deepening cooperative federalism in India. Substantiate with facts and examples.
Next, write about shortcomings of the scheme and how it can further be leveraged to enhance cooperative federalism.
Conclusion:
Conclude by passing a balanced judgement on the scheme in regards to deepening of cooperative federalism in India.
Introduction
“Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” (EBSB) was announced by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 31st October, 2015 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Subsequently, the Finance Minister announced the initiative in his Budget Speech for 2016-17. Through this innovative measure, the knowledge of the culture, traditions and practices of different States & UTs will lead to an enhanced understanding and bonding between the States, thereby strengthening the unity and integrity of India. All States and UTs will be covered under the programme. There will be pairing of States/UTs at national level and these pairings will be in effect for one year, or till the next round of pairings.
Body
Objectives of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
- To CELEBRATE the Unity in Diversity of our Nation and to maintain and strengthen the fabric of traditionally existing emotional bonds between the people of our Country;
- PROMOTE the spirit of national integration through a deep and structured engagement between all Indian States and Union Territories through a year-long planned engagement between States;
- To SHOWCASE the rich heritage and culture, customs and traditions of either State for enabling people to understand and appreciate the diversity that is India, thus fostering a sense of common identity;
- TO ESTABLISH long-term engagements and
- TO CREATE an environment which promotes learning between States by sharing best practices and experiences.
Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat role in promoting cooperative federalism
- EBSB has helped to foster national integration by a co-ordinated mutual engagement process between States, Union Territories, and Central Ministries, by means of long-term inter-state engagements through cultural exchanges and educational programmes
- EBSB has helped to promote greater cultural interaction and people-to-people exchanges between different states in India and celebrate India’s cultural diversity
- Various ministries have launched initiatives to celebrate the diversity of India.
- For instance, Ministry of Educationlaunched Bhasha Sangam to teach basic sentences of everyday usage in 22 Indian languages. Other initiatives launched include Bhasha Sangam Mobile App and the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) Quiz App.
- Food festivals / culinary exchanges are held to make people familiar with the cuisines of the paired state as well as other states of the country
- Under tourism exchange, various activities are held like dissemination of information about monuments and tourist places, organising road shows for tour operators, promotion of home stays, conducting of webinars etc.
Shortcomings:
- The mission floundered from the start and was moved out of the Culture ministry in 2016 and handed over to HRD.
- Financial challenges are huge to the scheme leading to failure of implementation.
- Inter-state disputes due to water, boundary demarcation issues, language etc. have hindered the implementation of EBSB.
- The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns have further put brakes on EBSB.
- The other federal issues like GST compensation, NIA etc have interrupted EBSB.
Conclusion
Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat will ensure the collaborative efforts towards development and recognition of the spirit of unity in diversity, which stands out as a tall flame of nationhood that needs to be nourished and cherished into the future. India is a unique nation, whose fabric has been woven by diverse linguistic, cultural and religious threads, held together into a composite national identity by a rich history of cultural evolution, coupled with a freedom struggle that was built around the tenets of non-violence and justice.
Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Polity by M. Laxmikanth.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about asymmetric federalism and its need.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining asymmetric federalism in India.
Body:
Explain the asymmetric federalism prevalent and followed in the country; the main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States. But there are other forms, too, all set up to address specific local, historical and geographical contexts. Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature and Union Territories without a legislature. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude with uniqueness and importance of India’s federalism.
Introduction
Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. The term asymmetrical federalism refers to a flexible type of union of states which allows the government to cut different deals with different states in special matters pertaining to them. This method allows the government to grant special status to some units providing them with special powers not enjoyed by other states. Asymmetry involves providing greater autonomy to some states when compared with others. It permits particular states to have greater executive, legislative, and at times, judicial powers than other states.
Body
Asymmetric federalism in India:
The following four characteristics highlighting the fact that the Indian Constitution is not a “traditional federal Constitution”:
- Firstly, being that there is no provision of separate Constitutions for each State as required in a federal state. The Constitution of India is the supreme document, which governs all the states.
- Secondly, the Constitution can be altered only by the Union Parliament; whereas the States have no power to alter it.
- Thirdly, in contradiction to a federal Constitution, the Indian Constitution renders supreme power upon the Courts to invalidate any action which violates the Constitution.
- Fourthly, the distribution of powers facilitates local governance by the states and national policies by the Centre.
- The main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States. But there are other forms, too, all set up to address specific local, historical and geographical contexts. Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature, and Union Territories without a legislature.
- Just as the Centre and the States do not have matching powers in all matters, there are some differences in the way some States and other constituent units of the Indian Union relate to the Centre. This creates a notable asymmetry in the way Indian federalism works
Need for Constitutional Asymmetry in Indian Federalism in India
- The Indian Constitution is a constitution sui generis.
- On one hand, the constitution contains features which are of high importance for a federal arrangement, at the same time it contains provisions which fight for a strong Centre, thus making it quasi-federal in nature.
- The fact to be appreciated here is that these dual federalism provisions were deliberately incorporated to best fit a polyglot country like India
- These special provisions in the Constitution help in protecting fundamental rights, and compensate for initial inequalities in the social system.
- Allowance for separate laws to govern different religious groups, and provisions for various kinds of affirmative action for extremely disadvantaged groups help in ensuring justice to them.
- These provisions respects and preserve diversity of the country by protecting vulnerable group through special powers. This ensure unity in diversity leading to ‘sabka sath sabka vikas’.
- It act as a solution to satisfy different needs of various federal units, as the result of an ethnic, linguistic or cultural difference. Asymmetric federalism has helped in reducing dissatisfaction among various states
Asymmetric federalism in Indian states
- A strong Union: Residuary powers vested with it, it is an indestructible Union with destructible States constituting it, Emergency provisions give the Union overriding powers over the States to tackle any adverse exigency, power to initiate a constitutional amendment lies with the Union, President’s Rule, Governor’s office, etc.
- Special provisions for some States: Article 371 of the Constitution makes some special provisions for States or regions of States that are socio-economically backward, have internal security challenges, difficult geographical conditions, predominance of tribal populations with distinct identity and cultures, etc.
- Allocation of Parliamentary seats to the States is not uniform but on the basis of population
- The Sixth Schedule envisages special provisions for and autonomy to tribal areas in four north-eastern States
- Special Category Status (SCS) given to 11 States as a means of financially assisting States at a relative disadvantage due to various factors
- Union Territories: Puducherry and Delhi have legislatures, while the other territories under the Centre do not have legislatures or a ministerial council to advise the administrator. Even between Puducherry and Delhi, there is a notable difference.
- Puducherry has legislative powers on any matter mentioned in the State List or the Concurrent List, insofar as it applies to the Union Territory. Delhi, which has the same field, has three further exceptions: police, land and public order are outside its purview. However, Parliament has overriding powers over any law made by the Assembly in the Union Territories.
- Article 370: Special powers were given to the state of Jammu and Kashmir help in reducing radicalisation. It has helped in providing representation to minority areas and areas with less population providing them justice. However, the article is now amended.
Conclusion
Specific socio-economic and political circumstances warrant the ‘asymmetrical’ federal structure of Indian polity. It is important to fulfill the aspiration of social and economic democracy and to promote egalitarian development throughout the country. It also serves to keep regional resentments under check which if neglected can lead to separatist tendencies as manifested in the demands for statehood. Thus national unity and integrity is also contingent on this scheme of federalism.
Value addition
Federal Features of the India Union:
- Two governments i.e. Union Government and State governments
- Division of powers between the union and its constituents (Seventh Schedule of the Constitution contains three lists such as the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List)
- Supremacy of the Constitution (Basic structure of the Constitution is made indestructible by the Judiciary)
- Partial rigidity of the Constitution
- Independent Judiciary
- Bicameralism
Unitary Features of the Constitution:
- A strong centre – The Union Government becomes all powerful in certain times like emergencies. Article 200 of the Constitution of India demands that the States must comply with the central laws.
- Single Constitution
- Single citizenship
- Flexibility of Constitution
- Integrated judiciary
- Appointment of the Centre. E.g.: Governor
- All India Services
- Emergency provisions
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: orfonline.org
Why the question:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed strategic facets of the India-EU cooperation with European Union’s (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles and also deliberated upon global hotspots, including Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the need for greater cooperation between India and the EU in the current global scenario.
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly mention the current global geopolitical scenario dominated by Sino–US rivalry.
Body:
First, elaborate upon how the Sino–US rivalry has reduced the multilateralism across the world.
Next, explain the areas in whih India and EU can come together to further multilateralism in the global politics – Trade, Security, climate change, digitalisation, and the malfunctioning of international organisations etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward to realise the above.
Introduction
The relationship between the US and China was already teetering close to the edge of a cliff before COVID-19, but the pandemic pushed it right off. Even with the handling of Covid-19 crisis, there have been many verbal confrontations between the two nations. The U.S.-China relationship has deteriorated over a range of issues from cybersecurity and tech supremacy to human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. The US sees China as the pre-eminent challenge.
Body
Background of US-China relations in recent times
- China’s claim to hegemony has been evident in recent times, especially with the policies it is pursuing across the world.
- The Debt-trap Diplomacy and recent trade war with USA are examples of this policy
- China is building an alternate trading system (the Belt and Road Initiative); a multilateral banking system under its control (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, New Development Bank); its own global positioning system (BeiDou); digital payment platforms (WeChat Pay and Alipay); a world-class digital network (Huawei 5G); cutting-edge technological processes in sunrise industries; and a modern military force.
- It is doing this under the noses of the Americans and some of it with the financial and technological resources of the West.
- Even with Covid-19 crisis looming large over the world, China pursued aggressive tactics in the South China Sea.
Impact of Sino-US rivalry on multilateralism
- Due to threats of tariff, many countries are signing bilateral FTAs with USA.
- If USA insists on ‘no china deal policy’, this could be the end of multilateralism.
- The US has withdrawn trade benefits for India under its Generalized System of Preferences; imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium and filed several cases against India at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- As of now, India has not retaliated, but in the long run it can pose a serious challenge for India.
- Moreover, USA is pushing for plurilateral deals on matters like e-commerce which are of interest to a few large US firms and this will weaken WTO to a significant extent.
Various facets of India-EU bilateral relations:
- Trade and Investment:
- The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 12.9% of India’s overall trade. Further the trade in services have almost tripled in last decade.
- Overall, the EU is the second largest investor in India, with €70 billion of cumulative FDI from April 2000 to March 2017, accounting for almost one quarter of all investments flows into India.
- EU and India remain close partners in the G20 and have developed a regular macroeconomic dialogue to exchange experience on economic policies and structural reforms.
- Energy Cooperation: EU – India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
- Research and Development: India, participates in international ITER fusion. India also participates in research and innovation funding programme ‘Horizon 2020’
- Environment and Water: The EU and India also cooperate closely on the Indian Clean Ganga initiative and deal with other water-related challenges in coordinated manner.
- Migration and mobility: The EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) is a fundamental cooperation agreement between India and EU.
- Development cooperation: Over €150 million worth of projects are currently ongoing in India.
Opportunities for stronger India-EU ties
- The EU wants to pivot away from China. It recently signed a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China, which has drawn a lot of flak and its ratification has now been suspended because of diplomatic tensions.
- The European Parliament remains overwhelmingly opposed to this deal after China imposed sanctions on some of its members, in response to the EU imposing sanctions against China for its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.
- With the EU being India’s largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination, the economic logic of strong India-EU economic relations is self-evident.
- The virtual summit saw India and the EU launching an ambitious “connectivity partnership” in digital, energy, transport, and people-to-people sectors, enabling the two to pursue sustainable joint projects in regions spanning from Africa, Central Asia to the wider Indo-Pacific.
- Exports to EU: India has an untapped export potential of $39.9 billion in the EU and Western Europe. The top products with export potential include apparel, gems and jewellery, chemicals, machinery, automobile, pharmaceuticals and plastic.
- India benefits from tariff preferences under the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for several of these products.
- In fact, India is among the major beneficiaries of the EU’s GSP, with exports under the GSP valued at nearly $19.4 billion in 2019, accounting for nearly 37% of India’s merchandise exports to the EU.
- New emerging world order after COVID-19:As EU seeks to move away from a global supply chain that is overly dependent on China, India can emerge as its most natural ally.
Concerns in India-EU ties
- Stalled EU-India BTIA: It is being negotiated since 2007 and both sides have major differences on crucial issues such as: –
- EU’s demands: significant duty cuts in automobiles, tax reduction on wines, spirits etc, a strong intellectual property regime, relaxation in India’s data localisation norms, protection to all its items with Geographical Indication etc.
- India’s demands:‘Data secure’ status (important for India’s IT sector); Ease norms on temporary movement of skilled workers, relaxation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) norms etc.
- Trade imbalance:India accounts for only 1.9% of EU total trade in goods in 2019, well behind China (13.8%). Trade imbalance is expected to further increase with ratification of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, which will make Indian exports less competitive.
- India’s perception of EU:It views EU primarily as a trade bloc, preferring bilateral partnerships with Member States for all political and security matters. This is evident from lack of substantive agreements on matters such as regional security and connectivity.
- Brexit:It is unclear how U.K.’s withdrawal from EU will affect India’s relation with EU as whole.
- Human Rights concerns of EU: The European Parliament was critical of both the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Way Forward
- To translate their common values into common action, EU and India in can work in third countries to consolidate democratic processes and build capacities of transitioning regimes through strengthening electoral and parliamentary institutions.
- EU can collaborate with India to facilitate connectivity and infrastructure projects in third countries, particularly smaller states in South Asia that often fall prey to power politics and fiscal instability resulting from China’s loans and political influence as part of its BRI.
- Thus, as highlighted by EU strategy on India, adopted in 2018, India EU should take their relations beyond “trade lens”, recognizing their important geopolitical, strategic convergence.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
The country’s labour population ratio (LPR) has dropped to 42%, according to the International Labour Organization.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the policy measures required to offset impact of the pandemic, automation and educated unemployment
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by citing a statistic to show the extent of unemployment in India.
Body:
First, mention how the above mention three factors have contributed to various facets of unemployment in India and its impact
Next, stress on the targeted policy that are needed to specially address the above and overcome them.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Unemployment has become a chronic problem of India and in the recent years the situation has only worsened. The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) recently released the unemployment status report of India which showed the unemployment rate in the country was 7.91% in December 2021. It was 7% in November 2021.
Body
Unemployment crisis in India
- With migrant labourers retreating to their native places, the impact seems to be more severe in urban areas where the unemployment rate is now reaching 10 per cent.
- With 73.5 lakh job losses in April, the number of employees (both salaried and non-salaried) fell from 39.81 crore in March to 39.08 crore in April for the third straight month.
- In April 2020, which was the first full month of the national lockdown last year, the unemployment rate had zoomed to 23.5%.
- Women tend to face a double challenge, with lower labour participation and a higher unemployment rate for females compared with males (for ages above 15).
- For the January-April 2021 period, urban female LPR was 7.2% compared with the urban male’s 64.8%, while urban female unemployment was 18.4% against the urban male unemployment rate of 6.6%, CMIE data showed.
Causes for the sharp decline in the jobs in India
- The labour force is the sum of the employed and those unemployed who are seeking employment.
- A shrinking of the labour force is most unusual in an economy with a growing population, and thus a growing working age cohort.
- Low education and lack of skills lead to loss of many job opportunities. On the other hand, the share of young adults in higher education in India has more than doubled over the years.
- Discouraged-worker effect: A section of those hitherto willing to work may have simply dropped out of an already challenged labour market.
- Demonetization has caused demoralisation among a section of the already unemployed who may have given up all hope of finding employment.
- About 90% of Indian Workforce is in the unorganized sector which was majorly affected during Demonetization and GST introduction.
- Declining Capital formation which is not backed by Public and Private Investment.
- Low female LFPR to the tunes of 24% also adds to high unemployment rate.
- Automation and IR4.0 is a looming threat to many jobs which have repeated work or sequential work.
- Socially disadvantaged groups do not get enough exposure in the job market like the general castes and Other Backward Classes.
- Labour laws in India are complex and relatively strict. Employment protection legislation is restrictive, compared with other emerging economies and OECD countries. Thus, corporates in India tend to rely more on temporary contract labour, stay small or substitute labour for capital to avoid strict labour laws.
Measures suggested
- Increase public spending in education:
- At 3.8% of GDP, public spending on education in India is lower than countries like Brazil and Malaysia.
- The focus of the government needs to shift to spending on enhancing the quality of education and vocational training.
- Similarly, allowing foreign investment in sectors like legal and accountancy services will create employment as more foreign firms will move to India.
- Infrastructure investment can also be utilised as an engine of job-creation.
- Investing in people through healthcare, quality education, jobs and skills helps build human capital, which is key to supporting economic growth, ending extreme poverty, and creating more inclusive societies.
- Educated unemployment:
- Besides promoting technical education, the government needs to focus more on creation of jobs and demand for workers since industries are unable to create sufficient job opportunities for all the technically educated people
- Policies should ensure that the education systems prepare young people for the skill demands of employers through outreach programmes, training, apprenticeships, and access to job-search assistance measures.
- More businesses should recognise the opportunity, and need, to invest in young people so that they can help in developing the qualities necessary for education and future employment.
- NGOs should engage collectively in policy advocacy on youth They should also partner with companies to develop skills and training programmes to tackle youth unemployment.
- Singapore has launched certain programmes to establish partnerships between domestic and foreign universities to promote tertiary education. India could learn from such initiatives.
- New age sectors like defence and aerospace, education and healthcare, and burgeoning green sectors like solar energy and wind, present another massive opportunity to identify ‘upcoming jobs’ and prepare talent accordingly. India’s ambition to create more than one million new jobs in the green energy sector by 2022 is encouraging.
- Educated unemployment:
- There should be cluster development to support job creation in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Most of the unorganised sector employment is in MSMEs, which tend to be concentrated in specific geographic locations.
- Private sector leaders should build capacity among unskilled and semi-skilled workers to ensure sustainability of renewable energy projects and provide opportunities to rural communities.
- Government officials should create public training programmes to prepare the poor and less educated people especially semi-skilled and unskilled for employment in the clean-energy sector.
- People need to be made self employed by providing training in skills and latest technologies for agriculture and other avenues especially in rural areas.
- Women in rural areas who are left behind by men due to migration need to look into other sources of livelihood other than agriculture like animal husbandry etc..
Conclusion
In 2020, although the economy was in a very poor state following the deleterious effects of demonetisation, the rural economy was faring reasonably well on the back of two good monsoons.
However, after a year of distress, and with some part of the workforce still not having returned to their work places, rural incomes are expected to be under pressure. Economists say they are already seeing signs of sluggishness in rural consumption.
Value-addition
Steps taken by government in recent times
- Dedicated Shram Suvidha Portal: That would allot Labor Identification Number (LIN) to units and allow them to file online compliance for 16 out of 44 labor laws.
- Random Inspection Scheme: To eliminate human discretion in selection of units for Inspection, and uploading of Inspection Reports within 72 hours of inspection mandatory.
- Universal Account Number: Enables 4.17 crore employees to have their Provident Fund account portable, hassle-free and universally accessible.
- Apprentice Protsahan Yojana: Government will support manufacturing units mainly and other establishments by reimbursing 50% of the stipend paid to apprentices during first two years of their training.
- Revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana: Introducing a Smart Card for the workers in the unorganized sector seeded with details of two more social security schemes.
- The National Career Service is being implemented as a mission mode project to provide various job-related services information on skills development courses, internships etc
Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
Difficulty level: Moderate.
Reference: The Hindu
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the steps that are needed to harness India’s food processing potential.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate 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:
Begin by giving a statistic about current status of food processing industry in India.
Body:
First, in detail, write about the scope for food processing in India – youth population, growing demand, its suitability, sustained agricultural production etc.
Next, write about the steps that must be take by the food processing industry to step up to realise its potential.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Food processing generally includes the basic preparation of foods, the alteration of a food product (usually raw) into another form (as in making preserves from fruit), and preservation and packaging techniques. Food processing typically takes harvested crops or animal products and uses these to produce long shelf-life food products.
It includes the process of value addition to produce products through methods such as preservation, addition of food additives, drying etc. with a view to preserve food substances in an effective manner, enhance their shelf life and quality.
The challenge to feed the 10 billion population by mid-century is a daunting challenge across the globe.
Body:
Scope of FPI in India:
- India is the world’s second largest producer of fruits & vegetables after China but hardly 2% of the produce is processed.
- India is among the top 5 countries in the production of coffee, tobacco, spices, seeds etc. With such a huge raw material base, we can easily become the leading supplier of food items in the world.
- In spite of a large production base, the level of processing is low (less than 10%). Approximately 2% of fruits and vegetables, 8% marine, 35% milk, 6% poultry are processed. Lack of adequate processable varieties continues to pose a significant challenge to this sector.
- Economic Survey 2020: During the last 6 years ending 2017-18, Food Processing Industries sector has been growing at an average annual growth rate of around 5.06 per cent.
- Employment: According to the Annual Survey of Industries for 2016-17, the total number of persons engaged in registered food processing sector was 54 lakhs. (whereas unregistered FPOs supports 51.11 lakh workers)
- Farmer Beneficiaries: The SAMPADA scheme is estimated to benefit about 37 lakh farmers and generate about 5.6 lakh direct/ indirect employment (ES 2020 data).
- Curbing Distress Migration: Provides employment in rural areas, hence reduces migration from rural to urban. Resolves issues of urbanization.
Challenges facing food processing industry in India
- Demand of processed food is mainly restricted to urban areas of India.
- Major problems are listed below:
- Small and dispersed marketable surplus due to fragmented holdings
- Low farm productivity due to lack of mechanization,
- High seasonality of raw materials
- Perishability and lack of proper intermediation (supply chain) result in lack of availability of raw material.
- This in turn, impedes food processing and its exports.
- More than 30% of the produce from farm gate is lost due to inadequate cold chain infrastructure.
- The NITI Aayog cited a study that estimated annual post-harvest losses close to Rs 90,000 crore.
- Lack of all-weather roads and connectivity make supply erratic.
- The food processing industry has a high concentration of unorganised segments, representing almost 75% across all product categories. Thus, causes the inefficiencies in the existing production system.
- Further, most processing in India can be classified as primary processing, which has lower value-addition compared to secondary processing.
- Due to this, despite India being one of the largest producers of agricultural commodities in the world, agricultural exports as a share of GDP are fairly low in India relative to the rest of the world.
Solutions to address the challenges
- The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing PMKSY (Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana). The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease agri-waste.
- Mega Food Parks.
- Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure.
- Creation/Expansion of Food Processing/Preservation Capacities.
- Infrastructure for Agro Processing Clusters.
- Scheme for Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages.
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy: FDI up to 100%, under the automatic route is allowed in food processing industries.
- Agri Export Zones: To give thrust to export of agro products, new concept of Agri Export Zones was brought in 2001. APEDA has been nominated as the Nodal Agency to coordinate the efforts
- cluster approach of identifying the potential products;
- the geographical region in which these products are grown;
- Adopting an end-to-end approach of integrating the entire process right from the stage of production till it reaches the market (farm to market).
Conclusion
Food processing has a promising future, provided adequate government support is there. Food is the biggest expense for an urban Indian household. About 35 % of the total consumption expenditure of households is generally spent on food. As mentioned, food processing has numerous advantages which are specific to Indian context. It has the capacity to lift millions out of undernutrition. Government has its work cut out to develop industry in a way which takes care of small scale industry along with attracting big ticket domestic and foreign investments.
General Studies – 4
Topic: determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context growth of A.I as well growing ethical concerns regarding it.
Body:
First, write about the technological potential of A.I and by taking examples highlight the ethical concern associated with A.I.
Next, suggest ways to address the above concerns in an equitable and efficient manner without stifling the growth of technology.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising that technology has to grow within ethical boundaries of modern societies.
Introduction
We often see technology as a helping hand or better yet, a path to a better world. But before any of that, we have to lay down the ethics with in it so we can have a moral underground on where to start. This is especially true with Artificial intelligence.
Body
Techno ethics views technology and ethics as socially embedded enterprises and focuses on discovering the ethical use of technology, protecting against the misuse of technology, and devising common principles to guide new advances in technological development and application to benefit society.
Background: Rapid development of AI
- In just the last decade, AI has evolved with unprecedented velocity — from beating human champions at Jeopardy (a game) in 2011, to vanquishing the world’s number one player of Go, to decoding proteins.
- Already, AI has helped increase crop yields, raised business productivity, improved access to credit and made cancer detection faster and more precise.
- It could contribute more than $15 trillion to the world economy by 2030, adding 14% to global GDP. Google has identified over 2,600 use cases of “AI for good” worldwide.
- As AI is evolving, it is raising some new ethical and legal questions. AI works by analysing data that is fed into it and draws conclusions based on what it has learned or been trained to do.
- Though it has many benefits, it may pose a threat to humans, data privacy, and the potential outcomes of the decisions. To curb the chances of such outcomes, organisations and policymakers are crafting recommendations about ensuring the responsible and ethical use of AI.
Need for value-based global AI governance framework
- First, algorithms, whether static or of the machine-learning sort, are not value-free. The data underlying them and the formulae that make them function, think, and transform over time embody the biases of history and that of their designers.
- This means that algorithms should be subordinated to the same kind of universal ethics regime that governs human and state behaviour: something similar to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Artificial intelligence will make human lives more efficient.
- But here we must not mistake efficiency for morality – just because something is more efficient does not mean that it is morally better.
- For example, people can make more efficient weapons – more efficient at killing people and destroying things – but that does not mean they are good or will be used for good. Weapons always reflect a form of damage to the common good.
- As the realms of unexplored areas of AI progresses, existing regulation will become obsolete.
- The challenge today is that several AI applications have been used by consumers or organisations only for them to later realise that the project was not ethically fit. An example is the development of a fully autonomous AI-controlled weapon system which is drawing criticism from various nations across the globe and the UN itself.
- Another challenge arises from a data protection perspective because AI models are fed with data sets for their training and learning. This data is often obtained from usage history and data tracking that may compromise an individual’s identity
- Another example, for instance are self-driving cars.It executes as per the algorithm it has been fed. Now, in a hypothetical situation the car has to decide whether to swerve left or right. But in either case there is collateral damage, say of a school bus with students or a pedestrian.
- Can this decision be taken in a rational manner? It is not possible to choose whom to save or put a price on whose life as being more precious.
Conclusion
Any new technology that changes our businesses or society for the better often has a potential dark side that is viewed with suspicion and mistrust. The disruptive potential of AI poses looming risks around ethics, transparency, and security, hence the need for greater governance. AI will be used safely only once governance and policies have been framed, mandating its use.
