[Mission 2022] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 28 March 2022

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General Studies – 1

Topic: Social empowerment

1. There have been various efforts towards securing a life of dignity for persons with disabilities (PwD). However, to be able to realize the goal of inclusiveness, it is imperative to involve persons with disabilities as equal partners in their development and decision-making. Comment.  (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Scroll.in

Why the question: In an interim order on Friday, the Supreme Court allowed candidates with physical disabilities, who have cleared the civil services written exam, to provisionally apply to the Union Public Service Commission for selection in three categories such as IPS.

Key Demand of the question: To write about the efforts at achieving inclusivity for PwD’s and steps need to realise it by making them equal partners in their development.

Directive word: 

Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin the answer by giving statistic regarding the number of persons with disabilities (PwD) in India.

Body:

First, write about the efforts made at improving the lives of PwD’s – Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan/Accessible India campaign, Disability movement etc.

Mention the shortcomings of the above – lack of medical treatment, educational opportunity, absence of PwDs in decision making etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward to involve PwDs as stakeholder in their development and decision-making.

Introduction

According to Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, “Person with disability” means a person with long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with barriers, hinders his full and effective participation in society equally with others. According to Census 2011, India is home to 26.8 million people with disabilities and that is a huge underestimation.

In an interim order recently, the Supreme Court allowed candidates with physical disabilities, who have cleared the civil services written exam, to provisionally apply to the Union Public Service Commission for selection in three categories such as IPS.

Body

Various efforts towards securing a life of dignity for persons with disabilities (PwD)

Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) states that the State shall make effective provision for securing right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.
• The subject of ‘relief of the disabled and unemployable’ is specified in the state list of the Seventh Schedule of the constitution.

Governmental Provisions:

• Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016:
  • It becomes the duty of the Union, states as well as Union Territories to take up the matter.
  • It is also important to ensure that all government buses are disabled friendly in accordance with the harmonized guidelines.
  • Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
  • The types of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21. The act added mental illness, autism, spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, speech and language disability, thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf blindness, acid attack victims and Parkinson’s disease which were largely ignored in earlier act. In addition, the Government has been authorized to notify any other category of specified disability.
  • It increases the quantum of reservationfor people suffering from disabilities from 3% to 4% in government jobs and from 3% to 5% in higher education institutes.
  • Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
  • Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education.
  • Stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildingsin a prescribed time frame along with Accessible India Campaign.
  • The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioners will act as regulatory bodies and Grievance Redressal agencies, monitoring implementation of the Act.
  • A separate National and State Fundbe created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities.

• Accessible India Campaign:Creation of Accessible Environment for PwDs:
  • A nation-wide flagship campaign for achieving universal accessibility that will enable persons with disabilities to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society.
  • The campaign targets at enhancing the accessibility of built environment, transport system and Information & communication ecosystem.
• Deen Dayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme: Under the scheme financial assistance is provided to NGOs for providing various services to Persons with Disabilities, like special schools, vocational training centres, community-based rehabilitation, pre-school and early intervention etc.

• Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP):The Scheme aims at helping the disabled persons by bringing suitable, durable, scientifically-manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances within their reach.

• National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities (RGMF):
  • The scheme aims to increase opportunities to students with disabilities for pursuing higher education.
• Under the Scheme, 200 Fellowships per year are granted to students with disability.
• Schemes of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.

Issues and Challenges

• Health:
  • A large number of disabilities are preventable, including those arising from medical issues during birth, maternal conditions, malnutrition, as well as accidents and injuries.
  • However, the health sector especially in rural India has failed to react proactively to disability
  • Further there are lack of affordable access to proper health care, aids and appliances
  • Healthcare facilities and poorly trained health-workers in rehabilitation centres is another concern.
• Education:
  • The education system is not inclusive. Inclusion of children with mild to moderate disabilities in regular schools has remained a major challenge.
  • There are various issues such as availability special schools, access to schools, trained teachers, and availability of educational materials for the disabled.
  • Further, reservations for the disabled in higher educational institutions has not been fulfilled in many instances
• Employment:
  • Even though many disabled adults are capable of productive work, disabled adults have far lower employment rates than the general population.
  • The situation is even worse in the private sector, where much less disabled are employed
  • Accessibility: Physical accessibility in buildings, transportation, access to services etc still remain a major challenge.
• Discrimination/Social Exclusion:
  • Negative attitudes held by the families of the disabled, and often the disabled themselves, hinder disabled persons from taking an active part in the family, community or workforce.
  • Differently-abled people face discrimination in everyday life. People suffering from mental illness or mental retardation face the worst stigma and are subject to severe social exclusion.
• Inadequate data and statistics: The lack of rigorous and comparable data and statics further hinders inclusion of persons with disabilities. The major issues with collection of data and measuring disability are:
  • Difficult to define disability
  • Coverage: Different purposes require different disability data
  • Reluctance in reporting disability as disability is considered to be a stigma in many places/societies
• Poor implementation of policies and schemes hinders the inclusion of disabled persons.
  • Though various acts and schemes have been laid down with an aim to empower the disabled, their enforcement face many challenges.

Way Forward:

• Prevention:
  • Preventive health programs need to be strengthened and all children need to be screened at a young age.
  • Kerala has already started an early prevention programme. Comprehensive New-born Screening (CNS) programme seeks early identification of deficits in infants and reduce the state’s burden of disability.
• Awareness:
  • People with disabilities need to be better integrated into society by overcoming stigma
  • There should be awareness campaigns to educate and aware people about different kinds of disability
  • Success stories of people with disabilities can be showcased to inculcate positive attitude among people
• Employment:
  • Disabled adults need to be empowered with employable skills
  • The private sector needs to be encouraged to employ them.
  • Better measurement: The scale of disability in India needs to be better understood by improving the measurement of disability.
• Education:
  • State-wise strategies on education for children with special needs need to be devised.
  • There should be proper teacher training to address the needs of differently-abled children and facilitate their inclusion in regular schools
  • Further there should be more special schools and ensure educational material for differently-abled children
• Access:
  • Safety measures like road safety, safety in residential areas, public transport system etc, should be taken up
  • Further, it should be made legally binding to make buildings disabled-friendly
• Policy Interventions:
  • More budgetary allocation for welfare of the disabled. There should be a disability budgeting on line of gender budget.
  • Proper implementation of schemes should be ensured. There should be proper monitoring mechanisms and accountability of public funds.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.

2. Collegium reforms must aim at greater transparency, while eliminating the scope for arbitrariness in judicial appointment process and this must be done without compromising the judicial independence. Elaborate. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: the Print

Why the question: A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Information Commission’s order dismissing an RTI appeal seeking the agenda of the Supreme Court collegium meeting on December 12, 2018, when certain decisions were purportedly taken on elevation of judges to the apex court.

Key Demand of the question: To write about nature of reforms in the Collegium system of judicial appointments.

Directive word: 

Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.

Structure of the answer:

Begin the answer by describing the collegium system of appointments to higher judiciary.

Introduction: 

Begin the answer by tracing the journey of the process of appointments of the judges to the apex court since independence.

Body:

Mention in brief the three judges’ case and NJAC act, 2014.

Next, write about the reasons which calls for reforms to the existing collegium system. Opaqueness, lack of accountability, lack of representation from weaker sections, slow pace of appointments and lack of public faith etc.

Suggest reforms to overcome the above issues that are affecting the collegium system without compromising the judicial independence.

Conclusion:

Mention the importance of efficient, independent and vigilant judiciary for our democracy.

Introduction

The judges of the Supreme Court and High Court in India are appointed by President as per article 124(2) and 217 of the constitution. In such appointment, the President is required to hold consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as he may deem necessary for the purpose.

Body

Collegium system:

• The Collegium System is a system under which appointments/elevation of judges/lawyers to Supreme Court and transfers of judges of High Courts and Apex Court are decided by a forum of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.’
• The collegium of judges is the Supreme Court’s invention. It does not figure in the Constitution, which says judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed by the President and speaks of a process of consultation.
• In effect, it is a system under which judges are appointed by an institution comprising judges.
• After some judges were superseded in the appointment of the Chief Justice of India in the 1970s, and attempts made subsequently to affect a mass transfer of High Court judges across the country, there was a perception that the independence of the judiciary was under threat. This resulted in a series of cases over the years.
• The ‘First Judges Case’ (1981) ruled that the “consultation” with the CJI in the matter of appointments must be full and effective.
• The Second Judges Case (1993) introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”. It added that it was not the CJI’s individual opinion, but an institutional opinion formed in consultation with the two senior most judges in the Supreme Court.
• On a Presidential Reference for its opinion, the Supreme Court, in the Third Judges Case (1998) expanded the collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior most colleagues.
• The recommendations of the Collegium are binding on the Central Government, if the Collegium sends the names of the judges/lawyers to the government for the second time.

Procedure followed by the collegium:

• The President of India appoints the CJI and the other SC judges. As far as the CJI is concerned, the outgoing CJI recommends his successor.
• For other judges of the top court, the proposal is initiated by the CJI. The CJI consults the rest of the collegium members, as well as the senior most judge of the court hailing from the High Court to which the recommended person belongs.
• The Chief Justice of High Courts is appointed as per the policy of having Chief Justices from outside the respective States. The collegium takes the call on the elevation. High Court judges are recommended by a collegium comprising the CJI and two senior most judges.

Need for reforms in the Collegium system:

• Credibility of the SC:
  • Controversial collegium system of judicial appointments undermines the independence of judges and raises doubts about the credibility of the highest court.
  • There is a failure to make an assessment of the personality of the contemnor at the time of recommending his name for elevation.
  • Example: The controversy over the proposed elevation of Justice P.D. Dinakaran of the Karnataka High Court to the Supreme Court by the collegium of the Chief Justice and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court was criticized for overlooking apparently suitable judges by the collegiums
  • The judiciary off late has been caught in many such situations of credibility crisis off late.
• The executive has little or no role in the appointment of judges as a result.
• Nepotism:
  • Unfortunately, in some cases, it has not covered itself with glory. There have been cases where the nearest relative of Supreme Court judges has been appointed as a high court judge, ignoring merit.
  • During the regime of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, judges far lower in the combined All India Seniority of High Court judges were appointed to SC, and the reason assigned was that those selected were found more meritorious.
• Supreme court is overburdened:
  • The Supreme Court did not realize the burden it was imposing on the collegium of selecting judges for the Supreme Court and High Courts and transferring them from one High Court to another.
  • An administrative task of this magnitude must necessarily detract the judges of the collegium from their principal judicial work of hearing and deciding cases.
• Lack of Transparency:
  • The lack of a written manual for functioning, the absence of selection criteria, the arbitrary reversal of decisions already taken, the selective publication of records of meetings prove the opaqueness of the collegium system.
  • No one knows how judges are selected, and the appointments made raise the concerns of propriety, self-selection and nepotism.
  • The system often overlooks several talented junior judges and advocates.
• NJAC, A Missed Opportunity:
  • The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) could guarantee the independence of the system from inappropriate politicization, strengthen the quality of appointments and rebuild public confidence in the system.
  • The decision was struck down by the SC in 2015 on the ground that it posed a threat to the independence of the judiciary.
• Lack of Consensus among Members:
  • The collegium members often face the issue of mutual consent regarding appointment of judges.
  • The shadow of mistrust between the members of the collegium exposes the fault lines within the judiciary.
  • For instance, recently retired CJI Sharad A. Bobde was perhaps the first chief justice to have not made even a single recommendation for appointment as SC judge due to lack of consensus among the collegium members.
• Unequal Representation:
  • The other area of concern is the composition of the higher judiciary. While data regarding caste is not available, women are fairly underrepresented in the higher judiciary.
• Delay in Judicial Appointments:
  • The process of judicial appointment is delayed due to delay in recommendations by the collegium for the higher judiciary.

Reforms needed in the collegium system:

• The need of the hour is to revisit the existing system through a transparent and participatory procedure, preferably by an independent broad-based constitutional body guaranteeing judicial primacy but not judicial exclusivity.
  • The collegium members have to make a fresh start and engage with each other.
  • A transparent process adds accountability that is much needed to resolve the deadlock.
  • Individual disagreements over certain names will continue to take place, but care must be taken that the institutional imperative of dispensation of justice does not suffer.
• The new system should ensure independence, reflect diversity, demonstrate professional competence and integrity.
• The system needs to establish a body which is independent and objective in the selection process.
  • In several countries of the Commonwealth, National Judicial Appointment Commissions have been established to select judges.
  • Such judicial commissions have worked with success in the U.K., South Africa and Canada.
• Setting up a constitutional body accommodating the federal concept of diversity and independence of judiciary for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary can also be thought of as an alternate measure.
• There should be a fixed time limit for approval of recommendations.
• As of now, instead of selecting the number of judges required against a certain number of vacancies, the collegium must provide a panel of possible names to the President for appointment in order of preference and other valid criteria.
• New memorandum of procedure:
  • After the Second and Third Judges Cases, a Memorandum of Procedure had been formulated to govern how the process of how the Collegium would make recommendations to the Executive.
  • The government therefore suggested that a new MOP be drafted and finalized for appointment of SC judges and the Executive to get a veto over candidates for national security reasons in this new MOP.

Conclusion

Faced with intense public scrutiny and government pressure, the judiciary’s institutional weaknesses are being laid bare. These are not simply the moral failings of one individual or the consequences of the misjudgment of a few. It is another illustration of the institution’s inability to accept its internal infirmities.

General Studies – 3

Topic:  changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

3. Examine the reasons behind the India’s record performance with respect to its exports. Suggest steps that are needed to sustain this level of exports in the future. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: livemint

 

Why the question: By 21 March, India had exported goods worth $400 billion this financial year, reaching the landmark for the first time, and clocking 37% growth over exports of $291 billion in FY21.

Key Demand of the question: To write about the reasons for India’s record growth in its exports and suggest measures to sustain it.

Directive word: 

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: 

Begin the answer by giving context to India’s export performance.

Body:

First, write about the reasons for the performance – protection offered to domestic manufacturing, fiscal subsidies, productivity linked incentives under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make In India’ and increasing merchandise trade etc.

Next, write about the steps that are needed to sustain this growth in exports – emphasising on export competitiveness, focus on small and labour-intensive firms and removing supply chain bottlenecks etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

Booming global demand, especially on the back of big fiscal spending in advanced economies, has given a boost to Indian exports. By 21 March, India had exported goods worth $400 billion this financial year, reaching the landmark for the first time, and clocking 37% growth over exports of $291 billion in FY21.

Body

Reasons behind India’s export performance

• Engineering goods, petroleum products, gems and jewellery, chemicals and ready-made garments of all textiles were the top five commodities exported from India.
• Exports of engineering goods rose 32% in the first 11 months of this fiscal compared to the last financial year. It remained the biggest export item.
  • Within this category, top exports were iron and steel, aluminium and aluminium products, electric machinery and motor vehicles.
• Exports of petroleum showed the sharpest jump of 114%, driven by a rise in crude oil prices.
• Meanwhile, agriculture exports hit a record, driven by commodities such as rice, marine products, wheat, spices and sugar, among others.
• While the surging trend in exports is praiseworthy, the momentum is likely to sustain with proactive measures like the signing of Free Trade Agreements and expansion of the flagship export promotion scheme RoDTEP to sectors like iron and steel and pharma.

Issues that persist

• Despite the record export figure, India’s merchandise exports to GDP ratio have been on a declining trend.
  • It stood at 10.94% in FY21, falling from 11.07% the previous year and 12.2% in FY19.
• India’s performance in merchandise trade is in fact languishing behind that of competing economies.
  • India’s share in global merchandise exports increased from 0.66% to 1.57% in the two decades from 2000 to 2020.
  • At the same time, China’s share shot up from 3.86 % to 14.7% and Vietnam’s from 0.22% to 1.6%.
• Poor policymaking hurt India’s export competitiveness when the economy, especially small and labour-intensive firms, was hobbled by demonetization and a poorly conceptualized and implemented goods & services tax (GST).
• Low base effect: Beyond the fact that this was the historic best — the previous high was $330 billion in FY19 — what made this surge in exports even more relevant was the fact that it is coming after two years of contraction.
• Not broad-based recovery: Of the 20 commodity groups, only six (highlighted by red circles) had a growth rate higher than the overall average (49%). Within these six, two had insignificant shares. In other words, most of the commodity groups grew at a rate lower than the overall average.
• On account of crude price:The $400 billion figure essentially refers to the value of exports. It doesn’t say anything about the contribution of volume increase.
  • For instance, India’s biggest export item was petroleum and petroleum products — accounting for 15% of total exports — and their value grew by a whopping 158% (more than three times the overall average rate).
  • And this has happened in a year when crude oil prices have steadily gone up.

Conclusion and way forward

• Swift conclusion of Free Trade Agreement pacts with countries like the U.K., Australia and Canada, could create easier market access in these large markets.
• Exporters are waiting for a long-overdue revision of the Foreign Trade Policy for 2015-20, that has now been extended.

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

4. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs to recognise the changing economic dynamics of developing countries and undertake restructuring and reforms accordingly. Comment. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: InstaPedia

Key Demand of the question: To write about how India can cope up to the disruptions in NCD services due the covid-19 pandemic.

Directive word: 

Analyse – 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: 

Begin by giving context regarding the role of IMF in the global economy.

Body:

First, write about the various limitations regarding IMF – archaic rules, domination of developed countries, changing economic weight of emerging countries, stressing on completing quota reforms, quota determines its voting power as well as its borrowing capacity, Article IV consultation reports are utilised by credit rating agencies, impacting the fund-raising capacity of countries like India and maintaining data integrity

Write the reforms that are needed in the IMF to acknowledge the emerging markets increasing their share in global output or GDP over the years.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its stated mission is “working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.” IMF was formed in 1944, at the Bretton Woods Conference and came into formal existence in 1945 with the goal of reconstructing the International Monetary system. India became a founder member of IMF in December 1945 even before Independence.

Body

The present structure and power dynamics in IMF is not reflective of the current economic architecture and it is this systemic issue that castes shadows on its relevance because of

• Quotas: The rising clout of developing countries today vis-à-vis the developed ones is not commensurate with their quotas. Moreover the recent announcement of deferring the next round amendments in quota till 2019 could be dampener.
• Appointment:The heads have historically been appointed from a coterie of developed nations leading to discrimination of developing countries tries
• Rise of alternative institutions:Like NDB,AIIB have come up as an alternative to IMF. They look to provide greater credit with more creditor-friendly terms

Shortcomings of IMF

• Structural under-representation of the Global South
  • One of the central criticisms of the IMF relates to the political power imbalancesin their governance structures where, as a result of voting shares being based principally on the size and ‘openness’ of countries’ economies, poorer countries – often those receiving assistance from IMF – are structurally under-represented in decision-making processes
• Undermining democratic ownership
  • The issue of political power imbalances is exacerbated by another long-standing critique of IMF is that the economic policy conditionsthey promote – often attached or ‘recommended’ as part of loans – undermine the sovereignty of borrower nations, limiting their ability to make policy decisions and eroding their ownership of national development strategies
• Weak ability to learn from past mistakes
  • The IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO)was set up in 2001 to conduct evaluations of the policies and functionalities of the institution with the aim of enhancing the learning culture, strengthening credibility, and supporting institutional governance and oversight
  • However, the IMF has been criticised for failing to implement the recommendations
• Neo-Liberal Criticisms
  • IMF conditionalitieshave also been widely debated.
  • Critics contend that IMF policy prescriptions provide uniform remedies that are not adequately tailored to each country’s unique circumstances.
  • These standard, austere loan conditions reduce economic growth and deepen and prolong financial crises, creating severe hardships for the poorest people in borrowing countries and strengthening local opposition to the IMF.

Way forward

• While reforms in countries are happening in different stages, the global institutions have remained the way they have been for the last several decades
• Going further, there is a desperate need for all IMF to be more transparent, representativeand speak for countries which don’t get adequate representation
• The IMF should focus on lower income countries and support other developing countries’ market funds raising activities, as its Article IV consultation reports are utilised by credit rating agencies, impacting the fund raising capacity of countries like India
• With a continuing trend of emerging markets increasing their share in global output or GDP over the years, many experts have called for alignment of quotas and the accompanying lending windows of the IMF to reflect the changed economic positions of countries.

Conclusion

IMF definitely will have strong competition from emerging institutions in coming days and it needs to be nimble-footed to adapt to current dynamics. However to write it off as irrelevant will be not appropriate.

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

5. The World Bank has supported India since its independence by giving large loans for its economic development. Evaluate its role as a facilitator of developmental objectives. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: InstaPedia

Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question: To write about the role of world bank as the facilitator of development in India.

Directive word: 

Evaluate – When you are asked to evaluate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidence.  You must appraise the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming an opinion here.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Start by explaining India’s relationship with World Bank since Independence.

Body:

In the first part, explain the ways the world bank has helped India since its independence – India is the largest recipient of loans from the World amounting to $102.1 billion, 77 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a part of the World Bank group, has lent India $57.2 billion, and the International Development Association, a multilateral concessional lender World Bank, has loaned $49.4 billion to India over the last 70 years.

Also write about, World Bank’s close partnership with the and State Governments and other development partners – non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private and the public including academics, scientists, economists, journalists, and local people etc. Mention the schemes launched with respect to the above.

Next, write about various limitations associated with world bank funds.

Conclusion:

Conclude with balanced opinion regarding the role of World Bank in India’s economic development.

Introduction

The World Bank is an international organization dedicated to providing financing, advice, and research to developing nations to aid their economic advancement. The bank predominantly acts as an organization that attempts to fight poverty by offering developmental assistance to middle- and low-income countries. The World Bank was created in 1944 out of the Bretton Woods Agreement, which was secured under the auspices of the United Nations in the latter days of World War II. The World Bank are headquartered in Washington, D.C

Body

World Bank’s support to India since Independence

• The cooperation between the World Bank and India goes back to the foundation of the International Bank of Reconstruction and Developmentin 1944
• India received its first bank loanof US$34million from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development in November 1948 for railway rehabilitation
• During the 1950s, the IBRD was India’s sole sourceof World Bank borrowings
• During the 1960s and 1970s, the IDA accounted for nearly three-fourths of all WB lending to India and, in turn, India was by far the largest recipient of IDA funds, accounting for more than two-fifths of all its lending
• The lending portfolio changed sharplyafter the 1991 macroeconomic crisis
  • India became one of the last important borrowers in order to undertake structural adjustment lending
• Currently, the World Bank Group (WBG) has approved a $25-30 billion commitment plan for India for the period 2019-22

World Bank’s role as a facilitator of developmental objectives

• Education
  • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme aimed to provide elementary education for around 200 million children across the country.
  • Odisha Higher Education Program for Excellence and Equity: The development objective of the Program is to improve the quality of and students’ equitable access to selected institutions and enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
• Agriculture
  • National Dairy Support Project: The development objective is to increase the productivity of milch animals and improve market access of milk producers in project areas
  • Atal Bhujal Yojana (Abhy)-National Groundwater Management Improvement: This is an initiative for ensuring long term sustainability of ground water resources in the country.
• Health
  • Program Towards Elimination of Tuberculosis: The objective of the programme is to improve the coverage and quality of TB control interventions in the private and public sector in targeted states of India.
  • Innovate in India for Inclusiveness: The development objective of Innovate in India for Inclusiveness is to facilitate innovation in biopharmaceutical products and medical devices that address public health priorities in India.
• Food Security
  • National Nutrition Mission: The development objective is to support the Government of India and participating states to
    • strengthen the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) policy framework, systems and capacities, and facilitate community engagement
    • to ensure greater focus on children under three years of age;
    • strengthen convergent actions for improved nutrition outcomes
  • Infrastructure
    • Dam Rehabilitation & Improvement Project: This is to improve the safety and operational performance of selected existing dams in the territory of the participating states
    • Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor Project: The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $650 million agreement for faster and more efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods between the north and eastern parts of India
    • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Project
  • Human Resource Development
    • Skill India Mission: The project has been developed to enhance institutional mechanisms for skill development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for the workforce.
    • Nai Manzil – Education and Skills Training for Minorities: The project aims to improve completion of secondary education and market-driven skills training for targeted youth from minority communities.
    • North East Rural Livelihoods Project (NERLP): The development objective of the North East Rural Livelihoods Project for India is to improve rural livelihoods, especially that of women, unemployed youths and the most disadvantaged, in the participating North Eastern States.

Conclusion

Thus, for India financial help from every source is very important in light of govt’s flagship schemes to develop infrastructure. Hence, India needs world bank’s support but well researched decision making while applying for loans by analysing the effect of terms and condition towards the national interests is more important. Therefore, India’s dependence on world bank varies from case to case.

General Studies – 4

Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of Family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

6.  History shows that the mitigation and cessation of unjust practices ultimately comes from the assertion of core values of humanity. Explain with examples. (150 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.

Key Demand of the question: To explain how unjust practices could be overcome by upholding and asserting core values.

Directive word: 

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 by defining core values of humanity.

Body:

Explain as to how these core values can be used to overcome unjust practises. Use historical examples to justify the same. Mention the role core values play in mitigation of unjust practises.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising the need to use core values to overcome exist unjust practices.

Introduction

The phenomenon we are facing daily is the “lack of humanity”, which is causing problems for the whole world. The meaning of humanity is a collection of positive traits that humans should have in them. These traits or qualities include kindness, compassion, honesty, courage, tolerance towards differences, empathy, respect, integrity, thoughtfulness, etc.

Practices such as Sati, violence against women and extraction of dowries, marginalization of Dalits and Tribals have stopped or reduced to a great extent, because human beings became aware of values of dignity.

Body

Core values of humanity and cessation of unjust practices

• Unites all humans: Humans from different parts of the world follow different religions and cultures. It means they follow different rituals, have different religious and cultural values. These differences can create a gap among humans in different parts of the world. However, the language of humanity is one force that can unite humans despite their differences.
  • Eg: Violence on Dalits, minorities have reduced drastically in 75 years of Independence in India.
• Ensures Peace: One of the factors of humanity is to be tolerant towards those who share different opinions and backgrounds. When we tolerate the differences, there is less chaos in the world, and less chaos means the lack of destruction and establishment of peace. If all humans and governments of every state use the weapon of humanity, there will be peace and happiness in the world.
  • A humane approach would have prevented holocaust against Jews.
  • A humane approach may be the only solution to the clash of civilisations that we see now.
  • Terror organisations like Al-Qaeda, ISIS may not have existed if they had humane-ness in them.
• Humanity is the Ethic: It is a fact that humanity also means moral values of ethical behavior. We call humane behavior as ethical behavior many times.
  • Many institutes and organizations develop an ethical code of conduct for their employees.
  • Many of the claws are based on the basic traits of humanity. If every human works on developing and polishing one’s human traits then there won’t be a need to forcefully ensure ethical behavior from everyone.
  • Better humanity can eliminate the issues of moral values and ethics from society.
• Reduced Crime Rate: The increase in the number of crimes in today’s world is mainly because of humanity.
  • Yes, there are some times when the criminal is forced to commit a crime because of whatever conditions life has put.
  • But, the root cause remains the lack of humanity from people in power who are busy with corruption and ignore the needs of the poor segment of the society.
  • If there is humanity, there will be a reduced crime rate in the world.
  • Similarly, humanity can prevent a criminal from committing a crime whether out of need or out of fun.
• No Wars: If we look at history, even just a couple of decades back, we shall notice numerous wars in different parts of the world. Syria, Afghanistan, Lebonan, and many other countries have been facing worse situations because of proxy wars between some countries.
  • Moreover, there countries like India and Pakistan, which are in a war or war-like situation and have tensions of military nature between them.
  • These wars are a result of poor judgment from the governments and authorities from both countries and a lack of humanity.
  • Countries need to realize the importance of humanity and stop wars. Instead, focus on the real development of people of their countries.

Conclusion

The importance of humanity is a serious matter. The topic is much needed in the world more than ever. No one can deny the impact of humanity in the world. By practicing humanity, the world can become a better place for everyone. However, it requires our efforts to practice humanity, as it may not always seem the essay choice but it is the only right choice that humans can make. The world would have been a nice place to live if there is humanity among us and if humanity is encouraged by others.

Topic: ethical issues in international relations

7. Ethics does its work in international relations by granting and withdrawing legitimacy. Discuss. (150 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.

Key Demand of the question: To write about the role of ethics in international relations

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 writing about the overall role of ethics in international relations.

Body:

With examples, substantiate on the point as to how ethics grants and withdraws legitimacy to international acts and relations. Use examples to explain your points. Mention that not always the legitimacy and ethics are considered in international relations.

Conclusion:

Mention the importance of upholding ethics in international relations.

Introduction

Ethical questions are central to the study of international relations, as it is a field of study concerned with war and peace, trade and production, and law and rights. Yet, a persistent conventional wisdom suggests ethics are marginal to international relations. Hans Morgenthau, a noted Realist scholar said that nations do not give heed to universal acceptance of their action or judge their moves through a moral lens. National interest reigns supreme. Like, how man is a self-centric being, even nations are inward looking.

Body

Ethics and legitimacy inter-connection

The end of slavery began with various revolutions and rebellions—yet the source of its ultimate demise was its loss of moral legitimacy. Communism, for the most part, ended in similar fashion. The Soviet Union collapsed when the values that held it together were no longer credible and sustainable. Its legitimacy evaporated. The same could be said of apartheid South Africa. There has been more regime change in recent years because of the power of principles rather than the power of the gun.

Legitimacy played a critical role in the 2011 uprisings in the Middle East. Mubarak, Qaddafi and other Arab leaders faced a tipping point. When their rule and their regimes became perceived as illegitimate, this illegitimacy became the decisive force for change.

New struggles for legitimacy can be found everywhere. We see normative consensus forming rejecting the tactic of terrorism. We see movement on the need to address climate change. We see new initiatives to shore up the so-called nuclear taboo and to move toward radical reductions in the number of nuclear weapons. We see strong voices rejecting genocide and promoting humanitarian intervention and the Responsibility to Protect.

All of these issues are gaining normative legitimacy. They are providing leverage for action. They are even changing the way that individuals, corporate entities and nations perceive their own interests. But progress will take time, and debate around these issues will be the battleground for some time to come.

Conclusion

Morality must play a role in every aspect of human life, including international relations. International ethic is not just an ethic of some leading country, it is not simply an ethic of a powerful country having obligations towards others, because of the power they have over others. International ethics may be elaborated as, that which enables one to participate more actively in shaping and building good international community. Human rights and their dignity can be protected only when relations between nations become ethical and moral.

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