GS 3
Q1. Discuss the role of IT in Agriculture and also explain what are the major challenges in the spread of e-technology to farmers. (10M)
Q2. “Eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) are meant to guard the protected areas but not at the cost of livelihood”. Discuss the issues around the creation of ESZ’s and suggest measures to safeguard the environment as well as the livelihood of people. (15M)
Ethics
Q3. Discuss the ethicality around corporate political spending. According to you should it be categorized as corruption? Give your reasons. 10M
Case study 20M
Nambi Narayanan is an aerospace engineer who previously worked with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). While working for ISRO in 1994, Narayanan was falsely accused of sharing confidential information about India’s space programme with two Maldivian nationals, who allegedly sold the secret drawings of ISRO’s rocket engines to Pakistan. Following this, Narayanan was arrested and released after 50 days. Simultaneous media trials were held, right from the arrest of the two Maldivians. The entire case was sensationalised as a scandal revolving around sex, money and espionage. Many point out that this is a case of ‘Trial by media’ where there is a negative impact of television and newspaper coverage on a person’s reputation by creating a widespread perception of guilt regardless of any verdict in a Court of law.
A few media houses called out the police’s actions from the beginning and faced a defamation suit as a result. The charges against him were dismissed as false by CBI in 1996 and by the Supreme Court of India in 1998. Supreme Court ordered a CBI re-investigation and an FIR was registered against 18 former officers of the Kerala police and IB in June 2021. While Nambi was initially vilified by the media, he was later characterised as a victim of vendetta, politics and lack of media ethics. Media attention in recent years has helped Narayanan in spreading his story of innocence and the ordeal he had to go through.
Do you agree that there should be restrictions on the freedom of the press? Why or why not? Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case.
