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: Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
By choosing a Belarusian human rights campaigner and two civil liberty-focused organisations from Ukraine and Russia for this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace, the Norwegian Committee has once again offered its redoubtable support for voices that are critical of the authoritarianism and militarism of Moscow and its allies.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the how conferment if Nobel prize can strengthen voices of human rights and limitations associated with it.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the significance of the conferment of a Nobel peace prize on certain individuals and organisations – creating awareness, recognising dissent, inspiring others etc.
Next, write about the limitations of the above – lack of support at ground level, politicised awards, authoritarian regimes etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving a balanced opinion
Introduction
By choosing a Belarusian human rights campaigner and two civil liberty-focused organisations from Ukraine and Russia for this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace, the Norwegian Committee has once again offered its redoubtable support for voices that are critical of the authoritarianism and militarism of Moscow and its allies.
Body
Background: Current Nobel Peace Prize winners and their context
- This is the second year in a row that Russians who demand accountability and respect for human rights from authorities have been chosen for the Prize.
- In 2021, Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the Russian Novaya Gazeta, one of the few independent newspapers in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, was a co-winner of the Prize for his “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression”.
- This year,Memorial, an organisation that has been documenting alleged state abuses in Russia since 1987, shared the Prize with Ales Bialiatski, the Belarusian activist, and the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) in Ukraine.
- Memorial is one of the few independent NGOs in Russia that continue to demand accountability from the country’s rulers.
- It has a database of both the victims and perpetrators of state abuses that date back to the Stalin era.
- Bialiatski, who is the founder of the rights group called Viasna (Spring), has been campaigning for democracy in Belarus since the 1980s. The CCL, which was founded to promote democracy in Ukraine, is known for documenting Russia’s alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Critical analysis
- The Nobel Peace Prize was first presented in 1901 and is today considered one of the most prestigious – and sometimes controversial – awards.
- The selection process has at times been marred by accusations of sexism, racism and the award committee being Eurocentric.
- So far, 109 individuals have won the peace award but only 18 were women, including Mother Teresa in 1979 and Aung San Suu Kyi in 1991.
- The award has been criticised for itspremature or faulty understanding of peace or for being politically motivated. For example, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the prize in 2019 for ending the 20-year conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia by establishing a peace agreement. However, a conflict started in northern Ethiopia in November 2020, and Abiy has been criticised for human rights violations and war crimes committed by his forces in the Tigray region.
- Similarly, Obama’s award of 2009 faced a wave of criticism. He received the prize in the first year of his presidency, which some considered too early. But it raised questions about the selection due to the Obama administration’s involvement in wars in Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Yemen.
- Other controversial winners include an award given in1994 to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres for their work on the Oslo Peace Accords.
- However, sometimes recognizing those individuals and organizations who stand up for human rights in an authoritarian set up, can lead to human rights protection in other parts of the world. It may stir a global action against human rights abusers.
Conclusion
The Peace Prize has often been criticised as a political award shorn of credibility, but it could strengthen the voices of peace and human rights globally.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India
Why the question:
In the country, there are currently 629 District Consumer Courts and 35 Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions where one can file a claim for compensation of up to ₹20 lakh against consumer goods producers, sellers, and service providers of different kinds. The unpleasant reality is that 4,029 of the 550,000 cases currently pending before these courts and commissions are 22 years old.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about making consumer courts more accessible and effective in order to protect the interests of the consumer.
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:
Start by briefly mentioning aims and objectives of The Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
Body:
First, write about the major features of The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and changes introduced by the amendment of Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Next, write about the various challenges faced by the consumers in accessing and effectively utilising consumer courts and its outcome.
Next, suggest ways to overcome the challenges.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
In the country, there are currently 629 District Consumer Courts and 35 Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions where one can file a claim for compensation of up to ₹20 lakh against consumer goods producers, sellers, and service providers of different kinds. The unpleasant reality is that 4,029 of the 550,000 cases currently pending before these courts and commissions are 22 years old.
Body
Consumer Protection Act: Comparison
Consumer issues in India
- In India, there is an urgent need to rein in industries that take advantage of government schemes.
- The attitude of some multinational corporations is worse. Consider automobile manufacturers.
- Their security standards differ significantly between developed countries and developing countries such as India.
- The ones in the developed countries are concerned with our hard-earned money, but do not concern themselves with our lives, safety, or the environment.
- It is not uncommon to receive an SMS informing you that money has been withdrawn from or deposited in your bank account, or that your alternate phone number has been activated. An electricity company may send you messages requesting that you pay an outstanding bill.
Way forward
- Misleading ads, tele-marketing, multi-level marketing, direct selling and e-commercepose new challenges to consumer protection and will require appropriate and swift executive intervention to prevent consumer detriment.
- Arm-twisting of weaker parties:Certain issues such as the appointment of mediators to settle disputes are contentious as this would lead to arm-twisting of the weaker parties and may encourage corruption.
- Need to strengthen CCPA:Addressing these issues is necessary to ensure that the new amendments bring about definitive improvements in the CCPA.
- Need to fill vacancies at the district commission level:The existing vacancies at the district commission level would undermine the effective implementation of the Act.
- Guidelines for celebrity endorsements:Countries such as the UK, Ireland and Belgium have specifically banned celebrity endorsement of unhealthy foods. The impact of such restrictions has been reported to be significant.
Conclusion
The time has come to increase the number and effectiveness of consumer courts in the country. The powers of regulatory agencies and commissions require an urgent boost as well. Protecting the rights of the vast consumer class against which we are defending our economy is critical for the economy’s survival and long-term growth as well.
Value addition
Significance of Consumer Protection Act 2019
- It seeks to enhance the protection of consumers’ interestsand timely settlement of their grievances.
- ThroughCentral Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) it empower citizens to seek redressal at appropriate level.
- It promotes rights of consumers through punishment against misleading advertisementsand adulteration of products.
- Product liability provision to deter manufacturers and service providers from delivering defective products or deficient services will ensure safety and health of Indian citizens.
- It includes redressal of complaints for online bought goods too.
- Consumer protection Bill seeks to give consumers more power and justice by targeting not only consumer dissatisfaction but also misleading advertisements. This seeks to further timely action consumer rights through appropriate mechanisms.
Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
India’s Presidency of the Group of 20, UN Security Council (UNSC) in 2022, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023 when major powers are not even talking to each other and India alone, now the fifth largest economy, is interacting with each of them, presents a historic opportunity.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about how India’s presidency of G20, SCO and UNSC offers an opportunity and how India should harness it.
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 context.
Body:
First, write about India’s presidency of G20 and how India must use this as an opportunity to address multilateral issues.
Next, write about the SCO and how this can be used to further India interests in the region while resolving bilateral issues with China and Pakistan.
Next, write about how at UNSC India can push for reforms and try resolving major geopolitical crises.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising how all the above could lead to reinventing UN.
Introduction
The United Nations Secretary General (UNSG), António Guterres, made a candid assessment of global governance. He addressed the United Nations General Assembly and said the “world is in big trouble”, “gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction”, even the “G20 is in the trap of geopolitical divides”. “In a splintering world, we need to create mechanisms of dialogue to heal divides” and “only by acting as one, we can nurture fragile shoots of hope” for a “coalition of the world”. This is a call for fresh thinking.
India’s Presidency of the Group of 20, UN Security Council (UNSC) in 2022, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023 when major powers are not even talking to each other and India alone, now the fifth largest economy, is interacting with each of them, presents a historic opportunity.
Body
Current issues faced by the world
- Breakdown of multilateralism: The COVID-19 pandemic was a weak moment for UN’s multilateralism. It highlighted theUN’s institutional limitations when countries closed their borders, supply chains were interrupted and almost every country was in need of vaccines.
- WHO was accused of catering to developed nations bidding, especially China by acting slow and not blaming China.
- Developing nations stepping up: Countries of the global South, including India, which stepped up through relief efforts,drug distribution and vaccine manufacturing, have created space for a more inclusive UN, particularly through its Security Council (UNSC) reform.
- World Bank and IMF are puppets of USA and the European nations. This led to China establishing alternatives for the two institutions.
- Wars in 21stcentury: Second,N.-led multilateralism has been unable to provide strong mechanisms to prevent wars.
- Eg: The shadow of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has loomed large over several deadlocks in U.N.S.C. resolutions since the war broke out in February this year.
- Paralysis in decision making:With the West boycotting Russia, the veto provision of the U.N.S.C. is expected to reach an even more redundant level than in the past. As such, a reformed multilateralism with greater representation could generate deeper regional stakes to prevent wars.
- WTO has been stalled for many yearsnow over Doha development agenda.
- Chinese dominance: Finally,China’s rise, belligerence, and aggression which has been on display through its actions in the South China Sea, the Indo-Pacific region, and now increasingly globally, have also underscored the limitations of the U.N.-style multilateralism.
- China’s growing dominance could lead it tocarve its own multilateral matrix circumventing the West, economically and strategically.
- The international isolation of Russia and Iran as well as increasing the United States’ Taiwan-related steps could usher in these changes more rapidly than expected.
- China’s control of multilateral organisations, including the U.N., is only increasing — most recently seen in the unofficial pressure China exerted on the former U.N.’s human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet,to stop the release of a report by the U.N. Human Rights Council on the condition of Uyghurs in China. Moreover, China’s unabashed use of veto power against India continues at the U.N
- Eg: In the most recent case,it blocked a joint India-U.S. proposal at the U.N. to enlist Sajid Mir, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative involved in directing the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as a ‘global terrorist’.
- Despite the G7 having accepted the need for transfer of funds at Rio in 1992,the promise made in 2009 to provide at least 100 billion dollars per year in climate finance remains unfulfilled.
- Coalition of the world– There divide between the Atlantic powers and the Russia-China is deepening.
India’s historic opportunity
- Just as the ‘Rio principles’continue to guide climate change, vasudhaiva kutumbakam, or ‘world as one family’, focusing on comparable levels of wellbeing can be the core of a set of universal socio-economic principles for a dialogue between the states.
- To the current global consensus around equitable sustainable development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has added a clearer societal purpose to flesh out a universal civilisational principle.
- He emphasised‘Lifestyle for Environment’ seeing climate change as a societal process and combating it devoid of trade-offs characteristic of the Climate Treat
- He has also offered India’s payments and linked digital ID technologywithout IPR restrictions.
- Redefining ‘common concerns’in terms of felt needs of the majority rather than interests and concerns of the powerful will shift the focus of a much slimmed down United Nations squarely to human wellbeing, and not as an add-on.
Re-inventing United Nations
- At the heart of India’s participation in the 77th General Assembly is the call for a ‘reformed multilateralism’through which the United Nations Security Council should reform itself into a more inclusive organisation representing the contemporary realities of today.
- India’s call for this structural overhaul of global multilateral institutions incorporates institutional accountability and a wider representation of the developing countries.
- Indian approach to multilateralism: NORMS: NORMS stands for New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.
- India will work constructively with partners to bring innovative and inclusive solutions to foster development and for greater involvement of women and youth to shape a new paradigm.
- A first and vital step is the reform of the United Nations Security Council. It must reflect contemporary realities to be more effective.
Conclusion and way forward
- There is no easy way out for immediate consensus-building among nations over the limitations of these multilateral institutions.
- For this, non-alignment or ad-hoc coalitions could never be the answer.
- Issues-based coalitions are the best answer and Health is the easiest framework to work upon.
- Lastly, there are many mini-laterals that should unite for a global commonality.
India’s Presidential statement could introduce ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ in the UNSC in December. The SCO Summit will precede the G20 Summit and acceptance of overarching principles will support acceptance by the wider G20
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role played by FDI in the Indian economy.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Body:
Write the various aspects of FDI in emerging economies – First, international flows of capital, diversification of lending and investment, global integration of capital markets, allows the transfer of technology and can also promote competition in the domestic input market etc. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is when a company takes controlling ownership in a business entity in another country. It is, thus, a purchase of an interest in a company by a company or an investor located outside its borders. For nearly a decade, year after year, India has hit record heights of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow. The latest is the highest ever, $83.5 billion, in the last financial year.
Body
FDI: an important source & force behind economic development of India:
- Economy:
- Capital inflows create higher output and jobs.
- Capital inflows can help finance a current account deficit.
- Long-term capital inflows are more sustainable than short-term portfolio inflows.
- For e.g., in a credit crunch, banks can easily withdraw portfolio investment, but capital investment is less prone to sudden withdrawals.
- Acts as a bridge by filling up budgetary gap, stabilize rupee and improves Balance of Payment situation.
- Knowledge economy:
- Recipient country can benefit from improved knowledge and expertise of foreign multinational.
- Employment generation:
- creates employment opportunity mainly in service sector and ITEC.
- Investment from abroad could lead to higher wages and improved working conditions, especially if the MNCs are conscious of their public image of working conditions in developing economies.
- Infrastructure development:
- FDI in construction, railways except operation help in developing projects like high-speed train, Freight corridor, etc.
- Taxation:
- Increased revenue in the form of corporate tax and for community welfare development as CSR.
- Enhances Competition:
- Increase competition among domestic manufacture, may lead to improved quality and services.
FDI: not the sole solution for India’s socio-economic issues:
- The motive of the foreign investors is only profit not the development of countryso they often shifts their bases in search of high profits so there is more volatility and speculations in capital market. With their sudden exit, there may be unemployment and high inflation.
- Gives multinationals controlling rights within foreign countries. Critics argue powerful MNCs can use their financial clout to influence local politics to gain favourable laws and regulations.
- FDI does not always benefit recipient countriesas it enables foreign multinationals to gain from ownership of raw materials, with little evidence of wealth being distributed throughout society.
- Multinationals have been criticized for poor working conditionsin foreign factories. e.g., Apple’s factories in China
- It threatens existing markets that are labour intensiveby replacing with technology as in multi brand retail.
- FDI favours short term returns over investmentsin infrastructure.
- Diffusion of technology in difficultin our country where the state of both human and physical capital is not yet on par with developed countries. so with the increase in technology many unskilled workers lost their jobs.
- In India, FDI is sector specificlike finance , IT, Banking, Insurance and outsourcing which predominantly employ skilled workers.
- The capital inflow at times worsen the regional inequalities. It is usually limited to urban and well developed regions like Delhi, Maharashtra etc, and states like Odisha receives around 1% of FDI. This makes richer region more rich and poor regions poorer.
- FDI may be a convenient way to bypass local environmental laws. Developing countries may be tempted to compete on reducing environmental regulation to attract the necessary FDI.
Way forward:
- Role of FDI can at most be seen as complementary and qualitative in nature.
- Government must bring reforms to encourage MSME sector which could boost the rural employment generation.
- Public expenditurefor investment in capital formation as infrastructure and energy is for long term benefits of spurring economic activity and creating short term demands.
- Spending on social sectors and India’s pressing issues of poverty, demographic challenge and agrarian stagnation are towards avoiding social unrest and maintain a social security net.
- Government while continuing to simplify processes to attract FDI must realise it’s limited role and thereby take upon itself to make headway towards strengthening pillars of economic development which are health, education, and employment.
Value addition:
FDI in India
FDI is an important monetary source for India’s economic development. Economic liberalisation started in India in the wake of the 1991 crisis and since then, FDI has steadily increased in the country. India, today is a part of top 100-club on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and globally ranks number 1 in the greenfield FDI ranking.
Routes through which India gets FDI
- Automatic route: The non-resident or Indian company does not require prior nod of the RBI or government of India for FDI.
- Govt route:The government’s approval is mandatory. The company will have to file an application through Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal, which facilitates single-window clearance. The application is then forwarded to the respective ministry, which will approve/reject the application in consultation with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce. DPIIT will issue the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing of applications under the existing FDI policy.
Importance of Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM):
In low-income countries confronting widespread poverty, mobilizing domestic resources is particularly challenging, which has led developing countries to rely on foreign aid, foreign direct investment, export earnings and other external resources. Nevertheless, there are compelling reasons to give much more emphasis to DRM.
- Greater reliance on DRM is vital to elevating economic growth, accelerating poverty reduction and underpinning sustained development.
- High-growth economies typically save 20-30 per cent or more of their income in order to finance public and private investment.
- DRM is potentially more congruent with domestic ownership than external resources.
- Foreign aid invariably carries restrictions and conditionality.
- FDI is primarily oriented to the commercial objectives of the investor, not the principal development priorities of the host country.
- DRM is more predictable and less volatile than aid, export earnings, or FDI
Topic: issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the types of IPRs, issues in its administrations and steps to resolve them.
Directive:
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:
Start with the definition of IPR and its objectives.
Body:
First, write about the different types of IPRs.
Next, write about the various issues in IPRs administration – Patent Ever greening Prevention, Subsidies & IPR Issues, The Product Patents Process, Protecting traditional knowledge, Compulsory Licensing & Drug Price Control Order etc.
Next, write about the reforms that are needed.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
India, as a member of the World Trade Organization and signatory to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is obliged to align its intellectual property rights laws with the TRIPS agreement.
Body
Different types of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
- Copyright
- Copyright is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works.
- Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps and technical drawings.
- Patents
- A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention.
- Generally speaking, a patent provides the patent owner with the right to decide how – or whether – the invention can be used by others.
- In exchange for this right, the patent owner makes technical information about the invention publicly available in the published patent document.
- Trademarks
- A trademark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises.
- Trademarks date back to ancient times when artisans used to put their signature or “mark” on their products.
- Industrial designs
- An industrial design constitutes the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article.
- A design may consist of three-dimensional features, such as the shape or surface of an article, or of two-dimensional features, such as patterns, lines or color.
- Geographical indications
- Geographical indications and appellations of origin are signs used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, a reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to that place of origin.
- Most commonly, a geographical indication includes the name of the place of origin of the goods.
- Trade secrets
- Trade secrets are IP rights on confidential information which may be sold or licensed.
- The unauthorized acquisition, use or disclosure of such secret information in a manner contrary to honest commercial practices by others is regarded as an unfair practice and a violation of the trade secret protection.
Challenges in enforcing IPR in India
- Priority Watch List: Special 301 Report issued by theoffice of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has India on the “priority watch list”.
- The report mentions “Over the past year, India took steps to address intellectual property (IP) challenges and promote IP protection and enforcement. However, many of the actions havenot yet translated into concrete benefits for innovators and creators, and long-standing deficiencies persist”.
- India remains one of the world’s most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP.
- Compulsory licensing: Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce a patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner or plans to use the patent-protected invention itself. Indian government allows this and it might hurt the companies in making real profit.
- Higher level of scrutiny: Apart from the global patentability requirements for inventions to have novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability, the Indian patent act has specific provisions, covered under Section 3, that makes the patentability of an invention relating to subject matter such as
- derivatives of a pharmaceutical drug;
- patentability of stem cells;
- diagnostic methods and kits
As a result, these inventions face a higher threshold of examination and scrutiny.
- Section 3(k) bars patentability of computer programsper se or algorithms. This objection exists as default for all computer-related inventions.
- Section 3(d) restricts patentability of derivative/s of a pharmaceutical compound. A derivative has to show significant difference in therapeutic efficacywith respect to the parent compound for overcoming the barrier of Section 3(d).
- Backlog and time for final decision:The basic challenge in the enforcement of patent rights is the time it takes for the court to make a final decision. A patent lawsuit ordinarily takes approximately five to seven years to be finally decided after trial, if contested by the other party.
- Compulsory licensing:It is problematic for foreign investors who bring technology as they are concerned about the misuse of CL to replicate their products. It has been impacting India-EU FTA negotiations.
- Combatting piracy and counterfeit products: India is key exporter of counterfeit fake products such as foodstuffs, textiles, shoes, electronics etc. Enforcement of the Copyright act is weak, and piracy of copyrighted materials is widespread.
Measures needed
- Fostering an environment where innovation flourishes and a knowledge economy is built, is the key idea. Hence, the policy should have a balance.
- It should encourage patenting and at the same time ensure that patentability of a product/process does not deter further innovation and progress.
- Intellectual Property must not be about patents on paper but dearth of application in reality. T
- The organisations such as CSIR and others must be encouraged to work upon socially useful applications of their patents.
- Support for innovation has to be accompanied with instruments that guard local companies against the misuse of market power, coercive bargaining and aggressive acquisition strategies.
- India needs to spread awareness on IPR in public and for its traditional industries to enable fair monetisation of IP Rights.
- It needs to safeguard its patents, copyrights and traditional knowledge by ensuring easy IPR rules.
Conclusion
Beliefs, attitudes and approaches towards IPRs in India must change for the sake of the ambitions articulated in this government’s many initiatives—from Make in India to Startup India and Smart Cities. Indian policymakers do not adequately appreciate the fundamental reality that IP laws and policies are meant to incentivize innovation by establishing enforceable boundaries to protect new products, processes, and original works of expression. Adequate safeguards though necessary should not cripple innovation or new technology that can come to India and benefit the larger public.
Value addition
Overview of IPR and patents in India
- The issue of IP enforcement has become all the more sensitive considering a bulk of patent applications in India are filed by foreign companies.
- As an example, the data provided by the Indian IP office in its annual report of 2017-2018 shows the applications filed by foreign applicants were more than double (32,304) compared to those by Indian residents (15,550).
- The International IP Index 2017 released by the US Chamber of Commerce, compares India’s intellectual property environment with that of 44 other world economies. The index ranked India at a dismal 43rd position out of 45 countries.
- This shows that challenges to innovation continue to exist in India and, therefore, the government needs to build upon the positive rhetoric of its IPR policy with the substantial legislative reforms that innovators need.
National IPR Policy
A comprehensive National IPR policy was adopted in May 2016, to stimulate innovation and creativity across sectors, and provide a clear vision regarding IPR issues. Objectives enshrined in the policy are hereunder:
- IPR Awareness – Outreach and Promotion – To create public awareness about the economic, social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society; · Generation of IPRs – To stimulate the generation of IPRs;
- Legal and Legislative Framework – To have strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the interests of rights’ owners with larger public interest
- Administration and Management – To modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration;
- Commercialization of IPRs – Get value for IPRs through commercialization; 6 · Enforcement and Adjudication – To strengthen the enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms for combating IPR infringements; and
- Human Capital Development – To strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs.
Topic: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) indicated that it will soon commence limited pilot launches of e-rupee (e`), or Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) or digital rupee, for specific use cases.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about CBDC, its potential benefits and challenges associated with it.
Directive word:
Critically examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to 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. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by explaining the emerging concept central bank digital currency (CBDC)
Body:
In the first part, write about potential benefits that India can accrue from CBDC. financial inclusion, the cashless society, decrease the cost of printing, expanding the digital economy and empowering citizens etc.
Next, write about potential challenges with regards to CBDC. User adoption, security, complexity, domination by Chinese and Opportunity cost due to RBI’s reluctance etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward as to how India should step up to CBDC.
Introduction
A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), or national digital currency, is simply the digital form of a country’s fiat currency. Instead of printing paper currency or minting coins, the central bank issues electronic tokens. This token value is backed by the full faith and credit of the government.
Global interest in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) is on the rise, with 80% of all central banks investigating their issuance and half having progressed past research to running pilots.
Body
Background
- The Reserve Bank of Indiais likely to soon kick off pilot projects to assess the viability of using digital currency to make wholesale and retail payments to help calibrate its strategy for introducing a full-scale central bank digital currency (CBDC).
- Union Finance Minister in the budget speech said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in 2022-23, marking the first official statement from the Union government on the launch of much-awaited digital currency.
Need for a CBDC:
- The growth of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum etc has raised challenges to fiat currencies.
- Along with their other vulnerabilities made the central bank of each country explore the possibility of introducing their own digital currencies.
- A 2021 BIS survey of central banks, which found that 86% were actively researching the potential for such currencies, 60% were experimenting with the technology, and 14% were deploying pilot projects.
- The need for inter-bank settlement would disappear as it would be a central bank liability handed over from one person to another.
Challenges posed:
- India is already facing many cyber security threats. With the advent of digital currency, cyberattacks might increase and threaten digital theft like Mt Gox bankruptcy case.
- According to the Digital Empowerment Foundation in 2018 report, around 90% of India’s population is digitally illiterate. So, without creating enough literary awareness introduction of digital currency will create a host of new challenges to the Indian economy.
- Introduction of digital currency also creates various associated challenges in regulation, tracking investment and purchase, taxing individuals, etc.
- The digital currency must collect certain basic information of an individual so that the person can prove that he’s the holder of that digital currency. This basic information can be sensitive ones such as the person’s identity, fingerprints etc.
Conclusion:
There are crucial decisions to be made about the design of the currency with regards to how it will be issued, the degree of anonymity it will have, the kind of technology that is to be used, and so on. There is no doubt that the introduction of National Digital currency prevents the various threats associated with the private-owned cryptocurrencies and take India the next step as a digital economy. But the government has to create necessary safeguards before rolling out. India needs to move forward on introducing an official digital currency.
Value addition
Global situation of CBDC
According to the Bank for International Settlements, more than 60 countries are currently experimenting with the CBDC. There are few Countries that already rolled out their national digital currency. Such as,
- Swedenis conducting real-world trials of their digital currency (krona)
- The Bahamasalready issued their digital currency “Sand Dollar” to all citizens
- Chinastarted a trial run of their digital currencye- RMB amid pandemic. They plan to implement pan-China in 2022. This is the first national digital currency operated by a major economy.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions;
Difficulty level: Easy
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the many determinants in judging rightness or wrongness of an action.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning about moral relativism.
Body:
Write about the various determinants that are involved in deciding whether an action is moral right or wrong. Write about the variation or relativity of moral actions across time and space. Substantiate wit examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Moral relativism is the idea that there is no universal or absolute set of moral principles. According to moral relativism, there is not a single true morality. There are a variety of possible moralities or moral frames of reference, and whether something is morally right or wrong, good or bad, just or unjust, etc. is a relative matter—relative to one or another morality or moral frame of reference. Something can be morally right relative to one moral frame of reference and morally wrong relative to another.
Body
Moral relativism can be captured in two following points
- Moral judgments are true or false and actions are right or wrong only relative to some particular standpoint (usually the moral framework of a specific community).
- No standpoint can be proved objectively superior to any other.
Different groups of people may play different versions of football. Different societies may have different legal systems. Different people speak different languages. And different people may have different moralities. Moralities accepted at one time may fail to be accepted at another time. Individuals within any given group may have different moralities. A particular person may accept different mutually incompatible moralities at different times and even at the same time.
Determinants of judging an action
- Nature of the action: Ethicality depends upon the fundamental nature of action itself. For instance, murderis an unethical act in itself and it cannot be justified by any intention or under any circumstances. On the other hand, acts like polluting the environment are unethical but it can be justified if its within ecological limits and used for good purpose like rural electrification.
- Intention: Intention behind an action must be ethical and only then, the action can be possible ethical. If intention is wrong, no action can be ethical even if the action is good in itself. For instance, charitydone for vested interests by unscrupulous NGOs is unethical even if its charity. On the other hand, breaking a traffic rule can be ethical if a policeman does it to catch a criminal.
- Circumstances: Ethics is dynamic and hence, sometimes circumstances decide whether an action is ethical or not. For instance, democracyand citizen-centric governance is ethical governance but during times of war, martial law can be ethically justified and hence, provided under the Indian Constitution. We consider breaking of traffic rules as highly unethical but if you are taking a sick person to hospital, then the golden hour must not be missed and one cannot comply with traffic rules when a life is at stake.
Conclusion
To be ethically good, a human act must agree with the norm of morality on all three counts; in its nature, its motive, and its circumstances. Departure from any of these makes the action morally wrong.
Moral relativism is on the opposite end of the continuum from moral absolutism, which says that there is always one right answer to any ethical question. As relativists see it, they are not countenancing immorality, injustice, or moral nihilism; rather, they are trying to say something about the nature of moral claims and the justifications given for them. The main problem they face is to show how the denial of objective moral truth need not entail a subjectivism that drains the rationality out of moral discourse. Their critics, on the other hand, face the possibly even more challenging task of justifying the claim that there is such a thing as objective moral truth.
Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE
Join our Twitter Account HERE
Follow our Instagram Account HERE
