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
General Studies – 1
Topic: geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
As humans warm the planet, the once reliably frigid and frozen Arctic is becoming wetter and stormier, with shifts in its climate and seasons that are forcing local communities, wildlife and ecosystems to adapt, scientists said Tuesday in an annual assessment of the region.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of Arctic region and features of India’s arctic policy.
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 giving the extent of Arctic region.
Body:
In the first part, write about the climatic importance of Arctic – world’s climate in balance, circulate the world’s ocean currents, moving cold and warm water around the globe etc.
Next, write about economic importance – huge commercial and economic opportunities, particularly in shipping, energy, fisheries and mineral resources etc.
Next, write about the key features of India’s arctic policy.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
India’s engagement with the Arctic began when it signed the Svalbard Treaty in February 1920 in Paris between Norway, the US, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Ireland, and the British overseas Dominions and Sweden concerning Spitsbergen. Ever since then, India has been closely monitoring all the developments in the Arctic region.
Body
Background
- India initiated its Arctic research program in 2007 with a focus on climate change in the region. The objectives included studying teleconnections between Arctic climate and Indian monsoon, to characterize sea ice in the Arctic using satellite data, to estimate the effect on global warming.
- India already has a research station in the Arctic, Himadri, for the research work.
- Though none of India’s territory directly falls in the Arctic region, it is a crucial area as the Arctic influences atmospheric, oceanographic and biogeochemical cycles of the earth’s ecosystem.
- Due to climate change, the region faces the loss of sea ice, ice caps, and warming of the ocean which in turn impacts the global climate.
- The frigid Arctic, which keeps losing ice due to global warming, is one of the batteries feeding the variations in Indian monsoons.
Importance of Arctic for global climate and economy
- Rising sea levels: Warming at the top of the Earth raises sea levels worldwide, changes the way heat and water circulate in the oceans, and might even influence extreme weather events like heat waves and rainstorms, scientists say. But Arctic communities feel the impacts first.
- Mineral Resources and Hydrocarbons: Arctic region has rich deposits of coal, gypsum and diamonds and also substantial reserves of zinc, lead, placer gold and quartz.10 Greenland alone possesses about a quarter of world’s rare earth reserves.
- Climate change accelerated the melting speed of ice sheet: This is an alarming situation because ice sheet reflects the sunlight, whereas water absorbs the sunlight. If ice will melt, then water will be heated and as a result world becoming warming day by day.
- The permanently frozen layer of the soil is called as permafrost in colder region will be exposed when the ice sheet will melt. This permafrost act as a reservoir of carbon dioxide and methane then thinks about if it will melt, and then what will be in the atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas.
- Excavation and extraction of oil in Arctic region: Fossil fuel is one of the factors that accelerated the climate change. 21st century world has become dependent on the usage of the fossil fuel which has not even spared the Arctic region to exploit for corporate profits.
- The degree of the arctic warming has subsequent impact on the global activity. The increasing temperature is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events which will primarily influence economic growth through damage to property and infrastructure, lost productivity, mass migration and security threats.
The Indian Arctic policy is built on six central pillars
- Science and research.
- Environmental protection.
- Economic and human development.
- Transportation and connectivity.
- Governance and international cooperation.
- National capacity building.
India holds one of the 13 positions as the Observer in the Arctic Council.
The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental body that promotes research and facilitates cooperation among Arctic countries on issues related to the environmental protection and sustainable development of the Arctic region.
India’s Arctic policy : Features
- It aims to strengthen national capabilities and competencies in science and exploration, climate and environmental protection, maritime and economic cooperation with the Arctic region.
- It seeks to strengthen institutional and human resource capacities within the government and academic, research and business institutions through inter-ministerial coordination in pursuit of India’s interests in the Arctic.
- It seeks to enhance understanding of the impact of climate change in the Arctic region on India’s climate, economic and energy security.
- It aims to promote better analysis, prediction and coordinated policymaking on the implications of ice melting in the Arctic on India’s economic, military and strategic interests related to global shipping routes, energy security and exploitation of mineral wealth.
- It seeks to study the linkages between polar regions and the Himalayas and deepen the cooperation between India and the countries of the Arctic region under various Arctic forums, drawing expertise from scientific and traditional knowledge.
- The policy also seeks to increase India’s participation in the Arctic Council and improve understanding of the complex governance structures in the Arctic, relevant international laws and geopolitics of the region.
Conclusion
On the whole, India’s Arctic Policy is timely and is likely to provide a direction to India’s policy-makers on contours of India’s engagement with the region. It is the first step towards developing a whole-of-government approach on India’s engagement with the region.
The Policy is likely to have a multiplier effect towards a more synergised and focused scientific research including an enhanced understanding of linkages between monsoons and climate change in the Arctic, and between polar studies and the Himalayas.
Thus, India’s Arctic Policy is deftly dovetailed, enmeshed and in synergy with the broader policy framework of the Government of India.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Difficulty level: Moderate.
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
A recent study of India’s experience under colonial rule by Dylan Sullivan and Jason Hickel concludes that data from the Census of India reveal that between 1880 and 1920 approximately 100 million Indians died due to British policy in India.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about benefits of collecting census data.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of census in India.
Body:
In the first part, discuss the advantages of census – essential for planning the provision of health care, education, employment, etc, helpful in the debate related to reservation policy, targeted poverty reduction programmes etc
Next, Discuss the limitations of census – creates chasms within society, historical apprehensions when such data was used to further divide and rule policy etc.
Conclusion:
Based on above arguments give a fair and balanced view as conclusion.
Introduction
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. Census provides information on size, distribution, socio-economic, demographic and other characteristic of countries population.
The Census was first started under British Viceroy Lord Mayo in 1872. It helped in framing new policies, government programs to uplift areas of improvement in the community. The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Every ten years: Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten years.
Study of India’s experience under colonial rule by Dylan Sullivan and Jason Hickel concludes that data from the Census of India reveal that between 1880 and 1920 approximately 100 million Indians died due to British policy in India.
Body
Need for census
- The census provides information on size, distribution and socio-economic, demographic and other characteristics of the country’s population.
- The data collected through the census are used for administration, planning and policy making as well as management and evaluation of various programmesby the government, NGOs, researchers, commercial and private enterprises, etc.
- Census data is also used for demarcation of constituencies and allocation of representation to parliament, State legislative Assemblies and the local bodies.
- Researchers and demographers use census data to analyze growth and trends of population and make projections.
- The census data is also important for business houses and industries for strengthening and planning their business for penetration into areas, which had hitherto remained, uncovered.
Importance of Census
- Utility in Administration and Policy
- The population census provides the basic data for administrative purposes. One of the most basic of the administrative uses of census data is in the demarcation of constituenceis and the allocation of representation on governing bodies. Detailed information on the geographic distribution of the population is indispensable for this purpose. The Census also gives information on the demographic and economic characteristics of the population at the district level.
- Utility of Census data for Research Purposes:
- The population census provides indispensable data for scientific analysis and appraisal of the composition, distribution and past and prospective growth of the population.
- Utility of Census data in Business and Industry:
- The census data has many important uses for individuals and institutions in business and industry. It is very difficult to make a full assessment of the multiplicity of ways in which trade and business make use of the census data.
- Census as frame for Sample Surveys:
- The rapidity of current changes in the size and other characteristics of populations and the demand for additional detailed data on social and economic characteristics which are not appropriate for collection in a full-scale census, have brought about the need for continuing programmes of intercensal sample surveys to collect current and detailed information on many topics which are usually investigated at ten-year intervals in the population censuses.
- Utility of Census data in Planning:
- The census data is indispensable for social and economic planning of the Country. The Planning Commission utilises the Census data on the distribution of population by age, sex classified by rural and urban regions, cities, town areas and social groups to analyse the growth of consumer demand and savings in the process of development.
- Utility of Population Census to Electoral Rolls:
- Some countries have taken advantage of the enumeration for a population census to collect, at the same time, information needed for the establishment of electoral rolls. This procedure is not generally advisable because of the deleterious effect the secondary purpose might have on the quality of the census results.
- Utility of Population Census to other types of Censuses:
- Certain information collected as part of a population census, or incidential to it, can be most useful in conducting and/or utilizing the results of housing, agricultural or establishment censuses taken at about the same time or near about as the population census.
- Utility of population census to civil registration and vital statistics:
- Census data serve as denominators for the computation of vital rates, especially rates specific for characteristics normally investigated only at the time of the census.
Challenges and Experiences:
- Cost of Conducting Census
- One of the biggest challenges associated with conducting census in poor countries is the enormous financial costs of conducting the exercise. It is no secret that it is extremely costly to conduct a census.
- High Illiteracy Rate in a Nation has a Negative Impact on the Conducting of Census
- Countries with large proportions of their populations being illiterates face a great challenge during the conducting of censuses.
- Inadequate Infrastructural Facilities in Certain Areas
- There are certain places in the world where it is very difficult undertaking efficient population census because of poor infrastructural facilities such as bad roads, inaccessible roads or insufficient roads that connect various towns and villages.
- Traditional and Religious Beliefs can Interfere with the Census Exercise
- In many underdeveloped parts of the world where traditional beliefs are the order of the day, census officers face serious challenges when they reach these places and try counting the people.
- Corruption Interferes with Census
- Corruption during census can make it difficult to have an efficient population census exercise that provides accurate population figures.
- Insufficient Census Experts
- Another problem associated with conducting censuses in certain parts of the world is the insufficient number of professionals with the knowledge and experience of conducting census.
- Insufficient and Ineffective Census Educational Campaign
- How effective an educational campaign on census is prior to the census taking place determines how successful the census exercise eventually becomes.
- Poor Demographic Maps
- Because of demographic maps that aren’t reliable, it becomes very difficult for the authorities to know all the remote areas (especially the very remote areas) in the country and go there to conduct the census exercise.
Way forward
- Census data is first time being collected by mobile hence specific training should be given to the collectors
- Also public must be aware about the methodology
- Method must be developed to tackle the problem faced in earlier phases
Conclusion
Census is a major pillar for development and hence, Centre, States as well as local bodies must help for smoother process of Collection of data.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
Scientists in the United Kingdom testing a new form of cancer therapy, reported success in a teenaged girl, Alyssia, with a form of cancer called T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the gene therapy, base editing and its scope in curing life threatening diseases.
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 briefly defining gene therapy.
Body:
First, in brief, explain the mechanism of the working of gene therapy and base editing.
Next, write about the scope of gene therapy in curing life threatening diseases- cancers, influencing the course of various genetic and acquired disorders at the genetic level.
Next, write about the limitations of the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward to overcoming the limitations.
Introduction
Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Gene therapy techniques allow doctors to treat a disorder by altering a person’s genetic makeup instead of using drugs or surgery.
Bases are the language of life. The four types of base – adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T) – are the building blocks of our genetic code. Just as letters in the alphabet spell out words that carry meaning, the billions of bases in our DNA spell out the instruction manual for our body.
Base editing allows scientists to zoom to a precise part of the genetic code and then alter the molecular structure of just one base, converting it into another and changing the genetic instructions.
Body
Background
Scientists in the United Kingdom testing a new form of cancer therapy, reported success in a teenaged girl, Alyssia, with a form of cancer called T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The large team of doctors and scientists used this tool to engineer a new type of T-cell that was capable of hunting down and killing cancerous T-cells.
Gene therapy: Mechanism
- Gene therapy works by altering the genetic code to recover the functions of critical proteins. Proteins are the workhorses of the cell and the structural basis of the body’s tissues.
- The instructions for making proteins are carried in a person’s genetic code, and variants (or mutations) in this code can impact the production or function of proteins that may be critical to how the body works.
- Fixing or compensating for disease-causing genetic changes may recover the role of these important proteins and allow the body to function as expected.
Potential of gene therapy
- Fix a genetic alteration underlying a disorder, so the gene can function properly.
- Turn on a gene to help fight a disease.
- Turn off a gene that is functioning improperly.
- Remove a piece of DNA that is impairing gene function and causing disease.
Gene therapies are being used to treat a small number of diseases, including an eye disorder called Leber congenital amaurosis and a muscle disorder called spinal muscular atrophy
various concerns associated with the gene therapy
- Human embryo editing research may not be adequately controlled, leaving it open to a lab somewhere to create gene-edited babies.
- Some of the key scientists in this field have concerns about the potential misuse of a technology that could be used for eugenics, to create genetic discrimination.
- But even in agriculture, genetic modification is a subject of major debate, especially in developing countries, including India.
- Most of the ethical discussions related to genome editing centre around human germline editing. This is because changes made in the germline would be passed down to future generations.
- There is also debate that, ecological disequilibrium can be caused by gene editing.
- Due to the possibility of off-target effects (edits in the wrong place) and mosaicism (when some cells carry the edit but others do not), safety is of primary concern.
Conclusion
Human civilization has always progressed by interfering with the natural evolutionary process. In this process, the application of Gene Editing is inevitable. However, to prevent it from being a disruptive force, it is better to regulate it.
India does not have a comprehensive gene editing policy in place, though germline gene editing is banned in line with international norms. Yet, in the face of persisting diseases and crippling human conditions, divine intervention may sometimes need to be supplemented with genetic ones in a carefully regulated environment.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
India unveiled its long-term climate action plan at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November. While the document titled ‘Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LT-LCDS)’ has multi-sectoral measures to reach a net-zero emissions status, climate-resilient urbanisation forms a cornerstone of the Government of India’s strategy under the Paris Agreement.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the coordination and cooperation needed among various sectors to build climate resilience.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining the climate resilience.
Body:
First, write in detail the implications of changing climate on various aspects of Indian region such as – food security, Agriculture systems, water security, Energy infrastructure and supply, coastal ecosystem etc. Also explain its effect on human health, social issues, cascading of climatic hazards etc.
Next, write about the need for cooperation and collaboration among by government, non-governmental, community-based organisations, and academic organisation in order to build resilience.
Next, write about other steps required to build resilience.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
India unveiled its long-term climate action plan at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November. While the document titled ‘Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LT-LCDS)’ has multi-sectoral measures to reach a net-zero emissions status, climate-resilient urbanisation forms a cornerstone of the Government of India’s strategy under the Paris Agreement.
Body
Impact of Climate Change on India
- Coastal areas:7500 km long coastline is already vulnerable to various disasters like cyclone, coastal flooding, storm surges, heavy rainfall (as seen in Mumbai) etc.
- The rise in the sea temperature and level will only increase the frequency of such hazards endangering the life and livelihood of the coastal population.
- Also, India being close to the equator will experience much higher increase in sea level than higher latitudes
- Monsoon: Phenomenon such as El Nino will increase the variabilityof the monsoon worsening the agricultural crisiswith more than 50% area still being rain-fed and threatening the food security.
- Climate change has about 4-9 per cent impact on agriculture each year.
- As agriculture contributes 15 per cent to India’s GDP, climate change presumably causes about 1.5 per cent loss in GDP(1).
- Disasters:More weather aberrations as recently seen in Mumbai and Chennai and increase incidence of the disasters likeflood and drought will threaten both rural and urban economy
- Biodiversity: Loss of biodiversity put the livelihood of the forest dependent and hill communities at risk and disturb the biogeochemical cycles that help maintain the flow of nutrient, water and pure air.
- Increase in human-wildlife conflict as observed in State like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand is another threat.
- Health: Increased disease outbreaks especially of the tropical diseases like Malaria and Dengue, heat waves aggravating the urban heat island effect andwater scarcity compelling people to consume polluted water will increase the burden of mortality and morbidity.
- Migration: Rising inequalities as poor will be most affected due to climate change will increase the burden of migration and cripple the urban economies.
- Illegal migration from the neighbour countries will also cause security threats.
Need for cooperation and collaboration
- Active involvement by government, non-governmental, community-based organisations, and academic institutions will help build a sustainability profile and arrive at specific interventions.
- Governments and multilateral institutions can set targets, frameworks and mandates for other parties to change their behaviour and use their resources both efficiently and sustainably.
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofit organizations, along with multilateral institutions, can identify the most urgent and pressing matters on regional, national and global levels. They can also hold the public and private sectors accountable by promoting their own transparency.
- The private sector plays a leading role in cross-sector collaboration in two significant ways.
- First, companies can provide the technologies to make solutions more accessible and affordable to all – especially multinational corporations operating across multiple business sectors and industries.
- Second, through their communications expertise, specifically in running campaigns and outreach projects, businesses can lead in boosting public awareness and engagement.
- Eg: The member companies of the RE100, such as Microsoft, IKEA, Morgan Stanley, Nestlé and Sony, are committed to becoming “100% renewable”.
Conclusion and way forward
India is one of the most vulnerable nations to the ravages of climate change, and what makes our experience unique in many ways is that the country faces severe challenges on nearly every climate metric: be it sea level rise, the melting of Himalayan glaciers, an increase in the number of destructive cyclones or extreme heatwaves. In many ways, these separate impacts have come together to shape the destiny of one of the most awe-inspiring weather phenomena on the planet, the Indian monsoon.
Value addition
India’s action for Climate Change
- National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): outlines existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The Action Plan identifies eight core “national missions” running through to 2017: Solar Energy; Enhanced Energy Efficiency; Sustainable Habitat; Water; Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem; Green India; Sustainable Agriculture; and Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. Most of these missions have strong adaptation imperatives.
- National Clean Energy Fund:The Government of India created the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) in 2010 for financing and promoting clean energy initiatives and funding research in the area of clean energy in the country. The corpus of the fund is built by levying a cess of INR 50 (subsequently increased to INR 100 in 2014) per tonne of coal produced domestically or imported.
- Paris Agreement:Under the Paris Agreement, India has made three commitments. India’s greenhouse gas emission intensity of its GDP will be reduced by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030. Alongside, 40% of India’s power capacity would be based on non-fossil fuel sources. At the same time, India will create an additional ‘carbon sink’ of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of Co2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
- International Solar Alliance:ISA was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris on 30 November 2015 by India and France, in the presence of Mr. Ban Ki Moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations.
- Bharat Stage (BS) Emission Norms:Emissions from vehicles are one of the top contributors to air pollution, which led the government at the time to introduce the BS 2000 (Bharat Stage 1) vehicle emission norms from April 2000, followed by BS-II in 2005. BS-III was implemented nationwide in 2010. However, in 2016, the government decided to meet the global best practices and leapfrog to BS-VI norms by skipping BS V altogether.
Topic: basics of cyber security;
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
The probe into the cyberattack on some servers at AIIMS in the national capital has found that the IP addresses of two emails, which were identified from the headers of files that were encrypted by the hackers, originated from Hong Kong and China’s.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about cyber warfare and India’s preparedness in tackling cyber warfare challenges.
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:
Begin by defining cyber-warfare.
Body:
In the first part, mention the various kinds of cyber weapons – Viruses, phishing, computer worms and malware, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, hacking, spyware or cyber espionage, ransomware and propaganda or disinformation campaigns etc.
Next, write about the various mechanisms and organisation to deal with cyber-warfare. Write about their strengths and limitations.
Next, write about vulnerabilities of India to cyber warfare.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward to overcome the above-mentioned vulnerabilities.
Introduction
Cyber warfare is computer- or network-based conflict involving politically motivated attacks by a nation-state on another nation-state. In these types of attacks, nation-state actors attempt to disrupt the activities of organizations or nation-states, especially for strategic or military purposes and cyber espionage.
The probe into the cyberattack on some servers at AIIMS in the national capital has found that the IP addresses of two emails, which were identified from the headers of files that were encrypted by the hackers, originated from Hong Kong and China’s.
Body
It involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information networks through, for example, computer viruses or denial-of-service attacks.
India’s vulnerabilities to cyber threats:
India’s preparedness and challenges faced:
- The attacks can be more tangible causing damage to physical or digital infrastructure.
- This includes a country’s water system or electric grid.
- Cyber tentacles can spread to political parties, universities and private businesses and Citizens.
- Potentially worrisome cyber incidents include interference in political affairs, leaks and espionage and the compromising of critical national infrastructure.
- A 2017 study conducted by Symantec found that India ranked fourth in online security breaches, accounting for over 5 per cent of global threat detections. In the beginning of 2017, the newly launched Bharat Interface for Money application (BHIM app) reportedly faced spam threats.
- The real danger to India lies in targeted cyber-attacks coming from adversarial nation states.
- Countries like China can bring immense assets to bear in carrying out sophisticated cyber-attacks. The success of Stuxnet, which damaged the Iranian centrifuge facility at Natanz is an example.
- Cyber warfare is characterized by an absence of clarity.
- India can never be certain about the capability of the other side and also the chances of success if we launch a cyber counterstrike.
- There is a push towards greater digital dependence with demonetization a cashless system is being propagated. Aadhaar and the wider platforms such Digital India and Smart Cities will push things further along. India is the world’s second largest digital nation with more than 350 million Indians are online and millions more will be getting connected in the years to come.
- India is not even a signatory to some of the basic international frameworks on Cybersecurity like the Convention of Cybercrime of the Council of Europe which not only European nations but Japan, US, South Africa have become signatories to, except India.
- Indian laws are not in tandem with the ever-changing global cyberspace.
- The laws are old and hence need to be more dynamic in nature to deal with issues like cyber-espionage, data theft and so on.
- The Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act 2000) is the sole law that deals with cyberspace in India and was passed way back in 2000.
- Also, the Cyber Law of India has been subject to amendments on various occasions but hasn’t served the changing dynamics and the growing threats and manifestations of cyberwar.
Measures needed:
- A Defence Cyber Agency could be the first step the government plans to for critical infrastructure and military networks that are increasingly becoming dependent on the Internet, thus increasing vulnerabilities.
- The Defence Cyber Agency will work in coordination with the National Cyber Security Advisor. It will have more than 1,000 experts who will be distributed into a number of formations of the Army, Navy and IAF. According to reports, the new Defence Cyber Agency will have both offensive and defensive capacity.
- Equally important is cyber propaganda. During the Doklam conflict, China tried its best to unleash cyber propaganda on India and indulged in complex psy-ops
- Critical cyber infrastructure needs to be defended and the establishment of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre(NCIIPC) is a good step in this direction
- Individual ministries and private companies must also put procedures in place to honestly report breaches. It is only then that the NCIIPC can provide the requisite tools to secure these networks. This partnership must be transparent and not mired in the usual secrecy of intelligence organisations.
- The upgrading of the Defence Cyber Agency to a Cyber Command must be implemented at the soonest.
- A robust ecosystem must be built to secure India from acts of state and non-state actors, including protocol for grievance redressal in international forums.
- Better capabilities must be built to detect and deflect attacks.
- The computer emergency response team (CERT) must be strengthened and aligned with military and foreign affairs operations.
- Building a joint task force between the government and key technology players will be crucial.
- The government should push for the creation of a global charter of digital human rights.
- A national gold standard should be created, which ensures that Indian hardware and software companies adhere to the highest safety protocols
- Impart cybercrime investigation training and technological know-how to the various law enforcement agencies.
- Cyber awareness must be spread and there should be multi-stakeholder approach- technological inputs, legal inputs, strengthening law enforcements, systems and then dealing with transborder crime involves lot of international cooperation.
Conclusion
Most of the Indian banking industry and financial institutions have embraced IT to its full optimization. Reports suggest that cyber-attacks are understandably directed toward economic and financial institutions. With innovative, technology led programmes such as AADHAAR, MyGov, GeM, Digital Locker the new India is the land of technological prowess and transformation. Government and the private sector jointly have to give cyber security some priority in their security and risk management plan.
Topic: ethical issues in international relations
6. Why are ethics important in international relations? Discuss. (150 words)
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of 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
In today’s borderless world, there are a lot of interactions at various levels (country, professional, personal). The difference in the value systems and diversity makes Ethics in International relations imperative. Ethics provides guidance to the people in their international affairs.
Body
Importance of ethics in IR:
- Legitimacy:
- Ethics does its work in the world by granting and withdrawing legitimacy. History shows that the mitigation and cessation of unjust practices ultimately comes from the assertion of core values.
- 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.
- Rights and Responsibilities:
- Rights are protections and entitlements in relation to corresponding duties and responsibilities.
- There have been many attempts at forging general agreement on the composition of human rights—the best known being the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and additional international agreement such as the Refugee Convention.
- Pluralism:
- Ideology presents a significant hurdle. Many political ideologies—”isms” and doctrines that are absolute and universal—result in what Hans Morgenthau called “the crusading spirit.”
- Absolutes and moral abstractions in politics can be problematic for the ethicist. Ideologies like nationalism, Marxism, communism, religious fundamentalism and even Western liberalism in the wrong hands, have been great simplifiers, prone to excesses of political operators who use them to cloak their political interests in the guise of high-minded moral purpose.
- Peace and Harmony:
- Ethics aim at “Peaceful World”, “Respect for All” & “Equality” while forming international organizations, declarations & forums. E.g.: The demand for equality in IMF & UNO shows the demand of adhering to ethics in a way.
- Solidarity:
- Natural disasters and refugee crisis situations require a more compassionate view of the global community. These are not isolated events and rather, a duty of every global citizen to help in the times of crisis.
- g.- Aid during natural disasters (Nepal earthquake)
- Fairness:
- Fairness addresses normative standards for appropriate contribution, equal regard and just desert.
- Contemporary methods for thinking through these standards include John Rawls’s “difference principle,” Amartya Sen’s “capabilities approach,” Peter Singer’s “one world,” and Kwame Anthony Appiah’s “cosmopolitanism” just to name a few.
- Others:
- Ethics helps to avoid the “Ego Clash” & “Ideological Clash” between two or more nations.
- For instance, the disruption between India & Pakistan relation can be avoided if both take a decision based on ethics.
However, there are instances where ethics in IR has gone overboard:
- The alleged just war cause where a country thinks it’s their moral responsibility to save the world. E.g.: USA and Iraq war.
- Threat to the Rules based order of the world by side-lining of the Global bodies like UNSC, WTO etc.
- Increasing Multilateral groupings to satisfy their personal interests.
Conclusion
Ethics helps to avoid undue wars, conflicts and provide an ecosystem where there is mutual trust, goodwill, and confidence among all the Countries and helps to foster International Relations.
Topic: corporate governance.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about shortcomings of corporate governance in India.
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 defining corporate governance.
Body:
Write about the various limitations and shortcomings of corporate governance – frequent scams, lack of transparency, absences of accountability, corruption etc. Give recent examples like Yes bank, NSE scam.
Suggest steps to overcome the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a firm is directed and controlled. Corporate governance essentially involves balancing the interests of a company’s many stakeholders, such as shareholders, senior management executives, customers, suppliers, financiers, the government, and the community. Ethics is at the core of corporate governance, and management must reflect accountability for their actions on the global community scale.
Body
Background
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) passed its final order in a sordid saga, involving the country’s largest stock exchange.
- The order, strongly censuring senior officials of the NSE, including its former MD and CEO Chitra Ramkrishna, throws light on a series of governance lapses at the stock exchange.
- The stock exchange regulator has levied fines on the parties involved in acts of impropriety, and also barred NSE from introducing any new products for a six-month period.
- The order highlights the scale of misgovernance, including the violation of several rules and regulations.
- More worryingly, the episode has exposed the absence of checks and balances at the stock exchange.
Need for structural changes in Corporate Governance in India
- It is common for friends and family of promoters and management to be appointed as board members.
- In India, founders’ ability to control the affairs of the company has the potential of derailing the entire corporate governance system. Unlike developed economies, in India, identity of the founder and the company is often merged.
- Women director appointed are primarily from family in most of the companies which negates the whole reform.
- Appointed independent directors are questionable as it is unlikely that Independent Directors will stand-up for minority interests against the promoter. In the Tata case, these directors normally toe the promoter’s line.
- An independent director can be easily removed by promoters or majority shareholders. This inherent conflict has a direct impact on independence.
- Data protection is an important governance issue. In this era of digitalisation, a sound understanding of the fundamentals of cyber security must be expected from every director.
- Board’s Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is often found unsupportive.
- Conflict of Interest – The ICICI Bank Ltd fiasco demonstrates the challenge of managers potentially enriching themselves at the cost of shareholders in the absence of a promoter.
- In the corporate world, much is forgiven on grounds of performance.
- When a performing CEO chooses to unduly favour a particular individual or individuals, boards see that as a forgivable infirmity.
- As for dysfunctional or ineffective boards, these remain the norm despite numerous regulations, seminars and papers over the past four decades.
Measures to improve Corporate Governance:
- Ensure a balanced, competent and diverse Board: Business should strive for directors who are qualified, understand the business and can offer a fresh perspective. Studies show Boards with greater gender diversity result in improved financial performance.
- The top management must be allowed to choose not more than 50% of the independent directors.
- The rest must be chosen by various other stakeholders — financial institutions, banks, small shareholders, employees, etc.
- Review your Board composition on a regular basis to identify any shortcomings and make timely improvements.
- Build solid foundations for oversight: Establish, monitor and evaluate the roles and responsibilities of the Board and management. The Board needs to have visibility of management actions and key decision making.
- Gear key performance indicators towards long term value creation not just in the short term.
- Prioritize risk management: Establish an effective risk management and internal control framework and periodically review its effectiveness. Developing a disaster recovery plan is essential.
- Ensure integrity in corporate reporting including safeguards such as conducting external audits of the business.
- Provide timely and balanced information: Providing transparency to key stakeholders both in the good and bad times promotes stakeholders’ confidence in the business.
- Emphasise integrity, promote ethical behaviours and consult different categories of stakeholders on their interests.
- Treat shareholders equitably and respect their rights.
- Ensure adequate disclosures around related parties’ transactions and director’s other interests. This is especially important where a director may have external financial interests that could influence his decision.
- Regulators must penalise errant directors through a whole range of instruments — strictures, financial penalties, removal from boards and a permanent ban from board membership.
Conclusion:
The effectiveness of the Corporate Governance has become a global concern. Mainly after many corporate collapse (e.g. Enron, Boeing etc.), fraud cases (e.g. Lehman Brothers), shareholder suits or questionable strategic decisions are drawing attention to the top level decision-making body of the corporation and the board of directors, necessitating the need for ethical considerations where in Indian context, Uday Kotak committee recommendations can form guidelines for better ethical corporate governance.
Value addition
Importance of Corporate Governance:
- Ensures that the management of a company considers the best interests of all stakeholders involved;
- Helps companies deliver long-term corporate success and economic growth;
- Maintains the confidence of investors and as consequence companies raise capital efficiently and effectively;
- Has a positive impact on the price of shares as it improves the trust in the market;
- Improves control over management and information systems (such as security or risk management)
- Good corporate governance also aims at a faster decision-making process by establishing a clear delineation of roles between owners and management.
- Gives guidance to the owners and managers about what are the goals strategy of the company;
- Minimizes wastages, corruption, risks, and mismanagement;
- Helps to create a strong brand reputation;
- Most importantly, it makes companies more resilient.
- An increase in staff retention and motivation can be expected, especially from senior staff, when the company has a well-defined and communicated vision and direction.
- A focus on the company’s core business will also make it easier to penetrate the market and attract the interest of shareholders.
Improved reporting on performance in turn leads managers and owners to make more informed and fact-based decisions, leading ultimately to improving sales margins and reducing costs.
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