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: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about importance of stone tools and its evolution.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving a brief time period of pre-historic times in India and its various sub classifications.
Body:
First, write about the importance of stone tools – dating to determine age, to determine usage, understanding evolution, beginning of agricultural societies etc. Cite examples.
Next, write about the evolution of stone tool technology in the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic age.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The history of human settlements in India goes back to prehistoric times. No written records are available for the prehistoric period. However, plenty of archaeological remains are found in different parts of India to reconstruct the history of this period. They include the stone tools, pottery, artifacts and metal implements used by pre-historic people.
The prehistoric period is divided into the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), Neolithic (New Stone Age) and the Metal Age.
Body
Importance of stone tools
The most important sources are the different kinds of stone made tools used by pre-historic humans which have been collected from the excavation sites. Stone tools were a very important part of the lives of the Stone Age people and are therefore an important key to understanding their world.
- The evidence of stone tools in the lower Paleolithic age of India enable us a partial way to visualize the life of their makers.
- The lower Paleolithic man of India was a hunter and a food gatherer. Their shelters were made of rock, branches, grass, leaves or reeds.
- Mid way between the old stone and the New Stone Age, Scholars Speak of a Mesolithic period, which was characterized by the making and use of small stone implements. The stone implements are of minute size and hence are called microliths.
- The chief characteristics of Neolithic age are settled life, animal husbandry pottery and some form of cultivation which depended solely upon the use of stone. The beginnings of animal and plant domestication did not mean the end of the hunting – gathering way of life.
- It is general belief of the scholar that the chalcolithic culture was a rural culture. People belonging to this period usually founded rural settlement on the banks of river. They used stone tools supplemented by some copper tools.
Evolution of stone tools in various phases of stone age
- Old Stone age or Paleolithic age: In the Old Stone Age, food was obtained by hunting animals and gathering edible plants and tubers.
- Therefore, these people are called as hunter-gatherers.
- They used stone tools, hand-sized and flaked-off large pebbles for hunting animals. During this period people used fairly large core tools made of hard 28 rocks. They include hand axes, cleavers and Choppers
- Stone implements are made of a hard rock known as quartzite. Large pebbles are often found in river terraces.
- Mesolithic or middle stone age (10000 B.C. to 6000 B.C): In the sites of Mesolithic Age, a different type of stone tools is found. These are tiny stone artifacts, often not more than five centimeters in size, and therefore called microliths.
- The hunting-gathering pattern of life continued during this period.
- However, there seems to have been a shift from big animal hunting to small animal hunting and fishing. The use of bow and arrow also began during this period
- Neolithic age (6000 B.C to 4000 B.C): The chief characteristic features of the Neolithic culture are the practice of agriculture, domestication of animals, polishing of stone tools and the manufacture of pottery.
- There was a great improvement in technology of making tools and other equipment used by man. Stone tools were now polished.
- The polished axes were found to be more effective tools for hunting and cutting trees.
- Mud brick houses were built instead of grass huts. Wheels were used to make pottery. Pottery was used for cooking as well as storage of food grains. Large urns were used as coffins for the burial of the dead.
- Metal age: The Neolithic period is followed by Chalcolithic (copper-stone) period when copper and bronze came to be used. The new technology of smelting metal ore and crafting metal artifacts is an important development in human civilization.
- But the use of stone tools was not given up.
- Some of the micro-lithic tools continued to be essential items. People began to travel for a long distance to obtain metal ores.
Conclusion
Hence the archeological remains give a foray into life of prehistoric man and use of stone tools sheds light on day-to-day activities helping us reconstruct the evolution of civilization of the human race.
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write Harapan architecture, urban planning and drainage system.
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 context about Harappan architecture.
Body:
First, write about various remarkable features of Harappan architecture and town planning – urban planning, baked brick houses, street planning, uniformity, division of town etc. Cite examples.
Next, write about the remarkable aspects of elaborate drainage system and water supply system of Harappan towns and cities. Cite examples to substantiate.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
A flourishing civilisation emerged on the banks of river Indus in the second half of the third millennium BCE and spread across larger parts of Western India. A marked feature if this civilisation was the vivid imagination and artistic sensibilities. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were the two major cities if the Indus Valley civilisation.
Body
Features of Indus Valley Civilization
- Town planning Architecture
- Layout: The town were laid out in a rectangular grid pattern and the roads ran in North-South and East-West direction cutting each other at right angles.
- Construction: The big roads divided the city into many blocks and smaller lanes were used to connect housed to the main roads. Harappan used burnt bricks of standard dimension for construction.
- Types of buildings: Dwelling houses, public buildings and public baths are commonly found.
- Planning: The city was divided into two parts. An upraised citadel in the western part was used for buildings of large dimensions, such as granaries, administrative buildings and courtyard.
- The elite class stayed in the citadel part of the town.
- Granaries had strategic air ducts and raised platforms for storage and protection from pests. Eg: The great granary in Mohenjo-Daro and 2 rows of 6 granaries in Harappa.
- Public Baths: This is a remarkable feature of the civilisation which indicated the importance given to ritualistic cleansing in the culture. Eg: The Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro
- There are no cracks or leaks in the great bath which shows the engineering acumen of the Harappan people.
- Drainage system: This is the most striking feature as small drains ran from small houses and were connected to larger drains running alongside the main roads. They were covered loosely to do periodic maintenance. Cesspits were placed at regular intervals.
- Use of seals: Seals were primarily used for commercial purpose. They were mostly square and rectangle but circular and triangular were also used.
- Some seals were used as amulets as well as they were found on dead bodies.
- Pictographic script on seals have been found which might have been used for educational purposes.
- Eg: Unicorn seal, Pashupathi seal made of Steatite.
- Bronze casting: There was a wide scale practice of bronze casting. They were made using the lost wax technique or Cire Perdue. Eg: Bronze dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro, broze bull of Kalibangan etc.
- Pottery: There were plain and painted pottery (Red and Black pottery). They were mainly used for household purposes for storage, decorative purposes and some for straining liquor as they have perforations.
- Jewellery and clothing: Both men and women wore ornaments like necklaces, fillets, armlets and finger rings. Girdles, anklets were worn only by women.
- Beads made of amethyst, quartz, steatite etc were quite popular as was evident from excavation on Chanudaro and Lothal.
- For fabric cotton and wool was used. Spindles and whorls were made from expensive faience as well as cheap clay.
- Dockyard:
- Lothal in Gujarat is now called Manchester of Indus-Valley.
- Here ship remains and instruments for measuring angles were also found.
- Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river.
- the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa discovered marine microfossils and salt, gypsum crystals at the site, indicating that sea water once filled the structure and it was definitely a dockyard.
Conclusion
The Indus valley civilization was the largest of all the four civilizations of the time and was contemporary to the Mesopotamian civilisation. The features of Indus-Valley such as the planned network of roads, houses and drainage systems indicate the planning and the engineering skills that developed during those times.
Topic: Social empowerment
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
Recently, well-known Congress MP Shashi Tharoor found himself confronting the accessibility barriers that are a routine feature of the lives of who are disabled.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, its successes and limitations in ensuring accessibility and steps needed to overcome limitations.
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 writing about the aims and objectives of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Body:
First, mention the major provisions of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and mention how it was a landmark step to boost inclusivity and accessibility.
Next, write about various shortcomings of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and also additional barriers the disabled face in India.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward to achieve inclusivity.
Introduction
According to Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, “Person with disability” means a person with long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with barriers, hinders his full and effective participation in society equally with others. According to Census 2011, India is home to 26.8 million people with disabilities and that is a huge underestimation.
The Supreme Court, in Avni Prakash v National Testing Agency and Ors. judgment ruled that, reasonable accommodations, such as compensatory time to enable them to finish an exam, should be made.
Body:
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: A landmark step for disabled
- It becomes the duty of the Union, states as well as Union Territories to take up the matter.
- It is also important to ensure that all government buses are disabled friendly in accordance with the harmonized guidelines.
- Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
- The types of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21. The act added mental illness, autism, spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, speech and language disability, thalassemia, haemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf blindness, acid attack victims and Parkinson’s disease which were largely ignored in earlier act. In addition, the Government has been authorized to notify any other category of specified disability.
- It increases the quantum of reservationfor people suffering from disabilities from 3% to 4% in government jobs and from 3% to 5% in higher education institutes.
- Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
- Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education.
- Stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildingsin a prescribed time frame along with Accessible India Campaign.
- The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioners will act as regulatory bodies and Grievance Redressal agencies, monitoring implementation of the Act.
- A separate National and State Fundbe created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities.
Shortcomings of the act
- The Bill strangely makes the clauses on non-discrimination in employment mandatory only in government establishments.
- The Bill continues with the 1995 act’s provision of having a chief commissioner and state commissioners. Neither the commissioners nor any of the members of their advisory committees are required to be Persons with Disabilities.
- Despite a Supreme Court judgment in 2013 that reservations should be decided on the basis of the total number of vacancies in a particular cadre, rather than the posts identified by the government to be filled by persons with benchmark disabilities, the bill has stuck to the latter.
- Also, like it does for the institutions wanting to be registered as ones for PWDs, the bill does not specify the time frame for a certificate of disability to be issued. This gives PWDs no way to address the trials and tribulations they face when tackling the bureaucracy in receiving what has been their right for years now.
- The amended bill does define public buildings and public facilities and services towards making such infrastructure accessible to PWDs in a “barrier-free” manner. However, for all the benefits that this bill strives to provide, basic issues of accessibility, including to information and communication technology, and certification of disability remain a distant unfulfilled dream in the absence of any political will.
Way forward
- Although RPWD Act, 2016 is a rights-based legislation, the success of the statute will largely depend on the proactive measures taken by the respective state governments on its implementation.
- It is time to leverage this vast human capital. It is hoped that the proposed new law, a robust rights-based legislation with a strong institutional mechanism, shall ensure enjoyment of rights by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with the non-disabled citizens of India.
- Many disability certificates can now be issued by primary health care doctors after specific training, which will be a boon to many disabled patients in rural areas. However, the disability guidelines should have also given the power of certification to the private practising doctors, so that the shortage of human resources could have been taken care of, with adequate checks and balances.
- Considering the sociocultural prejudices against them, and the inability, rather the refusal, to keep in mind the needs of PWDs, this bill, as was the fate of the 1995 act, will go only so far to ensure for them the rights that should have been a given. Till they are treated as second-class citizens, and not recognised as capable individuals in their own right, India will continue to be an unjust and inequitable society.
Conclusion
Until each of us is firmly committed to the idea of implementing the two fundamental changes sketched above, we will continue to live in an environment in which, even as we sing praises of the disabled who achieve success despite the obstacles placed on their path, we do not pause to reflect on what it is that makes it so hard for them to succeed in the first place and what we can do to reverse this state of affairs.
Value addition
Major provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016:
- Disabilities covered:
- Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
- The types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities.
- Persons with “benchmark disabilities” are defined as those certified to have at least 40 per cent of the disabilities specified above.
- Rights and entitlements
- Responsibility has been cast upon the appropriate governments to take effective measures to ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others.
- Additional benefits such as reservation in higher education (not less than 5%), government jobs (not less than 4 %), reservation in allocation of land, poverty alleviation schemes (5% allotment) etc. have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support needs.
- Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
- Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities.
- For strengthening the Prime Minister’s Accessible India Campaign, stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private) in a prescribed time-frame.
- Guardianship
- The Act provides for grant of guardianship by District Court under which there will be joint decision – making between the guardian and the persons with disabilities.
- Establishment of Authorities
- Broad based Central & State Advisory Boards on Disability are to be set up to serve as apex policy making bodies at the Central and State level.
- Office of Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has been strengthened who will now be assisted by 2 Commissioners and an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 11 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.
- Similarly, the office of State Commissioners of Disabilities has been strengthened who will be assisted by an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 5 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.
- The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioners will act as regulatory bodies and Grievance Redressal agencies and also monitor implementation of the Act.
- District level committees will be constituted by the State Governments to address local concerns of PwDs. Details of their constitution and the functions of such committees would be prescribed by the State Governments in the rules.
- Creation of National and State Fund will be created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities. The existing National Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will be subsumed with the National Fund.
- Penalties for offences
- The Act provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities and also violation of the provisions of the new law.
- Any person who violates provisions of the Act, or any rule or regulation made under it, shall be punishable with imprisonment up to six months and/ or a fine of Rs 10,000, or both. For any subsequent violation, imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs five lakh can be awarded.
- Whoever intentionally insults or intimidates a person with disability, or sexually exploits a woman or child with disability, shall be punishable with imprisonment between six months to five years and fine.
- Special Courts will be designated in each district to handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
One of the silences in the Constitution is in Article 200 which does not prescribe a timeline for the Governor to provide assent to Bills sent by the Legislative Assembly. This has been used to advantage by the Governors of various Opposition-ruled States to obfuscate the mandate of democratically elected governments. The examples range from the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022 (passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly) to the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (passed by the Kerala Assembly). In Tamil Nadu alone, almost 20 Bills are awaiting assent by the Governor.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about role of governor in giving/withholding assent to bills passed by state legislature.
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 about article 200.
Body:
First, write in detail about the various options with the Governor with respect to a bill passed by the state legislature.
Next, write about the drawbacks on indefinitely sitting on the bill (pocket veto) and issues arising from such action.
Next, write about the possible solutions to the above issue.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The makers of the Constitution of India did not anticipate that the office of the Governor, meant to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law”, would metamorphose into the most controversial constitutional office rendering the constitutional praxis rugged.
On his/ her discretion, the Governor can reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for president’s assent. However, situations are mentioned in Article 200, when he will reserve the bill, yet he can use, discretion regarding this matter. Governor has discretion to refuse to sign to an ordinary bill passed by the state legislature.
Body
Governor’s power to reserve bills for consideration of the President
Article 200 of the Indian Constitution deals with the powers of the Governor with regard to assent given to bills passed by the State legislature and other powers of the Governor such as reserving the bill for the President’s consideration.
According to Article 200, when a Bill, passed by the Legislature of a State, is presented to the Governor, he has four options:
- He assents to the Bill
- He withholds assent
- He reserves the Bill for the consideration of the President
- He returns the Bill to the Legislature for reconsideration.
Options before the President:
When a Bill is reserved by a Governor for the consideration of the President, the President shall declare either that he assents to the Bill or that he withholds assent therefrom Provided that:
- Where the Bill is not a Money Bill, the President may direct the Governor to return the Bill to the House or, as the case may be, the Houses of the Legislature of the State together with such a message as is mentioned in the first proviso to article 200.
- When a Bill is so returned, the House or Houses shall reconsider it accordingly within a period of six months from the date of receipt of such message and, if it is again passed by the House or Houses with or without amendment, it shall be presented again to the President for his consideration.
- It is not mentioned in the constitution whether it is obligatory on the part of the President to give his assent to such a bill or not.
Critical analysis of such powers of Governor
- Delays in granting assent:The governors sometimes sat over the Bills without giving assent or returning the Bills for an indefinite period, even though the Constitution required it to be done as soon as possible.
- Thegovernors were also taking months together to reserve the Bills for the assent of the President even though it was to be done immediately.
- Thiserodes the authority of the legislatures and the governors, though heads of the state executive, are appointed by the Union government.
- Exceptional situations: In addition to above illustrated powers, the governor can also reserve the bill if it is of the following nature:
- Ultra-vires, that is, against the provisions of the Constitution.
- Opposed to the Directive Principles of State Policy.
- Against the larger interest of the country.
- Of grave national importance.
- Dealing with compulsory acquisition of propertyunder Article 31A of the Constitution.
- Case studies
- Tamil Nadu Assembly in September, 2021passed a bill seeking exemption for students from the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) required for undergraduate medical college admissions.
- This Bill has been with Governor since then without rejection or acceptance.
- Indecision can prove costly.
- Manipur Speaker had not decided on defection, until Supreme Court forced him and bound him by giving a time frame. Justice can be denied in such cases to those who are affected.
- Tamil Nadu Assembly in September, 2021passed a bill seeking exemption for students from the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) required for undergraduate medical college admissions.
- Against the spirit of Constitution:Withholding of assent, though an option, is not normally exercised by Governors because it will be an extremely unpopular step.
- Besides, withholding assent to a Bill by the Governor, an appointee of the President, neutralises the entire legislative exercise by an elected legislature enjoying the support of the people.
Conclusion
Giving assent to a Bill passed by the legislature is a normal constitutional act performed by the Governor. But of late, even such normal acts have become a source of confrontation between State governments and the Governors. The conduct of Governors in certain States follows a definite pattern which causes a great deal of disquiet to elected governments as well as to those who have faith in the constitutional order.
Under Article 361, the President or a Governor is not answerable to any court for anything done in the exercise and performance of their powers and duties. But when a Governor does not take any decision on a Bill which is put up for his assent, he is not acting in exercise and performance of the duties cast upon him.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
Last week, the Karnataka government came out in support of putting a married man on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting his wife. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the state government has indicated that it does not disagree with the Karnataka High Court’s decision in March this year, refusing to quash rape charges filed by a wife against her husband, defying the exception in law.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about issues in criminalising marital rape in India.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, mention the need to criminalise marital rape – against right to dignity under Article 21, Gender violence, against article 14, marital rape has adverse and long-term consequences on women’s health and well-being etc.
Next, write about the factors which creates obstacles for criminalisation of marital rape – lack of consensus, investigation process, fake cases etc.
Suggest reforms to overcome the above issues.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving a balanced way forward and with your view on the criminalisation ofmarital rape.
Introduction
Marital rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one’s spouse without the consent of the other spouse. Although it was once widely unrecognized by law and society as wrong or as a crime, it is now recognized as rape by many societies around the world. Criminal Law in India has been amended multiple times for the protection of the women. However, the non-criminalization of marital rape in India undermines the dignity and human rights of women.
Last week, the Karnataka government came out in support of putting a married man on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting his wife. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the state government has indicated that it does not disagree with the Karnataka High Court’s decision in March this year, refusing to quash rape charges filed by a wife against her husband, defying the exception in law.
Delhi High Court in May 2022 delivered a split verdict in a batch of petitions challenging the exception provided to marital rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – Section 375. While one of the judges ruled the exception under Section 375 is unconstitutional, the other ruled it as valid.
Body
Current scenario:
- Marital rape has been impeached in more than 100 countries but, unfortunately, India is one of the only 36 countries where marital rape is still not criminalized.
- In 2013, the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) recommended that the Indian government should criminalize marital rape.
- The JS Verma committee set up in the aftermath of nationwide protests over the December 16, 2012 gang rape case had also recommended the same.
- As per the NCRB report, in India, a woman is raped every 16 minutes, and every four minutes, she experiences cruelty at the hands of her in-laws.
- An analysis of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 data indicates that an estimated 99.1 per cent of sexual violence cases go unreported and that the average Indian woman is 17 times more likely to face sexual violence from her husband than from others.
Marital Rape: inconsistent with the law as well as the constitutional rights of women:
- Rape laws in our country continue with the patriarchal outlook of considering women to be the property of men post marriage, with no autonomy or agency over their bodies.
- They deny married women equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Indian constitution.
- Lawmakers fail to understand that a marriage should not be viewed as a licence for a husband to forcibly rape his wife with impunity. A married woman has the same right to control her own body as does an unmarried woman.
- The concept of marital rape in India is the epitome of what we call an “implied consent”.
- Marriage between a man and a woman here implies that both have consented to sexual intercourse and it cannot be otherwise.
- The centre argues that criminalising marital rape would destabilise the institution of marriage and be an easy tool for harassing the husbands.
- It has cited the observations of the SC and various HCs on growing misuse of Section 498A (harassment caused to a married woman by her husband and in-laws) of IPC.
- The Indian Penal Code, 1860, also communicates the same. Section 375 defines the offence of rape with the help of six descriptions. One of the exceptions to this offence is “Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under 15 years of age, is not rape”.
- Earlier, Section 375 (Exception) created a classification not only between consent given by a married and unmarried woman, but also between married females below 15 years of age and over 15 years old. This was rightfully struck down by SC and made it 18 years.
Need to criminalize Marital Rape in India
- The SC judgment was only a small step towards striking down the legalisation of marital rape.
- It is high time that the legislature should take cognisance of this legal infirmity and bring marital rape within the purview of rape laws by eliminating Section 375 (Exception) of IPC.
- By removing this law, women will be safer from abusive spouses, can receive the help needed to recover from marital rape and can save themselves from domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- Indian women deserve to be treated equally, and an individual’s human rights do not deserve to be ignored by anyone, including by their spouse.
Conclusion
Rape is rape, irrespective of the identity of the perpetrator, and age of the survivor. A woman who is raped by a stranger, lives with a memory of a horrible attack; a woman who is raped by her husband lives with her rapist. Our penal laws, handed down from the British, have by and large remained untouched even after 73 years of independence. But English laws have been amended and marital rape was criminalised way back in 1991. No Indian government has, however, so far shown an active interest in remedying this problem.
Value Addition: Important cases and Committee reports
- The government defended exception to marital rape in Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017) saying it against the institution of marriage.
- However, rejecting this claim, the Supreme Court observed, “Marriage is not institutional but personal – nothing can destroy the ‘institution’ of marriage except a statute that makes marriage illegal and punishable.”
- In Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018), the Supreme Court held that the offence of adultery was unconstitutional because it was founded on the principle that a woman is her husband’s property after marriage.
Way forward:
- What constitutes marital rape and marital non-rape needs to be defined precisely before a view on its criminalisation is taken.
- Defining marital rape would call for a broad based consensus of the society.
- States should intervene in the matter, since criminal law is on the concurrent list and implemented by states —and given the vast diversity in cultures across states.
- Factors like literacy, lack of financial empowerment of the majority of females, mindset of the society, vast diversity, poverty, etc., should be considered carefully before taking any decision.
- The need for “moral and social awareness” to stop such an act.
- The recent privacy judgment by the Supreme Court is also set to play an important role. The right to bodily integrity is a crucial facet of Article 21.
- Timely medical care and rehabilitation, skill development and employment for facilitating economic independence of victims.
- Need for undertaking both legal and social reforms to deal with the menace of marital rape
General Studies – 3
Topic: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh who follow regenerative farming methods find that they reduce the need for frequent irrigation, which conserves water and energy
Key Demand of the question:
To write about regenerative agriculture and its advantages.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining regenerative agriculture.
Body:
Frist, write about the various features of regenerative agriculture.
Next, write about the as to how regenerative agriculture ensures harmony with nature – natural inputs, minimum-till, mulching, multi-cropping and sowing of diverse and native varieties.
Next, write about the advantages of regenerative agriculture.
Next, write about its potential to be developed on a large scale in India.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
“Regenerative Agriculture” describes farming and grazing practices that, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.
The key to regenerative agriculture is that it not only “does no harm” to the land but actually improves it, using technologies that regenerate and revitalize the soil and the environment. Regenerative agriculture leads to healthy soil, capable of producing high quality, nutrient dense food while simultaneously improving, rather than degrading land, and ultimately leading to productive farms and healthy communities and economies.
Body
Farming in harmony with nature
- It is a dynamic and holistic, incorporating permaculture and organic farming practices, including conservation tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, composting, mobile animal shelters and pasture cropping, to increase food production, farmers’ income and especially, topsoil.
- Reduce Synthethic inputs: Regenerative farmers and ranchers make every effort to reduce their reliance on synthetic inputs, such as herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers. In the process of prioritizing soil health, many growers naturally use fewer chemical inputs.
- Instead, as beneficial insects and wildlife return and diverse crop and livestock rotations disrupt weed cycles, the ecosystem becomes more resilient.
- And with fewer toxic chemicals, there are reduced human health risks as well as increased financial independence from avoiding the recurring costs of synthetic inputs.
- Prioritize soil health: While the techniques for caring for the soil vary with the context of each farm, generally, regenerative growers limit mechanical soil disturbance.
- Instead, they feed and preserve the biological structures that bacteria, fungi, and other soil microbes build underground—which provide above-ground benefits in return.
- Reductions in water pollution including contributions to harmful algal blooms—due to fewer chemical inputs. Improvements to water-holding capacity in the soil
- It facilitates soil aggregation, water infiltration, retention and nutrient cycling. Regenerative agriculture also reduces erosion, provides habitat and food for diverse species and is beyond sustainability.
Advantages and potential in India
- Regenerative agriculture has recently received much attention from all stakeholders, including producers, policymakers, scientists and consumers.
- The importance of regenerative agriculture was also emphasised in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on “Climate Change and Land.”
- In India since time immemorial, there have been sentiments and culture to offer something to nature as gratitude for what it gives to humankind. Regenerative agriculture is a reflection of the same attitude.
- This can make the adoption and implementation of the initiative on a large scale quite possible. Regenerative agriculture has no one specific protocol.
- A variety of practices are involved such as recycling farm waste, water management, reduction in soil tillage, integrated management of cropping and livestock, and also agroecology, permaculture, polyculture, aquaculture, agroforestry, restoration ecology among other
- So, it can be implemented in accordance with the crop cultivated and local conditions. It is about the holistic management of farm practices for a sustainable outcome.
- There is strong support and commitment shown by the Indian government to encourage farming practices that fall in the ambit of regenerative agriculture.
- According to the NITI Aayog, there are around 2.5 million farmers in the country who are practising regenerative agriculture.
- The government has set a goal to bring 2 million hectares of land under it by 2025. Moreover, many different states too are working on plans to infuse sustainable practices to transform agriculture.
Conclusion
Overall, regenerative agriculture improves the ecosystem’s health, beginning with soil fertility, through a holistic systems approach that includes the health of the animals, farmers and community. It builds resilience and mitigates the effects of extreme weather caused by a changing climate.
Topic: role of Family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
7. Do you think that educational qualifications and good character are interlinked? Discuss.
Difficulty level: Tough
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the various objectives of education.
Body:
Write about how the educational qualifications and good character are not necessarily interlinked. Mention the role of education should be producing good character and it will impact the society along with providing livelihood. Also, mention education devoid of good character can be a menace to the society. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of education in character building.
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” rightly said Nelson Mandela who abolished apartheid. Not just soaring grades, prestigious degrees and a job with hefty salary packages later on in life, education means a lot more than these.
Body
Good Education and character is interlinked
It is school education that shapes a child and develops their character. A good school education is the key to building social and life skills. School education is something that builds up the edifice of an individual’s life, shapes one’s life, defines one’s character, morality, ideology, principles, life skills and everything that is required to lead a life besides decorating one’s career.
Character building is based on six pillars — trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship and all of these can be filled in a child only through adequate education. These values automatically make them self-sufficient from all respect to face the challenges of life and contribute to society in some positive way.
It is perhaps in school that a child gets the first taste of success and failure, good manners and bad habits, friendship and competition, compassion and care, jealousy and arrogance. This is exactly why primary or elementary education in school disciplines a child and forms the most critical component of an education system.
Educational qualifications and character are not interlinked
Elon Musk said, “My biggest mistake is probably weighing too much on someone’s talent and not someone’s personality (character). Your degree is just a piece of paper, your education is seen in your behavior, attitude and character.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” You cannot hope to build a better world without improving individuals.
One may have the greatest scholarly titles and education and one may be a polymath. All these accolodes are of no use if one’s character is bad. If a man is not moral or ethical, even the best of the education is of no use to the society. Hence educational qualification and character need not be overlinked but a good education definitely leads to good character. Good education thus means instilling values and moraliity in an individual.
Conclusion
Producing students with good grades is not enough for helping them lead a fruitful life. This is why more focus needs to be given on preparing students with morals, ethics, soft skills. “Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education”
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