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: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Chapter 1- India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the causes and impact created by the revolt of 1857.
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:
Start by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the causes of revolt of 1857 which led to the participation of diverse groups.
Next, write about how revolt of 1857 jolted the British administration.
Next, Mention the various re-alignment policies in administration such a British crown taking over control from EIC, Military strengthening, Transfer of Power, Divide and Rule, New Policy Towards the Princess, Search for New allies etc brought by the British as a way to avoid any such future uprising.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning that although the British succeeded in overpowering the Uprising, it proved to be the beginning of resistance from the people of India.
Introduction
The revolt of 1857 was the conscious beginning of the Independence struggle against the colonial tyranny of the British. This war of Independence marked the end of rule by the British East India Company. Post this, India was directly ruled by the British government through representatives.
Body:
Causes of Revolt:
Political Cause
- British policy of expansion: The political causes of the revolt were the British policy of expansion through the Doctrine of Lapse and direct annexation.
- A large number of Indian rulers and chiefs were dislodged, thus arousing fear in the minds of other ruling families who apprehended a similar fate.
- Rani Lakshmi Bai’s adopted son was not permitted to sit on the throne of Jhansi.
- Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi were annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse.
- Jaitpur, Sambalpur and Udaipur were also annexed.
- The annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie on the pretext of maladministration left thousands of nobles, officials, retainers and soldiers jobless. This measure converted Awadh, a loyal state, into a hotbed of discontent and intrigue.
Social and Religious Cause
- The rapidly spreading Western Civilisation in India was alarming concerns all over the country.
- An act in 1850 changed the Hindu law of inheritance enabling a Hindu who had converted into Christianity to inherit his ancestral properties.
- The people were convinced that the Government was planning to convert Indians to Christianity.
- The abolition of practices like sati and female infanticide, and the legislation legalizing widow remarriage, were believed as threats to the established social structure.
- Introducing western methods of education was directly challenging the orthodoxy for Hindus as well as Muslims
- Even the introduction of the railways and telegraph was viewed with suspicion.
Economic Cause
- In rural areas, peasants and zamindars were infuriated by the heavy taxes on land and the stringent methods of revenue collection followed by the Company.
- Many among these groups were unable to meet the heavy revenue demands and repay their loans to money lenders, eventually losing the lands that they had held for generations.
- Large numbers of sepoys belonged to the peasantry class and had family ties in villages, so the grievances of the peasants also affected them.
- After the Industrial Revolution in England, there was an influx of British manufactured goods into India, which ruined industries, particularly the textile industry of India.
- Indian handicraft industries had to compete with cheap machine- made goods from Britain.
Military Causes
- The Revolt of 1857 began as a sepoy mutiny
- Indian sepoys formed more than 87% of the British troops in India but were considered inferior to British soldiers.
- An Indian sepoy was paid less than a European sepoy of the same rank.
- They were required to serve in areas far away from their homes.
- In 1856 Lord Canning issued the General Services Enlistment Act which required that the sepoys must be ready to serve even in British land across the sea.
Immediate Cause
- The Revolt of 1857 eventually broke out over the incident of greased cartridges.
- A rumour spread that the cartridges of the new Enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs.
- Before loading these rifles the sepoys had to bite off the paper on the cartridges.
- Both Hindu and Muslim sepoys refused to use them.
- Lord Canning tried to make amends for the error and the offending cartridges were withdrawn but the damage had already been done. There was unrest in several places.
- In March 1857, Mangal Pandey, a sepoy in Barrackpore, had refused to use the cartridge and attacked his senior officers.
Significance of Revolt
- The revolt of 1857 played an important role in bringing the Indian people together and imparting to them the consciousness of belonging to one country.
- During the entire revolt, there was complete cooperation between Hindus and Muslims at all levels—people, soldiers, leaders.
- Rebels and sepoys, both Hindu and Muslim, respected each other’s sentiments.
- Immediate banning of cow slaughter was ordered once the revolt was successful in a particular area.
Impact: Re-alignment policies in administration by British post 1857
The revolt of 1857 marks a turning point in the history of India. It led to far-reaching changes in the system of administration and the policies of the British government.
- Direct Governance of Queen: Even before the revolt could be suppressed fully, the British Parliament, on August 2, 1858, passed an act for the Better Government of India. The act declared Queen Victoria as the sovereign of British India and provided for the appointment of a Secretary of State for India (a member of the British cabinet).
- The direct responsibility for the administration of the country was assumed by the British Crown and Company rule was abolished.
- The assumption of the Government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain was announced by Lord Canning at a durbar at Allahabad in the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’ issued on November 1, 1858.
- Princely states and paramountcy: As per the Queen’s proclamation, the era of annexations and expansion had ended and the British promised to respect the dignity and rights of the native princes. The Indian states were henceforth to recognise the paramountcy of the British Crown and were to be treated as parts of a single charge.
- The people of India were promised freedom of religion without interference from British officials.
- Rule of law: The proclamation also promised equal and impartial protection under law to all Indians, besides equal opportunities in government services irrespective of race or creed. It was also promised that old Indian rights, customs, and practices would be given due regard while framing and administering the law.
- Army reforms: The army, which was at the forefront of the outbreak, was thoroughly reorganised and British military policy came to be dominated by the idea of “division and counterpoise”.
- The British could no longer depend on Indian loyalty, so the number of Indian soldiers was drastically reduced even as the number of European soldiers was increased.
- The concept of divide and rule was adopted, with separate units being created on the basis of caste/community/region.
- Recruits were to be drawn from the ‘martial’ races of Punjab, Nepal, and north-western frontier who had proved loyal to the British during the revolt. Effort was made to keep the army away from civilian population.
- Divide and Rule: The policy of divide and rule started in earnest after the Revolt of 1857. The British used one class/community against another unscrupulously.
- Thus, socially, there was irremediable deterioration. While British territorial conquest was at an end, a period of systematic economic loot by the British began.
Conclusion
For the British, the Revolt of 1857 proved useful in that it showed up the glaring shortcomings in the Company’s administration and its army, which they rectified promptly. These defects would never have been revealed to the world if the Revolt had not happened.
For the Indians, the 1857 Revolt had a major influence View In conceptual terms, the British who had started their rule as ‘outsiders’, became ‘insiders’ by vesting in their monarch the sovereignty of India. Bernard Cohn (in context of the Queen’s Proclamation) on the course of the struggle for freedom. It brought out in the open grievances of people and the sepoys, which were seen to be genuine. The Revolt of 1857 did establish local traditions of resistance to British rule which were to be of help in the course of the national struggle for freedom.
Topic: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Chapter 9 – A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum Publishers)
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the contributions of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
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:
Give a brief intro into the personality of Rajaram Mohan Roy and how western education influenced his perspective on Indian society
Body:
Mention the reforms brought in by Rajaram Mohan Roy such as Reinterpreting Hinduism, his mix of modernism with tradition, on caste and Women’s rights, on sati system, on political liberalism etc.
Write about his various measures he took to achieve the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by saying his legacy makes him rightly been called as father of Modern India.
Introduction
Rammohun Roy is considered as a pioneer figure in Indian Renaissance. He was a multifaceted social, religious and educational reformer, renowned for his pioneering role in opposing practices like Sati, child marriage and social divisions and for advocating education. His elements of modernity and nonconformism to regressive traditions earned him the sobriquet as “father of Modern India”.
Body
Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s contributions in making India progressive and rational:
- Social reforms:
- The abolition of the brutal and inhuman Sati Pratha was his most prominent effort towards reforming Indian society.
- His efforts were also instrumental in eradicating the purdah system and child marriage.
- He advocated widow remarriage and education of women.
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s name is thus etched forever as a true benefactor of women not just for helping abolish the custom of Sati, but also raising his voice against child marriage and polygamy, while demanding equal inheritance rights for women.
- He was also a great opponent of the rigid caste divisions of his time.
- Educational:
- He paved the way to revolutionizing education system in India by establishing Hindu College in 1817 along with David Hare.
- Hindu College later went on to become one of the best educational institutions in the country producing some of the best minds in India.
- His efforts to combine true to the roots theological doctrines along with modern rational lessons saw him establish the Anglo-Vedic School in 1822 followed by the Vedanta College in 1826.
- Philosophical:
- In 1828, Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, uniting the Brahmos in Calcutta, a group of people, who had no faith in idol-worship and were against the caste restrictions.
- He looked back to a tradition in search of monotheism, and looked forward to a sort of Protestant reformation within the Hindu milieu.
- He implied that every religion has a philosophical core, and as for Hinduism it was Vedanta.
- The Vedanta provided him with the cultural category while his interpretation of it as monotheistic yielded a comprehensive, holistic theory, which provided a comprehensive critique of culture, society and ideology.
- Raja’s monotheistic Vedanta provided people with an idea of the paradigms of social change.
- It enabled people to consider the comparative adequacy of ways of life that might claim people’s allegiance. In such humanitarian vision lies Raja’s lure and his share in India’s modernity.
- He stressed on rationalism and modern scientific approach.
- Journalism:
- Ram Mohan Roy was a staunch supporter of free speech and expression.
- He fought for the rights of vernacular press.
- He also brought out a newspaper in Persian called ‘Miratul- Akhbar’(the Mirror of News) and a Bengali weekly called ‘Sambad Kaumudi’ (the Moon of Intelligence).
Conclusion
Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his Brahmo Samaj played a vital role in awakening Indian society to the pressing issues plaguing society at that time and also was the forerunner of all social, religious and political movements that happened in the country since.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The latest edition of the Multidimensional Poverty Index, 2021, released by Niti Aayog, reaffirms the paradox of its citizens being deprived of basic amenities despite owning abundant natural resources. Around 42.16 per cent of the population of Jharkhand is multidimensionally poor, making it the second poorest state in India.
Key Demand of the question:
.To write about ultra-poverty and measures need to combat it.
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 ultra-poverty.
Body:
First, provide a statistic regarding to ultra-poor in the country and bring out its impact.
Next, mention the limitations of existing of poverty alleviation schemes in addressing the issues of the ultra-poor.
Next, write about the need for specialised focus and attention towards ultra-poor. Measures needed to combat ultra-poverty.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
According to World Bank, Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life.
In India, 21.9% of the population lives below the national poverty line in 2011. In 2018, almost 8% of the world’s workers and their families lived on less than US$1.90 per person per day (international poverty line).
Body
Background: Poverty in India
Poverty : A massive challenge in India
- Population Explosion:India’s population has steadily increased through the years. During the past 45 years, it has risen at a rate of 2.2% per year, which means, on average, about 17 million people are added to the country’s population each year. This also increases the demand for consumption goods tremendously.
- Low Agricultural Productivity:A major reason for poverty in the low productivity in the agriculture sector. The reason for low productivity is manifold. Chiefly, it is because of fragmented and subdivided land holdings, lack of capital, illiteracy about new technologies in farming, the use of traditional methods of cultivation, wastage during storage, etc.
- Inefficient Resource utilisation:There is underemployment and disguised unemployment in the country, particularly in the farming sector. This has resulted in low agricultural output and also led to a dip in the standard of living.
- Low Rate of Economic Development:Economic development has been low in India especially in the first 40 years of independence before the LPG reforms in 1991.
- Price Rise:Price rise has been steady in the country and this has added to the burden the poor carry. Although a few people have benefited from this, the lower income groups have suffered because of it, and are not even able to satisfy their basic minimum wants.
- Unemployment:Unemployment is another factor causing poverty in India. The ever-increasing population has led to a higher number of job-seekers. However, there is not enough expansion in opportunities to match this demand for jobs.
Facilitating long term poverty alleviation
- Immediate support package will need to quickly reach both the existing and new poor.
- While existing safety net programs can be mobilized to get cash into the pockets of some of the existing poor relatively quickly, this is not the case for the new poor.
- In fact, the new poor are likely to look different from the existing poor, particularly in their location (mostly urban) and employment (mostly informal services, construction, and manufacturing).
- the identification of poor and vulnerable groups is need of the hour.
- India should consider fixing a universal basic income in the post-Covid period through a combination of cash transfers, expansion of MGNREGA, and introduction of an urban employment guarantee scheme
- Employment generation for the masses:
- A large fiscal stimulus along with intermediate informal employment insurgency through MGNREGA and other employment generation programmes are urgent to rein the adverse impact of covid-19 on the welfare of the masses.
- Multilateral global institutions must support the developing nations:
- Oxfam is calling on world leaders to agree on an Emergency Rescue Package of 2.5 trillion USD paid for through the immediate cancellation or postponement of 1 trillion in debt repayments, a 1 trillion increase in IMF Special Drawing Rights (international financial reserves), and an additional 500 billion in aid.
- An effective response in support of poor and vulnerable households will require significant additional fiscal resources.
- Providing all the existing and new extreme poor with a cash transfer of $1/day (about half the value of the international extreme poverty line) for a month would amount to $20 billion —or $665 million per day over 30 days.
- Given that impacts are likely to be felt by many non-poor households as well and that many households are likely to need support for much longer than a month, the sum needed for effective protection could be far higher.
- Decision-makers need timely and policy-relevant information on impacts and the effectiveness of policy responses.
- This can be done using existing, publicly available data to monitor the unfolding economic and social impacts of the crisis, including prices, service delivery, and economic activity, as well as social sentiment and behaviours.
- In addition, governments can use mobile technology to safely gather information from a representative sample of households or individuals.
- Phone surveys can collect information on health and employment status, food security, coping strategies, access to basic services and safety nets and other outcomes closely related to the risk of falling (further) into poverty.
Conclusion
Value addition
Achievements in poverty alleviation over the years
- Decline in Extreme Poverty:Extreme poverty in India was 3% points lower in 2019 compared with 2011, as poverty headcount rate declined from 22.5% in 2011 to 10.2% in 2019, with a comparatively sharper decline in rural areas.
- Slight moderation in consumption inequality since 2011, but by a margin smaller than what is reported in the unreleased National Sample Survey -2017.
- The extent of poverty reduction during 2015-2019 is estimated to be notably lower than earlier projections based on growth in private final consumption expenditure reported in national account statistics.
- The World Bank defines “extreme poverty” as living on less than USD 1.90 per person per day.
- Rural vs Urban Poverty:Poverty reduction was higher in rural areas compared with urban India as rural poverty declined from 26.3% in 2011 to 11.6% in 2019, while in urban areas the decline was from 14.2% to 6.3% in the corresponding period.
- Rural and urban poverty dropped by 7 and 7.9% points during 2011-2019.
- Urban poverty in India rose by 2% in 2016, coinciding with the demonetisation, and rural poverty rose by 10% in 2019.
- Small Farmers:Smallholder farmers have experienced higher income growth. Real incomes for farmers with the smallest landholdings have grown by 10% in annualized terms between the two survey rounds (2013 and 2019) compared to a 2% growth for farmers with the largest landholding.
- The growth in incomes of smallest landholders in rural areas provides more evidence of moderation in income disparity in rural areas.
- Smallest landholders comprise a larger share of the poor population.This income includes wages, net receipt from crop production, net receipt from farming of animal farming and net receipt from non-farm business. Income from leasing out land has been exempted.
Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
The first-ever Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) began in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 17.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about various opportunities provided by BIMSTEC.
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 mentioning the mandate behind the launch of BIMSTEC.
Body:
First, write the about the various opportunities provided by BIMSTEC – Trade and Investment, Infrastructure Development, Tourism, Agricultural Development and People-to-People Contact etc.
Next, write about the ways to harness the above by mutual trust and cooperation.
Conclusion:
Conclude writing a way forward to ensure holistic cooperation for mutual development of BIMSTEC.
Introduction
The Bay of Bengal is fast becoming a key area of economic and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. It’s the largest bay in the world and forms an important part of southern Asia. The limitations of SAARC due to multiple reasons have led to South Asian region being the least integrated region in the world vis-à-vis the European and ASEAN experiences.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia. BIMSTEC has gained more favour as the preferred platform for regional cooperation in South Asia.
The first-ever Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) began in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 17.
Body
Opportunities provided by BIMSTEC
- Connectivity:
- BIMSTEC serves two purposes for India – it makes it easier for India to share a common regional platform with its neighbours in South Asia(sans Pakistan) and secondly, BIMSTEC also establishes a linkage between South and Southeast Asia.
- Urgency of promoting regional and sub-regional cooperationvia BIMSTEC and BBIN has to be seen in the context of China’s BRI and the compelling strategic challenge posed by China’s muscular geo-economic and geo-political interventions in Asia, particularly in India’s neighbourhood.
- The development of the North-eastern region,by opening up to Bangladesh and Myanmar, is another incentive for India.
- Regional Co-operation: Regional cooperation under the ambit of SAARC has become difficult made BIMSTEC more viable:
- Despite India’s keen interest in cooperating and strengthening intra-regional connectivity by backing the SAARC–Motor vehicle agreement, the agreement was stalled following Pakistan’s reluctance.
- Similarly, the SAARC satellite projectthat India proposed was abandoned following objection from Pakistan in 2016
- SAARC has also faced obstacles in the area of security cooperation. A major hindrance in this regard has been the lack of consensus on threat perceptions, since member countries disagree on the idea of threats. Example: cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
- Cordial Relationship:
- The member countries have generally cordial relationships, something patently missing among the SAARC countries.
- BIMSTEC’s major strength comes from the fact that it includes two influential regional powers: Thailand and India.This adds to the comfort of smaller neighbours by reducing the fear of dominance by one big power.
- Economic vistas: As a trade bloc, BIMSTEC provides many opportunities.
- The region has countries with the fastest-growing economies in the world. The combined GDP in the region is around US$2 trillionand will likely grow further.
- Trade among the BIMSTEC member countries reached six percent in just a decade, while in SAARC, it has remained around five percent since its inception.
- Compared to SAARC, BIMSTEC has greater trade potential as well. Among the member countries, India’s intra-BIMSTEC trade is around 3 percent of its total trade.
- BIMSTEC regional grouping happens to have five nations that are also part of SAARC. The fact that this region is growing at 6.5% per annum, collectively comprises of 1.5 billion people, is the drive behind India’s focus being part of BIMSTEC.
Significance of BIMSTEC for India
As the region’s largest economy, India has a lot at stake.
- BIMSTEC connects not only South and Southeast Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.
- For India, it is a natural platform to fulfil our key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighborhood First’ and ‘Act East’.
- For New Delhi, one key reason for engagement is in the vast potential that is unlocked with stronger connectivity. Almost 300 million people, or roughly one-quarter of India’s population, live in the four coastal states adjacent to the Bay of Bengal (Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal).
- From the strategic perspective, the Bay of Bengal, a funnel to the Malacca straits, has emerged a key theatre for an increasingly assertive China in maintaining its access route to the Indian Ocean.
- As China mounts assertive activities in the Bay of Bengal region, with increased submarine movement and ship visits in the Indian Ocean, it is in India’s interest to consolidate its internal engagement among the BIMSTEC countries.
Way forward to harness the above by mutual trust and cooperation
- Since the BIMSTEC region is notable for its diversity, the member states need to build on the regional synergies and work towards utilising the available resources in the most optimal manner. This would help build a stronger and a more dynamic BIMSTEC.
- Multilateral Discussions:Given the complexity of domestic and geopolitical factors, this sphere will require sustained bilateral and group-level discussions to prevent problems such as the Rohingya crisis from becoming impediments to the smooth delivery of economic and security outcomes.
- India too will have to ensure equally sustained political engagement with partnerssuch as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to prevent any domestic political spillover from affecting bilateral and group-level working relationships.
- India and other members will also need to be astute in managing Myanmar’s engagementuntil the political situation in the country becomes normal.
- Boosting Connectivity and Cooperation:For India’s vision to bolster trade connectivity in the grouping, an FTA spanning the maritime resource-rich members such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka could bring dramatic gains for all members.
- A ‘coastal shipping ecosystem’and an interconnected electricity grid, in addition to the adopted Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, have the potential to boost intraregional trade and economic ties.
- Also, BIMSTEC needs to generate additional funding and push for timely implementationof the projects.
- India should lead:For the revived grouping to realise its trade and economic potential, India will have to take a leadership role in assuaging any apprehensions among the smaller members of intragroup power imbalances and strive to facilitate greater cross-border connectivity and flow of investments by lowering barriers to the movement of people and goods.
- Even at the summit, India was theonly country to offer additional funding to the Secretariat and also to support the Secretary General’s proposal to establish an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) for producing a vision document.
- Other countries need to emulate thissincere matching of words with action.
- BIMSTEC should focus more in the future on new areas such as the blue economy,the digital economy, and promotion of exchanges and links among start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
General Studies – 3
Topic: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
The article discusses the key points and implications of Rajasthan’s proposed legislation aimed at providing social security and welfare measures for gig workers in the state.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the issues faced by gig workers, need to ensure and protect rights of gig workers.
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 defining gig workers and present a statistic regarding the number of gig workers in the Indian economy.
Body:
In the first talk about the ambiguity in gig economy which results in the exploitation of gig workers – lack of formal employer-employee relationship, remuneration, rigidity of working hours and the working conditions etc.
Next, write about the benefits of regulating the gig economy and steps needed to protect the rights of workers and grant them social protection.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements Examples of gig employees in the workforce could include freelancers, independent contractors, project-based workers and temporary or part-time hires. According to the Oxford Internet Institute’s ‘Online Labor Index’, India leads the global gig economy with a 24% share of the online labor market.
The Rajasthan government recently released the draft Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023 — the first legislation of its kind in India outlining social security and welfare measures — and invited feedback from stakeholders, including the State’s approximately three lakh gig workers, till July 7.
The demand for a legal framework echoes throughout India’s 77-lakh-strong gig workforce (expected to swell to 2.34 crore by 2030). Gig workers, portrayed by many companies as ‘partners’ partaking in an ‘economic revolution’, often work unregulated hours, inadequate wages, do not have social security, and face discrimination and harassment at the hands of both companies and customers.
Body
Issues faced by gig economy workers
- This workforce has limited employment rights like minimum wages, health benefits, sick leaves or even retirement benefits to fall back on.
- Also, the payment is assured only on the completion of the project giving a sense of financial insecurity.
- The lack of any kind of protection was also deterring several talented workers against participating in the economy
- No stable and secure employment: These so-called jobs do not provide health insurance, nor pay for overtime with no sick leave.
- Lack of income security: There is no room for wage negotiations, and unions are absent. In the gig economy, job creation should be seen as the provision of livelihoods for entrepreneurs.
- Grievance redressal mechanism: For instance, when Ola and Uber started cutting back incentives, the drivers in Mumbai decided to go on ‘strike’.
- But there was no clarity against whom they were striking. When the strikers agitated at a local transport commissioner’s office, he had to tell them that he did not regulate the hail-a-taxi business.
- The Central government recently passed the social security code which could cover gig worker as well.
- One of the key proposals includes the creation of a social security fund which is around 1 per cent of the aggregators’ annual turnover.
- This fund would be used primarily for the welfare of the unorganized and the gig workforce
Regulation of gig economy
- Constant upskilling and reskilling is required for such talents to stay industry relevant and market ready.
- A categorical clarification could ensure that social security measures are provided to workers without compromising the touted qualities of platform work.
- Countries must come together to set up a platform to extend their labour protection to the workforce who are working part-time in their country.
- Companies employing the workforce on a temporary basis should also be made responsible to contribute to their insurance and social obligation other than just their tax commitment.
- There is a need for a socio-legal acknowledgement of the heterogeneity of work in the gig economy, and the ascription of joint accountability to the State and platform companies for the delivery of social services.
- In the Code on Social Security, 2020, platform workers are now eligible for benefits. Actualising these benefits will depend on the political will at the Central and State government-levels and how unions elicit political support.
Way forward
- The government needs to come out with some more regulations to protect the workforce of the gig economy.
- Also, at present, there is no mechanism to address the issue of redress of disputes.
- It could also mean countries coming together to set up a platform to extend their labour protection to the workforce who are working part-time in their country.
- Companies employing the workforce on a temporary basis should also be made responsible to contribute to their insurance and social obligation other than just their tax commitment.
Conclusion
The scope of the gig economy in a country like India is enormous. The government needs to come out with a comprehensive legislation to empower and motivate many to take this path. The gig economy and its workforce cannot be overlooked when we talk about the future of employment.
With a population of over 1.3 billion, and a majority of them below the age of 35, relying on the “gig economy” is perhaps the only way to create employment for a large semi-skilled and unskilled workforce. Therefore, it is important to hand-hold this sector and help it grow. We need policies and processes that give clarity to the way the sector should function.
Value addition
Statistics
- Human resources firm TeamLease estimates that 13 lakh Indians joined the gig economy in the last half of 2018-19, registering a 30% growth compared to the first half of the fiscal year.
- Better Place, a digital platform that does background verification and skill development in the informal sector, estimates that of the 21 lakh jobs that will be created in the metros in 2019-20, 14 lakh will be in the gig economy.
- Food and e-commerce delivery will account for 8 lakh positions and drivers will account for nearly 6 lakh positions, says the report, based on 11 lakh profiles in over 1,000 companies.
- Delhi, Bengaluru and other metros are expected to be the biggest drivers of this sector. And two-thirds of this workforce will be under the age of 40.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The water off South Florida is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in mid-July, and scientists are already seeing signs of coral bleaching off Central and South America.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the causes for coral bleaching and its impact on wildlife and humans.
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 defining the phenomenon of Coral bleaching. Give examples.
Body:
First, in detail mention the causes of coral bleaching – Rise in Sea Temperature, Ocean Acidification, ultraviolet radiation, Infectious Diseases, Chemical Pollution and Increased Sedimentation etc.
Next, write about its impact on wildlife – Coral reefs support some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Thousands of marine animals depend on coral reefs for survival. Coral reefs provide shelter, spawning grounds, and protection from predators. They also support organisms at the base of ocean food chains. As reef ecosystems collapse, already at-risk species may face extinction.
Next, write about its impact on humans – Coral bleaching impacts peoples’ livelihoods, food security, and safety. Coral reefs are natural barriers that absorb the force of waves and storm surges, keeping coastal communities safe.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward to protect coral reefs around the world.
Introduction
Coral Bleaching occurs when the corals expel a certain algae known as zooxanthellae, which lives in the tissues of the coral in a symbiotic relationship. About 90% of the energy of the coral is provided by the zooxanthellae which are endowed with chlorophyll and other pigments. They are responsible for the yellow or reddish brown colours of the host coral. In addition the zooxanthellae can live as endosymbionts with jellyfish also.
The water off South Florida is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in mid-July, and scientists are already seeing signs of coral bleaching off Central and South America. An alarming milestone for the coral wonder that points to the continued threat of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
Body
Causes of Coral Bleaching
Natural Causes
- Climate Change
- Rising Sea surface temperature: The main cause of coral bleaching is heat stress resulting from high sea temperatures. Temperature increases of only one degree Celsius for only four weeks can trigger bleaching events.
- If these temperatures persist for longer periods (eight weeks or more) corals begin to die.
- El-Nino: Frequency of storms such as those associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation events has resulted in the devastation of very large areas of coral. In fact, 16% of the world’s corals were affected by the 1997-1998 El-Nino event.
- Rising Sea surface temperature: The main cause of coral bleaching is heat stress resulting from high sea temperatures. Temperature increases of only one degree Celsius for only four weeks can trigger bleaching events.
- Increased solar irradiance: Bleaching during the summer months, during seasonal temperature and irradiance maxima often occurs disproportionately in shallow-living corals and on the exposed summits of colonies. Solar radiation has been suspected to play a role in coral bleaching. Both photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700nm) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400nm) have been implicated in bleaching.
- Freshwater inundation: Strong cyclones and storms causes heavy precipitation and strongly dilutes the ocean water near the shore. This can disrupt Saline content (ppm) of the shallow water coral and induces bleaching.
- Subaerial exposure: Sudden exposure of reef flat corals to the atmosphere during events such as extreme low tides, ENSO-related sea level drops or tectonic uplift can potentially induce bleaching. The consequent exposure to high or low temperatures, increased solar radiation, desiccation, and sea water dilution by heavy rains could all play a role in zooxanthellae loss, but could also very well lead to coral death.
- Cold-Stress Event: In January 2010, cold water temperatures in the Florida Keys caused a coral bleaching event that resulted in some coral death.
- Epizootics: Pathogen induced bleaching is different from other sorts of bleaching. Most coral diseases cause patchy or whole colony death and sloughing of soft tissues, resulting in a white skeleton (not to be confused with bleached corals). A few pathogens have been identified the cause translucent white tissues, a protozoan.
Anthropogenic activities
- Increasing Green House Gas Emissions
- CO2 Emissions: Rising Emission intensity from fossil fuels, coal and factories are heating up the planet and increasing carbon fertilization in oceans. Harmful Algal Blooms leads to turbity of water, thereby causing bleaching.
- Pollutant Runoff: Pollutants from river water and industrial affluent leads to bleaching.
- Poor Quality water: This can occur due to toxic sediment that comes along with the water that joins the sea. Corals cannot withstand toxicity and thus expel the algae.
Impact of Coral Bleaching on Coral Reefs
Corals begin to starve once they bleach. While some corals are able to feed themselves, most corals struggle to survive without their zooxanthellae. If conditions return to normal, corals can regain their zooxanthellae, return to their normal colour and survive. However, this stress is likely to cause decreased coral growth and reproduction, and increased susceptibility to disease.
- Great Barrier Reef: Over 2016 and 2017, Great Barrier Reef suffered back-to-back bleaching, leaving half of the shallow water corals dead. One-third of the 3,863 reefs that make up the Great Barrier Reef went through a catastrophic die-off.
- Biodiversity of Ocean Ecosystem These sessile organisms also provide refuge and shelter for many mobile animals. The entire biodiversity sustaining on the coral reef will be affected.
- Fish Species: 25% of fish species spend some part of their life cycle in reefs, despite the fact that they cover less than 1% of ocean floor.
- Carbon sink: In addition, sessile algae and the coral–algal symbiosis determine carbon fixation and its pathways into organic and inorganic forms. These are the basis for the energy that supports the ecosystem and deposits the calcium carbonate skeletons that create the reef.
- Loss of livelihoods: Countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines would bear the brunt of the damage, as it will reduce the fish stock rapidly.
- Economic Impact: Both fishing and tourism will be hit hard. Many communities in Queensland had to look for alternate livelihoods due to coral bleaching and loss of ocean ecosystem.
- Barrier to storm: Coral reefs act as key barrier to guard against incoming storms and mitigate the damage done by surging seas.
Way forward
- Limiting global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change, provides the only chance for the survival of coral reefs globally.
- Other measures alone, such as addressing local pollution and destructive fishing practices, cannot save coral reefs without stabilised greenhouse gas emissions.
- Reinforcing commitments to the Paris Agreement must be mirrored in all other global agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals. l.
- Economic systems need to rapidly move to the low greenhouse gas emission scenario to enable global temperature decrease.
- A move away from current economic thinking should include the benefits provided by coral reefs, which are currently not taken into account in mainstream business and finance.
- Therefore, sustaining and restoring coral reefs should be treated as an asset, and long-term investments should be made for their preservation.
- Investments should also include support for research at the frontiers of biology, such as genetic selection of heat-resistant corals that can withstand rising global temperatures.
Conclusion:
There also needs to be a transformation of mainstream economic systems and a move towards circular economic practices. These are highlighted in SDG 8 (inclusive and sustainable economic growth) and SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production patterns).
General Studies – 4
Topic: corporate governance.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4
Key Demand of the question:
To write about changes needed in the corporate governance of banks to prevent frauds.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In the introduction, give context of rising bank frauds.
Body:
First, write about the reasons as to why these banking frauds occur.
Next, mention the changes needed in the corporate governance structure of banks to prevent these frequent scams and frauds.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a firm is directed and controlled. Corporate governance involves balancing the interests of a company’s stakeholders such as shareholders, senior management executives, customers, suppliers, financiers, the government, and the community.
The biggest banking scam in India has come to the forefront in the midst of celebrations of ‘Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, which depicts the tardy state of corporate governance in financial institutions of India.
Body
Background
- Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited(DHFL) has hoodwinked a consortium of banks driven by the Union Bank of India to the tune of ₹35,000 crore through financial misrepresentation.
- The DHFL case was not an isolated case.
- In February 2022, ABG Shipyard Limitedof Surat had already taken a loan of about ₹23,000 crore in a fake manner.
- There are many examples of bank scams: the Nirav Modiand Mehul Choksi scam involving the Punjab National Bank (₹11,400 crore), the case of businessman Vijay Mallya (₹9,000 crore) involving nearly 13 banks, the Andhra Bank fraud (₹8,100 crore), the PMC scam (₹4,355 crore), the Rotomac Pen scam (₹3,695 crore), the Videocon case (₹3,250 crore), the Allahabad Bank fraud (₹1,775 crore), the Syndicate Bank scam (₹1,000 crore), the Bank of Maharashtra scam (₹836 crore), the Kanishk Gold Bank fraud (₹824 crore), the IDBI Bank fraud (₹600 crore), and the R.P. Info Systems Bank scam (₹515 crore) to name just a few.
Reasons for the occurrence of banking frauds
- A study by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore has shown that poor bank corporate governance is the cause behind rising bank scams and NPAs.
- Data by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) show that around 34% of scams in the banking industry are on account of inside work.
- Poor lending practices by bank staff and the involvement of the junior and mid-level management in collusive corruption.
- The data by the RBI also show that one of the fundamental problems in the way of the development of banking in India is on account of rising bank scams and the costs consequently forced on the framework.
The changes needed in the corporate governance structure of banks to prevent these frequent scams and frauds
- Banks have to exercise due diligence and caution while offering funds.
- The regulation and the control of chartered accountants is a very important step to reduce non-performing assets of banks.
- Banks should be cautious while lending to Indian companies that have taken huge loans abroad.
- There is also an urgent need to tighten the internal and external audit systems of banks.
- The fast rotation of employees of a bank’s loan department is very important.
- Public sector banks should set up an internal rating agency for rigorous evaluation of large projects before sanctioning loans.
- Further, there is a need to implement an effective Management Information System (MIS) to monitor early warning signals about business projects.
- The CIBIL score of the borrower (formerly the Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited) should be evaluated by the bank concerned and RBI officials.
- This must also include the classification and responsibilities of the lending and recovery departments.
- Financial fraud can be reduced to a great extent by the use of artificial intelligence(AI) to monitor financial transactions.
Conclusion
While the Government of India and the RBI have taken several measures to try and resolve the issue of scams in the banking industry, the fact is that there is still a long way to go. Rather than having to continuously write off the bad loans of large corporates, India has to improve its loan recovery processes and establish an early warning system in the post-disbursement phase. Banks need to carry out fraud risk assessments every quarter.
Value addition
Other measures needed
- Ensure a balanced, competent and diverse Board: Studies show Boards with greater gender diversity result in improved financial performance.
- Review Board composition on a regular basis to identify any shortcomings and make timely improvements.
- Establish, monitor and evaluate the roles and responsibilities of the Board and management.
- Gear key performance indicators towards long term value creation not just in the short term.
- Establish an effective risk management and internal control framework and periodically review its effectiveness.
- Ensure integrity in corporate reporting such as conducting external audits of the business.
- Beyond stricter supervision, authorities must ensure governance is not done in the letter of the law, but rather in the spirit of the law.
- Only then can the true purpose of corporate governance and its fundamental principles of transparency, accountability, fairness and equity, and responsibility be achieved.
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