GS2
Q1. ‘The 21st century is going to be the Indian century’. Analyse. (10M)
Introduction
With a rich history, a diverse and youthful population, burgeoning economic growth, and technological advancements, India is increasingly recognized as a significant player on the world stage. As the global landscape undergoes transformative shifts, the idea that India’s influence and impact will be pivotal in shaping the course of the 21st century has gained considerable traction.
Body:
21st century as India’s century:
- India’s economic growth: India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Indian economy is expected to grow at an average rate of 7% per year over the next few decades.
- India’s demographic dividend: India has a young and growing population. The median age in India is 28 years, compared to 38 years in the United States and 45 years in China. This demographic dividend means that India has a large pool of young and productive workers.
- India’s technological prowess: India has a large and growing pool of skilled engineers and scientists. India is also a leader in the field of information technology. This technological prowess is helping India to become a global hub for innovation and manufacturing. E.g. World’s 3rd largest startups ecosystem.
- India’s strategic location: India is located in a strategically important region. India is a major power in South Asia and the Indian Ocean. This strategic location gives India a number of advantages, including access to key markets and resources.
- Soft power: India’s rich cultural heritage, traditions, and soft power assets such as yoga, cinema, and literature have helped enhance its global influence.
- Strengthening cultural diplomacy and promoting India’s value systems can further enhance its global standing.
- Diplomatic Engagements and Geopolitical Role: India’s proactive diplomatic efforts and partnerships with various countries and international forums, such as BRICS, G20, QUAD and SCO, showcase its commitment to global issues.
Way forward:
- Infrastructure Development: India must invest significantly in modern infrastructure to support economic growth and ensure efficient connectivity across regions.
- Healthcare and Education: Improving healthcare systems and education quality remains a challenge, as addressing these aspects is crucial for sustainable development.
- Environmental Sustainability: As a major developing nation, India needs to manage its environmental impact and transition towards sustainable practices.
- Inclusive Growth: Addressing income disparities and ensuring equitable growth are essential to avoid leaving sections of the population behind.
- Global Leadership: While India seeks a greater global role, it must demonstrate responsible leadership on issues like climate change, security, and human rights.
Conclusion
While India possesses remarkable potential to make a significant mark in the 21st century, realizing the vision of an “Indian century” demands a strategic and comprehensive approach.
Q2. How does the concept of ordinance-making power grant governments the ability to enact laws without the usual legislative process. What are the fundamental issues arising out of it? Discuss with the help of examples. (15M)
Introduction
The ordinance-making power in India grants the President (under Article 123) or the Governor (under article 213) the authority to issue ordinances, which are temporary laws with the same effect as Acts of Parliament or State Legislatures. The constitutional scheme exists to ensure accountability of the political executive to the elected legislature.
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Benefits of ordinance making powers
- Quick response to emergencies: The ordinance-making power enables swift government response to urgent situations.
- For instance, during COVID-19, India issued ordinances for rapid implementation of lockdowns, travel restrictions, and economic relief packages
- Flexibility in policy-making: Ordinances offer policy flexibility when legislatures are not in session. This lets governments address emerging issues promptly, without waiting for the next legislative session.
- Experimental measures and pilot projects: Ordinances facilitate testing experimental measures before permanent legislation. This allows the government to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of a particular policy or measure before committing to a full-fledged law.
- For instance, ordinances were used to pilot Aadhaar before enacting it as law.
- Addressing legislative delays: In situations where bills are pending, stuck in parliamentary debates, or facing opposition, the government can use the ordinance-making power to bypass the legislative impasse and implement necessary measures.
Issues Arising from Ordinance-Making Power:
- Lack of democratic deliberation: Ordinances bypass the usual process of legislative deliberation, where bills are thoroughly discussed, debated, and scrutinized by elected representatives.
- g. The decision to demonetize high-denomination currency notes in 2016 was initially implemented as an ordinance.
- Potential for misuse or abuse of power: Ordinances are used by governments to pass legislation which is currently pending in Parliament, as was the case with the Food Security Ordinance.
- Goes against the principle of separation of powers: The power of the executive to issue ordinances goes against the principle of separation of powers as law-making is the domain of legislature, for it acts neither as a check nor as a balance on the authority exercised by the other branches of government.
- Self-limiting: Validity and legality of actions taken on the basis of an ordinance will be in limbo, unless subsequent legislation is passed to the same effect by the legislature.
- Overuse of ordinances goes fundamentally against two core tenets of the rule of law, stability and consistency.
- Self-defeating due to absence of Parliamentary scrutiny and feedback: – Governments may favour the “ordinance route” because it makes for good optics or helps them avoid the difficult task of political negotiation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that is part and parcel of law-making. That, however, is a self-defeating exercise.
- Impaired public understanding: Ordinances, often issued with limited public awareness, can lead to confusion and a lack of understanding among citizens regarding the laws governing them. The lack of open debate and discussion may result in reduced public trust and engagement in the governance process. E.g. farm reform bills.
- Excessively used: Government often uses it to bypass legislative process as has been observed recently when Following the washout of the second half of the budget session, three ordinances have been promulgated by the President.
- g. First was the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, followed by the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018, etc.
Way Ahead:
- Every ordinance issued must be laid before both the Houses of Parliament or state legislature within six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament or state legislature and it ceases to exist if it is not approved within six weeks of reassembly.
- 44th Constitutional Amendment has reiterated that the satisfaction of the President to promulgate ordinance could be challenged in case an ‘immediate action’ was not required.
- Separation of Powers: Our Constitution has provided for the separation of powers among the legislature, executive and judiciary where enacting laws is the function of the legislature.
- The executive must show self-restraint and should use ordinance making power only in unforeseen or urgent matters and not to evade legislative scrutiny and debates.
Conclusion
Thus, it is important that while the ordinance-making power has its benefits, it should be used judiciously and in line with constitutional principles. The proper balance between expediency and democratic principles should be maintained while exercising this power.
Ethics
Syllabus: “Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions;”
Q3. What do you understand by the term “Public service”? Also, examine the reasons behind why the mentality of public service has been decreasing even while other indicators such as education is increasing.
Introduction:
Introduction:
Public service refers to activities or actions undertaken with the primary intention of benefiting the general public or society at large.
Body
It involves working for the welfare and betterment of others, often through roles within the government, non-profit organizations, or community initiatives.
Major components of public service, its principle and effects include:
Decreasing Mentality of Public Service:
- Erosion of Values: In contemporary times, there is a growing focus on individualism and materialism, which can diminish the emphasis on altruistic values associated with public service.
- Distrust in Institutions: Perception of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency in public institutions can deter individuals from pursuing public service careers.
- Incentive Structures: Public service careers may not offer competitive financial incentives compared to the private sector, leading to decreased motivation for choosing such paths.
- Complex Bureaucracy: Cumbersome bureaucratic processes can discourage individuals from entering public service due to the perception of limited impact and excessive red tape.
- Negative Image: portrayals in media or society can deter individuals from considering public service careers as honorable and impactful.
- Instant Gratification: Modern society’s emphasis on instant gratification may discourage individuals from choosing public service careers that require patience and long-term commitment.
- Policy Ineffectiveness: Instances of ineffective policy implementation or lack of meaningful change through public service can lead to disillusionment.
As Margaret Chase Smith said “Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation.”
Conclusion:
As a common citizen, along with education embracing ethical principles like altruism, participatory democracy, environmental responsibility, the rule of law, and social justice enables one to make meaningful contributions towards public service in India.
Case Study
Q4. Ideally, the workers of a company are expected to prone to exploitation by company. In terms of working conditions, salary, social security, etc., workers are disadvantaged. So, the idea of trade unions to secure worker’s interests enjoys near unanimous sympathy in public eye. However, the other side of the coin is, workers owing to the high bargaining power of trade unions—for instance their ability to strike and halt company works—are callous in their attitudes. They are lazy, underproductive, take unnecessary leaves, disrespect executive officers of company, create ruckus, etc. This means the protections to workers is being misused by workers and the companies are helpless and frustrated since the law and public assumes workers are invariably innocent and company is an exploiter.
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- In your opinion, why misconduct by workers is usually neglected?
- How can companies ensure their workers don’t misuse their protections?
Synopsis:
Balancing worker protections and preventing their misuse is essential for fostering a productive and ethical workplace environment.
Ethical Dilemmas:
- Balancing Rights: Addressing worker misconduct without infringing on their rights requires delicate handling.
- Fair Consequences: Determining appropriate consequences for misconduct.
- Management Neutrality: Ensuring that management addresses misconduct impartially without being influenced by personal biases or preferences.
- Company Reputation: Deciding whether to disclose instances of worker misconduct to the public while safeguarding the company’s reputation.
- Worker misconduct is often neglected due to several reasons:
- Stereotypes and Sympathy: Society often holds sympathetic views towards workers, perceiving them as the vulnerable party in the employer-employee relationship. This can lead to overlooking instances of misconduct, assuming workers are inherently innocent.
- Lack of Documentation: Instances of worker misconduct might not always be adequately documented or reported, making it difficult for companies or authorities to address them effectively.
- Focus on Larger Issues: In comparison to other pressing issues like labor rights violations or unfair working conditions, worker misconduct might be seen as less significant and thus, overlooked.
- Collective Identity: Trade unions emphasize unity among workers, which can deter fellow workers from reporting misconduct within their own ranks, contributing to a culture of silence.
- Fear of Backlash: Companies might hesitate to address misconduct due to the fear of backlash from unions or negative public perception.
- Lack of Surveillance: In industries without proper monitoring systems, worker misconduct might go unnoticed due to the absence of mechanisms to track behavior.
- Resource Constraints: Companies with limited resources might prioritize essential operations over addressing worker misconduct, leading to a lack of proactive measures.
- Lack of Reporting Channels: When workers do not have accessible and confidential ways to report misconduct, it hampers their ability to bring such issues to light.
- Preventing Worker Misuse of Protections:
- Clear Expectations: of behavior and performance to workers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining professionalism and respecting company rules. Google clearly outlining the expectations of behavior through its “Don’t Be Evil” motto.
- Education and Training: Regular workshops on workplace ethics, conduct, and the significance of maintaining a productive work environment can help sensitize workers to the consequences of their actions.
- Fair Accountability: Develop a fair system to address worker misconduct, ensuring that consequences are proportionate to the offense. This promotes a sense of fairness and discourages misconduct.
- Effective Communication: Atlassian, an Australian software company, holds regular “ShipIt” days where employees can raise concerns and ideas, fostering open communication..
- Whistleblower Protection: Implement mechanisms for workers to report misconduct without fear of retaliation, ensuring anonymity and protection from negative consequences.
- Conflict Resolution: Establish effective channels for resolving conflicts between workers and management, reducing the likelihood of workers resorting to disruptive behavior.
- Incentives for Positive Behavior: Recognize and reward workers who consistently display positive behavior, creating an incentive for others to follow suit.
- Ethical Leadership: Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, exemplifies ethical leadership by championing sustainable practices and social responsibility within the company.
Conclusion:
By addressing worker misconduct through a combination of communication, education, fairness, and proactive management, companies can create an environment where worker protections are not misused, leading to a harmonious and productive workplace.
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