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: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
Data from the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program suggests that 56 volcanoes erupted in the first six months of 2023. In November 2023, shifting magma under the Earth’s crust triggered hundreds of earthquakes around the town of Grindavik in Iceland, with seismologists warning the quakes could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the impact of Volcanic eruptions and associated activities.
Directive:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the environmental effects of volcanism -Emission of gases and aerosols, Formation of volcanic ash and tephra, Creation of volcanic landforms and Impact on climate and weather patterns, Destruction of vegetation and habitats, Introduction of new species Formation of new ecosystems etc.
Next, write about effects on Human Activities – Threats to human health, Agricultural impacts, Economic consequences, Disruption of transportation and infrastructure etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning ways to deal with above.
Introduction
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. The process is called Volcanism and has been ongoing on Earth since the initial stages of its evolution over 4 billion years ago.
Data from the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program suggests that 56 volcanoes erupted in the first six months of 2023. In November 2023, shifting magma under the Earth’s crust triggered hundreds of earthquakes around the town of Grindavik in Iceland, with seismologists warning the quakes could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption.
Body
Volcanic landforms are divided into extrusive and intrusive landforms based on weather magma cools within the crust or above the crust. Rocks formed by either plutonic (cooling of magma within the crust) or volcanic (cooling of lava above the surface) are called ‘Igneous rocks’.
Body
Extrusive Volcanic Landforms: These are formed from material thrown out during volcanic activity. The materials thrown out during volcanic activity includes lava flows, pyroclastic debris, volcanic bombs, ash and dust and gases such as nitrogen compounds, sulphur compounds and minor amounts of chlorine, hydrogen and argon.
- Conical Vent and Fissure Vent:
- A conical vent is a narrow cylindrical vent through which magma flows out violently. Conical vents are common in andesitic (composite or strato volcano) volcanism.
- A fissure vent, also known as a volcanic fissure or eruption fissure, is a narrow, linear volcanic vent through which lava erupts, usually without any explosive activity. The vent is often a few meters wide and may be many kilometres long. Fissure vents are common in basaltic volcanism.
- Composite Cones or Strato volcanoes:
- They are conical or central type volcanic landforms.
- Along with andesitic lava, large quantities of pyroclastic material and ashes find their way to the ground.
- They are accumulated in the vicinity of the vent openings leading to formation of layers, and this makes the mounts appear as composite volcanoes.
- The highest and most common volcanoes have composite cones.
- Example:Vesuvius, Mt. Fuji, Stromboli (Lighthouse of the Mediterranean) etc.
- Shield Volcanoes or Lava domes:
- These volcanoes are mostly made up of basalt, a type of lava that is very fluid when erupted. They are not steep.
- They become explosive if somehow water gets into the vent; otherwise, they are less explosive.
- Example: Mauna Loa (Hawaii).
- Lava Plains and Basalt Plateaus:
- Sometimes, a very thin magma escapes through cracks and fissures in the earth’s surface and flows after intervals for a long time, spreading over a vast area, finally producing a layered, undulating (wave like), flat surface.
- Example: Deccan traps (peninsular India), Snake Basin, U.S.A, Icelandic Shield, Canadian Shield etc.
- Cinder cone (Tephra cones):
- Cinder cones are small volume cones consisting predominantly of tephra that result from strombolian eruptions.
- They usually consist of basaltic to andesitic material.
- Calderas:
- After the eruption of magma has ceased from the cones, the crater frequently turns into a lake at a later time.
- Water may collect in the crater. This lake is called a ‘caldera’.
- Example:Lake Toba in Sumatra, Crater Lake in Oregon, USA.
- Mid-Ocean Ridges
- These volcanoes occur in the oceanic areas. There is a system of mid-ocean ridges more than 70,000 km long that stretches through all the ocean basins. The central portion of this ridge experiences frequent eruptions.
- The lava is basaltic in nature.
- Cools slowly and flows through longer distances.
- The lava here is responsible for sea floor spreading.
- Example: Mid-Atlantic ocean ridge; extension is seen in the Iceland.
Intrusive Volcanic Landforms: Intrusive landforms are formed when magma cools within the crust. The intrusive activity of volcanoes gives rise to various forms.
- Batholiths:
- These are huge mass of igneous rocks, usually of granite.
- These rock masses formed due to cooling down and solidification of hot magma inside the earth.
- They appear on the surface only after the denudation processes remove the overlying materials and may be exposed on surface after erosion.
- Example: Wicklow mountains of Ireland; the uplands of Brittany, France.
- Laccoliths:
- These are large dome-shaped intrusive bodies connected by a pipe-like conduit from below.
- These are basically intrusive counterparts of an exposed domelike batholith.
- Example:The laccoliths of Henry mountains in the Utah, USA.
- Lopolith:
- As and when the lava moves upwards, a portion of the same may tend to move in a horizontal direction wherever it finds a weak plane.
- In case it develops into a saucer shape, concave to the sky body, it is called Lopolith.
- Example:The Bushveld lopolith of Transvaal, South Africa.
- Phacolith:
- A wavy mass of intrusive rocks, at times, is found at the base of synclines or at the top of anticline in folded igneous country.
- Such wavy materials have a definite conduit to source beneath in the form of magma chambers (subsequently developed as batholiths). These are called the Phacoliths.
- Example: Corndon hill in Shropshire, England.
- Sills:
- These are solidified horizontal lava layers inside the earth.
- The near horizontal bodies of the intrusive igneous rocks are called sill or sheet, depending on the thickness of the material.
- The thinner ones are called sheets while the thick horizontal deposits are called sills.
- Example: Great whin sill of NE England
- Dykes:
- When the lava makes its way through cracks and the fissures developed in the land, it solidifies almost perpendicular to the ground.
- It gets cooled in the same position to develop a wall-like structure. Such structures are called dykes.
- These are the most commonly found intrusive forms in the western Maharashtra area. These are considered the feeders for the eruptions that led to the development of the Deccan traps. Cleveland Dyke of Yorkshire, England.
Impact on the regional environment
- Volcanism can be a greatly damaging natural disaster.
- Habitats and landscapes are destroyed by lava flows.
- Violent earthquakes associated with volcanic activity and mud flows of volcanic ash saturated by heavy rain can bury nearby places.
- Sometimes ash can precipitate under the influence of rain and completely cover the surrounding regions.
- deterioration of water quality, fewer periods of rain, crop damages, and the destruction of vegetation.
- In coastal areas, seismic sea waves called tsunamis are an additional danger which are generated by submarine earth faults where volcanism is active.
- Volcanic rocks yield very fertile soil upon weathering and decomposition.
- Although steep volcano slopes prevent extensive agriculture, forestry operations on them provide valuable timber resources.
- Mineral resources, particularly metallic ores are brought to the surface by volcanoes. Sometimes copper and other ores fill the gas bubble cavities. The famed Kimberlite rock of South Africa, source of diamonds is the pipe of an ancient volcano.
Impact on human activities
- Volcanic activity and the formation of volcanic landscapes can have both positive and negative impacts on human settlement and economic development.
- While they can be inhospitable and hazardous to human habitation, they can also provide opportunities for economic development.
- For example, Volcanic ash and rock fragments can be used for construction and road building, and volcanic landscapes often have unique biodiversity which can be utilized for tourism and recreation.
- Volcanic landscapes can also contain geothermal resources which can be used for power generation and other forms of economic development.
- Volcanic eruptions can cause significant damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and human health, and can lead to displacement of populations.
- Additionally, the rugged terrain and harsh climate of volcanic landscapes can make it difficult for people to settle in these regions.
Conclusion
Volcanoes have a huge impact on man and material as urbanization and globalization increases. The effects have impacts on flora, fauna and the global warming which can accelerate the climate change.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
The article discusses the need for clarity on the roles and powers of Governors in Indian states, emphasizing the importance of a clear legal framework.
Key Demand of the question:
To critically write about the issues with respect to office of the governor and possible solutions to it.
Directive word:
Critically 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. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give brief introduction of the role of Governor in the Indian Polity.
Body:
First, write about the significance of the post of Governor as enshrined in the Indian constitution.
Next, discuss the issues related to abuse of post of Governor in federal polity failing to the functions impartially and efficiently and why the tag of ‘agent of centre’ is being associated with the office of governor. Substantiate with examples.
Next, Explain the misuse of discretionary powers – Article 356, Power of Reserving bill, Partisan role in Hung assemblies etc. Substantiate with examples of recent times.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The office of Governor is a British Indian transplant with a federalistic flavour. The role of office of Governor was confined to normal routine ceremonial functions earlier but now enjoys more powers. Discretionary powers of Governor in state are much more extensive in comparison to the President in centre in India. He/She is not bound to act on the advice of the council of Ministers in certain circumstances, even he need not seek its advice.
Body:
Discretional powers of Governor more than president:
Duality of the powers:
- Governors enjoy more discretion than President because of duality of functions they have to perform. He is given higher discretionary powers, for proper functioning of the Constitution.
- He has prima facie discretion in deciding whether a proposed law by a State is violative of the Constitution. He also has greater discretion with regard to dissolution of Legislative Assembly when it does not function according to the Constitution.
Constitution provision itself:
- Discretionary powers of Governor in state are much more extensive in comparison to the President in center in India. For example, Article 163 of the constitutionsays that there shall be a Council of Ministers in the states with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in exercise his functions, except those which are required to be done by the Governor on his/ her discretion.
- The constitution further mentions that if any question arises whether a matter falls within the Governor’s discretion or not, decision of the Governor shall be final, and the validity of anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion. Moreover, what advice was tendered by the Governor to the Ministry cannot be inquired into a court.
Some discretionary powers are as follows:
- Appointment of the Chief Minister:Generally, the leader of the party with majority is appointed as the Chief Minister. But in situation where no party gets absolute majority, the Governor exercises his discretionary powers in appointing the Chief Minister.
- Dismissal of a Ministry:A minister holds offices during the pleasure of the Governor. When the ministry losses support of the house, the governor will dismiss the ministry. But he cannot dismiss it until it losses majority support.
- Advising the President for proclamation of Emergency:The Governor advises the President to proclaim emergency when he is satisfied that the Government cannot carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, under Article 356.
- Reservation of a bill for the consideration of the President: 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.
- Dissolution of Legislative Assembly:The Governor summons, prorogues and dissolves the Legislative Assembly, according to article 174. When the ministry loses the majority and the Governor is satisfied he may dissolve the House.
- Governor determines the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from licenses for mineral exploration.
- Seeking information: Governor can seek information from the chief minister with regard to the administrative and legislative matters of the state.
- Thus, though the Governor is made the constitutional head of a state like president of India, yet there is a thin line as the Constitution empowers the Governor to act without the advice of the Chief Minister and his council and can use discretion on certain matters.
- Governor determines the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from licenses for mineral exploration.
- Thus, though the Governor is made the constitutional head of a state like president of India, yet there is a thin line as the Constitution empowers the Governor to act without the advice of the Chief Minister and his council and can use discretion on certain matters.
Need for relook into Governor’s post
- Gubernatorial powers: Misusing the powers of Governor : the disagreements spill out in the open, to the media, reinforcing a political divide. Recently, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, R.N. Ravi, seems to have opened another front, i.e., defining the idea of Indian nationalism and imparting lessons to Tamil people..
- Locking horns with Government:: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi omitted some sections from a speech he made in the state Assembly on Monday, 9 January. Ravi cut short the speech, the text of which the state government, as per convention, had given him, to exclude some key points. This led to TN Chief Minister MK Stalin moving a resolution against Ravi in the Assembly and the Governor leaving the venue amid protests.
- Governor’s appointment: Article 155says that governor should be appointed (not elected) from amongst persons of high status with eminence in public. The elected government at the state is not even consulted while making appointment of the Governors. Further successive governments have reduced this important constitutional office to a sinecure and resting place for loyal and retired / about to retired / about to retire politicians apart from docile bureaucrats.
- Appointment and dismissal of the Chief Minister: Governor appoints Chief Minister, other ministers, Advocate General, Chairmen and members of the State Public Service Commission in the state. After elections in the state, there is a convention to invite the largest party to form government in the state. This convention has been flouted many times at the whim of the governor. E.g.: The recent episode Maharashtra where Governor inducted a new government at 5:00 am without ascertaining the requisite numbers for the government.
- Reservation of Bills for Consideration of President: As per Article 200of the Constitution, the governor can reserve certain types of bills passed by the State Legislature for the President’s consideration. Centre, through the governor in case of different parties ruling, used this provision to serve partisan interests. In Tamil Nadu, Governor R.N. Ravi has not acted upon the T.N. Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, adopted by the Assembly in September 2021. the indefinite delay in taking a decision amounts to undermining the legislature, and is unjustifiable.
- Misuse of Article 356: Article 356is the most controversial article of the Constitution. It provides for State emergency or President’s rule in State if the President, on receipt of report from the Governor of a State. But since the SR Bommai case, this has been sparsely used.
- Removal of the Governor:Article 156says that the governor will hold office during the pleasure of the President for five years. The governor has no security of tenure and no fixed term of office. This prevents to uphold neutrality of the governor, fearing retribution. E.g.: The mass changing of the governors of state whenever a new government comes to power at Centre..
Recommendations made regarding the Governor Posts
Sarkaria Commission Report Recommendations
- “The Governors tenure of office of five years in a State should not be disturbed except very rarely and that too for some extremely compelling reason. It is very necessary to assure a measure of security of tenure to the Governor’s office.”
- Governor should be an eminent person and not belong to the state where he is to be posted.
- State chief minister should have a say in the appointment of governor
- Governor should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in recent past.
- Governor should not be a member of the ruling party.
- Governor should be removed before his tenure only on the grounds as if aspersions are cast on his morality, dignity, constitutional propriety, etc.
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommendations:
- Governor’s appointment should be entrusted to a committee comprising the prime minister, the home minister, the speaker of the Lok Sabha and the chief minister of the concerned state.
- If they have to be removed before completion of their term, the central government should do so only after consultation with the Chief Minister.
The Punchhi commission recommendations
- The person who is slated to be a Governor should not have participated in active politics at even local level for at least a couple of years before his appointment.
- For office of Governor, the doctrine of pleasure should endand should be deleted from the constitution. Governor should not be removed at whim of central government. Instead, a resolution by state legislature should be there to remove Governor.
- There should be provisions for impeachment of the Governor by the state legislature along the same lines as that of President by President.
- The convention of making the Governors as chancellors of universities should be done away with.
- The commission recommended for “localising emergency provisions” under Articles 355 and 356, contending that localised areas— either a district or parts of a district — be brought under Governor’s rule instead of the whole state.
The Supreme Court’s interpretation
- In 2010, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court interpreted these provisions and laid down some binding principles (B.P. Singhal v. Union of India), the Supreme Court held:
- President, in effect the central government, has the power to remove a Governor at any time without giving him or her any reason, and without granting an opportunity to be heard.
- However, this power cannot be exercised in an arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable manner. The power of removing Governors should only be exercised in rare and exceptional circumstances for valid and compelling reasons.
- The mere reason that a Governor is at variance with the policies and ideologies of the central government, or that the central government has lost confidence in him or her, is not sufficient to remove a Governor. Thus, a change in central government cannot be a ground for removal of Governors, or to appoint more favourable persons to this post.
- Such a decision, to remove a Governor can be challenged in a court of law.
Conclusion
Despite several commissions appointed by Government themselves and the Supreme Court guidelines, the post of governor is misused again and again.
It is, however, time for a thorough review of the Governor’s powers and the process of appointment and removal.
- New rules and conventions may need to be put in place so that Governor’s constitutional mandate is strengthened.
- All part conference to review the role of the Governors, the powers exercised by him and the manner in which he should be appointed and removed.
- The Constitution should be amended and security of tenure must be provided to the Governors. The judgment of the Supreme Court delivered in B. P. Singhal case is the law of the land and the Government should respect it.
- The Governors should be treated with dignity, and should not be fired only for political considerations.
- The Constitution of the land prohibits the arbitrary exercise of power and the Government is not an exception to the equality law.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article discusses the release of the 15th instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme on November 15, with opposition parties questioning the timing of the disbursement.
Key Demand of the question:
To evaluate the performance of PM-Kisan in achieving its stated objectives.
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 writing the aims and objectives of PM Kisan.
Body:
First, in brief mention the various features of PM-Kisan.
Next, mention to what extent it has been able to achieve liquidity availability among farmers, help them access to cash in times of distress etc.
Next, mention the various limitations – exclusion errors, lack of timely disbursal, need for documentation etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a central sector scheme under the government of India which provides income support to the farmers and their families. PM-KISAN scheme was first implemented as the Rythu Bandhu scheme by the Government of Telangana where a certain amount was handed directly to the eligible farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 15th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. Over eight crore farmers will receive an amount of more than ₹18,000 crore — ₹2000 each.
Body
About Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi
- The scheme was started with a view to augment the income of the farmers by providing income support to all landholding farmers’ families across the country, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.
- Under the Scheme an amount of Rs.6000/- per year is transferred in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs.2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the farmers, subject to certain exclusion criteria relating to higher income status.
- The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiaries rests with the State / UT Governments.
- The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families across the country, holding cultivable land upto 2 hectares. Its ambit was later expanded w.e.f. 01.06.2019 to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
Success of PM-KISAN
- The revised Scheme is expected to cover around 2 crore more farmers, increasing the coverage of PM-KISAN to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries, with an estimated expenditure by Central Government of Rs. 87,217.50 crores for year 2019-20.
- Earlier, under the scheme, financial benefit has been provided to all Small and Marginal landholder farmer families with total cultivable holding upto 2 hectares with a benefit of Rs.6000 per annum per family payable in three equal instalments, every four months.
- Now the cash transfer is not linked to the size of the farmer’s land, unlike Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme, under which farmers receive ₹8,000 per annum for every acre owned.
- Though what the programme offers is meagre, it promises some relief to poor farmers by partially supplementing their input costs or consumption needs.
Shortcomings reported
- Practical Difficulties: The benefits of PM-KISAN have not reached farmers in most parts of the country. There are 125 million farming households owning small and marginal holdings of land in the country, who constitute the scheme’s original intended beneficiaries.
- However, at present, the list of beneficiaries includes only 32% (40.27 million) of these households.
- Further, a majority of the intended beneficiary households are yet to receive even their first instalment of ₹2,000. Only 27% (33.99 million) received the first instalment, and only 24% (29.76 million) received the second.
- In budgetary terms, only 17% of the estimated ₹75,000 crore expenditure has been spent.
- Structural Issues: PM-KISAN offers ₹6,000 a year per household in three instalments. Broadly speaking, this amounts to only about a tenth of the production cost per hectare or consumption expenditure for a poor household.
- While landless tenants have been left out in both the schemes (PM KISAN, Rythu Bandhu) the link with land size makes the support provided by the Telangana scheme more substantial.
- Uneven implementation: Moreover, implementation in certain States has been prioritized.
- P., for instance, accounts for one-third of total beneficiary households 33% (11.16 million) in the first instalment and 36% (10.84 million) in the second.
- About half of the State’s SMF households have been covered, a total of 17 States have received a negligible share of the first instalment, accounting for less than 9%.
- Further, the scheme recognizes only landowners as farmers, Tenants who constitute 13.7% of farm households and incur the additional input cost of land rent, don’t stand to gain anything if no part of the cultivated land is owned.
Way forward
- For the scheme to be effective, PM-KISAN needs to be uniformly implemented across regions.
- Cash transfers will cease to be effective if the state withdraws from its other long-term budgetary commitments in agricultural markets and areas of infrastructure such as irrigation.
- Subsidies for inputs, extension services, and procurement assurances provide a semblance of stability to agricultural production.
- There is a strong case to include landless tenants and other poor families to the scheme.
- PM-KISAN can be formulated in the side-lines of Odisha’s Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, which includes even poor rural households that do not own land.
- Moreover, though the scheme is conceptualized to supplement agricultural inputs, it ceases to be so without the necessary link with scale of production (farm size) built into it. It becomes, in effect, an income supplement to landowning households. Thus if income support is indeed the objective, the most deserving need to be given precedence.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The proposed criminal law seeks to increase the number of crimes attracting the death penalty from 11 to 15 in India.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the reforms needed in awarding and sentencing of capital punishment.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start giving the awarding of capital punishment in ‘rarest of rare’ case.
Body:
First, write about the various developments regarding capital punishment over the years – Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab, context death penalty.
Next, write about the various lacunae in the awarding of death penalty in Indian criminal justice.
Next, suggest reforms based on recent SC judgement and various recommendations of commissions.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Capital punishment also called as death penalty is the execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law. The debate on whether to abolish the death penalty or not, has been raging in India and in several other countries for decades.
The proposed criminal law seeks to increase the number of crimes attracting the death penalty from 11 to 15 in India.
Body
Background
- The Supreme Court asked the Centre to provide data that may point to a more dignified, less painful and socially acceptable method of executing prisoners other than death by hanging.
- The Bench has sought fresh data to substantiate the argument that a more humane means of execution can be found.
Rationale behind death penalty
- The punishment is not arbitrary because, it comes out of a judicial process.To call it arbitrary, one has to necessarily prove the process as flawed.
- It is being implemented in the “rarest of the rare” cases and the fact is during the last 13 years, only four peoplehave been executed.
- The hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Yakub Memon strongly affirms India’s commitment to the protection of life.
- People criticise it on arbitrariness, irreversibility and human rights and these are not valid arguments.
- Its constitutionality is upheld, even in liberal democracies like U.S. It is not reflection of uncivilised society.
- India’s neighbourhood is not peaceful, unlike Scandinavia. It is not in a group of countries, like European Union.
- India has got troubled borders. Several forces are trying to destabilise the very idea of our Nation from across the Border.
- The sacredness of life can only be seen to be protected, if those who take it away are proportionately punished.
Efficiency of death penalty
- A study by the Centre of Death Penalty – at the National Law University Delhi (NLUD) — in 2015 analyzed data of 15 years to conclude that less than 5 per cent death penalties awarded by trial courts were confirmed by the time the cases passed the tests in high courts and the Supreme Court.
- Another NLU Delhi study found that 162 death sentences were awarded across the country in 2018. Only 23 were confirmed by the high courts.
- The Supreme Court heard 12 death penalty cases in 2018 but confirmed death penalty in only one case – of Nirbhaya gangrape and murder.
- The Justice JS Verma committee, appointed after the Nirbhaya case, too had examined the efficiency of death penalty for rape. In its report, Justice Verma did not prescribe death penalty for rape for the lack of correlation in preventing the crime of rape or gangrape.
Death Penalty is not the panacea
- It unfairly targets poor and marginalised, that means, those without money & power.
- Executions occurred in around five cases for every 1 lakh murdersand it looks quite arbitrary. It depends on judges personal beliefs.
- India’s murder rate has declinedcontinuously since 1991 and at present the lowest, except for 1963.
- Punishment should not imitate crime.
- As per the recent Death Penalty India Report by the National Law University, Delhi, the structural flaws in our criminal procedure and criminal justice system are most pronounced in death penalty cases.
- Most of the civilised world abolished it. Death penalty has not deterred terrorism, murder or even theft.
- From 200-2015, Supreme Court imposed 60 death sentences and subsequently admitted that it had erred in 15 of them. So, it clearly admitted that it has arbitrarily imposed the most extreme punishment.
- The Police is not known for its probity or efficiency in our Country.
- Delays in the Criminal Justice System disproportionately affects those, who suffer the tyranny of the uncertainty of their life.
Measures needed
- Law Commission in its 262ndreport submitted recently recommended the abolition of capital punishment for all crimes in India, except the crime of waging war against the nation or for terrorism-related offences.
- It cited several factors to justify abolishing the death penalty, including its abolition by 140 other nations, its arbitrary and flawed application and its lack of any proven deterring effect on criminals.
- Taking empirical lessons from the fate of Bachan Singh, the Supreme Court may have to now ask the more fundamental question posed and negatived in Bachan Singh — the question of the constitutional validity of death penalty.
- The Court may have to revisit Bachan Singh itself in so far as it refused to declare the death penalty as violative of the right to life envisaged under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- Across the world, 108 nations have abolished death penalty in law and 144 countries have done so in law or practice, according to the Amnesty Report of 2021.
- In the Indian context, where judgmental error is quite frequent and the quality of adjudication is not ensured, what is required is a judicial abolition of death penalty.
Conclusion
As Law Commission said that it is the not right time of abolition experiment, the issue needs to be debated and researched in more detail. But, capital punishment should not become a pent-up of society’s misplaced anger and sense of judgment. It is also against the reformative purpose of the Criminal Justice System and we must remember the words of Oscar Wilde, “Every saint has a past and every sinner a future.”
General Studies – 3
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
.To write about the elements of Panchamrit declaration and to suggest ways for India to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context regarding India’s announcement at cop-26 at Glasgow.
Body:
First, write the 5 elements of Panchamrit declaration.
Next, part suggest innovative measures that India can take to cut down emissions – mainstreaming solar, harnessing nuclear energy, moving towards EV, bio fuels, carbon capture and storage etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Net-zero emission is the method of balancing the greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gas absorption from the atmosphere. In zero-carbon emission, the country will focus on limiting carbon emission. But in Net-zero carbon the country will focus on bringing the net carbon emission to zero.
At the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a five-fold strategy — termed as the panchamrita — to achieve this feat.
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Panchamrit strategy
The five-fold strategy include:
- India will get its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatt (GW) by 2030
- India will meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
- India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030
- By 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 per cent
- So, by the year 2070, India will achieve the target of Net Zero.
Background
- India has ratified pledges made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Glasgow last November to accelerate India’s reliance on renewable energy to power the economy and be effectively fossil fuel-free by 2070.
- However the approved pledges were fewer than those Mr. Modi committed to.
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Mr. Modi, on Wednesday approved an update to India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which is a formal communication to the United Nations, spelling out steps to be taken by the country towards keeping global temperatures from rising beyond 2°C by the end of the century.
Measures needed to achieve net zero emissions
- Focus on Energy Efficiency:
- Will need energy efficient buildings, lighting, appliances and industrial practicesto meet the net-zero goal.
- Increased usage of Biofuels:
- Can help reduce emissions from light commercial vehicles, tractors in agriculture.
- In aviation, the only practical solution for reducing emissions is greater use of biofuels, until hydrogen technology gains scale.
- Transition towards Electric vehicles:
- This will further help curb the carbon emissions.
- Carbon Sequestration:
- India willhave to rely on natural and man-made carbon sinks to soak up those emissions. Trees can capture 0.9 billion tons; the country will need carbon capture technologies to sequester the rest.
- Carbon Pricing:
- India, which already taxes coal and petroleum fuels, should consider putting a tax on emissions to drive change.
- Deploying lower-carbon Energy:
- There are four main types of low-carbon energy: wind, solar, hydro or nuclear power. The first three are renewable, which means these are good for the environment – as natural resources are used (such as wind or sun) to produce electricity.
- Deploying lower carbon energy would help address both domestic and international climate challenges while simultaneously improving the economic well-being of India’s citizens.
- Mainstreaming Renewable energy:
- India’s energy mix is dominated by coal powered electric generation stations as of now.
- The need of the hour is increase the share of renewable energy in this energy mix.
Way forward for India:
- Given the massive shifts underway in India’s energy system, we would benefit from taking stock of our actions and focusing on near-term transitions.
- This will allow us to meet and even over-comply with our 2030 target while also ensuring concomitant developmental benefits, such as developing a vibrant renewable industry.
- We can start putting in place the policies and institutions necessary to move us in the right direction for the longer-term and also better understand, through modelling and other studies, the implications of net-zero scenarios before making a net-zero pledge.
- It would also be in India’s interest to link any future pledge to the achievement of near-term action by industrialized countries.
- That would be fair and consistent with the principles of the UNFCCC and also enhance the feasibility of our own actions through, for example, increasing availability and reducing costs of new mitigation technologies.
Conclusion
India has made strong progress on its climate commitments and remains a key international stakeholder when it comes to increasing ambition and charting a low carbon future. India has a pivotal role in future greenhouse gas mitigation and at the same time has massive climate adaptation needs with millions already suffering due to extreme heat, drought, and floods. With most of the country’s infrastructure still being built and the energy supply of the future yet to be installed, India has the opportunity to establish a low carbon development paradigm for the rest of the developing world.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) potential to achieve sustainable development.
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning the aims and objectives of climate change.
Body:
Write about 8 parts of NAPCC – which are aimed at ensuring both developments and combat climate crisis. Cite examples to substantiate the points as to how they achieve convergence. Hint: National solar mission is aimed achieving energy security as well as clean energy.
Next, write about the limitation of the above to tackle climate change.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The National Action Plan on Climate change was formally launched on June 30th, 2008. The NAPCC identifies measures that promote development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively. There are eight “National Missions” which form the core of the National action plan. They focus on promoting understanding of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, energy efficiency and natural resource conservation.
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The eight missions are:
- National Solar Mission
- The objective of the mission is to increase the share of solar energy in the total energy mix of the country, while also expanding the scope of other renewable sources.
- National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
- Mandating specific energy consumption decreases in large energy consuming industries and creating a framework to certify excess energy savings along with market based mechanisms to trade these savings.
- Innovative measures to make energy efficient appliances/products in certain sectors more affordable.
- National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
- The aim of the Mission is to make habitats more sustainable through a threefold approach that includes: Improvements in energy efficiency of buildings in residential and commercial sector; Management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW); Promote urban public transport
- National Water Mission
- The National Water Mission aims at conserving water, minimizing wastage and ensuring more equitable distribution through integrated water resource management.
- The Water Mission will develop a framework to increase the water use efficiency by 20%.
- It calls for strategies to tackle variability in rainfall and river flows such as enhancing surface and underground water storage, rainwater harvesting and more efficient irrigation systems like sprinklers or drip irrigation.
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
- The Plan calls for empowering local communities especially Panchayats to play a greater role in managing ecological resources.
- It also reaffirms the following measures mentioned in the National Environment Policy, 2006.
- National Mission for a Green India
- This Mission aims at enhancing ecosystem services such as carbon sinks.
- It builds on the Prime Minister’s Green India campaign for afforestation of 6 million hectares and the national target of increasing land area under forest cover from 23% to 33%.
- It is to be implemented on degraded forest land through Joint Forest Management Committees set up under State Departments of Forests.
- These Committees will promote direct action by communities.
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
- The aim is to make Indian agriculture more resilient to climate change by identifying new varieties of crops, especially thermal resistant ones and alternative cropping patterns.
- This is to be supported by integration of traditional knowledge and practical systems, information technology and biotechnology, as well as new credit and insurance mechanisms.
- National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
- This Mission strives to work with the global community in research and technology development and collaboration through a variety of mechanisms and, in addition, will also have its own research agenda supported by a network of dedicated climate change related institutions and universities and a Climate Research Fund.
- The Mission will also encourage private sector initiatives for developing innovative technologies for adaptation and mitigation.
Limitation of the above to tackle climate change
- The plan report makes no commitment to cut the country’s carbon emissionwhich should have been an integral part of it.
- Thefocal point of NAPCC seems to be solar power mission only and the government’s efforts to maximise the solar energy seemingly approve it.
- Missions related to sustainable habitat, water, and agriculture and forestry are multi-sectoral, overlapping, multi-departmental, advisory and very slow moving in nature.
- Several ongoing activities are in principle aligned with the objectives of these missions which should either be integrated with the missions or scrapped to save the time and cost.
- Another challenge is the monitoring systems, which are either ineffective or absent.
- Progress reports for NSM, NMEEE, and NWM are currently available but mapping of progress for other missions has been difficult due to their cross-cutting nature.
- The cross-cutting subjects of the missions have not yielded any positive results on grounds yet so a new approach is needed to solve this and bring the agenda of climate change to the mainstream.
Conclusion
By releasing the NAPCC, the Indian government has shown its commitment to address climate change issues and also sent a positive message to the public, industries, and civil society about the government’s concern to address the climate change issue through concerted action. Issues related to the awareness regarding global warming and climate change among the general population and the issue related to agriculture and health hazards due to climate change must be addressed strongly and effectively.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour;
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about cost of speaking the truth and being honest.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about importance of speaking truth in civil service.
Body:
With examples mentions how civil servants are targeted for speaking truth to those in power – transfers, punishment posting, threats, suspensions and even harm to their life etc.
Mention steps to protect and safeguard those who speak truth to the authorities.
Conclusion:
Conclude that truth is cover value of country and must be spoken irrespective of who it is being spoken to.
Introduction
Honesty or absolute integrity, truthfulness and hard work without indulgences form an inherent part of the life a civil servant whose sole objective is to efficiently deliver services to the public. But the world is not too idealistic and political pressure often weighs down on an honest officer. For instance, Ashok Khemka has been transferred more than 56 times in his career. That is the price he paid for being honest.
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Honest decisions and truthful implementation of law do entail risks and difficulties in a society which fails to respect the rule of law in letter and spirit. Indeed, a society infected by various forms of perversions and delusions does not deserve to find absolute virtues in the instruments of State, be that legislature, executive or judiciary, which are mandated to serve without discrimination and to deliver justice efficiently without fear or favour. It thus follows that in the rat-race to grab key posts, competing claims are not necessarily based on merit; desired prerequisites at times are superseded by undesirable additional attributes of incumbents. Such carefully hidden distortions do get manifest ultimately. When the so-called ‘go-getters’ fail to fulfil their master’s expectations, the going get tough for them — and a ‘fishing and roving’ shining career sometimes suffers ‘fishing and roving’ enquiries’. Arm-twisting or blackmail is a crude expression to describe this syndrome.
Even though there might be instances of large number of corrupt prevailing over few honest individuals, it’s these few upright men that sustain the faith of people in humanity and society. They act as check against larger wrongdoings, constraining their power and also exposing and uprooting them. They act as role model for larger society to adhere to what is right. For example, Anna Hazare stood up as a crusader against corruption; T.N. Seshan, the chief election commissioner, countermanded elections in Bihar, U.P. citing mass rigging.
To preserve the ethical and moral values it is important that both means and ends are right. Trying to achieve a noble goal with unethical means impinges upon the ethical fabric of individual and society at large, prompting a person for further compromises in the future. For example; Gandhiji emphasised upon the means to be ethical through way of Ahimsa as much as he emphasised on the result, the independence.
Conclusion
Even though adherence to ethical conduct may produce disaffection from inability to reach certain short term career goals, but mere attainment of materialistic goals cannot be essence of life. Achieving goals by unfair means would prick our conscience and erode strength of character. In the long run ethical conduct always helps in achieving life’s larger goals, such as mental peace, clear conscience, strength of character and brings harmony and balance in life.
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