[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 20 November 2023

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 – 2

Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

1. India must work towards improving the quality of its public education system, providing students with a more inclusive, modern, and effective learning experience. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

The article discusses the impact of Odisha’s reforms in the public education sector.

Key Demand of the question:

The write about the challenges facing the public education system and measures needed to overcome them.

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: 

Start by giving context.

Body:

First, Identify and explain the major challenges facing the public education system in India – inadequate infrastructure, shortage of quality faculty, outdated curriculum, and limited research opportunities, challenges related to access and inclusivity, including affordability etc.

Next, write about the implications of these challenges on the quality of public education – outdated curriculum and teaching methodologies on skill development and industry relevance, affordability, regional disparities, and social barriers etc.

Next, write about the steps that are needed to overcome the same.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Education as a public good benefits spread across society in terms of employment, economic prosperity, health and social cohesion. The public education system is the primary option for millions of students in India.

It is a service that every welfare democracy is obliged to give in the most accessible form. In simple terms, privatization of education refers to the state’s policy of allowing educational institutions, both higher and lower, to be run by non-state or private parties for monetary benefits. In contemporary times, many liberal democratic countries across the world are increasingly trying to privatize this basic service.

Body:

The issues and challenges faced by public education system in India are:

• Infrastructure issues:
  • Most of them do not have proper infrastructure like class rooms, black boards, drinking water, toilets and sanitary facilities.
  • The school environment is so suffocating that the students are dissuaded from attending the classes which is why the dropout rate is also high.
  • Almost half the government schools in the country do not have electricity or playgrounds.
  • There is slow progress in building classrooms, labs and libraries to strengthen government higher secondary schools.
  • The secondary and higher secondary level government schools do not have adequate capacities, so the net enrolment falls, especially girls, sharply beyond the primary level.
• Budgetary and expenditure issues:
  • The budgetary allocations saw a 27% cut from proposals made by the School Education Department. Despite proposals for ₹82,570 crore, only ₹59,845 crore was allocated.
  • Overall, for the core Samagra Shiksha Scheme, the department had only spent 71% of revised estimates by December 31, 2019.
• Poor quality of education:
  • Several reports suggest that nearly 70% of students studying in government schools are ill-equipped to learn in the class they are admitted to.
  • The private schools offer an enhanced teaching experience, better student-teacher ratio, efficient learning methodologies, and superior infrastructure, thus driving parents away from government schools.
• Teacher issues:
  • India is also dealing with a scenario of significant teacher vacancies, which are to the tune of almost 60-70 per cent in some states.
  • Teachers’ professional developmentis a very weak area in government schools.
  • Almost half the regular teacher vacancies are filled by guest or ad hoc teachers.
  • Nearly, 95% of teacher education is in private hands and most of it is substandard.
  • Absenteeism of teachersin these schools is very high. Even though they are paid a much higher salary than the teachers in private schools, they cheat the government and fail to discharge their duties as teachers. And sadly, no action is being taken to prevent this.
• Poor implementation of RTE Act:
  • Barely 15% of the schools can be called compliant with the RTE.
  • Section 29 of the RTE explains what kind of education every child has a right to. There is no government school that is complying with that, including elite schools.
• Corruption:
  • The officers in the education department, being ‘managed,’ file false reports about the working conditions of schools.
  • Political interference and patronage shield the corrupt and incompetent.
• Perception of private schools:
  • People feel there are not enough teachers in government schools, or the schools may not be functioning regularly.
  • They get carried away by the notions of a branded private school, even though it may not have good teachers.
  • Also, private schools’ brand themselves as English medium and it is most imperative for children’s education.
• Patriarchal norms and gender bias:
  • According to the ASER report by Pratham in 2020, parents prefer private schools for education of boys while girl students are primarily sent to government schools to get basic education.
  • The ASER 2019 reportstates that parents exhibit a unique bias when it comes to selection of schools for their children.
  • The report shows that parents are more likely to opt for a private school when selecting a school for boys while government schools are primary choice of parents when it comes to girl’s education.

A systemic approach to reforming education system in the country needs the following:

• The government (State and Union) has to improve pedagogy, teacher development, the level of community participation, the parent committees, etc.
• India should also look at the basic safety, well-being and hygiene factors in government schools. Such as, well functioning toilets, drinking water and proper compound walls.
• India can create better professional networks for teachers, this will help teachers to continuously learn from each other.
• Developing a micro plan for every school, and a larger plan for schools at the district level, and then at the State level.
• Local bodies can take ownership of government schools, and school development committees can be linked with elected local bodies, so they can support the needs of schools.
• Create a comprehensive curriculum review like Kerala and synchronise it at a national level to facilitate the incorporation of inter-state migrated children.

Way forward:

• Digitization:
  • Create a single-window system for infrastructure and mainstream fund-flows: In Bihar, only around 10 percent of the schools fulfils infrastructure norms. A study revealed that files for renovating schools often go on a two-year journey through various departments.
  • The same can be applied for teacher salaries and school funds. These can be transferred directly from the State to the teachers and schools. There is no need to involve the District or Block in this process.
  • Leveraging the audio-visual edutainment to make education more interesting and easier to understand for the children. This will improve the quality as well as reduce the drop-out rates.
  • Implementing bio-metric attendance for teachers and students for every class can help reduce absenteeism.
• Empower School Management Committees by using mobile phones:
  • To develop a system that facilitates School Management Committee members by fostering democratic accountability.
  • Social audits should also be carried out for effective functioning.
• Better pre-service teacher training coupled with transparent and merit-based recruitments is a lasting solution for teacher quality.
• Improve the quality of teacher education by making teacher training mandatory. Example: National Council for Teacher Education Act amendment bill, Diksha portal to train teachers.
• Increase the public spending on education to 6% of GDP as recommended by many committees like the recent TSR Subramaniam committee.
• Teachers are rarely reprimanded for non-performance, while there are recommendations for removal of non-detention policy. The blame is squarely on the children, such an attitude must be wiped out.
• Education policy in India is focused on inputs rather than learning outcomes; It has a strong elitist bias in favour of higher education as opposed to primary or secondary education. This needs a change by coming out with a new policy.

Conclusion:

State-wide campaigns, driven by the state’s political and bureaucratic leadership, re-energize parents and the community at large, and channel the attention of all stakeholders towards better learning outcomes. Only when we align incentives of all stakeholders, and enable them while holding them accountable, can we shorten the distance between the nation’s current state of education and its aspirations.

Value addition

Case Study of Odisha – Odisha’s OAV model

• The Odisha government’s revolutionary reforms in the State’s public education sector through the Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAV), the ‘Mo School’ Abhiyan, and the 5T (transparency, technology, teamwork, and timeliness leading to transformation)- High School Transformation Programme are on their way to making government schools better than private schools in all parameters — infrastructure, affordability and quality.
• Odisha’s OAV model aims to bridge the rural-urban gap by providing accessible, qualitative and affordable English-medium education.
• There are 315 English medium co-ed OAVs in all 314 blocks in rural and semi-urban areas (as of February 2023).
• They ensure representation for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and female students through reservations. This has led to a higher enrolment of female students (43,410) compared to males (30,949).
• Thirty-one vulnerable children who had been victims of child abuse, trafficking, child labour, and child marriage were rescued and prepared for the OAV entrance in 2021.
• OAVs also provide different types of coaching facilities to enable students crack national-level tests. Twenty-four OAV students cracked the NEET exam in July 2023.
• OAVs have promoted social equity by providing a level-playing field to students from rural and poor socio-economic backgrounds.
• To address pedagogical gaps, the OAV model focuses on continuous teacher education programmes and maintains a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:25.
• It has also leveraged digital technology to enhance the accountability and transparency of the system.
• The Enterprise Resource Planning system and OAV Sangathan website help track the academic and non-academic progress of each child alongside monitoring the performance of each school, enabling timely strategic interventions.
• Plans are afoot to transform the OAVs into scientifically upgraded Centres of Excellence to foster an ecosystem of innovation and inquiry-driven learning.
• In 2017, Odisha launched the Mo School Abhiyan, a one-of-its-kind initiative that strives to motivate and mobilise the alumni community to contribute towards revamping the government schools in Odisha.
• Founded on five pillars — connect, collaborate, contribute, create and celebrate — the programme connects the schools with alumni from various fields and promotes alumni mentorship for the students.
• Deeper collaboration between the alumni, school authorities, and the district administration facilitates students’ exposure to exchange programmes, sports and cultural events, and also helps in creating stronger infrastructure.
• More than 33,000 schools in about 30 districts in Odisha have seen engagement from over six lakh alumni members under the Mo School Abhiyan.
• The School Adoption Programme (SAP), under the above programme, enables the alumni to make financial contributions to the schools adopted by them.
• More than 5.5 lakh contributors including ministers, MPs and MLAs, bureaucrats, professionals, and judges have contributed more than ₹797 crore in 40,855 schools.

Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

2. Crafting comprehensive agreements that prioritize inclusive growth, protect domestic industries, and consider social and environmental concerns is essential for maximizing the benefits of Free trade agreements (FTAs) while minimizing potential drawbacks. Examine. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Live Mint

Why the question:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about FTAs, its importance, issues involved in it and ways to overcome it.

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 defining what FTAs are.

Body:

First, write about the major components of the FTA.

Next, write about the importance of FTA to India – economic growth, eliminate tariff barriers, diversify investments etc.

Next, write about the various issues in FTA negotiation – tariff reduction impacting the entire manufacturing and the agricultural sector; rules on services trade; digital issues such as data localisation; intellectual property rights etc.

Next, suggest ways to overcome the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

Body

Background

• Economic theory tells us that FTAs are not always sure-win strategies because these create as well as divert trade.
• FTAs need to be designed in a manner that they enhance complementarities amongst partners and overcome regulatory hurdles.
• It has been reported that the FTA will be remodelled into three separate deals—trade, investment and geographical indications (GIs).
• While the investment deal is seen as a standalone agreement, the one on GIs could be integrated with the trade deal.
• It may be in India’s interest to ensure that all the three negotiations move in parallel and feed into each other.
• Since India unilaterally terminated bilateral investment treaties (BIT), including those with the EU member states, the EU appears to be keen to conclude an investment deal that includes Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions.

Significance of FTA’s for India

• India is expected to conclude the UK agreement and that with Canada by the end of this year in 2022 or early 2023.
• These countries offer many of the factors that India needs to establish a dependable production capability serving both global and domestic markets.
  • With these FTAs, sectors such as gems and jewellery, engineering goods, agro-processed foods, textiles, technology, and financial services are likely to gain.
• To achieve the $2-trillion export target by 2030, India’s active participation in global value chains (GVCs) is essential.
  • Today, 70 per cent of the global goods and services exports come from GVCs.
  • GVCs require close trade cooperation, lower duties, and efficient customs administration, which can be ensured by an FTA.
• The inclusion of new-age areas like digital trade in FTAs will enhance cooperation and transform GVCs by lowering entry barriers, increasing transparency, and facilitating collaborative networks.

Various issues involved with FTA and negotiations

• There are issues related to labour laws and investor protection provisions impact India’s ability to negotiate deep-trade agreements. Deep trade agreements have been designed over the last two decades to facilitate complex global value chains and the underlying trade-investment-services linkages.
  • The predominant focus in these agreements is linked to investor protection, intellectual property rights (IPRs) and labour standards.
  • India has found it difficult to negotiate these issues in its earlier free trade agreements.
  • For instance, issues related to labour laws led to the suspension of the FTA negotiations with the EU in 2013 and pushed these negotiations to
• Furthermore, India’s 2016 template for a model investment treaty, may make it difficult for India to negotiate the investor protection provisions. Because it is more state-friendly and includes some burdensome provisions for the foreign investor.
• Next, a protectionist tariff structure, if not corrected, could remain a hurdle at the preliminary stage of FTA negotiations.
• India’s tariff structure has been relatively higher than the average MFN tariffs in the manufacturing sector. For example, As per World Bank data, the applied, weighted mean tariff rate for manufactured products in India increased from 5.5 percent in 2008 to 6.6 percent in 2019. Whereas it decreased in the case of Vietnam from 5.6 percent to 1.4 percent over the same period.
• Exports have not expanded as thought. India’s exports to Asean countries amounted to $23 billion in 2010, which increased to $36 billion in 2018, with a compound annual growth rate of five per cent. At the same time, India’s imports from these countries increased from $30 billion in 2010 to $57 billion, a growth of eight per cent.
  • India’s net exports to countries without a trade agreement were only marginally lower than its net exports to countries with FTAs.
  • In contrast, the imports from countries with trade agreements were substantially higher, pushing India into a trade deficit.
• India had recorded a trade deficit in all major trade agreements other than the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).

Conclusion

The trade policy framework of India must be accompanied by economic reforms that result in an open, competitive, and technologically advanced economy. India needs to strengthen its domestic manufacturing base in value-added products like engineering goods, electronic products, drugs and pharmaceuticals, textiles, and agriculture machinery, that could be used to boost exports.

Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;

3. Maintaining fiscal prudence is crucial for the sustainable development of a developing economy. It involves balancing the need for welfare measures to address social issues with the avoidance of unsustainable freebies that can strain public finances and compromise long-term economic stability. Examine. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question:

Competitive populism has been the defining theme of campaigning in the ongoing Assembly elections in five States.

Key Demand of the question:

To distinguish between sustainable welfare policies and short-term populist measures, and discuss the potential consequences of prioritizing immediate political gains over long-term economic stability.

Directive:

Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context of freebies.

Body:

First, write about the significance of fiscal discipline in maintaining economic stability, attracting investments, and ensuring long-term growth.

Next, write about the potential consequences of prioritizing short-term political gains over long-term economic stability, including fiscal deficit, inflationary pressures, and reduced government credibility.

Next, write about the genuine welfare measures that empower marginalized sections and unsustainable freebies that strain public finances.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a balanced way forward.

Introduction

Last year’s news on the collapse of the Sri Lankan economy has engendered a fresh debate on the state’s role. The government of Sri Lanka cut taxes across the board and provided several free goods and services. Consequently, the economy collapsed, and the heavily indebted country was left with no choice but to default on its commitments.

As a corollary, the issue of freebies given out by Indian states has come under the lens here. Over the years the freebies have become an integral part of the politics in India, be it for making promises in the electoral battles or providing free facilities to remain in power. Competitive populism has been the defining theme of campaigning in the ongoing Assembly elections in five States.

Body

Importance of maintaining fiscal prudence

• Macroeconomic Stability: Developing economies often face greater economic volatility and external shocks. Fiscal prudence helps in maintaining macroeconomic stability by avoiding excessive deficits and public debt, which can lead to financial crises.
• Investor Confidence: Developing economies require significant foreign and domestic investments to foster growth. Fiscal discipline instills confidence in investors, as it signals a commitment to responsible economic management.
• Resource Allocation: Developing economies often have limited resources. Fiscal prudence ensures that these resources are allocated efficiently, focusing on investments in critical areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare, which are essential for long-term growth.
• Inflation Control: Irresponsible fiscal policies, such as excessive money printing or deficit spending, can lead to inflationary pressures. Fiscal prudence helps control inflation, which is crucial for price stability and overall economic health.
• Sustainability: Unsustainable fiscal policies can result in a debt trap, where servicing the debt becomes a significant burden. This can hinder a developing economy’s ability to invest in its future and sustain growth.

Distinguishing Welfare Measures from Unsustainable Freebies:

Welfare Measures

• Targeted Assistance: Welfare measures are designed to provide targeted assistance to vulnerable or disadvantaged populations, such as subsidies for food, education, or healthcare.
• Long-Term Impact: Welfare measures are typically aimed at improving human capital, reducing poverty, and promoting inclusive growth. They contribute to the overall well-being and development of the population.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Welfare programs are usually funded through well-planned and sustainable budget allocations. They are part of a broader strategy to address social and economic inequalities.

Unsustainable Freebies

• Populist Giveaways: Unsustainable freebies are often political tools aimed at garnering short-term popularity without regard for fiscal responsibility.
• Budgetary Irresponsibility: These freebies are usually not adequately budgeted for and can lead to budget deficits, increased public debt, and fiscal instability.
• Short-Term Focus: Unsustainable freebies may provide temporary relief or benefits, but they often lack a long-term vision for economic development or poverty reduction.
• Risk of Economic Imbalance: Offering unsustainable freebies can distort economic incentives, lead to wasteful spending, and hinder resource allocation for essential public goods and services.

Harmful impact of unsustainable freebies

• Macroeconomically Unstable: Freebies undercut the basic framework of macroeconomic stability, the politics of freebies distorts expenditure priorities and outlays remain concentrated on subsidies of one kind or the other.
• Impact on States’ Fiscal Situation: Offering freebies, ultimately, has an impact on the public exchequer and most of the states of India do not have a robust financial health and often have very limited resources in terms of revenue.
• If states keep spending money for supposed political gains, their finances will go awry and fiscal profligacy would prevail.
• As per the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) rules the states can’t borrow beyond their limits and any deviation has to be approved by the Centre and central bank.
• Therefore, while states have flexibility on how they choose to spend their money, they cannot in ordinary conditions exceed their deficit ceilings.
• Against Free and Fair Election: The promise of irrational freebies from public funds before elections unduly influences the voters, disturbs the level playing field and vitiates the purity of the poll process.
• It amounts to an unethical practice that is similar to giving bribes to the electorate.
• A Step Away from the Environment: When the freebies are about giving free power, or a certain quantum of free power, water and other kinds of consumption goods, it distracts outlays from environmental and sustainable growth, renewable energy and more efficient public transport systems.
• Moreover, it is a general human tendency to use things in excess (thus leading to wastage of resources) when it is provided for ‘free’.
• Debilitating Effect on Future Manufacturing: Freebies lower the quality and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector by detracting from efficient and competitive infrastructure that enable high-factor efficiencies in the manufacturing sector.
• Destroys Credit Culture: Giving away loan waivers in the form of freebies may have undesired consequences such as destroying the whole credit culture and it blurs the very basic question as to why is it that a large majority of the farming community is getting into a debt trap repeatedly.

Conclusion

It is time for political parties and the Election Commission to lay down basic guidelines to distinguish between a welfare scheme and an irrational freebie. The handout culture to win votes must end. This would go a long way in improving the states’ fiscal health, nurturing healthy democracy and helping build a better India.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints.

4. The significant increase in India’s edible oil imports over the past decade has multifaceted impacts on the economy. Policymakers must need to implement measures to address the challenges posed by the surge in imports, promoting a sustainable and resilient edible oil sector in the country. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Indian Express.

Why the question:

India is the second-largest consumer of edible oil globally and its largest importer. While the government has taken several initiatives over the years to increase the domestic production of edible oils, its shortage and high price are often in the news.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the impact of import of edible oil and ways to address it.

Directive word: 

Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context.

Body:

First, write about the shortage of edible oil imports and its impact.

Next, write about the measures that are needed to overcome the overcome the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

India’s edible oil imports have risen almost 1.5 times and more than doubled in rupee value terms during the last 10 years. India needs 25 million tonnes of edible oils to meet its requirement at current consumption level of 19 kg per person per year. Out of the total requirement, 10.50 million tonnes are produced domestically from primary (Soybean, Rapeseed & Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Safflower & Niger) and secondary sources (Oil palm, Coconut, Rice Bran, Cotton seeds & Tree Borne Oilseeds) and remaining 70%, is met through import.

Body

Import of edible oil

• Imports of vegetable oils — used in cooking and frying of foods, as opposed to petroleum fuels — touched a record 16.5 million tonnes (mt) in the year ended October 2023, according to data from the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA).
• While up from the 14 mt of the 2021-22 oil year, the value of imports fell both in dollar (from $19.6 billion to $16.7 billion) and rupee (Rs 156,800 crore to Rs 138,424 crore) terms, on the back of a crash in global prices.
• From a 10-year perspective, India’s edible oil imports have increased from 11.6 mt (valued at Rs 60,750 crore) in 2013-14 to 16.5 mt (Rs 138,424 crore) in 2022-23, with the jump pronounced in the last three years.
• During the previous 10 years between 2004-05 and 2013-14, imports had shot up even more, from 5 mt to 11.6 mt.

Reasons for edible oil import dependence in India

• India’s import dependence in this has worsened to over 70%. Oilseed growers in India are in distress as a result of increased imports.
• The planted acreage has stagnated and the yields also continue to be abysmally low.
• This is primarily because growers have no incentive to improve agronomic practices.
• The marketability of the crop grown is also weak as the price support mechanism is nearly non-existent.
• Market – Liberal policies with zero or low rate of duty and free market operations of the last 25 years have contributed to unfettered imports.
• This has worked against protecting the interests of domestic growers.
• About 10-15% of the current import volume is speculation driven. It often represents stock transfer from Indonesia and Malaysia to India.
• Huge inventories of as much as 2 million tonnes are often piled up in India, in turn affecting the domestic market.

Measures to boost domestic production of edible oils

India has a serious import dependency in edible oil. One of the biggest constraints to raising oilseed output has been that production is largely in rain-fed areas. Only one fourth of the oilseed producing area in the country remains under the irrigation.

• In 1986, government had launched a Technology Mission on Oilseedsto improve productivity. This resulted in some growth but then growth in this field has been sluggish only.
• Current Government is promoting National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)during 2012-17. This mission has some clear cut objectives such as:
  • Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) in oil crops with focus on Varietal Replacement;
  • Increasing irrigation coverage under oilseeds from 26% to 36%;
  • Diversification of area from low yielding cereals crops to oilseeds crops; inter-cropping of oilseeds with cereals/ pulses/ sugarcane;
  • Use of fallow land after paddy /potato cultivation;
  • Expansion of cultivation of Oil Palm and tree borne oilseeds in watersheds and wastelands;
  • Increasing availability of quality planting material enhancing procurement of oilseeds and collection; and
  • Processing of tree borne oilseeds.
• National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO): To increase domestic availability and reduce import dependency, a National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO) is proposed for next five years (2020-21 to 2024-25). NMEO covering three Sub-Missions to increase production of oilseeds and edible oils from
  • Primary Sources (Annual Crops, Plantation Crops and Edible TBOs),
  • Secondary Sources (Rice bran oil and Cotton seed oil) and
  • Consumer Awareness for maintaining edible oil consumption constant at 19.00 kg per person per annum.
• The proposed mission will aim to increase production from 30.88 to 47.80 million tonnes of oilseeds which will produce 7.00 to 11.00 million tonnes of edible oils from Primary Sources by 2024-25. Similarly edible oils from secondary sources will be doubled from 3.50 to 7.00 million tonnes.
• The following action point will be initiated for increasing production and productivity of oilseeds and promotion of Secondary Sources of Edible oils:
  • Increasing seed replacement rate and varietal replacement rate
  • Promotion of oilseed in rice fallow/ potato areas
  • Promotion of oilseeds through intercropping
  • Extending oilseed cultivation in non-traditional area
  • Targeting 100 low productivity districts
  • Crop diversification in different reasons
  • Promotion of community-based oil extraction unit
  • Value addition and promotion of export
  • Promotion of rice bran and cotton seed oil
  • Consumer awareness for judicious consumption of oils for good health

Conclusion

India must become self-sufficient in edible oil production and this must become a part of India’s Atmanirbharta. Certain WTO compliant incentives must be given to farmers in increasing the growth of oilseed production in the country to ensure domestic cultivation.

Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

5. Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many technology and industry sectors to benefit society. Discuss. (250 words)

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 applications of nano technology for the betterment of the society.

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 nanotechnology.

Body:

First, write about the applications of nanotechnology – The applications of nanotechnology, commonly incorporate industrial, medicinal, and energy uses. These include more durable construction materials, therapeutic drug delivery, and higher density hydrogen fuel cells that are environmentally friendly.

Next, write about how these will help in our developmental objectives and our society,

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising.

Introduction

Nanotechnology is the science of materials at the molecular or subatomic level. It involves manipulation of particles smaller than 100 nanometres (one nanometre is one-billionth of a metre) and the technology involves developing materials or devices within that size — invisible to the human eye and often many hundred times thinner than the width of human hair. The physics and chemistry of materials are radically different when reduced to the nanoscale; they have different strengths, conductivity and reactivity, and exploiting this could revolutionise medicine.

Body

Nanotechnology and nanomaterials can be applied in all kinds of industrial sectors. They are usually found in these areas:

• Electronics
  • Carbon nanotubes are close to replacing silicon as a material for making smaller, faster and more efficient microchips and devices, as well as lighter, more conductive and stronger quantum nanowires. Graphene’s properties make it an ideal candidate for the development of flexible touchscreens.
• Energy
  • A new semiconductor developed by Kyoto University makes it possible to manufacture solar panels that double the amount of sunlight converted into electricity. Nanotechnology also lowers costs, produces stronger and lighter wind turbines, improves fuel efficiency and, thanks to the thermal insulation of some nanocomponents, can save energy.
• Medicine & Healthcare
  • Nanotechnology is already broadening itself in the areas of medical tools, knowledge, and therapies currently available to clinicians.
  • The properties of some nanomaterials make them ideal for improving early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases or cancer. They are able to attack cancer cells selectively without harming other healthy cells. Some nanoparticles have also been used to enhance pharmaceutical products such as sunscreen.
  • Nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology in medicine, draws on the natural scale of biological phenomena to produce precise solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
  • For example, better imaging and diagnostic tools enabled by nanotechnology are paving the way for earlier diagnosis, more individualized treatment options, and better therapeutic success rates.
• Environment
  • Air purification with ions, wastewater purification with nanobubbles or nanofiltration systems for heavy metals are some of its environmentally-friendly applications. Nanocatalysts are also available to make chemical reactions more efficient and less polluting.
• Food
  • In this field, nanobiosensors could be used to detect the presence of pathogens in food or nanocomposites to improve food production by increasing mechanical and thermal resistance and decreasing oxygen transfer in packaged products
• Textile
  • Nanotechnology makes it possible to develop smart fabrics that don’t stain or wrinkle, as well as stronger, lighter and more durable materials to make motorcycle helmets or sports equipment.
• Future Transportation Benefits
  • Nanotechnology offers the promise of developing multifunctional materials that will contribute to building and maintaining lighter, safer, smarter, and more efficient vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, and ships.
  • In addition, nanotechnology offers various means to improve the transportation infrastructure
• Everyday Materials and Processes
  • Nanoscale additives to or surface treatments of fabrics can provide lightweight ballistic energy deflection in personal body armor, or can help them resist wrinkling, staining, and bacterial growth.
  • Clear nanoscale films on eyeglasses, computer and camera displays, windows, and other surfaces can make them water- and residue-repellent, anti-reflective, self-cleaning, resistant to ultraviolet or infrared light, anti-fog, antimicrobial, scratch-resistant, or electrically conductive.

Conclusion

Nanotechnology offers the ability to build large numbers of products that are incredibly powerful. The development processes are heavily intertwined with biotechnology and information technology, making its scope very wide. Nanotechnology based products are capable of overcoming the limitations of traditional methods. But, the major challenges are yet to prevail over its toxicity, environmental hazards, production cost and accessibility to the un-reachable at far-off areas.

Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

6. Despite significant scientific advances made by Artificial intelligence (AI), there are concerns associated with it which needs immediate addressing. Analyse. (250 words)

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 the potential and concerns associated with AI.

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: 

Define AI and its contributions in general.

Body:

First, explain that Artificial intelligence (AI) is competent to have a revolutionary impact on businesses and consumers globally.

Next, list down the advantages of AI in detail. Cite statistics and examples.

Next, Discuss the concerns associated with AI such as – job losses, robot bosses, human errors, high cost, ethical issues etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

New technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, big data, and networks are expected to revolutionize production processes, but they could also have a major impact on developing economies. The opportunities and potential sources of growth that, for example, the United States and China enjoyed during their early stages of economic development are remarkably different from what Cambodia and Tanzania are facing in today’s world.

Body

Significant advances and applications of Artificial intelligence

• It has the potential to overcome the physical limitations of capital and labour and open up new sources of value and growth.
  • It has the potential to drive growth by enabling
  • Intelligent automation ability to automate complex physical world tasks.
  • Innovation diffusion propelling innovations through the economy.
• Heavy Industries & Space: Through AI an entire manufacturing process can be made totally automated, controlled & maintained by computer system.
  • Example: car manufacturing machine tool production, computer chip production. Etc.
  • They carry out dangerous tasks like handling hazardous radioactive materials.
• Finance: Banks use intelligent software application to screen & analyse financial data.
  • Software that can predict trends in stock market have been created which have been known to beat humans in predictive power.
• Aviation: Air lines use expert system in planes to monitor atmospheric condition & system status.
• Role in social development and inclusive growth: Access to quality health facilities, addressing location barriers, providing real-time advisory to farmers and help in increasing productivity, building smart and efficient cities etc.
  • The exponential growth of data is constantly feeding AI improvements.
  • AI has varied applications in fields like Healthcare, Education, Smart Cities, Environment, Agriculture, smart Mobility etc.
• Examples of AI use in India: A Statement of Intent has been signed between NITI Aayog and IBM to develop Precision Agriculture using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Aspirational Districts.
  • National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) launched Pai which is an AI based chatbot, to create awareness around NPCI’s products like FASTag, RuPay, UPI, AePS on a real time basis.

Concerns associated with Artificial Intelligence

• Ethical concerns: With popularization of a new technology, its virtues are not guaranteed. For instance, the internet made it possible to connect with anyone and get information from anywhere, but also easier for misinformation to spread.
  • There are real concerns about the potential negative consequences of AI, from deep fakes to nefarious uses of facial recognition technology.
• Data Management: As there is lack of clarity on data flow and data ownership which might result into data colonialism (data generated by developing countries yet not benefitting them).
  • Further, data collection for feeding AI algorithms has its associated privacy concerns e.g. mass surveillance.
  • AI could contribute to the forgery of documents, pictures, audio recordings, videos, and online identities which can and will occur with unprecedented ease.
• Biasedness: The algorithms used in artificial intelligence are discrete and, in most cases, trade secrets.
  • They can be biased, for example, in the process of self-learning, they can absorb and adopt the stereotypes that exist in society or which are transferred to them by developers and make decisions based on them.
• Excessive Regulation: Since the AI is still in its preliminary stages, some critics believe that, excessively strict regulation is neither necessary nor desirable.
• Lack of consensus & Conflict of Interests among the countries over the mechanisms and tactics in regulation of AI.
• Absence of widespread expertise in Al technologies: This could lead to policy decisions being taken based on a narrow spectrum of opinions. There are large gaps in data collection, preparation, and benchmarking capabilities.

Conclusion

Regulation must be continuous and adapt with evolution of technology. There is need to find country specific data, trained workforce, fine-tuned algorithms and technology suited to local needs.

For India to maximally benefit from the AI revolution, it must adopt a deliberate policy to drive AI innovation, adaptation, and proliferation in sectors beyond consumer goods and information technology services.

General Studies – 4

Topic: social influence and persuasion.

7. The involvement of celebrities in surrogate advertising, especially for products like pan masala and alcohol, raises ethical concerns of social influence and persuasion. Examine. (150 words)

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 role of persuasion in marketing and role of truth and lies in marketing.

Directive:

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 by giving context.

Body:

Write about the role of persuasion in marketing of corporate products which leads to consumers buying more products and various ways to do so.

Next, use of part truth – hiding facts, misrepresentation, white lies used in marketing and ethicality of such marketing tactics.

Conclusion:

Conclude by giving your view on partial truth during marketing.

Introduction

Surrogate advertising is a form of advertising which is used to promote regulated products, like cigarettes and alcohol, in the disguise of another product.

In India, tobacco products and alcohol cannot be advertised openly under laws like the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, which bans all kinds of direct and indirect advertisements of tobacco products. To circumvent them, surrogate advertising is done. Eg.: Vimal Pan Masala, Seagrams package drinking water etc.

Body

Ethical concerns posed by Surrogate Advertising

• Lack of Transparency: The use of surrogate advertising can raise ethical concerns because it can be seen as an attempt to bypass legal restrictions on advertising certain products.
• Deception: Critics argue that it is a deceptive practice because it can mislead consumers by promoting a brand or product that is not the intended target of the advertisement.
• Undermines Public Health: Another ethical concern with surrogate advertising is that it can undermine public health efforts. For example, advertising alcoholic beverages through surrogate advertising can increase brand awareness and promote a drinking culture, which could contribute to the prevalence of alcoholism and related health problems.
• Capitalising on loopholes: Moreover, surrogate advertising can also be seen as an attempt to manipulate consumers by using subtle marketing techniques that exploit loopholes in advertising regulations. This can be seen as a breach of consumer trust and ethical concern.
• Brand Ambassadors’ ethics: The lack of responsibility towards society on part of brand ambassadors harms the consumers who buy products based on former’s credibility.
• Conflict of Interest: The ambassadors like Cine artists, sportspersons, etc. may not be using the product they endorse in their personal lives. But they may be forced to do so for a living.

Way forward:

• The Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022 is released by Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) should be strictly implemented for the prevention of false or misleading advertisements.
• False claims, wrong facts by brands should be punishable.
• Brand ambassadors should be aware and responsible of the products they endorse.
• The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act 2018has provisions to indict the endorser too now as part of consumer rights protection.
• Regulatory bodies like Advertising Standards Council of India(ASCI) should be made statutory and given more teeth to regulate the fake ads.
• Efficient grievance redressal mechanism must be made available for consumers to make companies accountable.
• The consumers on their parts should be responsible to verify the product’s claims and then buy it.
• Education and awareness can be spread about the consumer rights and its protection.
• However on the other hand these regulations must not violate the freedom of speech of the companies.
• Above measures if enforced in a proper manner would resolve the above ethical issues in commercial advertisements.

Conclusion

        Ultimately, it boils down to how much, as a company, it values truth and honesty. Advertisements should be an ethical dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility. It is important for companies to consider the potential negative impacts of surrogate advertising on both consumers and society as a whole. It is important for companies to be transparent and responsible in their marketing practices and to adhere to regulations and ethical standards to promote fairness and honesty in advertising.

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