[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 1 March 2024

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: factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

1. What is semiconductor fabrication? The location of semiconductor fabrication plants is influenced by a combination of economic, technical, and strategic factors. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Why the question:

The article discusses the importance of India developing its own semiconductor fabrication (fab) industry.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about applications of semi-conductors and how the government can create a thriving domestic semiconductor industry.

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 giving a statistic highlighting strategic significance of semiconductors in India.

Body:

In the first part, discuss the various applications of semiconductors – computers, phones, server farms, missiles and in their guidance systems, warplanes, submarines, aircraft carriers, satellites etc.

Next, write about factors determining the location of semiconductor fabrication plants – infrastructure availability (clean water and power), access to skilled labor, proximity to suppliers and markets, favorable government policies, political stability, innovation ecosystems etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising.

Introduction

Semiconductor fabrication is the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices, such as microcontrollers, memory chips, and computer processors. This process involves a series of nanofabrication processes performed on the surface of substrates made from highly pure single crystal silicon.

Semiconductor chips are the basic building blocks that serve as the heart and brain of all modern electronics and information and communications technology products. These chips are now an integral part of contemporary automobiles, household gadgets and essential medical devices such as ECG machines.

Semiconductor shortage is turning into an acute issue. Due to it, the growth prospects of the auto industry are once again in jeopardy. This issue also offers immense opportunity for India to foray in to Integrated Circuits and Chip design.

Body

Applications of semiconductor

• The modern economy needs all kinds of chips in great quantities, for everything from computers, telecommunication gear, robots, medical equipment, watches, industrial machines.
• Semiconductor chips go into computers, phones, server farms that store data. They are used to control the launch of missiles and in their guidance systems.
• Chips are embedded in warplanes, submarines, aircraft carriers. At present, all the silicon needed in these critical pieces of strategic equipment is imported. If we do not have fool proof access to all the silicon that our strategic capability needs, all the time, India can bid goodbye to its goal of strategic autonomy, to be a regional, if not a global power.
• India has its own nuclear energy programme, a space programme and, drawing on these two, a programme to build nuclear weapons and delivery mechanisms.
  • India does not want to take shelter under another country’s nuclear umbrella when confronting a nuclear-armed hostile power.
• External dependence for vital semiconductors is the chink in India’s armour.

Factors affecting location of semi-conductor industry

• Skilled labour is needed to perform necessary operations. The cost of labour should not be very high.
• Technology is required to convert silicon wafers to chip form in a cost-effective manner.
• Government support incentivises companies to invest in research and development.
• Good transport connectivity is needed since these industries are part of global value chains.

Measures undertaken by Government of India to strengthen semiconductor ecosystem

• Setting bold targets like net zero imports by 2030.
• Production linked incentive scheme – Electronics companies receive subsidies based on their incremental production over previous year.
• National policy on electronics, 2019 – It targets cluster-based development of this industry.
• 100 percent FDI has been permitted.
• Increasing ease of doing business and expediting approval of new electronics parks.
• Skill India mission is being utilised to create a large pool of skilled labour that this industry needs.
• Sovereign patents fund – Government will buy patents from electronics companies, and license MSMEs to enable cost effective production of patented electronics.
• Revised scheme for exports namely RoDTEP to help this sector.

Conclusion

The Govt of India has rightly embarked on a bold industrial policy that would help lay the groundwork India requires over the next decade. More such incentives and spending will be needed in the future, as India isn’t the only country looking to build a base in chips right now. Gaining a measure of control on semiconductors is of strategic importance to every country.

General Studies – 2

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

2. Improving the quality of India’s public education system is imperative for national development. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

The write about the issues in India’s public education and ways to address 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 edutainmentto 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 classcan help reduce absenteeism.
• Empower School Management Committees by using mobile phones:
  • To develop a system that facilitates School Management Committeemembers by fostering democratic accountability.
  • Social audits should also be carried out for effective functioning.
• Better pre-service teacher trainingcoupled with transparent and merit-based recruitments is a lasting solution for teacher quality.
• Improve the quality of teacher educationby 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 GDPas 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 Indiais 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: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

3. Do you think India is ready to have health as a fundamental Right? Critically examine. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the feasibility of health as a fundamental right in the country.

Directive word:

Critically examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into 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. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgment.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving a brief about health care in India.

Body:

First, mention the need for Right to Health that would promote the health of various weaker sections of the society and also boost economic development. Further link the benefits of better healthcare systems to that of various existing schemes like Ayushman Bharath.

Next, write about the readiness and potential of India to have a fundamental right to health.

Next, bring out the impediments to declare health care a Fundamental Right.

Conclusion:

Conclude by giving a balanced opinion regarding health as fundamental right. 

Introduction

The right to health, as with other rights, includes both freedoms and entitlements and would be a part of Article 21. Freedoms include the right to control one’s health and body (for example, sexual and reproductive rights) and to be free from interference (for example, free from torture and non-consensual medical treatment and experimentation). Entitlements include the right to a system of health protection that gives everyone an equal opportunity to enjoy the highest attainable level of health.

Body

Need for making healthcare a fundamental right

• The right to equality guaranteed under Article 15upholds non-discrimination on the basis religion, race, caste, gender, place of birth, etc.
• However, the dismal investment in public health for decades has made healthcare a privilege available to a few.
• The constitutional right to health is critical to breaking discriminatory structures that will otherwise continue to perpetuate inequality in all spheres of life, including education, opportunity, wealth, and social mobility.
• The judicial interpretation of the right to life and liberty under Article 21in several judgments as inclusive of health was crucial, but has its limitations.
• The universal access to healthcare is now as achievable as it is indispensable. The rights of people are not stagnant, and must evolve as the country evolves.
• Ayushman Bharatis an ambitious scheme with great potential, but there is a difference between a rights and a service-delivery model of development.
• India has never spent more than 2% of its GDP on healthcare. And healthcare facilities across the country straddle different levels of efficiency and sufficiency.
• The impact of COVID-19 has shaken even States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu that traditionally did well in the area of healthcare.
• There are other dimensions to making health a fundamental right. For example, Delhi is the world’s most polluted city. In winter especially, you can barely venture out in the morning smog without catching an infection.

Making Health as fundamental right will be of immense help

• If health is a fundamental right, it will give a spine to the entire health ecosystem, empower doctors and healthcare workers, and ensure transparency, inclusivity, and accountability.
• Moreover, it will pave the way for special legislation, capable institutions, increased budgets, medical training and research, wellness and prevention, and outreach of services.
• It instils immense confidence and positivity amongst the citizens.
• In a country where 63 million people slip back into povertydue to catastrophic healthcare costs, it is hard not to see the logic of legally mandating health as a right, and thereby empowering the citizen to hold the state accountable for it.
• By declaring health as a fundamental right, the government would be compelled to think seriously about the pollution aspect or the environmental impactwhen, say, granting permissions for new industries or framing development policies.

Challenges in making health a fundamental right

• India has never spent more than 2% of its GDP on healthcare.
• And healthcare facilities across the country straddle different levels of efficiency and sufficiency.
• The impact of COVID-19 has shaken even States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu that traditionally did well in the area of healthcare.
• A 2019 NITI Aayog report highlighted that states in India had unequal public health systems.
• This imbalance was primarily due to restricted technical expertise and fiscal constraints.
• While fiscal dependence of states on the centre continues to be a major challenge, if the subject of health was moved to the Concurrent List, it would lead to excessive bureaucracy, red tape and institutional constraints.

Measures needed

• The implication of and central to the success of such a resetlies in creating appropriate cadres.
• More immediately,there must be a public health cadre manning the posts at the PHC and CHCs consisting of sub-specialists in family medicine, public health and public health management.
• Likewise, among nurses, the cadre should comprisetwo distinct sets of personnel — public health nurses (not ANMs promoted based on seniority) and nurse midwives capable of independently doing all clinical functions for handling pregnancies and women’s health issues except surgical interventions.
• Primary care in India can get traction only if new skills, drastically upgraded competencies and a new mindset are embedded within the vision of a patient, family and community-centred health system.
• There is also a need to declutter policy dialogue and provide clarity to the nomenclatures. Currently, public health, family medicine and public health management are used interchangeably.
• It is time our political systems listen topeoples’ voices for a family doctor to ensure their everyday needs — and not easy options like privatisation, commodification and medicalisation of the system.
• Resetting the system to current day realities requires strong political leadership to go beyond the inertia of the techno-administrative status quoist structures.

Conclusion

It is time India declared the right to health a fundamental right. Strong health laws will help build societal resilience to future pandemics and public health emergencies. Emergency responses can’t come at the cost of neglect of human rights obligations. It is critical then that the right to health be implemented, using the principles of transparency, proportionality and solidarity. The COVID19 experience has also demonstrated the importance of a decentralized/polycentric response – India’s co-operative federalism, therefore, must be strengthened.

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 heavy reliance on imports for country’s edible oil requirement can have several economic, social, and strategic implications. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: https://www.moneycontrol.com

Why the question:

Around 60% of the country’s edible oil requirement is met through imports. Among palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and mustard oil, the first three largely depend on imports.

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.

Around 60% of the country’s edible oil requirement is met through imports. Among palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and mustard oil, the first three largely depend on imports.

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: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

5. Single-use plastic contributes to severe environmental pollution. How can we phase out single-use plastic in the country? (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Down to Earth , Insights on India

Why the question:

On June 5, 2018, to mark the World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would phase out single-use plastics by 2022.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about concerns associated single use plastic and ways to successfully phase it out.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining single use plastic and give statistic related to plastic waste generation in India.

Body:

First, write about the concerns associated with single use plastic – usually goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds its way into the ocean, releases toxic chemicals, affects Endocrine system which can cause cancer, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity and many other ailments etc

Next, write about the ways in which singe use plastic can be phased out in the country and ensure its successful ban.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

Single Use plastic is a form of plastic that is disposable, which is only used once and then has to be thrown away or recycled. The single-use plastic items include plastic bags, water bottles, soda bottles, straws, plastic plates, cups, most food packaging and coffee stirrers. The single-use plastic products also prevent the spread of infection. Instruments such as syringes, applicators, drug tests, bandages and wraps are often made to be disposable. Also, single-use plastic products have been enlisted in the fight against food waste, keeping food and water fresher for longer and reducing the potential for contamination.

The Centre has defined a list of single-use plastic items that will be banned from July 1, 2022. The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022.

Body

Govt. of India has laid great emphasis on eradicating single use plastic which has become one of the biggest sources of pollution. During his Independence Day Speech this year Prime Minister had urged the people to take a pledge on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Anniversary on 2nd October to make the country free of single use plastic

Challenges posed:

• Petroleum-based plastic is not biodegradable and usually goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds its way into the ocean.
• Plastic in oceans and forests are choking flora and fauna. In fact, plastic trash is expected to exceed the fish population in 2050.
• Microplastics have ability to enter food chain with the highest concentration of the pollutants.
• The PWM Rules Amendment, 2018, omitted explicit pricing of plastic bags that had been a feature of the 2016 Rules.
• Waste plastic from packaging of everything from food, cosmetics and groceries to goods delivered by online platforms remains unaddressed.
• The fast moving consumer goods sector that uses large volumes of packaging, posing a higher order challenge.
• Lack of adequate infrastructure for segregation and collection is the key reason for inefficient plastic waste disposal.
• Small producers of plastics are facing the ban, while more organised entities covered by the Extended Producer Responsibility clause continue with business as usual.
• Lack of consultation with stakeholders such as manufacturers of plastics, eateries and citizen groups: This leads to implementation issues and inconvenience to the consumers.
• Exemptions for certain products such as milk pouches and plastic packaging for food items severely weaken the impact of the ban.
• No investment in finding out alternative materials to plug the plastic vacuum: Until people are able to shift to a material which is as light-weight and cheap as plastic, banning plastic will remain a mere customary practice.
• Lack of widespread awareness among citizens about the magnitude of harm caused by single-use plastic: Without citizens ‘buying in’ to a cause, bans only result in creating unregulated underground markets.
• No strategy to offset the massive economic impact: Sweeping bans like the one in Maharashtra are likely to cause massive loss of jobs and disruption of a large part of the economy dependent on the production and use of plastic.

Measures needed

• Target the most problematic single-use plastics by conducting a baseline assessment to identify the most problematic single use plastics, as well as the current causes, extent and impacts of their mismanagement.
• Consider the best actions to tackle the problem (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions), given the country’s socio-economic standing and considering their appropriateness in addressing the specific problems identified.
• Assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed instruments/actions. How will the poor be affected? What impact will the preferred course of action have on different sectors and industries?
• Identify and engage key stakeholder groups – retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, tourism associations – to ensure broad buy-in. Evidence-based studies are also necessary to defeat opposition from the plastics industry.
• Raise public awareness about the harm caused by single-used plastics. Clearly explain the decision and any punitive measures that will follow.

Way forward

• Promote alternatives like cotton, khadi bags and bio-degradable plastics.
• Provide economic incentives to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly and fit-for-purpose alternatives that do not cause more harm. Support can include tax rebates, research and development funds, technology incubation, public-private partnerships, and support to projects that recycle single-use items and turn waste into a resource that can be used again.
• Reduce or abolish taxes on the import of materials used to make alternatives.
• Provide incentives to industry by introducing tax rebates or other conditions to support its transition. Governments will face resistance from the plastics industry, including importers and distributors of plastic packaging. Give them time to adapt.
• Use revenues collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to maximize the public good. Support environmental projects or boost local recycling with the funds. Create jobs in the plastic recycling sector with seed funding.
• Enforce the measure chosen effectively, by making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.
• Monitor and adjust the chosen measure if necessary and update the public on progress.
• International examples:
  • The success of imposing a plastic bag fee has also been established in cities like Chicago and Washington, showing that such interventions could be effective in shaping behaviour change.
  • The European Union is mulling new laws to ban some everyday single-use plastic products including straws, cutlery and plates citing plastic litter in oceans as the concern prompting the action.
  • Countries such as the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands have already put in place regulations to stop the use of microbeads in personal-care products. The sooner India adopts such regulations, the better
• Encouraging plogging: Picking up litter while jogging or strolling was kick-started on a small scale in a small part of Stockholm about an year ago, it has spread across the globe and India can adopt this as well.

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: business-standard.com , Live Mint

Why the question:

In a year when more than 50 countries are holding national elections, a new study shows the risks posed by the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots in disseminating false, misleading or harmful information to voters. 

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.

In a year when more than 50 countries are holding national elections, a new study shows the risks posed by the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots in disseminating false, misleading or harmful information to voters.

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 automationability to automate complex physical world tasks.
  • Innovation diffusionpropelling 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 amongthe 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.

Click here to Download the SECURE Questions in PDF Format

Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE

Please subscribe to Our podcast channel HERE

Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelHERE

Follow our Twitter Account HERE

Follow our Instagram ID HERE

Follow us on LinkedIn : HERE