1. Constitutional Governance: Governor’s Powers on State Bills (Article 200)
| Format Element | Analysis for UPSC |
| Syllabus | GS-2: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. |
| Context | The Supreme Court (SC) delivered its opinion on a Presidential Reference (Article 143) concerning the extent of a Governor’s (Article 200) and President’s (Article 201) power regarding assent to state Bills. The SC, in its advisory capacity, ruled that the judiciary cannot impose a fixed timeline for the Governor/President to act on Bills, nor can it invoke a doctrine of ‘deemed assent’, as this would amount to rewriting the Constitution. However, the court maintained that “prolonged, unexplained, and indefinite inaction” is subject to judicial review under Article 32/226 for a limited mandamus to compel the functionary to act. |
| Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis) | Constitutional Spirit vs. Political Reality: The Constitution aims for a ‘dialogic process’ (SC’s term) where the Governor acts as an honest broker. In reality, the Governor, a Central appointee, often acts as an ‘extra-constitutional check’ on an elected state government, leading to political friction, especially in states ruled by opposition parties. Federalism and Legislative Supremacy: Indefinite delay undermines cooperative federalism and violates the supremacy of the elected state legislature. Delaying critical Bills on welfare, health, or education impacts policy implementation and public good, frustrating the democratic mandate. The SC’s ruling aims to balance the two: uphold the Governor’s constitutional discretion while allowing the judiciary to check “constitutional morbidity” (indefinite inaction). Judicial Review and Separation of Powers: The SC reasserted the principle of Separation of Powers by refusing to fix a time limit, arguing that the legislative and executive process should not be supplanted by judicial innovation (Article 142). The judgment clarifies that the merits of the Governor’s decision are not justiciable, but the process (delay/inaction) is. |
| Positive, Negatives, Government Schemes | Positives: 1. Upholds Constitutional Scheme: Upholds the unique deliberative role of the Governor/President and rejects the alien concept of ‘deemed assent.’ 2. Check on Indefinite Delay: Keeps the door open for judicial review against ‘prolonged, unexplained inaction,’ providing a safety valve against arbitrary conduct. Negatives: 1. Continued Ambiguity: Does not resolve the core problem of indefinite delay; ‘reasonable time’ remains vague and subjective, leading to further litigation. 2. Undermines Elected Government: Allows a Central appointee to effectively veto the mandate of an elected state assembly through inaction. Government Schemes (Relevant Principles): 1. Sarkaria/Punchhi Commission: Both recommended clear guidelines for the Governor, with the Punchhi Commission suggesting a 6-month limit on assent (which the SC rejected). 2. Federal Reforms: The judgment impacts the implementation of reforms like the National Education Policy (NEP) or state-specific welfare schemes that require new legislation. |
| Examples | The Presidential Reference was triggered by the Supreme Court’s earlier April 2025 ruling which had sought to impose timelines, following impasses in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where Governors delayed several Bills for years. The Punjab Governor’s refusal to summon the Assembly for a budget session (a related power) was another key trigger for the broader constitutional debate. |
| Way Forward | 1. Constitutional Convention: The Central government should develop an all-party convention or a Code of Conduct for Governors to ensure decisions are taken within a time-bound and transparent framework (e.g., three months), as recommended by the Punchhi Commission. 2. Speaker’s Role Analogy: The SC could revisit the analogy of the Speaker’s limited time for decisions (e.g., disqualification petitions) to suggest a constitutional convention of ‘reasonable time’ for the Governor. 3. Transparency: The Governor must, in all cases, provide clear and comprehensive reasons when withholding assent or reserving a Bill, ensuring accountability and facilitating public scrutiny. |
| Conclusion | The SC’s advisory opinion is a cautious exercise in judicial restraint, respecting the text of the Constitution over policy innovation. While it strikes down the judicial imposition of strict timelines, it simultaneously underscores that the Governor’s office is one of duty, not an ‘ornamental garden,’ and that prolonged inaction is a constitutional vice that will not esca1pe the court’s scrutiny. |
| Practice Mains Question | Q: The Supreme Court’s opinion on the Governor’s power under Article 200 preserves constitutional text but may perpetuate legislative deadlock. Critically analyse this statement in the context of cooperative federalism and legislative supremacy. (250 words, 15 marks) |
2. Major Socio-Economic Reform: Notifying the Four New Labour Codes
| Format Element | Analysis for UPSC |
| Syllabus | GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. |
| Context | The Central Government formally notified and brought into effect the four Labour Codes passed in 2019 and 2020. These codes—The Code on Wages, The Industrial Relations Code, The Code on Social Security, and The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code—consolidate and simplify 29 central labour laws, aiming to modernize India’s labour market, boost ease of doing business, and expand social security. |
| Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis) | Economy and Ease of Doing Business (EODB): Consolidation of 29 laws into 4 codes reduces the compliance burden for businesses, especially MSMEs, by introducing unified definitions, a single registration, and annual returns. This is expected to improve India’s ranking on the EODB index and incentivize formal employment. Social Justice and Welfare: The Codes are landmark for extending social security coverage to the gig and platform economy (e.g., Swiggy, Zomato workers), unorganised workers, and inter-state migrant workers. This provision is a significant step toward universalising social protection, a core Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP). Industrial Relations and Trade Unions: The Industrial Relations Code raises the threshold for requiring government approval for layoffs, retrenchment, and closure from 100 to 300 workers. While this gives companies greater flexibility (hire and fire), trade unions argue it weakens workers’ bargaining power and job security. The new rules also introduce Fixed Term Employment (FTE) with benefits equal to permanent workers. |
| Positive, Negatives, Government Schemes | Positives: 1. Universal Minimum Wage: Introduction of a National Floor Wage, ensuring no worker is paid below a minimum living standard. 2. Gig Worker Security: Legal definition of ‘gig/platform worker’ and provision for a Social Security Fund, funded by a mandatory 1-2% contribution (capped at 5%) from aggregators’ annual turnover. 3. Gender Equality: Mandates equal pay for equal work and permits women to work night shifts with safety provisions and consent. Negatives: 1. Weakened Collective Bargaining: Increased threshold for layoffs and the requirement for a larger proportion of workers (75%) to participate in a strike ballot weakens trade union power. 2. Fixed-Term Exploitation: Concerns that employers will use FTE to avoid permanent employment, leading to job insecurity through non-renewal of contracts. 3. Rule-Making Delegation: Excessive delegation of key definitions and entitlements to the executive through subsequent rules, leading to potential implementation ambiguities. Government Schemes: 1. E-Shram Portal: National database for unorganised workers, critical for delivering benefits under the new Social Security Code. 2. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PMSYM) Yojana: Pension scheme for unorganised sector, which will be integrated with the new social security framework. |
| Examples | The definition of gig and platform workers (e.g., Uber, Flipkart drivers/delivery personnel) now mandates that the companies (aggregators) contribute to their social security, a reform directly affecting millions of workers previously left outside the formal welfare net. The Code on Wages standardises ‘wages’, solving the previous complexity where different laws used different definitions. |
| Way Forward | 1. Uniform State Rules: Since Labour is a Concurrent Subject, the Centre must coordinate with all states to ensure uniform, swift, and effective finalization of state rules to prevent legal complexity and varying protection levels. 2. Tripartite Consultation: Establish a regular tripartite consultation mechanism (Government, Employers, Workers) to review the Codes and their impact, especially on small businesses and vulnerable workers. 3. Awareness and Capacity Building: Launch massive campaigns to educate workers (especially informal/migrant workers) and MSME owners about their new rights, duties, and compliance mechanisms, leveraging technology for easy understanding and access. |
| Conclusion | The implementation of the Four Labour Codes is a watershed moment, modernizing a system that was largely unchanged since the 1940s. While critics point to the increased flexibility for industry at the cost of collective bargaining, the Codes’ primary achievement is the universalisation of minimum wages and the historic inclusion of gig and platform workers into the formal social security net, marking a definitive step towards a modern, welfare-oriented labour framework. |
| Practice Mains Question | Q: The new Labour Codes seek to balance the need for ‘Ease of Doing Business’ with the goal of ‘Social Security for All’. Discuss the key features of the codes and critically examine if they have weakened collective bargaining rights in the pursuit of economic efficiency. (250 words, 15 marks) |
3. Defence and Internal Security: IAF Tejas Crash and Coastal Security
| Format Element | Analysis for UPSC |
| Syllabus | GS-3: Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges. |
| Context | An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) crashed during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow, resulting in the pilot’s death. This incident, marking the second Tejas crash, occurred while the aircraft was being showcased as a flagship of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) defence export push. Separately, a major coastal security exercise was initiated along the southern coast. |
| Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis) | Indigenous Defence Capability (Atmanirbharta): The Tejas, designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and built by HAL, is a 4.5-generation fighter. The crash, especially at an international platform, raises concerns about the program’s technological maturity, airworthiness, and quality control protocols, impacting its credibility for export (e.g., to Malaysia, Argentina). However, such incidents are part of the long development curve for all major fighter programs globally and should not overshadow the structural progress made in indigenous design and manufacturing. Internal Security – Coastal Security: The southern coast exercise focuses on enhancing coordination between the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Police, and other central/state agencies to plug vulnerabilities identified post-26/11. This multi-agency effort is vital for maritime domain awareness (MDA), counter-terrorism, and checking illicit activities like smuggling and infiltration. Information Warfare and Misinformation: Following the crash, a surge of misinformation (disinformation) campaigns was observed on social media, often emanating from adversarial state actors and their proxies (e.g., the claim of an oil leak being a malfunction, later debunked by PIB). This highlights the vulnerability of major national projects to hybrid warfare tactics aimed at undermining national confidence and foreign trust. |
| Positive, Negatives, Government Schemes | Positives: 1. Transparency in Investigation: The immediate announcement of a Court of Inquiry (CoI) and the cooperation with UAE authorities show commitment to safety protocols. 2. Export Focus: The crash, while a setback, underscores the persistent push to showcase indigenous products for export, critical for generating revenue and lowering domestic per-unit costs. 3. Coastal Preparedness: The coastal exercise demonstrates proactive measures to maintain high readiness against non-state actors and challenges in the maritime domain. Negatives: 1. Credibility Impact: The crash at a global airshow impacts international confidence, potentially delaying crucial export orders and affecting the perception of the ‘Made in India’ defence brand. 2. Delivery Timelines: The crash reignites concerns over HAL’s production capacity and chronic delays in delivering the upgraded Tejas Mk-1A to the IAF, contributing to the IAF’s declining squadron strength. Government Schemes: 1. Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP): Provides a framework that prioritizes procuring indigenous defence products, promoting R&D and manufacturing within India. 2. Mission Sagar and Coastal Security Scheme: These initiatives aim to strengthen the Navy’s capabilities and enhance the overall coastal security apparatus, integrating technology and human resources. |
| Examples | The Tejas program is a successor to the HF-24 Marut (India’s first indigenous jet). Its success is crucial to bridging the IAF’s squadron deficit caused by the retirement of older jets like the MiG-21. The coastal exercise is a routine but critical drill, often named ‘Sagar Kavach’ or similar regional variants, involving inter-agency coordination in areas like the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. |
| Way Forward | 1. Accelerating Tejas Mk-1A Induction: HAL must aggressively ramp up production and adhere to delivery schedules for the Mk-1A variant to meet the IAF’s critical requirement. 2. Independent Quality Audits: Institute a high-level independent safety and quality assurance board for all critical indigenous platforms to build domestic and international trust. 3. Countering Disinformation: The government must strengthen its PIB Fact Check and Information Warfare wings to swiftly counter adversarial narratives and misinformation campaigns following defence-related incidents. 4. Integrated Coastal Security: Focus on a Hub and Spoke model with greater integration of technology (e.g., coastal surveillance radar network, AIS data fusion) to enhance real-time MDA. |
| Conclusion | The Tejas crash is a temporary and tragic setback that must be viewed as an inevitable part of developing complex, cutting-edge technology. The response should be a renewed commitment to ruthless quality control, transparency in investigation, and a vigorous push for indigenization to truly realize the vision of Atmanirbharta in Defence. Simultaneously, the commitment to robust coastal security reflects an essential, ongoing effort to safeguard India’s strategic maritime interests. |
| Practice Mains Question | Q: The recent Tejas crash has cast a shadow on India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision in the defence sector. Discuss the challenges faced by indigenous fighter programs in India and suggest a strategy for effective technological indigenization and export promotion. (250 words, 15 marks) |
4. Public Health and Science: Pharmacogenomics and Acanthosis Nigricans
Syllabus
- GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.
- GS-3: Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Biotechnology.
Context
- News reports highlighted the emerging field of Pharmacogenomics (PGx) and the importance of Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) as an early marker for metabolic disorders.
- This signifies India’s growing focus on precision medicine (PGx) and public health awareness regarding lifestyle diseases (AN).
Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis)
- Pharmacogenomics (PGx):
- Definition: The study of how an individual’s genetic makeup affects their response to drugs. It combines pharmacology and genomics.
- Mechanism: It identifies variations in genes (like the Cytochrome P450 enzymes – CYP family) that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes.
- Precision Treatment: Allows doctors to tailor drug prescriptions (dosage and type) to maximize efficacy and minimize Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), which are a major cause of hospitalizations.
- Acanthosis Nigricans (AN):
- Nature: A skin condition characterized by dark, velvety patches in body folds (neck, armpits, groin).
- Clinical Significance: AN is a strong clinical marker for insulin resistance, which is the primary driver of prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).
- Public Health: Its rising prevalence, especially in children and young adults, is a visible indicator of India’s growing metabolic syndrome and obesity crisis, necessitating early screening.
Positive, Negatives, & Government Schemes
| Category | Description |
| Positive | PGx: Improves drug efficacy, reduces patient risk, and lowers overall long-term healthcare costs. PGx is integral to the Genome India Project (GIP), which has sequenced over 10,000 genomes to create a diverse Indian reference map. |
| Negative | PGx: High cost of genetic testing, limited data on India’s diverse populations, and difficulty in integrating complex genetic data into routine clinical practice. AN: Often mistaken for poor hygiene, leading to delayed diagnosis of the underlying metabolic disorder (diabetes). |
| Schemes | 1. National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS): Aims for early diagnosis and lifestyle modification, directly linked to managing conditions flagged by AN. 2. National Health Policy (2017): Focuses on leveraging digital health and precision medicine to improve healthcare quality. |
Examples
- PGx Example: Testing for the CYP2D6 gene variant helps determine the correct dosage of certain antidepressants or pain medications like opioids. Poor metabolizers may need a lower dose to avoid toxicity.
- AN Example: A child presenting with dark patches on their neck is a clinical sign that prompts doctors to immediately check blood glucose and insulin levels, leading to the early diagnosis of prediabetes and intervention through weight loss.
Way Forward
- PGx: Invest in indigenous, low-cost microarrays and chips tailored to Indian genetic variants. Mandate the reporting of PGx data for new drug approvals in India.
- AN/T2DM: Integrate AN screening into school health programmes and primary healthcare centres to raise awareness and ensure mandatory screening for at-risk individuals.
- Promote digital health records that can seamlessly integrate pharmacogenomic data for immediate use by prescribing physicians.
Practice Mains Question
- Q: How do the twin developments of Pharmacogenomics and early diagnosis of Acanthosis Nigricans collectively address the challenges posed by lifestyle diseases in India? Discuss the policy implications for public health. (250 words, 15 marks)
5. Science and Technology: Indigenous Gene Editing Tool for Sickle Cell Anaemia
Syllabus
- GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections.
- GS-3: Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Biotechnology, Bioethics.
Context
- India launched its first indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy, named “BIRSA 101,” specifically developed for treating Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
- The therapy is named in honour of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda, highlighting the disease’s high prevalence in India’s tribal population.
- This marks a major step in making advanced, life-saving therapies affordable and accessible.
Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis)
- Technology (CRISPR-Cas9):
- Function: CRISPR acts as “precise genetic surgery” to correct the mutation in the Beta-globin gene that causes the red blood cells to deform into a sickle shape.
- Process: Blood-forming stem cells are collected from the patient, edited using the BIRSA 101 tool in the lab, and then re-infused into the patient after conditioning, enabling them to produce healthy, non-sickle red blood cells.
- SCD and Social Justice:
- SCD is a chronic, debilitating, and often fatal hereditary disease. India has the highest burden of SCD globally, with a concentration in the tribal belts of Central and Eastern India.
- An indigenous, affordable cure is a huge leap towards fulfilling the Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) of improving public health and addressing historical health inequities for vulnerable communities.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat in Health:
- Global gene therapies for SCD (like Casgevy) are prohibitively expensive (around $2-3 million or ₹20-25 Crore).
- BIRSA 101, developed by CSIR–IGIB with technology transfer to Serum Institute of India (SIIPL) for scale-up, aims to reduce the cost to a fraction of the global price, ensuring cost-effective scalability.
Positive, Negatives, & Government Schemes
| Category | Description |
| Positive | 1. Potential Cure: Addresses the root cause of the disease instead of merely managing symptoms. 2. Affordability: The public-private partnership ensures the therapy can be mass-manufactured at a low cost, aligning with the goal of Universal Health Coverage. 3. Scientific Credibility: Puts India among the handful of nations capable of developing advanced gene editing therapies. |
| Negative | 1. Bioethics: Raises ethical dilemmas concerning genetic modification, consent, and potential off-target effects. 2. Delivery Infrastructure: Implementing the complex “vein-to-vein” therapy requires highly specialized hospitals, trained staff, and robust post-treatment monitoring, which is lacking in tribal/remote areas. 3. Long-Term Safety: Long-term safety and efficacy data from Phase 1/2 trials need to be robustly monitored. |
| Schemes | 1. National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2047): Launched to eliminate SCD by 2047, which mandates screening, counselling, and treatment. BIRSA 101 is a critical tool for this mission. 2. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Promotes R&D and multidisciplinary research in key areas like biotechnology. |
Examples
- Public-Private Partnership: The collaboration between the government lab CSIR-IGIB and the private manufacturer SIIPL is the model for scaling advanced biotech products from lab to market cheaply.
- Impact: If successful, this therapy could eliminate the need for costly and risky allogeneic bone marrow transplants for SCD patients.
Way Forward
- Rapid Clinical Trials: Fast-track the Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials while ensuring strict safety and ethical compliance.
- Health Infrastructure: Develop specialized sickle cell centres in states with high prevalence (e.g., Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat) and integrate them with the mission’s screening process.
- Bioethics Regulation: Establish a clear and agile National Bioethics Authority to oversee the application of gene editing technologies in a socially responsible manner.
Practice Mains Question
- Q: Discuss the significance of the indigenous CRISPR-based therapy ‘BIRSA 101’ in addressing India’s public health challenges. What institutional and ethical challenges must be overcome for its successful and equitable deployment? (250 words, 15 marks)
6. International Relations: Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Meeting
Syllabus
- GS-2: India and its neighbourhood relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Context
- The 7th National Security Adviser (NSA)-level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) was hosted by India’s NSA in New Delhi on November 20, 2025.
- The focus was on strengthening maritime and security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Key developments included the admission of Seychelles as a full member and Malaysia attending as a guest country.
Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis)
- Evolution and Membership:
- The CSC started as a trilateral maritime security grouping (India, Sri Lanka, Maldives) in 2011.
- It was revived and expanded in recent years to include Mauritius and Bangladesh as members.
- The recent inclusion of Seychelles and the participation of Malaysia underscore its growing geopolitical relevance and expansion beyond the immediate neighbourhood.
- Core Pillars of Cooperation: The discussions focused on five key pillars:
- Maritime Safety and Security (MSS): Joint patrols, maritime domain awareness (MDA) through technology sharing, and hydrographic surveys.
- Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation: Sharing intelligence, capacity building, and joint exercises to tackle terror financing and recruitment.
- Combating Transnational Organised Crime: Focusing on drug trafficking, human smuggling, and arms proliferation, which utilize the IOR’s sea lanes.
- Cyber Security and Safety of Critical Infrastructure: Developing a regional framework for cyber cooperation and protecting vital infrastructure from digital threats.
- Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): Coordinating rapid response and resource sharing during natural calamities in the IOR.
- Geopolitical Significance for India:
- Net Security Provider: CSC serves as India’s primary platform to assert its role as a “net security provider” in the IOR, enhancing its strategic influence without relying on multilateral institutions with wider membership (like IORA).
- Countering Influence: While not explicitly mentioning China, the CSC acts as a counter-balancing mechanism against the growing strategic presence and naval activity of extra-regional powers in the IOR.
- Regional Ownership: The grouping emphasizes a sense of regional ownership over security challenges, reinforcing India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Positive, Negatives, &Government Schemes
| Category | Description |
| Positive | 1. Institutionalization: CSC is gradually acquiring a more formal shape with the appointment of the first Secretary General, ensuring continuity and dedicated effort. 2. MDA Enhancement: Leads to better information sharing on maritime traffic and threats among key littoral states. 3. New Membership: The participation of Seychelles (member) and Malaysia (guest) shows acceptance of the CSC’s regional security framework. |
| Negative | 1. Resource Constraint: Many smaller member states lack the resources (vessels, surveillance technology) to fully participate in large-scale joint operations. 2. China Factor: The official avoidance of the China factor might limit its effectiveness in addressing the most critical long-term security challenge in the region. |
| Schemes | 1. SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): The CSC directly aligns with the SAGAR doctrine by prioritizing security, capacity building, and regional cooperation in the IOR. 2. Coastal Surveillance Radar (CSR) Network: India is helping CSC partners establish or link up their CSR networks for unified maritime domain awareness. |
Examples
- Joint Training: Recent joint tabletop exercises under the CSC banner focused on response protocols for a major oil spill in the Bay of Bengal and coordinated action against piracy.
- Drug Trafficking: Enhanced intelligence sharing led to the interception of large consignments of illegal drugs destined for global markets off the coast of the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Way Forward
- Establish Dedicated Secretariat: Set up a permanent, well-funded secretariat to coordinate and monitor the execution of decisions, moving beyond annual NSA meetings.
- Expand Scope to Economy: Integrate Blue Economy initiatives (sustainable fishing, marine conservation, connectivity) into the CSC agenda to offer tangible benefits beyond security.
- Technological Integration: Invest in a common Regional Data Fusion Centre drawing real-time information from all member states to create a unified picture of the IOR.
Practice Mains Question
- Q: The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is an important institutional response to the evolving security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. Analyze the five pillars of cooperation and discuss how the CSC contributes to India’s SAGAR doctrine. (250 words, 15 marks)
7. Economy and Environment: India’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector
Syllabus
- GS-3: Indian Economy (growth, development, employment); Infrastructure; Environmental Pollution and Degradation.
Context
- On World Fisheries Day (November 21, 2025), the Ministry of Fisheries highlighted India’s progress in the sector, emphasizing its role in the Blue Economy.
- The theme was “India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Value Addition in Seafood Exports,” focusing on the target of achieving ₹1 lakh Crore in seafood exports by 2030.
- India unveiled the National Framework on Traceability in Fisheries and Aquaculture 2025.
Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis)
- Economic Contribution and Growth:
- India is the second-largest fish-producing country globally and a leading producer of shrimp.
- Fish production has doubled in the last decade (from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to 195 lakh tonnes in 2024-25).
- The sector supports over 30 million livelihoods and is a critical driver of the Blue Revolution and rural employment.
- The new focus is on value addition (e.g., ready-to-eat products, specialized processing) to enhance export earnings.
- Sustainability and Regulation (The Traceability Framework):
- The new National Framework on Traceability aims to establish a digital, centralized system using tools like blockchain and IoT.
- Objective: Ensure compliance with stringent international food safety and environmental standards, curb Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and provide enhanced market access for Indian seafood.
- The new EEZ Rules for deep-sea fishing prioritize cooperative societies and prohibit harmful practices like LED light fishing and bull trawling.
- Deep-Sea Potential:
- Focus on unlocking the potential of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and international waters to reduce pressure on nearshore artisanal fisheries.
- Promotion of advanced technologies like the Mother-and-Child vessel concept for mid-sea transshipment and processing, especially in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Positive,Negatives, & Government Schemes
| Category | Description |
| Positive | 1. Enhanced Exports: Traceability framework and value addition focus will boost high-quality seafood exports, helping achieve the ₹1 lakh Crore target. 2. Sustainable Practices: New EEZ rules and the focus on mariculture (seaweed, cage farming) reduce fishing pressure and diversify livelihoods. 3. Digital Inclusion: The new ReALCRaft portal provides transparent and time-bound digital access for vessel registration and operations. |
| Negative | 1. Post-Harvest Losses: Significant percentage of fish caught is lost due to poor cold chain, inadequate harbor infrastructure, and lack of processing units. 2. Climate Vulnerability: Coastal communities and the aquaculture sector are highly vulnerable to climate change-induced sea-level rise and extreme weather events. 3. Over-fishing: Despite regulations, nearshore resources are over-exploited, threatening biodiversity. |
| Schemes | 1. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): Flagship scheme with massive investment for sustainable development, infrastructure, value chain, and fisher welfare. 2. Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF): Provides concessional financing for modern infrastructure like fishing harbors, cold storage, and wholesale markets. |
Examples
- Growth: Inland fisheries registered a remarkable 140% growth in the last decade, surpassing marine capture due to government support for aquaculture.
- Value Addition: Export focus is shifting from simple frozen fish to processed and certified products like Ready-to-Eat (RTE) shrimp and crab meat to fetch premium prices in EU/US markets.
Way Forward
- Harbor Modernization: Implement the new SOP for Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbours with compulsory clean energy and waste management systems.
- Insurance and Welfare: Universalize the provision of insurance and disaster relief for fisherfolk, integrating them fully with central welfare schemes.
- Promote Mariculture: Actively promote and subsidize mariculture activities like seaweed cultivation as an alternate livelihood source that is environmentally benign and provides raw material for pharma/food industries.
Practice Mains Question
- Q: India’s ambition to transform its fisheries sector into a major contributor to the Blue Economy hinges on sustainability and value addition. Analyze the significance of the recently released National Framework on Traceability and the challenges faced in deep-sea fishing. (250 words, 15 marks)
8. Digital Infrastructure and Education: PM e-Vidya’s ‘One Class – One Channel’
Syllabus
- GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education; Governance (e-governance).
Context
- On World Television Day (November 21, 2025), the PIB highlighted the crucial role of television (connecting 230 million households) in promoting digital education, particularly through the PM e-Vidya programme.
- The core of this initiative is the ‘One Class – One Channel’ scheme, which delivers curriculum-based content directly to students lacking reliable internet access.
Main Body (Multi-Dimensional Analysis)
- PM e-Vidya as a Comprehensive Digital Response:
- It is a unified platform consolidating all digital, online, and on-air education efforts for nearly 250 million school-going children.
- It operates on a multi-mode access strategy covering DIKSHA, SWAYAM, Radio, and TV channels, ensuring that no student is left behind due to a lack of a specific device or connectivity.
- ‘One Class – One Channel’ Scheme:
- Mechanism: It introduced 12 dedicated DTH television channels (one for each class from I to XII) through the SWAYAM Prabha platform.
- Content: Broadcasts 24×7 curriculum-based, high-quality content prepared by NCERT and other expert institutions.
- Digital Inclusion: This component specifically targets the last mile and regions with poor internet or mobile connectivity, leveraging the massive reach of DD Free Dish (6.5 crore homes) for free access.
- Alignment with NEP 2020:
- The scheme directly supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 principles of Access, Equity, and Quality by providing standardized, expert-led content universally.
- It promotes blended learning by integrating the DTH content with digital repositories like DIKSHA (for interactive resources and assessments).
Positive, Negatives, & Government Schemes
| Category | Description |
| Positive | 1. Bridging the Divide: Successfully bridged the learning gap exacerbated by the pandemic, making quality education accessible to rural and remote areas. 2. Cost-Effective Scaling: Utilizes existing low-cost infrastructure (TV and DTH) to scale quality education nationwide, benefiting economically weaker sections. 3. Standardization: Ensures uniformity in educational content delivery, enhancing the quality of learning outcomes across states. |
| Negative | 1. Interactivity Gap: Broadcast-based learning is primarily one-way, lacking the necessary teacher-student interaction, feedback, and immediate doubt resolution crucial for holistic learning. 2. State-Specific Customization: While the NCERT curriculum is national, states face challenges in customizing content (e.g., regional language, local history) effectively through the fixed DTH channels. 3. Device Access: Still requires access to a TV set and DTH connection, which remains a barrier for the most marginalized households. |
| Schemes | 1. DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing): The backbone platform providing e-content for the PM e-Vidya initiative. 2. SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds): Provides online courses, and its DTH channels are utilized by the ‘One Class – One Channel’ scheme. |
Examples
- Impact: During school closures, the channels became the primary mode of instruction in many parts of Bihar, Odisha, and Northeastern states, preventing widespread educational regression.
- Innovation: Content for Children with Special Needs (CWSN), including sign language videos and audiobooks for the visually impaired, has been integrated into the digital ecosystem.
Way Forward
- Hybrid Model Enhancement: Develop two-way communication mechanisms (e.g., integration with mobile apps for live Q&A sessions via phone or chat) to improve the interactivity of broadcast education.
- Content Localization: Dedicate resources for the rapid regionalization of content and translation into all 22 official languages, in collaboration with state SCERTs.
- Infrastructure Support: Provide subsidized or free DD Free Dish set-top boxes to the poorest households to ensure true universal access to the channels.
Practice Mains Question
- Q: The PM e-Vidya program’s ‘One Class – One Channel’ scheme is a significant intervention for digital inclusion in education. Evaluate its role in fulfilling the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, highlighting both its reach and limitations. (250 words, 15 marks)
