March 2024 Issue

MRP: 399/-

Interim Budget 2024 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman poses for the media holding a pouch containing a digital tablet in New
Delhi, Feb. 1, 2024
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

LETTER TO

INDEX
ASPIRANTS
Dear Aspirants,

R
ead, Revise, Retain and Recall – the 4 Rs
Strategy becomes very relevant for
aspirants, especially when we are already
COVER STORY 2. Darwin Day: How theories of
evolution helped our knowledge
almost half-way through March. While the exam Union Interim Budget 2024
cycle of UPSC CSE 2023 is still not over, Prelims of life on Earth?
2024 is nearing, and your revision time should be
starting right about now. Even those who are EDUCATION
planning for 2025 CSE should slowly start their CBSE’s open book exam plan
preparation journey from this month.
Having said that, the first ‘R’ is the most EXPRESS EDGE HEALTH
crucial one. Reading good content is the first
step for not just preparing for any exam but also HISTORY & CULTURE The Genome India project
creating a good habit that will stay with you
forever. The other three Rs which follow are 1. On the long journey to freedom:
more strategic. Here’s an effort to provide you Gandhi, Bose and many others
with some must-read articles that add value to
your ongoing prep. 2. Is Lord Krishna’s Dwarka UPSC SPECIALS
The Cover Story this month brings to you one under water? The many legends,
of the most important issues of last month – The
traces of a lost city CASE STUDIES
Interim Union Budget 2024. While many say that
there weren’t any major changes, there are 1. IAS officer who helped
always areas that you must not miss for your
POLITY transgenders live a ‘life of dignity’
UPSC and other competitive exams. Express How Supreme Court interpreted
Edge gets you a bouquet of articles, wri�en by 2. IAS officer who used tech to
experts, on the themes which made big privilege for lawmakers? deliver healthcare to tribals
headlines, categorised as per the subjects of your
exams, for your convenience. Apart from the
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY & SOCIAL JUSTICE
regulars, you will also find two special categories RELATIONS
this month on Education and Health. Finally, in Unemployment and associated
UPSC Specials you will find case studies and 1. India-built airstrip issues
quotes that broaden your horizon and are worth inaugurated in Agaléga,
mentioning in your exams. Unemployment as a Mauritius: Its strategic THIS QUOTE MEANS
social issue and values as an ethical issue simplify
significance vis-à-vis Maldives 1. ‘Mathematics is the music of
the concepts for you. How to study Polity? A
question that was requested by most of you is and China reason’
answered by our expert in the Experts Talk.
Aspirants, do not forget you are also a reader ECONOMY 2. ‘The Internet is becoming the
and as the le�er started, it is important to get into town square for the global
Beyond MSPs and protests, some
a habit of reading content that makes you an aware village of tomorrow’
citizen and prepares you for any exam in life. With basic facts about Indian farmers
this determination, let’s unfold the magazine of UPSC ETHICS SIMPLIFIED
March month. ENVIRONMENT
Values which make us Human
1. What is carbon capture and can
— the concept & caselet
THINK SMART it help save the planet?
WORK HARD 2. How does climate change
EXPERTS TALK
CONQUER YOUR impact extreme weather events? How to study Indian Polity For
Civil Services Exam?
GOAL! SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
1. The Raman Effect, which CV
PRACTICE QUIZ
Enjoy reading
Manas Srivastava Raman won the Nobel for Current Affairs Revision MCQs

2
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

COVER STORY UNION INTERIM BUDGET 2024

Introduction

F
inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the forthcoming �nancial year (2024-2025).
However, since this was the interim Budget — a full-�edged one will be presented a�er the general elections by the
new government in July — the Budget speech was expected to be an exercise in listing the works of the incumbent
government not just over the past year but also over the past decade.
With the likely announcement of election dates soon, the model code of conduct will come into e�ect, barring the
government from announcing any policy decisions.
While many say that there are no major policy announcements. Yet, it is important because we get some sense of policy
direction, besides its relevance for exams.

Key highlights for UPSC Prelims exam

Wri�en by Manas Srivastava

Housing, Health, Agriculture, Green Energy, Taxes and more -- Here's your handy notes on Interim Budget 2024 for quick
exam revision.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

1. Housing
•• Government will launch a scheme to help deserving
sections of the middle class “living in rented houses, or slums, or
chawls and unauthorized colonies” to buy or build their own
houses.
•• Roo�op solarization — one crore households will be
enabled to obtain up to 300 units free electricity every month.
“�is scheme follows the resolve of Prime Minister on the
historic day of consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya”, said
the Finance Minister.
•• PM Awas Yojana (Grameen)– Two crore more houses will
be taken up in the next �ve years to meet the requirement
arising from increase in the number of families.

2. Health
•• Vaccination for girls in age group of 9 to 14 years for
prevention of cervical cancer.
•• Government plans to set up more medical colleges by utilizing
the existing hospital infrastructure under various departments.
•• Upgradation of anganwadi centres under “Saksham
Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0” will be expedited.
Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha
•• U-WIN platform for managing immunization and Lakshmikanth
intensi�ed e�orts of Mission Indradhanush will be rolled out
expeditiously.
•• Extension of healthcare cover under Ayushman Bharat
scheme to all ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers.

3. Agriculture and related sectors

•• Application of Nano DAP on various crops will be
expanded in all agro-climatic zones.
•• A strategy will be formulated to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for
oil seeds. Focussed oil seeds: mustard, groundnut, sesame,
soybean, and sun�ower.
•• A comprehensive programme for supporting dairy
farmers will be formulated. �e success of existing schemes such
Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Livestock Mission, and
Infrastructure Development Funds for dairy processing and
animal husbandry will act as guiding light for such a
programme.
•• Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
(PMMSY), according to the speech, will be stepped up to:
“�1� Enhance aquaculture productivity from existing 3 to 5
tons per hectare,
�2� Double exports to ` 1 lakh crore and
Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha
�3� Generate 55 lakh employment opportunities in near future.” Lakshmikanth

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

•• Five integrated aquaparks will be setup.

4. Women
•• “Eighty-three lakh SHGs with nine crore women are
transforming rural socio-economic landscape with empowerment
and self-reliance”, said the Finance Minister.
•• �e government aims to enhance the target for Lakhpati
Didi from 2 crore to 3 crore.

5. Youth And Technology

•• For the tech savvy youth — A corpus of rupees one lakh crore
will be established with ��y-year interest free loan.
•• “�e corpus will provide long-term �nancing or re�nancing
with long tenors and low or nil interest rates”, said the Finance
Minister.
•• A new scheme will be launched for strengthening deep-tech
technologies for defence purposes and expediting ‘atmanirbharta’.

6. Infrastructure Development
•• �e outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 per
cent to eleven lakh, eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven crore
Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha
rupees. �is would be 3.4 per cent of the GDP. Lakshmikanth
•• �ree major economic railway corridor programmes will be
implemented. �ese are:
1. Energy, mineral and cement corridors,
2. Port connectivity corridors, and
3. High tra�c density corridors.
•• �e projects have been identi�ed under the PM Gati
Shakti for enabling multi-modal connectivity.
•• Expansion of Metro and NaMO Bharat will be supported in
large cities focusing on transit-oriented development.led by Captain
Sandhya of Military Police, with three supernumerary o�cers
Captain Sharanya Rao, Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and Flight
Lieutenant Shrishti Rao.

7. Environment and Green Energy

•• Viability gap funding will be provided for harnessing o�shore
wind energy potential.
•• Coal gasi�cation and liquefaction capacity of 100 MT will be set
up by 2030.
•• Financial assistance will be provided for procurement of
biomass aggregation machinery. Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha
Lakshmikanth
•• Phased mandatory blending of compressed biogas (CBG) in
compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport and piped natural gas (PNG) for domestic purposes will be mandated.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

•• Electric Vehicle Ecosystem– Support to manufacturing and

charging infrastructure.
•• Greater adoption of e-buses for public transport networks
will be encouraged through payment security mechanism.
•• For promoting green growth, a new scheme of bio-
manufacturing and bio-foundry will be launched.
•• Blue Economy 2.0— A scheme for restoration and adaptation
measures, and coastal aquaculture and mariculture with integrated
and multi-sectoral approach will be launched.

8. Tourism
•• States will be encouraged to take up comprehensive
development of iconic tourist centres, branding and marketing
them at global scale.
•• A framework for rating of the centres based on quality of
facilities and services will be established.
•• Long-term interest free loans will be provided to States for
�nancing such development on matching basis.
•• For domestic tourism— projects for port connectivity,
tourism infrastructure, and amenities will be taken up on our
islands. It will also include Lakshadweep.
Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha Lakshmikanth
9. FDI
•• �e FDI in�ow during 2014-23 was USD 596 billion marking a
golden era. �at is twice the in�ow during 2005-14.
•• For encouraging sustained foreign investment– Negotiating
bilateral investment treaties with the foreign partners, in the spirit of
‘�rst develop India’.

10. Population Growth and Demographic changes

•• �e Government will form a high-powered committee for an
extensive consideration of the challenges

11. Reforms in the States

•• A provision of seventy-�ve thousand crore rupees as ��y-year
interest free loan is proposed this year to support reforms by the
State Governments.

12. Revised Estimates 2023-24

•• �e Revised Estimate of the total receipts other than
borrowings is `27.56 lakh crore, of which the tax receipts are
23.24 lakh crore.
•• �e Revised Estimate of the total expenditure is `44.90 lakh
crore.
Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha Lakshmikanth

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

•• �e revenue receipts at `30.03 lakh crore are expected to be

higher than the Budget Estimate.
•• �e Revised Estimate of the �scal de�cit is 5.8 per cent of
GDP

13. Budget Estimates 2024-25

•• �e �scal de�cit in 2024-25 is estimated to be 5.1 per cent of
GDP, adhering to that path.
•• �e scheme of ��y-year interest free loan for capital
expenditure to states will be continued this year with total outlay of
`1.3 lakh crore.
•• The total receipts other than borrowings and the total
expenditure are estimated at `30.80 and 47.66 lakh crore
respectively.
•• �e tax receipts are estimated at `26.02 lakh crore.

14. Direct taxes

•• Over the last ten years, the direct tax collections have more
than trebled and the return �lers swelled to 2.4 times.
Under the new tax scheme, there is now no tax liability for tax
payers with income up to `7 lakh, up from `2.2 lakh in the
�nancial year 2013-14. Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha Lakshmikanth
•• �e threshold for presumptive taxation for retail businesses
was increased from `2 crore to `3 crore.
•• �e threshold for professionals eligible for presumptive
taxation was increased from `50 lakh to `75 Lakh.
•• Corporate tax rate was decreased from 30 per cent to 22 per
cent for existing domestic companies and to 15 per cent for certain
new manufacturing companies.
•• �e age-old jurisdiction-based assessment system was
transformed with the introduction of Faceless Assessment and
Appeal, thereby imparting greater e�ciency, transparency and
accountability.
•• Introduction of updated income tax returns, a new Form
26AS and pre�lling of tax returns have made �ling of tax returns
simpler and easier.
•• Average processing time of returns has been reduced from 93
days in the year 2013-14 to a mere ten days this year, thereby
making refunds faster.

15. Indirect Taxes

•• GST has reduced the compliance burden on trade and industry.
•• Tax base of GST more than doubled.
•• �e average monthly gross GST collection has almost Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha Lakshmikanth

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

doubled to `1.66 lakh crore.

•• States’ SGST revenue, including compensation
released to states, in the post-GST period of 2017-18 to
2022-23, has achieved a buoyancy of 1.22.
•• Number of steps were taken in Customs to
facilitate international trade.

16. Tax Proposals

•• No changes relating to taxation — same tax rates
for direct taxes and indirect taxes including import
duties.
•• Withdrawal of outstanding direct tax demands
(petty, non-veri�ed, non-reconciled or disputed direct
tax demands, many of them dating as far back as the
year 1962) up to twenty-�ve thousand rupees ( 25,000)
pertaining to the period up to �nancial year 2009-10 and
up to ten-thousand rupees
( 10,000) for �nancial years 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Brush up the basics:

A� WHAT IS INTERIM BUDGET OR VOTE ON
ACCOUNT?
A vote on account, also known as interim Budget,
essentially means that the government seeks the approval
of Parliament for meeting expenditure for the �rst four
months of the �scal year (April-March) — paying Image credits: Shameen Alauddin, Prathiksha Lakshmikanth
salaries, ongoing programmes in various sectors etc — with
no changes in the taxation structure, until a new government takes over and presents a full Budget that is revised for the full �scal.

B� WHY PRESENT A VOTE ON ACCOUNT?

�e reasoning is that there is little time to get approvals from Parliament for various grants to ministries and departments, and
to debate these as well as any provisions for changes in taxation. More importantly, the reasoning is that it would be the prerogative
of the new government to signal its policy direction, which is o�en re�ected in the Budget. So, starting 1948, when Finance
Minister R K Shanmukham Chetty presented a vote on account and followed it up with Independent India’s �rst regular budget,
most governments have followed this convention.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Why the Union Budget’s plans for deep

tech and research funding are significant
Wri�en by Amitabh Sinha

�e separate announcements on the fund and defence deep tech are intricately linked, and must be seen together with the
government’s other plans for the R&D sector.

People watching Budget speech at an Electronic shop in Kolkata. Express photo

I
n her Interim Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1 lakh crore fund to provide long-term,
low-cost or zero-interest loans for research and development.
She also promised to launch a new scheme to strengthen deep-tech capabilities in the defence sector — an announcement
that is likely to be followed up later in the year with a larger policy to promote deep tech startups across all sectors, not just defence.
�e separate announcements on the fund and defence deep tech are intricately linked, and must be seen together with the
government’s other plans for the R&D sector.

Why deep tech matters

Deep tech refers to advanced and disruptive technologies, many of which are still under development, that have the potential to
trigger transformative change, and provide solutions for the future.
�e term is used to describe cutting-edge research in nanotechnology, biotechnology, material sciences, quantum technologies,
semiconductors, arti�cial intelligence, data sciences, robotics, 3D printing, etc. �ese technologies are expected to play a key role to
address complex global challenges like climate change, hunger, epidemics, energy access, mobility, physical and digital
infrastructure, and cyber security.
Advanced capabilities in deep tech are also likely to enhance productivity and drive economic growth and create jobs in coming
years, and o�er competitive advantage to countries with strong foundations in these areas.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Allocations for Science research in the Union Budget 2024-25.

With its large base of relatively high-quality science and engineering manpower and a fairly well-established technology culture,
India feels it is well placed to be one of the frontrunners in these areas. �ere is scope to contribute to the development of these
technologies, which can ensure early adoption, shares in intellectual property, indigenous know-how, and self-reliance. Major
associated bene�ts in terms of spin-o� technologies, trained manpower, entrepreneurship and technology exports can accrue as well.

Building an ecosystem
Over the past few years, the government has tried to incentivise research in some of these areas by setting up a National Mission
on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage and, more recently, a National Quantum Mission.
Last year, a policy framework to create an enabling environment for companies working in these technology areas was �nalised.
�e National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP), piloted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and the
O�ce of the Principal Scienti�c Adviser, is currently awaiting government approval.
�e policy seeks to address speci�c challenges faced by technology startups, and to provide them with a platform to compete and
collaborate with the best in the world. �e idea is to create a deep tech startup ecosystem by o�ering the right incentives to
companies that invest time and money in innovation and research. More than 10,000 startups working in these technology domains
were identi�ed as part of the e�ort.
�e NDTSP talks about some of the things that need to be done in this regard: create opportunities for long-term funding; a
simpli�ed but stronger intellectual property rights regime; tax incentives; a conducive regulatory framework; development of
standards and certi�cations; nurturing of talent; and linkages between industry, research centres, and educational institutions.

The challenge of funding

One of the key policy recommendations in the NDTSP is to open up opportunities for long-term funding of research projects. It
acknowledges that most deep tech projects are time- and money-intensive, with relatively high funding requirements.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Lack of adequate research funding has been a major complaint of the scienti�c community. India’s expenditure on research is far
below the global average, and signi�cantly lower than the scienti�cally advanced countries with which India competes.
For more than two decades now, the Indian government’s stated objective has been to allocate at least 2% of GDP for research and
development. Absolute spending has increased, but expenditure on research as a share of GDP has come down in the last few years.
India currently spends just about 0.65% of its national GDP on research and development activities. �e global average is about 1.8%.
Going by recent decisions, the thinking in the government seems to be that R&D spends cannot rise substantially without
partnering with the private sector. E�orts are being made to create better synergies between industry, research labs, and educational
institutions in order to broad-base both research activity and the funds to support it. �e National Research Foundation (NRF), which
became operational on Tuesday, seeks to do this — about 70% of the Rs 50,000 allocation for NRF over the next �ve years is supposed
to come from private industry.

The 1 lakh crore corpus

It is here that the Rs 1 lakh crore corpus to �nance research and development Over the past few
becomes important. Startups and other private sector ventures who can obtain seed years, the
money for their projects are expected to be the main bene�ciaries. �e idea is to start the government has
�ow of money in the research ecosystem — and the hope is that as projects take o�,
tried to incentivise
industry would be encouraged to invest its own money, and the pool would grow,
bene�ting everyone in the research community. research in some of these
But many in the scienti�c community remain sceptical. Expectations of the infusion areas by se�ing up a
of private sector money into research have been belied earlier. Finance has been both National Mission on
unpredictable and inadequate. Scientists say too much is expected from the private
sector without commensurate increase in funding by the government. Transformative Mobility
Even where funds are available, delays and interruptions in disbursal o�en a�ects and Ba�ery Storage and,
projects. Complex bureaucratic requirements contribute to delays. more recently, a National
As of now, the government seems to be banking heavily on the success of its new
Quantum Mission.
initiatives to infuse money into research. �ere have been only nominal increases in
budgetary allocations of its science and research departments in the Interim Budget.
(See Table)
�e highest increase, for CSIR, which runs a network of 37 labs, is all of about 9%, and the poster-boy Department of Space has
received only a 4% increment in its budget. �e Departments of Atomic Energy and Biotechnology, and the Ministry of Earth
Sciences have actually had their budgets slashed.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Interim budget mentions blue economy

2.0: What this means
By: Explained Desk

What does the Interim Budget say about blue economy? Why is this signi�cant for India?

The Interim Budget says a scheme for coastal aquaculture and mariculture will be launched. (Express file photo for representation)

T
he Interim Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on �ursday (February 1) stressed on environment-
friendly development through the promotion of ‘blue economy’.
“For promoting climate resilient activities for blue economy 2.0, a scheme for restoration and adaptation measures, and
coastal aquaculture and mariculture with integrated and multi-sectoral approach will be launched,” Sitharaman said in her speech.
What is blue economy and why is it important? We explain.

What is blue economy?

While the term blue economy can simply refer to economic activities related to the sea and the coasts, it is
generally understood to have an element of sustainability in it. �us, while the European Commission de�nes it
as “all economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts. It covers a wide range of interlinked established and
emerging sectors”; the World Bank says blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic
growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.”
For a country like India, with a long coastline, diversity in terms of �sh and other ocean produce, and
multiple tourism opportunities, blue economy is highly signi�cant.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

What does the Interim Budget propose to do about blue economy?

As Sitharaman said, “a scheme for restoration and adaptation measures, and coastal aquaculture and mariculture with
integrated and multi-sectoral approach will be launched.”
Restoration and adaptation will ensure the health of the oceans is not harmed while carrying out economic activities.
While aquaculture is a broad term that refers to the farming of aquatic plants and animals, mariculture refers to rearing and
harvesting marine creatures in salt water.
According to ANI, the Finance minister also announced the setting up of �ve integrated aquaparks, and said the Pradhan
Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) would be stepped up to “enhance aquaculture productivity from the existing three to
�ve tonnes per hectare; double exports to Rs 1 lakh crore; and generate 55 lakh employment opportunities in the near future.”

Does India have a blue economy policy?

�e Budget document refers to blue economy 2.0. A dra� policy framework on While aquaculture
India’s Blue Economy was �rst released in July 2022. According to PIB, the policy is a broad term that
document contained “key recommendations on National Accounting Framework
for Blue Economy and Ocean Governance, Coastal Marine Spatial Planning and refers to the
Tourism Priority, Marine Fisheries, Aquaculture and Fish Processing. farming of aquatic plants
Manufacturing, Emerging Industries, Trade, Technology, Services and Skill and animals, mariculture
Development, Logistics, Infrastructure and Shipping, Coastal and Deep-Sea Mining
and O�shore Energy and Security, Strategic Dimensions and International
refers to rearing and
Engagement.” harvesting marine
When the G20 summit was hosted in New Delhi under India’s presidency, the creatures in salt water.
Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) chaired the Engagement Group for
Supreme Audit Institutions (SAls) of the member countries in June 2023. Two
priorities for the SAI20 deliberations were blue economy and responsible Arti�cial Intelligence.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

In Interim Budget 2024, Sitharaman says

use of Nano DAP to be expanded: What is
this made-in-India fertiliser?
By: Explained Desk

Compared to conventional di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), nano DAP has certain major bene�ts. We explain.

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah addresses a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of liquid nano DAP
manufacturing plant of IFFCO in Kandla, Kutch in April 2023. (Express Photo)

F
inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the interim budget on �ursday (February 1), announced the
expansion of the application of Nano DAP on various crops in all agro climatic zones.
“A�er the successful adoption of Nano Urea, application of Nano DAP, on various crops, will be expanded in all
agro-climatic zones,” the �nance minister said.
What is Nano DAP — and why does the government want to expand its use? We explain.
DAP vs Nano DAP
DAP, or di-ammonium phosphate, is the second most commonly used fertiliser in India a�er urea. It is high in phosphorus
(P) that stimulates root establishment and development — without which plants cannot grow to their normal size, or will take
too long to mature. It is thus applied just before, or at the time of sowing.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Home Minister Amit Shah, last April, launched Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative’s (IFFCO’s) Nano DAP, containing
8% Nitrogen and 16% Phosphorus by volume. Unlike conventional DAP, which comes in granular form, IFFCO’s Nano DAP
is in liquid form.
IFFCO’s website says that this formulation “has [an] advantage in terms of surface area to volume, as its particle size is less
than 100 Nanometre (nm).”
�is tiny particle size makes Nano DAP more e�cient than its conventional counterpart, enabling the fertiliser “to enter
easily inside the seed surface or through stomata and other plant openings”. Better assimilation of the fertiliser inside the
plant system in turn leads to “higher seed vigour, more chlorophyll, photosynthetic e�ciency, better quality and increase in
crop yields.”

Why Nano DAP

In addition to being more e�cient than conventional DAP, Nano DAP has a few other bene�ts.
First, it is more pocket-friendly than its conventional counterpart. A 500 ml bottle of Nano DAP, equivalent to a 50-kg bag of
conventional DAP, is priced at only Rs 600 (compared to Rs 1,350 for the bag). Since the government provides signi�cant subsidies
on DAP, the adoption of a more inexpensive fertiliser will likely be a signi�cant relief to the government’s subsidy burden.
Second, for farmers, Nano DAP is also signi�cantly more convenient. Simply put, 500 ml bottles are easier to transport, store, and
use than 50kg bags. �e fertiliser is sprayed on crops, with a 250-500 ml of DAP, dissolved in water, required per spray, per acre.
Most importantly, however, India currently imports signi�cant quantities of fertiliser to meet domestic demand. �e adoption of
domestically-produced Nano DAP — produced in Kalol, Gujarat — is set to signi�cantly reduce this import burden.
“�is revolutionary step will not only take Indian agriculture forward in foodgrain production but it will also make India
self-reliant in fertiliser production,” Home Minister Shah said last year, while launching the product. �is message was reinforced
a�er FM Sitharaman’s announcement earlier today.
“�is [adoption of Nano DAP] will help in achieving self-su�ciency in fertilisers and greatly bene�t our farmers,” Mansukh
Mandaviya, Union Minister of Chemical and Fertilisers, posted on X.

HOME MINISTER AMIT SHAH, LAST APRIL, LAUNCHED INDIAN

FARMERS FERTILISER COOPERATIVE’S (IFFCO’S) NANO DAP,
CONTAINING 8% NITROGEN AND 16% PHOSPHORUS BY VOLUME.
UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL DAP, WHICH COMES IN GRANULAR
FORM, IFFCO’S NANO DAP IS IN LIQUID FORM.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Health Budget 2024: Three big

announcements, here’s all you need to know
Wri�en by Anonna Du�

Cervical cancer in
focus, Ayushman
Bharat extended

U
nion Finance
Minister
Nirmala
Sitharaman announced
that the government will
encourage vaccination
for prevention of
cervical cancer in girls
between the ages of nine
and 14 years and expand
the Ayushman Bharat
insurance scheme to
cover ASHA and The quadrivalent vaccine, which is likely to be used for the campaign, will prevent infections with the four
anganwadi workers. most common cancer-causing types of HPV --- 16, 18, 6 and 11. (Representational Photo)
�e scheme, which
provides Rs 5 lakh family cover to the poorest 40 per cent of the country, will now be a big relief for ASHA workers, who are referred
to as the fourth tier of public health in India and are responsible for the implementation of all the government schemes that have to
reach people’s doors. Anganwadi workers and helpers, on the other hand, are responsible for providing child care and nutrition
services. Both were crucial during the community prevention and treatment drive during the Covid years.
While the number of medical seats in institutions has doubled over the last ten years, the Finance Minister said that the
government plans to set up more medical colleges. �ere were over one lakh MBBS seats for the current batch. “Several youth are
ambitious to get quali�ed as doctors. �ey aim to serve our people through improved healthcare services. Our government plans to
set up more medical colleges by utilising the existing hospital infrastructure under various departments. A committee for this
purpose will be set up to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations,” the minister said.
All medical colleges have to be associated with a fully functioning tertiary care hospital. �e government already has a scheme
for upgradation of district hospitals to medical colleges.
�e minister also said that a vaccine management platform U-Vin — along the lines of CoWIN used for
the Covid-19 vaccination programme — will be rolled out across the country. “�e newly designed U-Vin platform for managing
immunisation and intensi�ed e�orts of mission Indradhanush will be rolled out expeditiously throughout the country,” the Minister
said. Other than that, “various schemes for maternal and child health will be brought under one comprehensive programme for
synergy in implementation,” she added.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced the government’s intention to include the vaccine against human
papilloma virus (HPV) in its immunisation programme. “Our Government will encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of
9 to 14 years for prevention of cervical cancer,” she said in her budget speech.
�e Indian Express had previously reported that the government was likely to roll out the HPV vaccination campaign by the
second quarter of this year, covering all eligible girls in three phases over three years. �e vaccine would then be included as part of
routine immunisation for girls at age nine. �e campaign would use the indigenously developed vaccine, marketed by Serum

16
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Institute of India, called Cervavac. A Lancet study had found this to be as e�ective as global vaccines. “I applaud the government’s
announcement to vaccinate girls aged 9-14 against cervical cancer. Let’s pledge to prevent HPV and ensure easy access to
vaccination,” said Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII.
At present, the quadrivalent vaccine is commercially available at a cost of Rs 2,000 per dose. �e only other HPV vaccine that
protects against four most common types of HPV is available at the cost of Rs 4,000 per dose

How does a vaccination campaign help?

With more than 95 per cent of all cervical cancer cases linked to persistent infection with a certain high-risk type of HPV, a
government vaccination campaign can e�ectively reduce incidence and death. HPV infection is also linked to cancers of the
anus, vagina and oropharynx, so a vaccination campaign is likely to cause a drop in the incidence of these as well.
�e quadrivalent vaccine, which is likely to be used for the campaign, will prevent infections with the four most common
cancer-causing types of HPV — 16, 18, 6 and 11. Cervical cancer continues to be the second most common cancer in women
in India, with 1.25 lakh cases reported each year and 75,000 deaths.

Who will get the vaccines and where? While all HPV
All girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years will receive the vaccines in their vaccines available
schools or nearby government primary health centres over the next three years. �e globally state that a
Health Ministry, Women and Child Development Ministry and the Education
ministry will help in rolling out the campaign.
two-dose schedule has to
Nearly eight crore children between the ages of nine and 14 years will be eligible be followed, the World
for the vaccine across the country. When divided over three years, there will be at Health Organisation
least 2.6 crore children eligible during the �rst year. In addition to these 2.6 crore
(WHO) says that even a
children, another 50 lakh to 1 crore children, who will turn nine in the places where
the campaign has already been rolled out, will need the vaccine doses during the single dose has
second and third year. “strikingly high efficacy.”
How is the government preparing to roll out the vaccine?
While the government is still working on procurement of vaccines, other preparations are already under way. O�cials
from various states con�rmed that workshops on administering HPV vaccine were conducted in 2023. O�cials from all three
coordinating ministries will be trained to ensure e�ective availability of vaccines at centres.
�ere is also preparation on communication before the vaccine is rolled out to ensure there is no hesitancy. �e National
Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) had also recommended that the Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) conduct trials on the e�cacy of a single-dose regimen of HPV vaccine in the age group of 9-15 years. While all HPV
vaccines available globally state that a two-dose schedule has to be followed, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that
even a single dose has “strikingly high e�cacy.”

What is the current evidence on the vaccine?

�ere are over 100 countries that have HPV vaccination programmes and have seen a decline in cervical cancer cases.
While the vaccines were initially approved for preventing HPV infection, by late 2000s evidence emerged that vaccination
reduced the incidence of pre-cancerous lesions. In 2020 and 2021, studies from Sweden and England also demonstrated that
vaccination in teenage years could reduce the risk of cervical cancer by over 85 per cent at age 30.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE HISTORY & CULTURE

On the long journey to freedom:

Gandhi, Bose and many others
Wri�en by Arjun Sengupta

As Bipan Chandra and the others wrote: “�e British decision to transfer power was not merely a response to the
immediate situation prevailing in the winter of 1945-46, but a result of their realisation that their legitimacy to rule had
been irrevocably eroded over the years.”

Mahatma Gandhi with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 1938. (Express Archives)

T
amil Nadu Governor R N Ravi recently said that it was Subhash Chandra Bose, not the Indian National
Congress or Mahatma Gandhi, who should be credited for compelling the British to leave India in 1947.
However, the circumstances that marked that period suggest that a number of factors — from Britain’s �scal
position to growing nationalist sentiment — played a role in India’s journey towards Independence.
Congress’ “inaction” post Quit India
While saying the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi had a minimal impact on Britain’s eventual decision to grant India

18
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

freedom, Governor Ravi cited the Congress’s “inaction” post-1942.

�e period of “inaction”, however, coincided with the British moving to crush the Congress in response to the Quit India
Movement that was launched on August 8, 1942. By August 9, the Congress’s entire leadership, including Nehru, Gandhi, and
Vallabhai Patel, was arrested, e�ectively obliterating the party’s organisation.
�is led to a surge of nationalist sentiment among the masses, who took to the streets with hartals, public demonstrations and
processions.
“�e Quit India Movement marked a new high in terms of popular participation in the national movement and sympathy
with the national cause,” historian Bipan Chandra and others wrote in India’s Struggle for Independence (1989). But faced with
brutal repression and e�ectively leaderless, the mass movement �zzled out within a few months.
�us, till the end of World War 2 in 1945, when senior Congress leaders were �nally released, the national movement had
taken on a far more discreet form. �us, while young Congress leaders organised themselves underground, a nationwide mass
movement was out of the question.
However, the impact of the Quit India Movement in framing India’s nationalist discourse was nonetheless signi�cant. As
Chandra and the others wrote, “A�er ‘Quit India,’ there could be no retreat. Any future negotiations with the British Government
could only be on the manner of the transfer of power.”
Furthermore, post-War, British excesses carried out during the Quit India Movement played a part in catalysing a national
upsurge that would eventually culminate with 1947.

Bose’s INA and its impact AFTER SPENDING ALL HIS

Governor Ravi, in his speech, credited Subhas Chandra Bose for POLITICAL LIFE IN THE
“reigniting” the freedom struggle. CONGRESS, BOSE HAD A
A�er spending all his political life in the Congress, Bose had a �nal
falling out with its leadership over how to respond to World War II.
FINAL FALLING OUT WITH
While Nehru and Gandhi did not want to have any truck with the ITS LEADERSHIP OVER HOW
fascists, Bose was more open to allying with his enemy’s enemy. A�er TO RESPOND TO WORLD
escaping from house arrest in Calcutta in January 1941, he travelled to WAR II. WHILE NEHRU AND
Germany via Afghanistan and the USSR (German-occupied
territories) and met with Hitler and Goebbels seeking support for GANDHI DID NOT WANT TO
India’s independence movement. He then travelled to Japan and met HAVE ANY TRUCK WITH
with Prime Minister Hideki Tojo to do the same. THE FASCISTS, BOSE WAS
Finally, he arrived in Singapore and, on July 4, 1943, took charge of
the Indian National Army (INA) with the aim of leading an armed
MORE OPEN TO ALLYING
liberation war. At the time, the force was over a year old but lacked WITH HIS ENEMY’S ENEMY.
vision and leadership. �e charismatic Bose immediately rejuvenated
the INA and, over the next few months, spoke in public rallies across
Japan-occupied Southeast Asia, imploring the Indian diaspora to help his e�ort to bring down the British Empire by force. From only
12,000 men when Bose joined, the INA grew to a nearly 50,000-strong force by the end of the year.
But by the time the INA reached the battle�eld in Northeast India, the tide of the war had turned. Alongside fellow Japanese
soldiers (with whom the INA had its fair share of run-ins), Bose’s army participated in the unsuccessful Imphal o�ensive of 1944,
before being forced to retreat to Burma. A�er Japan’s defence of Burma crumbled in early 1945, the INA marched back to Singapore
in August 1945, only to �nd itself ally-less a�er Japan’s August 15 surrender that e�ectively brought the War to a close.
Bose wanted to stay with his troops for the imminent surrender of the INA, but according to Sugata Bose, he was persuaded to
leave by his subordinates. (His Majesty’s Opponent: Subhas Chandra Bose and India’s Struggle Against Empire, 2011). He died in a
plane crash three days later.
Militarily speaking, the impact of Bose’s INA was negligible. However, its impact on India’s struggle for Independence was more
pronounced in what happened a�erwards.
A�er the War, the British decided to publicly prosecute the most in�uential INA o�cers for high treason. “Not to try them would
be to give indication of weakness; and to tolerate ‘treason’, would be to put the loyalty of the Indian army at risk,” historian Sekhar

19
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Bandyopadhyay wrote in From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India (2004).

�e subsequent Red Fort Trials, held from November 1945 to May 1946, however, unleashed a wave of nationalist sentiment
among the public.
Even the Congress, which had distanced itself from Bose due to his �irtations with fascists, decided to support the INA veterans.
Jawaharlal Nehru himself donned his barrister’s robes — a�er a long time — to defend the INA veterans. “Subhas Bose might have
been a renegade leader who had challenged the authority of the Congress leadership and their principles. But in death he was a
martyred patriot whose memory could be an ideal tool for political mobilisation,” Bandyopadhyay wrote.
Bose had himself predicted this. “… I regret more than you do that your su�erings and sacri�ces have not borne immediate fruit.
But they have not gone in vain, because they…will serve as an undying inspiration to Indians all over the world. Posterity will bless
your name, and will talk with pride about your o�erings at the altar of India’s Freedom…,” he said in a message to his supporters on
July 15. (Sugata Bose’s His Majesty’s Opponent).
�e wave of nationalist sympathy elicited by the trials manifested in the form of public demonstrations, hartals and rising anti-
British sentiment. For the British, particularly concerning was the sympathy that INA soldiers on trial were arousing among Indian
men in the British Indian armed forces.
�e Royal Air Force strikes began on January 22, 1946, near Karachi, and spread to involve nearly 50,000 men over 60 RAF
stations in India, Ceylon, Burma and as far away as Singapore, Egypt, North Africa, and Gibraltar. �e Royal Indian Navy (RIN)
mutiny, from February 18 to 25, 1946, spread from Bombay to Karachi and Calcutta, eventually involving over 20,000 Indian
personnel and 78 ships and shore personnel. �ere was also a short-lived mutiny in the
Jabalpur cantonment in February.
While some historians attribute these uprisings to �e Red Fort trials, several
Even the Congress,
accounts suggest that they were not the only reason for the mutinies in the armed which had
forces against the British. distanced itself
A major factor behind the naval mutiny, for instance, was the swi� post-War from Bose due to his
demobilisation of the RIN. With Britain’s co�ers virtually empty, thousands of ratings
(British term for non-commissioned sailors) were let go with little recognition and even flirtations with fascists,
lesser remuneration. For those who were kept on, working conditions were poor. decided to support the
�ere is also the question of how impactful these mutinies were. Some historians INA veterans. Jawaharlal
suggest that the trials and the mutiny were crucial in guiding Britain’s decision to leave
India. “In the a�ermath of the trial, the very idea of a British Indian Army — an imperial
Nehru himself donned
army — became untenable: the identity of the armed forces had now come to be his barrister’s robes —
grounded in that of the nation to such an extent that there could only be either a British after a long time — to
Army or an Indian Army,” historian Mithi Mukherjee wrote. (�e “Right to Wage War” defend the INA veterans.
against Empire: Anticolonialism and the Challenge to International Law in the Indian
National Army Trial of 1945 in Law and Social Enquiry, 2019).
Others, however, are more circumspect. Chandra wrote: “�ese upsurges demonstrated that despite considerable erosion of the
morale of the bureaucracy and the steadfastness of the armed forces by this time, the British wherewithal to repress was intact.” Unlike
many other historians, they also characterise the upsurges as “an extension of the earlier nationalist activity with which the Congress
was integrally associated.”

The long road to 1947

By 1946, Independence was all but a certainty — the question simply was when it would take place.
For one, the world order had changed profoundly a�er the War. “Although there was no dearth of desire to maintain the
old imperial system of power,” Bandyopadhyay wrote, “a�er the war, worldwide anti-imperialist sentiments, generated by the
very struggle against Nazi Germany and enshrined in the United Nations Charter and its strict trusteeship rules, made the
empire morally indefensible.”
Britain also emerged from the War broke and in debt. Add to this the political situation in India, it became clear that
“India had now certainly become less manageable as a colony — that henceforth it could only be kept under control at a

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

heavy cost, both �nancial and military,” Bandyopadhyay wrote. Post-war Britain simply did not have the capability to incur
these costs. What is clear is that there was no one reason for Britain’s decision to quit India in 1947. Indeed, 1947 was the
culmination of decades of national struggle, mounted by numerous persons, from Gandhi to Bose and Nehru, having widely
varying ideologies and utilising wildly divergent methods.
As Bipan Chandra and the others wrote: “�e British decision to transfer power was not merely a response to the
immediate situation prevailing in the winter of 1945-46, but a result of their realisation that their legitimacy to rule had been
irrevocably eroded over the years.”

Is Lord Krishna’s Dwarka under water?

The many legends, traces of a lost city
Wri�en by Adrija Roychowdhury

PM Narendra Modi recently performed underwater prayers at ‘Dwarka Nagari’, believed to be the kingdom of Lord
Krishna. Since the start of the 20th century, several attempts have been made by scholars to establish the location of Dwarka
as mentioned in the Mahabharata.

Old Dwarkadheesh Temple seen from the Dwarka Beach, Gujarat. (Wikimedia Commons)

21
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Last month Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the pilgrimage town of Dwarka, in Gujarat’s Devbhoomi Dwarka
district, to inaugurate several infrastructural projects, including the Sudarshan Setu, India’s longest cable-stayed project
connecting Okha town with the island of Beyt Dwarka.
He also went scuba diving o� the Panchkui beach coast and performed underwater prayers at the site of what’s considered
to be Dwarka Nagari – the mythological kingdom of Lord Krishna in the Mahabharata.
“I spent those moments which will stay with me forever. I went into the deep sea and saw ancient Dwarika ji. Archeologists
have written a lot about submerged Dwarika…While I was seeing Dwarikaji inside the sea, I was experiencing the same
grandeur and divinity,” the PM said in his address later.
Since the
Dwarka in mythology
beginning of the
Dwarka has immense signi�cance in Hindu culture due to its association with
Lord Krishna and the Mahabharata. It is believed that a�er killing his uncle Kamsa, 20th century,
Krishna migrated from Mathura to Dwarka with his Yadava clan, and founded his multiple a�empts have
kingdom here by reclaiming 12 yojana land from the sea. been made by scholars to
References in the Vishnu Purana suggest that Dwarka was a city of beautiful
gardens, moats, ponds and palaces. �e town, however, is believed to have been
establish the precise
submerged under the sea a�er the death of Lord Krishna. location of ‘Dwarka’ as
mentioned in the
Locating Dwarka
Mahabharata.
Present-day Dwarka is a coastal town located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch,
facing the Arabian Sea. �e town is a part of the Krishna pilgrimage circuit, which
includes Vrindavan, Mathura, Govardhan, Kurukshetra and Puri, and is home to the 13th-century Dwarkadheesh temple
dedicated to Lord Krishna. �ere are a number of other places scattered along the Saurashtra coast that �nd a mention in
legends associated with Lord Krishna, including Bet Dwarka and Mul Dwarka.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, multiple attempts have been made by scholars to establish the precise location of
‘Dwarka’ as mentioned in the Mahabharata. Most of these accounts, however, relied on ancient literature and works of other
scholars.
Is it the same as present-day Dwarka? A town that possibly now lies under the sea? Or a mythological town whose
historical authenticity may never be established?
As noted by Alok Tripathi, Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in his paper,
‘Excavations at Dwarka-2007’ (2013), F E Pargiter, the British civil servant and orientalist who was judge at the Calcutta High
Court in 1904, had in his translation of the Markandeya Purana suggested for the �rst time that Dwarka was located on the
‘Raivataka’, a mountain range mentioned in the Mahabharata, and which is believed to be the present-day Girnar hills in
Junagadh, around 200 km away from Dwarka town.
Tripathi also quoted historian A S Altekar, who, in the 1920s, “discussed that modern Dwarka may not have been as old as
1200 BCE, but accepted that it had been submerged as mentioned in some ancient texts”.
Scholar A D Pulsakar in his 1943 essay, ‘Historicity of Krishna’, suggested that present-day Dwarka is the same as the one
mentioned in the Mahabharata. Similar thoughts were expressed by archaeologist H D Sankalia in the 1960s.

Archaeological findings on land

From the 1960s onwards, attention shi�ed from ancient literature to �nding material evidence for the existence of Lord
Krishna’s Dwarka.
While the early excavations focused on land around present-day Dwarka, as speculation over a submerged city heightened,
later explorations were conducted under water.
�e �rst excavation was carried out close to the Dwarkadheesh temple in 1963 by the Deccan College in Pune, in
association with the Gujarat government’s Department of Archaeology. �e excavation had to be carried out in a very limited
area since the region around the temple is heavily populated. �e excavations revealed that the place had been inhabited for

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

the last 2,000 years. “�ese �ndings did not support the traditional identi�cation with the legendary city, but inspired others
to continue their quest and take up further studies,” wrote ASI ADG Tripathi.
In 1979, the ASI carried out a second round of excavations under the leadership of archaeologist S R Rao in the area
around the Dwarkadheesh Temple during the development of the area.
Tripathi explained in his work that although no o�cial report of this excavation was published, the brief review by the ASI
Director-General at that time mentioned the �nding of remains of three earlier temples and Lustrous Red Ware pottery that
could be dated to mid-second millennium BCE.

WHILE THE EARLY EXCAVATIONS FOCUSED ON LAND AROUND

PRESENT-DAY DWARKA, AS SPECULATION OVER A SUBMERGED
CITY HEIGHTENED, LATER EXPLORATIONS WERE CONDUCTED
UNDER WATER. THE FIRST EXCAVATION WAS CARRIED OUT
CLOSE TO THE DWARKADHEESH TEMPLE IN 1963 BY THE
DECCAN COLLEGE IN PUNE, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE GUJARAT
GOVERNMENT’S DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY.

The underwater search

�e �ndings triggered further interest around Dwarka and consequently led to speculations of a submerged ancient
settlement.
For the next two decades, a long, archaeological quest was carried out by a team of marine archaeologists and scientists
from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), a laboratory under the Council of Scienti�c and Industrial Research
(CSIR), to �nd the ‘sunken’ city in the Arabian Sea.
Marine archaeologist Dr Sila Tripati, who was part of the NIO team from 1988 onwards, said that during the course of the
underwater excavations, they found about “200 stone anchors, stone structures, stone sculptures, small pieces pottery, some
pieces of marble statues, iron anchors and other metal objects”.
Talking to �e Indian Express, Sila Tripati explained that the material found was dated by comparing them to the �ndings
from nearby areas. “When it comes to the archaeological excavations in Dwarka, one needs to take into account the entire
region that includes Bet Dwarka, Nageshwar, Pindara, Gopi Talab among others, all of which are located at a distance of less
than 30 kilometres from the town of Dwarka,” he said.
“During our excavations and explorations at Bet Dwarka, on one side of the island we found evidence dating to the early
historical period (from sixth century BCE to sixth century CE). On the other side of Bet Dwarka island, we found evidence
from the late Harappan period (approximately 1900 to 1300 BCE). Since the stone anchors found underwater at Dwarka were
similar to the Late Harappan �ndings at Bet Dwarka, we concluded that they were from the same period,” he stated, before
underlining that most scholars agree that the Late Harappan era was the period of the Mahabharata.
ASI’s Alok Tripathi, however, suggested in his paper that the �ndings of the NIO, despite generating a lot of public interest,
lacked clarity.
Consequently, between 2005 and 2007, another round of underwater excavations was carried out, this time by the
Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) of the ASI, which was led by Alok Tripathi.
�e underwater excavations, however, revealed that the structural remains found scattered on the sea bed were not in situ,
but transported by waves and current. In other words, the artefacts were lying exposed and not buried deep and undisturbed
for thousands of years. Consequently, it was not possible to assign a speci�c date to them.
�e search continues.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE POLITY

How Supreme Court interpreted

privilege for lawmakers
Wri�en by Apurva Vishwanath ,
Ajoy Sinha Karpuram

�e SC held that both the court

and Parliament can exercise
jurisdiction on the actions of
lawmakers in parallel. �is is
because the purpose of
punishment by the House is
di�erent from the purpose of a
criminal trial.

A
seven-judge
Constitution Bench of
the Supreme Court,
headed by Chief Justice of
India DY Chandrachud, ruled
that lawmakers facing bribery
charges in connection with The court also had to decide if a lawmaker gets immunity if he accepts a bribe but votes as per
their speech and votes in the his conscience or party line and not as per the request of the bribe-giver. (Express Photo by
House cannot be immune Tashi Tobgyal)
from criminal prosecution. In
doing so, the Court held that claims to parliamentary privilege by lawmakers can be subject to judicial review, and only
Parliament cannot have the last word on the issue.
Apart from CJI Chandrachud, Justices AS Bopanna, MM Sundaresh, PS Narasimha, JB Pardiwala, Sanjay Kumar
and Manoj Mishra were part of the Bench.

What the law says, what court had to decide

Article 105(2) of the Constitution states: “No member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court
in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in the Parliament or any committee thereof, and no person shall
be so liable in respect of the publication by or under the authority of a House of Parliament of any report, paper, votes
or proceedings.”
Article 194(2) provides identical protections to members of state Assemblies.
Before the seven-judge Bench was essentially the interpretation of this provision. �is provision was previously
interpreted in the 1998 JMM Bribery ruling, so the correctness of that ruling had to be tested.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Interpreting the law on privileges

Tracing the history of
parliamentary privileges
in India, the SC said that
unlike the House of
Commons in the UK,
India does not have
‘ancient and undoubted’
rights vested a�er a
struggle between
Parliament and the King.
�ese rights in India, even
during colonial times,
have �own from a statute,
which a�er independence The seven-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud pronounces the
transitioned to a verdict, Monday. (PTI)
constitutional privilege.
�is the court cited as reason to interpret privilege in a way that �ts with the larger ideals of the Constitution.
�ere are two components of parliamentary privilege. One is what the House exercises collectively — which would include the
power to punish for its contempt, the power to conduct its own a�airs, among others. �e second is for individual rights — say exercise
of free speech by each member. �is, the court said, has to pass a test.
�e ruling cited the “necessity test”, which means that for a member to exercise a privilege, the privilege must be such that without it
“they could not discharge their functions.” Naturally, accepting bribes cannot be said to be necessary to discharge one’s functions as a
lawmaker, unlike, for example, having the right to free speech.
�e court also said that the Constitution envisions probity in public life. “Corruption and bribery of members of the legislature erode
the foundation of Indian Parliamentary democracy. It is destructive of the aspirational and deliberative ideals of the Constitution and
creates a polity which deprives citizens of a responsible, responsive and representative democracy,” the ruling stated.
Graft-vote or vote of conscience
�e court also had to decide if a lawmaker gets immunity if he accepts a bribe but votes as per his conscience or party line and not as
per the request of the bribe-giver. Essentially, without a quid pro quo, can accepting money still be equated to gra�?
�e Court analysed Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with ‘o�ence relating to public servant being bribed’.
“�e mere “obtaining”, “accepting” or “attempting” to obtain an undue advantage with the intention to act or forbear from acting in a
certain way is su�cient to complete the o�ence. It is not necessary that the act for which the bribe is given be actually performed,” the
court said. �is means that accepting a bribe is an o�ence as is, and it does not depend on whether the public servant acted di�erently.
�e Court also said that it would be a violation of the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution to create “an illegitimate
class of public servants which is a�orded extraordinary protection.” Such a classi�cation, the court said, would be manifestly arbitrary.

Court’s power
Since Parliament also has the power to punish its members for contempt — the punishment here could be suspension from the
House and even sentencing to jail term — the SC had to decide whether this meant courts had no role to play.
�e SC held that both the court and Parliament can exercise jurisdiction on the actions of lawmakers in parallel. �is is because the
purpose of punishment by the House is di�erent from the purpose of a criminal trial.
“�e issue of bribery is not one of exclusivity of jurisdiction by the House over its bribe-taking members. �e purpose of a House
acting against a contempt by a member for receiving a bribe serves a purpose distinct from a criminal prosecution,” the court said.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

���������������������������������������������
Mauritius: Its strategic significance
vis-a-vis Maldives and China
Wri�en by Shubhajit Roy

India has deep strategic stakes in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi has to manage its diplomatic relationships with the
governments of island nations in the region while continuously pursuing its strategic interests.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth a�ends the inauguration ceremony of several
India-assisted development projects at the Agalega Island in Mauritius, via a video conference, on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (PTI
Photo)

26
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

T
he �rst team of Indian “technical personnel” reached the Maldives to take charge of one of the three aviation
platforms stationed in the country. �ey will replace Indian military personnel whose �rst batch is required to leave
the islands by March 10.
On �ursday (February 29), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius jointly
inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty that India has built on Agaléga, a two-island Mauritian dependency 1,100 km to the north
of Port Louis and 2,500 km southwest of Malé.
As Indian Ocean outposts, Mauritius and the Maldives have great strategic signi�cance for India. New Delhi’s maritime
security and strategic imperatives in the Indian Ocean are linked to the presence and increased activities of China in the
region..

But why is it taking so long to develop the port?

India has traditionally had trouble implementing ambitious infrastructure projects in its neighbourhood — an editorial in
�e Indian Express in 2020 noted: “From Nepal to Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Iran, Delhi has made commitments on building
power projects, highways, railways, and other infrastructure. Each proceeds slowly or not at all.”

The Maldives
case
Soon a�er coming to
power in November 2023,
Mohamed Muizzu, the
pro-China President of
the Maldives, requested
India to withdraw its
military personnel from
his country. Muizzu had
defeated the incumbent
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
in the presidential
election on the “India
Out” plank.
Late on Monday, the
Maldives defence
ministry said the �rst
team of Indian civilians Agalega island map.
had arrived, and would
take charge of the operation of a helicopter in Addu, the country’s southernmost atoll. �e two countries had agreed on
February 2 that India would pull out 80-odd military personnel stationed in the Maldives between March 10 and May 10.
�e Indian Ministry of External A�airs had said that the two helicopters and a Dornier aircra� in the Maldives would be
operated by “competent Indian technical personnel” who would replace the “present personnel”.

The Mauritius case

Following Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Mauritius in March 2015, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the
“improvement in sea and air transportation facilities” at Agaléga island.
�e MoU, signed in the Mauritian capital Port Louis in the presence of Modi and then Prime Minister of Mauritius
Anerood Jugnauth, provided for “setting up and upgradation of infrastructure for improving sea and air connectivity at the
Outer Island of Mauritius which will go a long way in ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants of this remote island…
[and] enhance the capabilities of the Mauritian Defence Forces in safeguarding their interests in the Outer Island”.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

At the inauguration of the new airstrip and jetty on �ursday, Prime Minister Jugnauth recalled that several attempts to
upgrade the airstrip on the 70-sq-km island since 2003 had not been successful. He said that India was committed to assisting
his country, and “deplored” the “India-bashing campaign” by “ill-minded persons in and outside Mauritius”.
“�e March 2015 MoU (to upgrade the airstrip and the Set James jetty) re�ected India’s commitment to continually assist
Mauritius in meeting its development goals satisfying the principles of mutual bene�t…,” Prime Minister Jugnauth said.
“�ere has never been any agenda for Mauritius to relinquish its sovereignty over the Agalega islands, as some ill-minded
persons in and outside Mauritius attempted to make believe. Likewise, there has never been any agenda to transform Agalega
to a military base… I wish to forcefully deplore, condemn India-bashing campaign, some people in Mauritius have
commented,” he said.
�e presence of India would lead to more e�ective monitoring of Mauritius’ vast 2.3 million sq km Exclusive Economic
Zone, and equip it to better counter-piracy, terrorism, narcotics and human tra�cking, and illegal and unregulated �shing,
Prime Minister Jugnauth said.

China in Indian Ocean

China sees great value in having a powerful presence in the Indian Ocean region.
In 2017, China
“Nine of China’s top 10 crude oil suppliers transit the Indian Ocean… [which] is opened its first
also the primary theatre of transit for China for engagements with Africa, Middle overseas military
East, island nations, and littorals across the vast ocean,” Darshana M Baruah, a facility in the Indian
maritime security analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said
in a testimony to the House Foreign A�airs Committee of the United States Ocean in Djibouti on the
Congress in April 2023. Horn of Africa. Analysts
Baruah said the Indian Ocean is “also the main trading route between China and believe that it is only a
Europe”, and “as history will tell us, the �ag follows trade”. �ere was little doubt that
China’s interest in the Indian Ocean would only grow,” she said.
ma�er of time before a
Baruah noted that “China is the only nation with an embassy in each of the six second Chinese military
islands in the Indian Ocean — Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, facility comes up in the
Madagascar, and Comoros”, and “none of the traditional players — the United Indian Ocean.
States, the UK, India, or France have embassies on all six”. Beijing had gone beyond
diplomatic and trade partnerships in the region, and had begun to maintain a
consistent military presence as well, she said.
In 2017, China opened its �rst overseas military facility in the Indian Ocean in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa. Analysts
believe that it is only a matter of time before a second Chinese military facility comes up in the Indian Ocean — whether in
Pakistan, Myanmar, or the western Indian Ocean.

View from New Delhi

India sees the urgency and importance of working with the governments of all these island nations. �e domestic politics
of these nations o�en impact their behaviour and policies abroad — and India will have to manage its diplomatic
relationships well while continuously pursuing its strategic interests in the region.
�e Jugnauth government in Mauritius has so far been able to manage the domestic criticism of India’s presence better
than the Solih government was able to do in the Maldives.
New Delhi will be keenly watching the situation in Malé. �e former Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, who has
recently been elected president of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, said on Saturday that President Muizzu’s
claims about “thousands of Indian military personnel” were “just another in a string of lies”, and that “there are no armed
foreign soldiers stationed in the country”.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE ECONOMY

Beyond MSPs and protests, some basic

facts about Indian farmers
Wri�en by Udit Misra

�e MSP debate is just the tip of a much deeper problem: Indian agriculture has been grossly unremunerative for
most farmers for a long time.

A farmer stands next to a roadblock with inscription reading 'No farmer, no food' during the ongoing farmers'
protest over various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, at the Punjab-
Haryana Shambhu Border, in Patiala district, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (PTI Photo)

A
lot is being written about the latest round of farmer protests and their demand for a legal guarantee backing
MSPs. �e MSPs refer to “minimum support prices” (announced by the government for several crops) and
although they sound innocuous, as the repeated farmer protests underscore, they are routinely contested and
have wide-ranging rami�cations — from how much farmers earn to how much you pay for your food items to how
much the government has to borrow in its annual budget. Here is a basic explainer of what MSPs are and the purpose

29
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

behind them. In the past few years, especially since the current Union government introduced three new farm laws in 2020
(which were repealed a year later), farmer protests have intensi�ed. Unfortunately, although unsurprisingly, the public
opinion on this matter, too, has polarised along political lines. Indeed, the protests and the protesting farmers have become a
bigger talking point than the underlying issues.
�e government’s supporters argue that all the protests are politically motivated while forgetting that it was this very
government that promised a doubling of farmers’ income by 2022. �e Opposition parties are demanding (and indeed
promising) a blanket legal guarantee for MSPs but there is little acknowledgement that India’s farm distress existed before
2014 as well. Here are some facts about India’s farmers that can help put the whole issue in perspective.

1) Agriculture’s lopsided role in national economic output

At the time of Independence, around 70% of India’s total workforce was involved in agriculture. Together, this sector
accounted for 54% of India’s economic output. In other words, even though India was predominantly rural and agrarian,
there was a balance between the proportion of people involved in agriculture and agriculture’s contribution to India’s annual
economic output (measured by GDP or gross domestic product).
But over the decades, agriculture’s contribution to the economy has fallen sharply. As things stand, its contribution has
fallen from 54% to less than 18% of India’s GDP. And yet, over the same period, the proportion of India’s workforce involved
in the farm sector has only declined from 70% to around 55%.

Table 1: Population of agricultural workers

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

�e data highlighted in yellow in TABLE 1 shows how 97.2 million of the 139.5 million workforce — that’s 69.7% — was
working in the farms according to Census 1951. By 2011, this percentage had fallen to only 54.6%. It is noteworthy that this
data is only up to 2011, thanks to India failing to conduct the Census 2021.

2) Rising proportion of farm labourers as against cultivators

Another key metric that shows the worsening state of a�airs is the relative proportion of “cultivators” and “agricultural
labourers” within those who work on farms.
For purposes of the Census, a person is classi�ed as cultivator “if he or she is engaged in cultivation of land owned or held
from government or held from private persons or institutions for payment in money, kind or share.” In other words,
cultivation includes “e�ective super- vision or direction in cultivation”.
On the other hand, a person who works on another person’s land for wages in money or kind or share is regarded as an
agricultural labourer.
As TABLE 1 above again shows, the relative proportion of cultivators (highlighted in green) has fallen from 72% ( of all
farm workers) in 1951 to 45% in 2011 while the proportion of labourers has risen from 28% (of all farm workers) in 1951 to
almost 55% in 2011.
�is means two things. One, it shows the growing infeasibility of farming. Two, it means, with each passing decade the
default notion — that a farmer is someone who owns their land — has become outdated. Indeed, by 2011, most people
engaged on India’s farms were essentially wage labourers, bere� of taking a call on cultivation.

3) Small & marginal land holdings and high levels of indebtedness

Data from TABLE 2, sourced from the latest Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households (Jan-Dec 2019),
shows that most Indian farmers have small and marginal land holdings and, worse, almost half of them are indebted.

Table 2 shows percentage of indebted agricultural households

According to this survey, around 70% of all agricultural households have a land holding size of less than 1 hectare and
around 88% have a land holding size of less than 2 hectares. For reference, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where
India lost the cricket World Cup �nal to Australia last year, is spread over an area of 25 hectares.

31
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

TABLE 2 also highlights the proportion of farmers in each category that are indebted as well as the average outstanding
loan amount.
It is noteworthy that, according to a 2015 study by Ramesh Chand, now a member of Niti Aayog, a plot smaller than 0.63
ha does not provide enough income to stay above the poverty line.

4) Low incomes and

high incidence of
debt across the
country
�e last two columns
of TABLE 3 present a
state-wise picture of income
and indebtedness. States like
Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana had a very high
proportion of farm
households that were
indebted even though
average income levels were
similar to India’s average.
Some states such as West
Bengal and Odisha were
poorly placed on both
parameters — they had
signi�cantly lower levels of
farm incomes while having
average or above-average
proportion of indebted farm
households.
Country-wide, as of 2019,
the average monthly income
per household — a
household typically has �ve
members — was Rs 10, 218
and 50% of all farm
households were indebted.

5) Terms of trade against the farmers

�e last column of TABLE 4 shows the Terms of Trade (ToT) between farmers and non-farmers. �e Terms of Trade is the
ratio between the prices paid by the farmers for their inputs and the prices received by the farmers for their output. If the ToT
is less than 100, it means farmers are worse o�. As TABLE 4 shows, the ToT were negative in 2004-05 but they steadily
improved for the next 6-7 years to hit a high of 102.95 in 2010-11. Since then, however, the ToT have turned negative yet
again and remained stagnant.

6) Worse off than their global counterparts in terms of receiving support

O�en it is claimed that Indian farmers are already receiving too much �nancial support. But data doesn’t back this notion.
For instance, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) collates data on “producer

32
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

protection”. It is de�ned as
“the ratio between the
average price received by
producers (measured at the
farm gate), including net
payments per unit of current
output, and the border price
(measured at the farm gate)”.
For instance, a value of 1.10
suggests that farmers,
overall, received prices that
were 10% above
international market levels.
Look at CHART 5 which
shows that India stands last
(among the countries
compared by OECD) on
producer protection.
Similarly, the OECD
calculates another variable
called “Agricultural support”.
It is de�ned as “the annual
monetary value of gross
transfers to agriculture from
consumers and taxpayers
arising from government
policies that support
agriculture, regardless of
their objectives and
economic impacts”.
CHART 6 shows where
India stands on the “total
support estimate” (TSE),
Table 4: Index of terms of trade between farmers and non-farmers
measured as a percentage of
GDP, relative to other countries and regions.

Upshot:
It would be a mistake to believe that MSP is the only issue, or even the main issue, at play. Indeed, the MSP debate is just
the tip of a much deeper problem: Agriculture is grossly unremunerative for most Indian farmers.
Further, it is also important to understand that the nature of India’s farm distress is structural; in other words, it has not
been triggered by a recent passing event. �e factors responsible for farm distress are long-standing and merely tweaking
MSPs or providing short-term promises will not provide a sustainable solution.
Moreover, relative to their global peers, Indian farmers are not as mollycoddled as they are made out to be.

So, are MSPs the solution to Indian farmer’s woes?

�ere are no easy answers. �e fact is that there are far too many people dependent on India’s farms, which account for a
small portion of economic output. O�en these farms are too small to even keep a family out of poverty. �ere is relatively
little support from the government either through direct income transfers or provisioning of facilities (such as warehouses)

33
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Chart 5: Countries ranked on

producer protection
that may bolster farmers’ ability to
bargain in the market. Not to
mention the fact that the rest of the
economy has not created enough
jobs to pull people out of farms. For
instance, the food processing
industry could have been — it still
can — a great way to raise incomes.
In such a scenario, raising MSPs
alone may not solve the problem.
For more on this, read this rather
hilarious but hugely instructive
anecdote about the time when US
President Jimmy Carter decided to
help America’s milk producers by
buying milk and raising market
prices. Chart 6: Countries ranked on ‘total support estimates’

34
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE ENVIRONMENT

What is carbon capture and

can it help save the planet?
Wri�en by Alind Chauhan

L
ast week, Germany announced
that it would allow carbon
capture and o�-shore storage for
certain industrial sectors, such as cement
production, to help meet its target of
becoming carbon neutral by 2045. �e
country is currently the biggest carbon
dioxide (CO2) emitter in Europe.
Several other countries have also
either implemented carbon capture and
storage (CCS) technologies or plan to do
so. For instance, in November 2023, the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched
a project to suck carbon directly from A protest aganst carbon capture and storage in Torquay, England. (Wikimedia
the air and convert it into rock. With Commons)
the planet getting warmer due to
unprecedented greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, some see carbon capture as a silver bullet that could tackle climate change.
But can carbon capture actually help save the planet? We take a look at the question in this week’s edition of Warming up to
Climate Change — a series of explainers, in which we answer some of the most fundamental questions about climate change,
the science behind it, and its impact. You can scroll down to the end of this article for the �rst eight parts of the series.

First, what is carbon capture and storage?

Simply put, CCS refers to a host of di�erent technologies that capture CO2 emissions from large point sources like re�neries
or power plants and trap them beneath the Earth. Notably, CCS is di�erent from carbon dioxide removal (CDR), where CO2 is
removed from the atmosphere. CCS involves three di�erent techniques of capturing carbon, including post-combustion,
pre-combustion, and oxyfuel combustion.

First, what is carbon capture and storage?

Simply put, CCS refers to a host of di�erent technologies that capture CO2 emissions from large point sources like re�neries
or power plants and trap them beneath the Earth. Notably, CCS is di�erent from carbon dioxide removal (CDR), where CO2 is
removed from the atmosphere.
CCS involves three di�erent techniques of capturing carbon, including post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel
combustion. In post-combustion, CO2 is removed a�er the fossil fuel has been burnt. By using a chemical solvent, CO2 is

35
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

separated from the exhaust or ‘�ue’ gases and then captured.

Pre-combustion involves removing CO2 before burning the fossil fuel. “First, the fossil fuel is partially burned in a ‘gasi�er’ to form
synthetic gas. CO2 can be captured from this relatively pure exhaust stream,” according to a report by the British Geological Survey.
�e method also generates hydrogen, which is separated and can be used as fuel.
In oxyfuel combustion, the fossil fuel is burnt with almost pure oxygen, which produces CO2 and water vapour. �e water is
condensed through cooling and CO2 is separated and captured. Out of the three methods, oxyfuel combustion is the most e�cient
but the oxygen burning process needs a lot of energy.
Post-combustion and oxyfuel combustion equipment can be retro-�tted in existing plants that were originally built without them.
Pre-combustion equipment, however, needs “larger modi�cations to the operation of the facility and are therefore more suitable to
new plants,” according to a report by the London School of Economics (LSE).
A�er capture, CO2 is compressed into a liquid state and transported to suitable storage sites. Although CO2 can be transported
through ship, rail, or road tanker, pipeline is the cheapest and most reliable method.

Can carbon capture help save the world?

Operational CCS projects generally claim
to be 90 per cent e�cient, meaning they can
capture 90 per cent of carbon and store it.
Studies, however, have shown that a number
of these projects are not as e�cient as they
claim to be. For example, a 2022 study by the
Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis (IEEFA) — a global think
tank that examines issues related to energy
markets, trends, and policies — found most
of the 13 �agship CCS projects worldwide
that it analysed have either underperformed
or failed entirely.
Moreover, CCS technologies are quite
expensive. “When CCS is attached to coal
and gas power stations it is likely to be at
least six times more expensive than
electricity generated from wind power Rise in carbon dioxide levels. Credit: NASA
backed by battery storage,” a report by Climate Council, Australia’s leading climate change communications non-pro�t organisation,
said. It is far cheaper and more e�cient to avoid CO2 emissions in the �rst place, the report added.
�ere are also only a few operational CCS projects across the world even though the technology has been pushed for decades.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), there were 40 operational CCS projects in 2023, which captured more than 45
metric tonnes (Mt) of CO2 annually — China’s annual emissions in 2021 alone stood at 12,466.32 Mt.
To ensure the planet doesn’t breach the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature increase limit, it would take an “inconceivable” amount of
carbon capture “if oil and natural gas consumption were to evolve as projected under today’s policy settings,” the IEA said in a report.
It added that the electricity required to capture that level of carbon as of 2050 would be more than the entire planet’s use of electricity
in 2022. �erefore, the IEA report said there couldn’t be an overreliance on carbon capture as a solution to tackle climate change.
Speaking to the Deutsche Welle (DW) news agency, Genevieve Gunther, founder of End Climate Silence, a volunteer organisation
dedicated to help the news media cover the climate crisis, said the issue is not that CCS projects don’t work as e�ectively as they
advertise. CCS rather gives fossil fuel companies a “social licence to operate”.
“�ey’re not using carbon capture as a climate solution. �ey’re using it to actually enhance extraction,” she added.

36
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

How does climate change impact

extreme weather events?
Wri�en by Alind Chauhan

T
here is no dearth of reports highlighting the consequences of climate change, including droughts, water scarcity,
severe wild�res, rising sea levels, etc. Despite that, there are many myths and a lot of confusion around the subject. In
this series of
explainers, we answer
some of the most
fundamental questions
about climate change, the
science behind it, and its
impact.
In the seventh
instalment (you can scroll
down to the end of this
article for the �rst six
parts), we answer the
question: ‘How does
climate change impact
extreme weather events?’

How does climate

change impact
extreme weather An aerial view shows the Tumbira River, which has been affected by the drought of Negro River, at a Rio
Negro Sustainable Development Reserve, in Iranduba, Amazonas state, Brazil, October 7, 2023.
events? REUTERS/Bruno Kelly/File Photo
�e average global
temperature on Earth has increased by at least 1.1 degree Celsius since 1850, primarily due to human activities that have
released unprecedented levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
�e spike in the temperatures has resulted in more frequent and more intense extreme weather events across the world.
�ese events include heat waves, droughts, �oods, hurricanes, and wild�res.
Notably, it’s quite di�cult to attribute any particular extreme weather event to climate change. �is is because there are
multiple factors, like patterns of natural climate variability, such as El Niño and La Niña, that contribute to such events,
according to Climate Change: Evidence and Causes, a jointly produced publication of �e US National Academy of Sciences
and �e Royal Society.
“However, studies can show whether the warming climate made an event more severe or more likely to happen,” it added.
For instance, a study published a�er a 2019 heat wave that killed 2,500 people in Western Europe found that climate
change made the heat �ve times more likely than in a world that hadn’t become so warm. In India, the duration of heat waves
has increased by about 2.5 days between 1961 and 2021 due to global warming, according to a 2023 report by the India
Meteorological Department.
Moreover, heat waves are expected to get worse in the following years. Climate models show that heat waves might become
about 12 times more frequent by 2040s due to climate change.
Similarly, rising temperatures have worsened droughts. Take the example of what’s happening in some parts of East Africa.

38
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Between 2020 and 2022, the region witnessed

�ve failed seasons, leading to its worst drought
in at least 40 years. It displaced more than a
million people and pushed millions more to the
brink of famine. A 2023 report by World
Weather Attribution (WWA) showed that
climate change made a drought of such intensity
at least 100 times more likely in the region.
Extreme heat also creates conditions more
prone to wild�re and a longer wild�re season by
evaporating more and more moisture from land.
According to a di�erent 2023 report by WWA,
climate change more than doubled the
likelihood of extreme “�re weather” conditions
in Eastern Canada. �e study came out at a time
when Canada experienced the worst wild�re
season on record last year, with 45 million acres
burned.
Higher temperatures cause evaporation of
water not only from land but also oceans and
other water bodies, meaning a warmer
atmosphere holds more moisture. Experts
suggest for every 1 degree Celsius rise in average
temperature, the atmosphere can hold about 7% Changes in climate result in changes in the magnitude and probability of
more moisture. �is makes storms more extremes. (Credit: IPCC)
dangerous as it leads to an increase in
precipitation intensity, duration and/or frequency, which ultimately can cause severe �ooding.
“Warmer air can suck moisture out of the soil, amplifying droughts. On the �ipside, warm air can also hold more moisture,
meaning that it can transport more water into an already wet region,” a report by the Grist magazine noted.
�ere is a growing body of evidence that soaring temperatures are also making hurricanes stronger and more frequent. A
2023 study suggested that major hurricane landfalls in the eastern Paci�c could become up to 30% more frequent in case
global temperatures soar by at least 2 degree Celsius.
�e rising surface temperatures of the oceans are the main reason behind such hurricanes.
�e oceans have absorbed 90% of the additional heat generated by the greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Due to
this, global mean sea surface temperature has gone up by close to 0.9 degree Celsius since 1850 and around 0.6 degree Celsius
over the last four decades.
Higher sea surface temperatures cause marine heat waves, an extreme weather event, which, in turn, makes storms like
hurricanes and tropical cyclones more intense. Warmer temperatures escalate the rate of evaporation along with the transfer
of heat from the oceans to the air. When storms travel across hot oceans, they gather more water vapour and heat. �is results
in stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and more �ooding when storms reach the land.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

National Science Day: The Raman Effect,

which CV Raman won the Nobel for
In 1986, the Government of India designated February 28 as National Science Day, to commemorate the
announcement of the discovery of the “Rama e�ect”. Here is more about CV Raman and his groundbreaking discovery.

Sir CV Raman won the Nobel Prize in 1930. (Photo: Express Archives)

I
n 1986, the Government of India, under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, designated February 28 as National
Science Day to commemorate the announcement of the discovery of the “Raman E�ect”.
�is was the discovery which won physicist Sir CV Raman his Nobel Prize in 1930. Conducting a deceptively
simple experiment, Raman discovered that when a stream of light passes through a liquid, a fraction of the light scattered
by the liquid is of a di�erent colour. �is discovery was immediately recognised as groundbreaking in the scienti�c
community, being the subject of over 700 papers in the �rst seven years a�er its announcement.
What is the “Raman E�ect”? Why is it so important? Most importantly, who was the man behind this momentous
discovery?

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

A young prodigy conducting after-hours research

Raman was born to a family of Sanskrit scholars in Trichy (present-day Tiruchirapalli) in the Madras Presidency in 1888. At
the age of only 16, He received a BA degree from Presidency College in Madras, and was placed �rst in his class. While studying
for his MA degree, at the age of 18, he got published in the Philosophical Magazine: this was the �rst research paper ever
published by Presidency College.
Due to his ill health, he was unable to travel abroad for further education. �us, in 1907, he got married and settled down in
Calcutta as an assistant accountant general. While still a full-time civil servant, Raman began a�er-hours research at the Indian
Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS). Raman raised the pro�le of IACS, doing some award-winning research as well
as conducting public demonstrations with charisma. At the age of 29, he �nally resigned from his civil services job and took up a
professorship in Presidency College, Calcutta.

A voyage across the ocean leads to interest in the scattering of light

By 1921, CV Raman had gained a solid reputation as a top scienti�c mind both in India and in the West. �at year, he made
his �rst journey to England. It was on the return journey that
Raman would make an observation that would change his life
and science forever. SIMPLY PUT, THE RAMAN
While passing through the Mediterranean Sea, Raman was EFFECT REFERS TO THE
most fascinated by the sea’s deep blue colour. Dissatis�ed with the PHENOMENON IN WHICH
then-accepted answer (“the colour of the sea was just a re�ection
of the colour of the sky”), his curious mind delved deeper.
WHEN A STREAM OF LIGHT
He soon found out that the colour of the sea was the result of PASSES THROUGH A LIQUID, A
the scattering of sunlight by the water molecules. Fascinated by FRACTION OF THE LIGHT
the phenomenon of light-scattering, Raman and his
collaborators in Calcutta began to conduct extensive scienti�c
SCATTERED BY THE LIQUID IS
experiments on the matter – experiments that would eventually OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR.
lead to his eponymous discovery.

The Raman Effect

Simply put, the Raman E�ect refers to the phenomenon in which when a stream of light passes through a liquid, a fraction of
the light scattered by the liquid is of a di�erent colour. �is happens due to the change in the wavelength of light that occurs
when a light beam is de�ected by molecules.
In general, when light interacts with an object, it can either be re�ected, refracted or transmitted. One of the things that
scientists look at when light is scattered is if the particle it interacts with is able to change its energy. �e Raman E�ect is when
the change in the energy of the light is a�ected by the vibrations of the molecule or material under observation, leading to a
change in its wavelength.
In their �rst report to Nature, titled “A New Type of Secondary Radiation,” CV Raman and co-author KS Krishnan wrote that
60 di�erent liquids had been studied, and all showed the same result – a tiny fraction of scattered light had a di�erent colour
than the incident light. “It is thus,” Raman said, “a phenomenon whose universal nature has to be recognised.”

41
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Darwin Day: How theories of evolution

helped our knowledge of life on Earth
Wri�en by LS Shashidhara and Sutirth Dey

�is process of evolution by divergence has been operating for nearly 3.5 billion years across the Earth, resulting in the
spectacular biodiversity that we see – both in fossil records (such as of dinosaurs) and in today’s living world. How has this
knowledge helped us and what might we learn from it?

Darwin Day is an opportunity for scientists to showcase the latest advancements in our comprehension of evolution and
promote public understanding of science. (Via Wikimedia Commons)

F
ebruary 12 is globally celebrated as Darwin Day to mark the birthday of naturalist Charles Darwin (12 February 1809
– 19 April 1882). Darwin published his work on evolution by natural selection as a book (‘On the Origin of Species by
Means of Natural Selection’) and a series of articles between 1858-59. Around the same time, Alfred Russell Wallace
independently wrote his articles on the same subject.
Darwin Day is an opportunity for scientists to showcase the latest advancements in our comprehension of evolution and
promote public understanding of science.
With decades of subsequent work on evolution by many scientists worldwide, our understanding of life on Earth and the
processes of evolution leading to new forms of life has widened and deepened.
Although the origin of life on Earth is relatively less understood, we have a fair understanding of the chemistry of life. Lots
of details have been worked out about the inner mechanisms of working of a living cell and how a whole organism – the
human body, made up of trillions of cells – develops from a single-cell embryo. Today we understand how diseases are
manifested, the way microscopic viruses and bacteria infect and spread in the body and through our populations, etc.

42
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

How genetic variations occur in a population

Darwin and Wallace proposed that genetic diversity in a population helps its adaptation to a constantly changing
environment. �is is a continuous process.
For example, suppose a small fraction of a population carries genetic variants that make them tolerate higher temperatures.
While such variants may have little advantage if organisms live in optimal ambient temperature conditions, individuals
carrying those variations can survive better and reproduce at a higher frequency if the environmental temperature increases.
�is results in an increased proportion of individuals carrying heat-resistant genetic variations in subsequent generations.
�is is the process that Darwin and Wallace termed as “natural selection”. �e term “�tness” is used to explain changes in the
relative proportion of genetic variations, in a population across generations.
However, the generation of new genetic variations is an independent process from that of adaptation. While certain
environmental factors, such as radiation, enhance the rate at which new genetic variations are generated, they are not
developed to aid the organism survive and reproducing in any speci�c environment.
�e occurrence of speci�c genetic variations in a population that helps its adaptation to a new environment is only a
chance event. But the greater the genetic diversity in a population, the higher the chances that at least a few individuals will
adapt to the new environment.
Sometimes, populations split and get separated for several reasons. For example, a group of individuals physically move
away from the main population and remain isolated. While the same evolutionary mechanisms operate in both populations,
without intermixing, accumulated genetic variations over many generations could result in their evolution into two
morphologically/ behaviorally distinct groups or species.

Evolution is a similar mechanism for all life The genetic

�is process of evolution by divergence has been operating for nearly 3.5 billion information of an
years across the Earth, resulting in the spectacular biodiversity that we see – both in organism is copied
fossil records (such as of dinosaurs) and in today’s living world. and transferred to the
A better understanding of evolution has helped scientists realise that
fundamental mechanisms of life are similar among all known living forms. �is next generation at a very
encouraged scientists to study life in greater detail collaboratively using the same high degree of fidelity.
model organisms globally, such as the bacteria E. coli or the fruit �y Drosophila. So, all living organisms or
�e validation and reproducibility of new scienti�c discoveries became much faster
and more e�cient.
those that ever lived
As a �rst step, at the beginning of the 20th century, scientists proved that patterns (earliest known life
of genetic inheritance were similar across all organisms studied – from micro- forms that resemble
organisms to humans. Within the next 50 years, scientists discovered DNA, its current forms are as old
structure, how the genetic information is coded in DNA, and the mechanisms by
which it is decoded for various functions in a living cell. as 3.75 billion years) on
�e genetic information of an organism is copied and transferred to the next Earth have identical
generation at a very high degree of �delity. So, all living organisms or those that ever chemistry of life.
lived (earliest known life forms that resemble current forms are as old as 3.75 billion
years) on Earth have identical chemistry of life. �is knowledge has enabled a better
understanding of the human body, its physiology and diseases, without having to do experiments on humans, say through
testing drugs on other animals.
It has also enabled us to produce large quantities of human proteins such as insulin in microorganisms, making the
product a�ordable.

Change and evolution

Scientists also discovered that the DNA copying mechanism, while highly accurate, is not 100% error-proof. Typically, at a
frequency of one in a million letters (letters are metaphors for chemical constituents/building blocks of long chains of DNA) of

43
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

information being copied, errors do happen.

�is is the primary source of genetic variations helping populations to adapt, survive and perpetuate in diverse and changing
environmental contexts. �is process also makes every individual in a population (except monozygotic twins) genetically
distinct from the other members.
Scientists have also traced human evolution in great detail. Chimpanzees and humans have diverged from a common
ancestral great ape species (now extinct). Several human species evolved and became extinct except us, the modern humans
‘Homo sapiens’. Interestingly, multiple human species co-existed on Earth simultaneously, o�en in the same geographical area.
For example, modern humans encountered an earlier species, Neanderthals, some 65 to 100 thousand years ago. �e evidence
of the two groups mating is in our genomes. �us, like other forms of life, humans too have evolved over a long time through a
continuous generation of new genetic variations and their contribution to the adaptation to new environments.
New genetic variations arise in humans too purely as a natural phenomenon. Given the large size of our genome, thousands of
new genetic alterations are generated every time a new human is born making all of us di�erent from each other. When every
individual is di�erent from each other, no one individual or group can be superior to the other.
�is implies that every individual belonging to any gender, locality/state/nation, speaking any language, with any complexion/
skin colour and inclined to any sexual orientation should have
equal status and rights in society.
We modern humans started living in smaller groups in WE ARE CONTINUALLY
di�erent geographical locations purely as a natural process by MIXING, BOTH GENETICALLY
which animal species spread. Although this divergence of
inhabiting other geographical locations began some 100,000 AND CULTURALLY. GIVEN OUR
years ago, we have not become genetically isolated groups. We ABILITY TO LIVE LONGER,
are continually mixing, both genetically and culturally. Given SURVIVE, AND REPRODUCE,
our ability to live longer, survive, and reproduce, even if we carry
those genetic variations that under natural conditions result in
EVEN IF WE CARRY THOSE
lower �tness, we are defying the natural process of evolution. GENETIC VARIATIONS THAT
Unfortunately, at the same time, due to our increased use of UNDER NATURAL
natural resources causing habitat degradation, the genetic diversity CONDITIONS RESULT IN
among other living forms is decreasing, posing challenges to
restoring and conserving �ora and fauna. Only humans can share LOWER FITNESS, WE ARE
acquired knowledge and skills among people whom they do not DEFYING THE NATURAL
know or those who would be born centuries later. PROCESS OF EVOLUTION.
�is has enabled the integration of knowledge across time and
space. Be it the use of �re, the use of clothes, the invention of
scripts and wheels, treating diseases or the ability to build buildings that can survive thousands of years; knowledge and skills are
being shared continually and globally.
Humans have learnt to live on frozen lands, deserts, marshy lands, rain forests, and many other extreme conditions. �ey have
lived and survived ice ages, famines and �oods and have passed on their genes and learnings to us. �is means virtually every
human society, lived and living has contributed to our knowledge and skills of today. One cannot quantify who contributed more
or less by using the yardsticks of today’s utility. �is understanding should make us respect diversity in human genetics,
physiology, languages, histories and cultures.
(L S Shashidhara is the director of the Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences while Sutirth Dey is with the
Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. Opinions expressed are personal.)

44
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

EXPRESS EDGE EDUCATION

CBSE’s open book exam plan

Wri�en by R Radhika

�e pilot will be held in

select schools in
November-December for
subjects like English,
Mathematics and Science
for Classes 9 and 10, and
English, Mathematics
and Biology for Classes
11 and 12.

T
he Central Board
of Secondary
Education
(CBSE) has proposed a
pilot study to check the
feasibility of open book
exams for Classes 9 to 12.
�e pilot will be held Students after their CBSE exam at the Guru Nanak Senior Sec. School in Ludhiana. (Express
in select schools in file photo by Gurmeet Singh)
November-December
for subjects like English, Mathematics and Science for Classes 9 and 10, and English, Mathematics and Biology for
Classes 11 and 12. �e CBSE has proposed this form of assessment based on the National Curriculum Framework
(NCF) released last year.
�rough this pilot, the Board aims to study the time taken by students to complete such tests and gather feedback
from teachers and students. �e pilot test will be designed and developed by June, for which the CBSE has
sought Delhi University’s help.
What is an open book exam?
In an open book exam (OBE), students are allowed to refer to their books and notes to answer questions.
OBEs can be either of a restricted type or a free type. In a restricted open book assessment, only the study material
approved by the exam-conducting authority is allowed during the exam. In a free type, students can bring any material
they �nd relevant.
Unlike a closed book exam, the test questions in OBEs are structured in a way that students have to apply concepts,
instead of just copying information from the available material. �ey aim to test whether a student understands the big
picture and can apply analytical skills on the concepts learnt.

45
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Is this a new concept for Indian students?

Contrary to popular assumption, open-book exams are not a new idea. In 2014, CBSE had introduced an
Open Text Based Assessment (OBTA) to relieve the students from the burden of mugging up, and acquiring
skills of information processing.
Back then, OTBA was introduced in Class 9 for Hindi, English, Mathematics, Science and Social Science,
and �nal examination of Class 11 in subjects such as Economics, Biology and Geography. Students were
allowed to refer to learning material provided to them four months ahead of the exam.
�e Board, however, discontinued the practice in the 2017-18 academic year, because of its inability to
cultivate “critical abilities” among students.
In higher education, OBEs are fairly common. In 2019, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) allowed open
book exams in engineering colleges based on the recommendation of an advisory body. During the pandemic, several Central
universities like Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Aligarh Muslim University conducted an
open book test to assess students. IIT Delhi, IIT Indore and IIT Bombay also conducted online OBEs.
More recently, Kerala’s higher education exam reforms commission recommended the open book format, but only for internal or
practical examinations.

Are open book exams easier? Contrary to

Contrary to popular opinion, open book assessments are not easier than the traditional popular opinion,
form of examination. �ey are designed to test learning beyond facts and de�nitions. open book
For teachers too, setting up questions for an open book exam can be a challenge, as,
unlike a traditional exam, the questions cannot be direct. assessments are not
easier than the
Why has CBSE proposed the open book exam now? traditional form of
�e CBSE’s proposal falls in line with the larger reforms planned in the school examination. They are
education system. While there is no mention of the open book examination per se in the
National Education Policy 2020, one of the primary reforms it suggests is transition from designed to test learning
rote memorisation to competency-based learning. For instance, a student should be able beyond facts and
to not just learn the concept of photosynthesis but also demonstrate the process and the definitions.
impact of sunlight on plants through a practical project.
Similarly, the National Curriculum Framework for School Education also highlights
the need to reform the current assessment process, which is at its best “focused on measuring rote learning” and at its worst “creates
fear”. �e NCF SC suggests assessments that can accommodate di�erent learning styles of students, provide constructive feedback,
and support learning outcomes.

What does research say on open book exams?

According to a 2021 study conducted among medical students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar,
open book exams have the bene�t of being less stressful.
A pilot study, published in Cambridge University Press, was performed to check the feasibility and acceptability of online
open-book examination in 2020. �e study concluded that among the 98 students, 21.4% failed and 78.6% passed. “Only 55
students volunteered to give feedback; most agreed that the best advantage of this assessment was that it was stress-free,” the study
report said. �e disadvantage most students complained of was network connectivity issues.
A 2021 study conducted by Dhananjay Ashri and Bibhu P Sahoo on the use of open book exams for the students of DU stated
that even though mean marks scored by the students in an OBE is higher than in a closed book exam, the university did not focus
on developing the skills required for a student to crack an OBE. Another study conducted by Nirma University’s Nitin Pillai and
Mamta Pillai, published in June 2022, stressed on the need to train students on how to write an open book exam and developing the
necessary skills of analysing concepts to get the bene�ts of OBE.

46
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS HEALTH

The Genome India project

Wri�en by Anonna Du�

�e Genome India project can help identify genetic mutations in Indian populations that make them vulnerable to
speci�c diseases, and develop cures for such diseases.

From a person's height, colour of the eyes, the genetic diseases they get or those they are at a higher risk for, everything is
determined by the genetic makeup. (Via Pixabay)

T
he government’s Genome India initiative on Tuesday (February 27) announced the successful sequencing of
10,000 whole genomes of healthy persons from across the country, creating a genetic map of the population.
Researchers from 20 science institutes across the country helped in collecting the blood samples, sequencing
the genome, developing a methodology, and storing the data.
With each sequence requiring 80 GB storage space, the huge dataset of 8 petabytes will be stored at the Indian
Biological Data Centre in Faridabad. �is dataset will be made available to researchers as “digital public good.” �e data
can be utilised to develop new diagnostics, targeted therapies, identify new rare diseases, and cure existing ones.

What is the Genome India project?

�e Genome India project was approved by the government in 2020 with the aim of creating a comprehensive catalogue of
genetic variations found in the Indian population. A map of genetic diversity is essential for understanding the history of our

47
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

evolution, discovering the genetic basis for various diseases, and creating therapies of the future. �is cannot be done using data
available in existing international databases, as Indian genomes are likely to be di�erent from that of other populations.
Researchers who analysed 5,750 of the genome sequences have already identi�ed 135 million genetic variants found in India.
�is map will also create a unique resource. �is is because our population of 1.4 billion consists of more than 4,600 distinct
groups. With endogamy — marrying within the same community — common in India, the various groups have maintained their
distinct genetic makeup. �is can help compare and contrast the impact of genetic variations on physical health. Union Science
minister Dr Jitendra Singh described India as the “largest genetic lab in the world.”

What is a genome, how is it sequenced?

�e human genome is essentially a biological instruction manual that we inherit from our parents. It is a tome written with
just four letters, A,C,G, and T — the four bases that come together to create everyone’s unique genetic makeup. �ere are
around 3 billion pairs of bases in the complete human genome. �is contains all the information needed to create your
physical form and maintain it throughout life. From your height, colour of the eyes, the genetic diseases you get or those you
are at a higher risk for, everything is determined by the genetic makeup.
To sequence the genome, researchers �rst extract the information from the blood. With a complete sequence of 3 billion
pairs being extremely hard to handle, scientists cut it up into small pieces and tag them — like you would when you
disassemble furniture. �e A,C, G, T code of these smaller chunks are written down by a DNA sequencer and then the
complete sequence is put together.

How does studying the genetic makeup of the country help?

One, it can help identify the genetic basis or genetic risk factors for various diseases.
Prof K �angaraj, who leads the project and is a senior scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
in Hyderabad, cited the example of a mutation, MYBPC3, which leads to cardiac arrest at a young age. It is found in 4.5% of the
Indian population but is rare globally. Another mutation called LAMB3 causes a lethal skin condition. It is found in nearly 4% of
the population near Madurai, but it is not seen in global databases.
Two, it can help in targeted treatments, especially for rare diseases that usually arise from genetic anomalies. “An Indian
genome database will have a signi�cant impact on treatments for genetic diseases. It can help develop new therapies that can
cure these diseases,” said Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Secretary Dr Rajesh Gokhale.
Take for example the under-development mRNA vaccine to prevent relapse of pancreatic cancer, which is based on a genetic
mutation that allowed a small group of pancreatic cancer patients beat the odds. �e mutation allowed their immune system to
identify the cancer cells and attack them.
It can also help in identifying resistance-indicating variants — for example, genes that might make certain medicines or
anaesthetics ine�ective in certain populations. An example from India is a set of a Vaishya community from South India, who
lack the gene for properly processing common anaesthetics. For this group, use of such anaesthetics can result in death.

How long did the project take?

�e �rst whole human genome was sequenced with the collaboration of an international team. It took 13 years and $3
billion, and was completed in 2003. India announced its �rst complete human genome in 2009. “�e technology has come a
long way. Now, it takes only about �ve days to sequence an entire human genome and perform all the quality checks. In fact,
we were able to sequence the entire 10,000 genomes in a matter of three to four months,” said Dr Gokhale.
A majority of the time was spent on collecting patient samples and their health history. �e samples were collected from
the remotest parts of the country, covering various tribal populations as well. In all, 99 distinct population groups were
covered by the project. �e collection was delayed multiple times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“�is is a signi�cant milestone. We now have a baseline map of the country,” said Dr Gokhale.

48
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS CASE STUDIES

IAS officer who helped transgenders

live a ‘life of dignity’
Wri�en by Manas Srivastava

Can good governance undo the social discrimination and exclusion of transgenders? Here is a case study of an
inspiring leadership by IAS Chanchal Rana and Balangir district administration for your UPSC CSE and life in general.
Don't miss the Post Read Question.

D
ignity,
inclusion and
livelihood
— a social security
scheme should focus
on these three
objectives to bring the
transgender
community into its
fold. But how to
implement these
objectives on ground?
IAS Chanchal Rana
has an answer. Let us
celebrate the �nest
work done by civil
servants, the foot-
soldiers of governance With a lack of ambitious plans seeking to mainstream the transgenders through jobs, they
as they script change are denied a life of dignity. Find the solution in today's case study. (Express Photo)
that touches the lives
of countless people across the country. �e following case study is framed from a success story recognised at �e
Indian Express Excellence in Governance Awards. UPSC Essentials of �e Indian Express takes you through some
inspiring case studies every week from the area of Governance and Civil Services which not only highlight the problem
but also focus on award-winning solutions.
Relevance: For Essays, Governance and Ethics section of Mains examination as case studies and example-fodder for
answers. Candidates will �nd it useful for framing replies in interviews and personality tests. �is particular case study
is relevant to questions related to society and social justice – vulnerable sections. Moreover, to remain motivated, and
inspired and create role models, such real-life stories should be read, noted, and applied.

49
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

The Case:
Premananda Sahu, a transgender person from Balangir faces a life of discrimination and social exclusion, where they are
denied jobs. “We were forced to beg on trains, dance in marriages and other social functions to earn a livelihood”, says
Premananda Sahu, a transgender person from Balangir. Can good governance undo the social discrimination and exclusion
of transgender persons — through jobs?
The Problem:
Transgender people have a gender identity or expression that di�ers from their assigned sex at birth. S Y Quraishi in �e
Indian Express wrote, “Transgender people have been increasingly recognised as one of the most socio-economically
marginalised communities in the country. Since the late 19th century, they have been pushed to the margins of society, and
have lost the social-cultural position they once enjoyed. O�en shunned as a menace to society, they are now only visible on
the streets and localities where they are found begging, never as a part of the mainstream.” Despite enabling laws and
initiatives by social organisations, the transgender community is among the most marginalised, with its members facing
ostracism and struggling for basic rights and employment opportunities. �ere are government programmes that dole out
bene�ts to the transgender, which makes them dependent on the government. But people don’t see them as people who can
contribute.
With a lack of ambitious plans seeking to mainstream the transgender community through jobs, the transgender
community is denied a life of dignity.

The Solution/ Idea:

In July 2020, the Balangir district administration launched ‘Sweekruti’ to bring the transgender community
into the mainstream. �e programme helped the members take up various livelihood activities – from managing parking lots
to collecting garbage on behalf of the civic body – and brought them into the fold of social security schemes.
According to Naba Krishna Sahoo, the district social welfare o�cer, Sweekruti was made possible with �nancial help from
the state social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities (SSEPD) department.
“�e project has also helped form self-help groups among transgender persons to enable these groups to avail of seed
capital. Around 400 to 500
people are likely to have
bene�tted from this, but it is a
continuous process of
organising and skilling
transgender persons,” said IAS
Chanchal Rana.

What we learn…
We return from where we
started – Dignity, inclusion and
livelihood. �e above success
story indicates that Sweekruti is
a means to �x a bigger,
problematic perception by
keeping the above three visions
in mind. With many like Sahu
running parking lots and Chanchal Rana. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
others driving battery-operated
vehicles or working as sanitation workers, going door-to-door collecting segregated household waste, IAS Chanchal Rana
said transgender persons are now seen as “part of the workforce”.

50
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Sahu, who earns `7,000-10,000 a month now, said Sweekruti has also ensured an end to transphobia and the mental stress
that came from dealing with it. “People coming to park their vehicles also show us respect. My parents are also very happy for
me,” Premananda Sahu said.
Jairaj Nag, 50, who works as a helper in a Swachha Safari, a battery-operated vehicle used in door-to-door waste collection,
says Sweekruti has given the transgender persons their “own identity”. “�ere was a time when people used to crack jokes at
us for being a transgender. Now, like others, I also earn my livelihood with dignity. And I no longer face any transphobia and
I am very happy about that. People talk to us whenever we go to their doorstep to collect waste,” added Nag, who earns
around `9,700 a month.
In a conversation with Manas Srivastava of �e Indian Express during the Excellence in Governance Award ceremony in
2023, IAS Chanchal Rana said that the challenges in the implementation of this project were �rstly making the administration
believe in the capabilities of transgender community, identi�cation of the transgenders and skilling them. According to him,
improving the livelihood skills transgender community helped not only in providing them with a continuous source of
income but also lessen their dependency on the government. By making them a part of the daily workforce, Sweekruti helped
them become a part of mainstream society.
For leading by example, Collector-cum-District Magistrate Chanchal Rana was awarded �e Indian Express Excellence in
Governance Award in the Gender and Inclusion category.

Post Read Question:

�e problems faced by the transgender community in India revolve around two core issues – dignity and inclusion. Discuss.

51
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

IAS officer who used tech to deliver

healthcare to tribals
Wri�en by Manas Srivastava

�e idea of healthcare going digital seems attractive. Can it reap bene�ts in rural and tribal areas too? Here is a case study
of an inspiring leadership by IAS Krishnanunni H and Erode district administration for your UPSC CSE and life in general.
Don't miss the Post Read Question.

Three major issues that healthcare in India faces – awareness, access, affordability. Can telemedicine be a way to bridge the
rural-urban divide?

L
et us celebrate a good governance strategy that made big headlines. �e following case study is framed from a success
story recognised at �e Indian Express Excellence in Governance Awards. UPSC Essentials of �e Indian
Express takes you through some inspiring case studies every week from the area of Governance and Civil Services
which not only highlight the problem but also focus on award-winning solutions.
Relevance: For Essays, Governance and Ethics section of Mains examination as case studies and example-fodder for
answers. Candidates will �nd it useful for framing replies in interviews and personality tests. �is particular case study is
relevant to questions related to healthcare and technology. Moreover, to remain motivated, and inspired and create role
models, such real-life stories should be read, noted, and applied.

The Case:
Kathirimalai, a tribal hamlet located at a height of 1,200 metres above sea level, is nestled deep inside the Chennampatti forest range
in Erode. In one of the most remote parts of the district, Kathirimalai’s tribal inhabitants have for long been denied basic health and

52
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

education facilities. �e mountain-top village has no roads, electricity is a rare sight, and donkeys are still the chief means of transport.
Treatment at the healthcare centre nearly 40 km away was simply a luxury. Can telemedicine be a way to bridge the rural-urban divide
and be a solution to the inaccessibility problem in healthcare, especially in a rural-tribal area?

The Problem:
In India, providing in-person healthcare is
challenging given the large geographical distances and
relatively limited resources. In a developing country like
ours, there is huge inequality in healthcare distribution.
Poor Indian villagers spend most of their out-of-pocket
health expenses on travel to specialty hospitals in the
city where major specialised doctors are available. So
bringing up the level of healthcare infrastructure,
especially in rural and tribal areas o�ers many
obstacles. �ree major issues that healthcare in India’s
rural tribal areas face – awareness, access, and
a�ordability.

The Solution/ Idea:

•• In February last year, the district administration
launched Punnagai (Smile in Tamil), a multi-sectoral
tele-facilitation project that uses high-speed 5 GHz
wireless systems to provide tele-medicine facilities and
linked Kathirimalai with the outside world.
•• �e project also focuses on online education and skill
development for the villagers.
Krishnanunni H. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
•• �e project faced many obstacles. Firstly, in launching
the telemedicine project the problem was to build a communication network in an area that had no phones or roads. So,
Krishnanunni and team jumped on the idea of WiFi.
•• A team from the Centre for Social Computing (C4S) reached Kathirimalai and began installing a tower, and the required
hardware, with help from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) along with NABARD. �e technical assistance for
the internet came from Anthiyur town, the nearest metropolitan roughly 40 km from the forest.
•• “�e facility is accessed by the end-user with only one click… It allows people to connect with the doctors or mentors on the
screen,” said Roshy K Falgunan of C4S, who played a key role in setting up the 100 Mbps, long-distance wireless facility. �e
e�orts are bearing fruit. Falgunan said the doctor-patient telemedicine experiment also helped the authorities trace those who
needed urgent medical attention. For instance, she said, the administration is already at work a�er a recent study found “20% of
the population” su�ered from malnutrition and vitamin de�ciencies.
What we learn…
�e above success story indicates that telemedicine has vast potential to revolutionise the Indian healthcare system and
could help to bring specialised healthcare even in the remotest part of the country. �e use of telemedicine technology allows
healthcare to become more accessible and e�cient and is seen as a technology of convenience for patients. So, on one hand, it
not only helps people receive medical attention from the comfort of their homes but also helps to lessen the burden on the
health care infrastructure.
With a doctor just a click away on the computer screen at the local school, where the facility has been set up, now it’s all

53
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

smiles for Kathimaralai and its 156 residents. Beyond health, the project was fruitful in Kathirimalai and nearby villages for
educational purposes due to the WiFi facility.
In a conversation with Manas Srivastava of �e Indian Express during the Excellence in Governance Award ceremony in
2023, District Collector Krishnanunni H said that the need of the community is the inspiration behind the project. As a
District Magistrate, one gets an opportunity to see the ground reality, and so when he visited the village he saw the need very
evident. Talking about challenges, he said that inaccessibility of the area, taking health to doorsteps and improving health
seeking behaviour were the major ones and overcoming these challenges doesn’t happen overnight. Krishnanunni said the
WiFi project is an example of “how the world changes when the internet is made accessible to a village detached from
civilisation”.
Krishnanunni believes that a civil servant can bring a change in society if he or she works with an open mind. Innovation
as per the need of the community is part of the job and the focus should be on e�ective implementation. For coming up with
this simple healing touch, District Collector Krishnanunni H was awarded �e Indian Express Excellence in Governance
Award in the Healthcare category.

Post Read Question:

Telemedicine is rapidly making inroads in the Indian healthcare sector. How can its potential be realised in minimising the
urban-rural divide?

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Unemployment and associated issues

Wri�en by Manas Srivastava

What are the various aspects of unemployment that you shouldn't miss for your UPSC CSE? From basics to advance,
our expert discusses probable questions and a key issue — why is unemployment among youth seen as a major
problem today?

"Addressing youth unemployment requires targeted policies that align education with market needs, foster entrepreneurship,
and create an environment conducive to job creation in sectors appealing to the younger workforce," says Pranay Aggarwal.

A
bout the Expert: Pranay Aggarwal is an educator and mentor for aspirants preparing for UPSC Civil Services exam.
With more than 10 years of experience guiding civil service aspirants, he is acknowledged as an expert on civil service
exam preparation, especially on subjects like Social Issues and Sociology. He is the India representative on Research
Committee on Education for UNESCO’s International Sociological Association and a member of Indian Sociological Society’s
committee on social movements. He is also the Convenor of Indian Civil Services Association, a think tank of senior
bureaucrats.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Relevance of the topic: �e issue of employment has been at the heart of economic policy discussions, especially in
recent decades when the link between economic growth and employment generation has social dimension too. �is topic has various
dimensions: factual – re�ected through surveys, government reports and think tank data and analytical- based on experts’ analysis and
debates revolving around them. One may have to make a note of important de�nitions and terminologies, data and changing trends
along with connecting the dots with other related issues. It is an important theme in GS I (Society), GS II, GS III, Prelims and
personality test. Aspirants will �nd it relevant for Essays as well.

Manas: Let us begin with the basics. What

is unemployment or who is an unemployed AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF
person? Is unemployment synonymous UNEMPLOYMENT NECESSITATES
with joblessness? A CONSIDERATION OF VARIOUS
Pranay Aggarwal: Unemployment refers to the condition SUBCATEGORIES WITHIN THE
where individuals capable of working are actively seeking
employment but are unable to secure suitable jobs. An
BROADER FRAMEWORK.
unemployed person, then, is someone who is part of the labor CYCLICAL UNEMPLOYMENT,
force, possesses the requisite skills, but currently lacks gainful FOR INSTANCE, IS TIED TO
employment. Basically, an unemployed person is someone of ECONOMIC CYCLES,
working age, jobless, able and available to work, and actively
looking for a job.
ESCALATING DURING
As per the International Labour Organisation’s de�nition, DOWNTURNS AND ABATING
unemployment is based on the following three criteria which DURING UPSWINGS.
should be satis�ed simultaneously: the “unemployed” comprise
all persons above a speci�c age who are:
�a� without work (were not in paid employment or self-employed)
�b� currently available for work (were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period)
(c� seeking work (had taken speci�c steps in a speci�ed reference period to seek paid employment or self-employment. It follows
that an individual who has lost work but does not look for another job is not unemployed)
�us, unemployment is not synonymous with joblessness.

Manas: Having answered the definition based question, the next logical question for any
exam that follows is ‘How is unemployment measured?’
Pranay Aggarwal: �e unemployment in the country is commonly calculated using the formula:
Unemployment rate = [Number of Unemployed Workers / Total Labour Force] x 100.
Here, the ‘total labour force’ includes the employed and the unemployed. �ose who are neither employed nor unemployed —
students, for example— are not considered a part of the labour force.
In India, the National Statistical O�ce (NSO), which operates under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, is
tasked with o�cially assessing the unemployment rate. NSO has been conducting the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) since 2017
for this purpose. �e PLFS estimates the key employment and unemployment indicators such as Worker Population Ratio, Labour
Force Participation Rate and Unemployment Rate.
�e NSO uses two signi�cant measures for classifying the working status — the Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS) and
the Current Weekly Status (CWS). An individual’s principal status (UPSS) — whether employed, unemployed or out of the labour force
— is based on the activity in which they “spent relatively long time” in the previous year. Current Weekly Status approach uses a much
shorter reference period of a week. An individual is counted as being employed if they have worked for at least one hour on at least one

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

day during the seven days preceding the date of survey. Logically, UPSS rates will be lower than CWS rates because there is a greater
chance that a person will �nd work over a year as compared to a week.
�e Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) is a private business information company whose unemployment data is also
widely reported. CMIE classi�es individuals based on their activity in the day preceding the interview. �ey, therefore, estimate a higher
unemployment rate. �e CMIE �gures are, of course, not o�cial �gures endorsed by the government in the way PLFS survey data is.
An in-depth analysis of unemployment necessitates a consideration of various subcategories within the broader framework. Cyclical
unemployment, for instance, is tied to economic cycles, escalating during downturns and abating during upswings. Understanding this
facet o�ers insights into the macroeconomic forces in�uencing job availability.
Additionally, the concept of underemployment deserves attention. �is occurs when individuals are employed in positions that
underutilize their skills or provide insu�cient working hours.
Examining underemployment alongside traditional measures provides a more nuanced comprehension of the quality and
ful�llment of employment opportunities.
Furthermore, the measurement of unemployment is evolving with the advent of the gig economy. Traditional metrics may not fully
capture the nuances of this contemporary work landscape, prompting a need for recalibration and adaptation. NITI Aayog has made
recommendations to capture gig workers in the PLFS surveys. Integrating metrics like the gig economy participation rate can o�er a
more contemporary lens, acknowledging the diversity of employment arrangements in the modern era.
In summary, the measurement of unemployment is not a monolithic endeavor but a nuanced exploration of various dimensions. By
considering a spectrum of indicators and recognizing the evolving nature of work, we can construct a more comprehensive narrative,
empowering both policymakers and the public with a holistic understanding of the ever-shi�ing dynamics within the labor market.

Manas: Let us dive deep. What are the different types of

unemployment, and why is it important to know about According to the
different forms? PLFS Annual
Pranay Aggarwal: �e spectrum of unemployment encompasses various types, each Report 2022- 2023,
o�ering insights into di�erent facets of the labor market. there is an overall
•• STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT: Rooted in mismatches between the skills encouraging scenario
possessed by the workforce and the requirements of available positions, this form of regarding employment,
unemployment highlights systemic issues within the labour market.
with Unemployment
•• CYCLICAL UNEMPLOYMENT: Tied to economic cycles, this type escalates
during economic downturns and diminishes during periods of expansion, showcasing
Rate falling from 6.0 per
the sensitivity of job availability to macroeconomic conditions. cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per
•• SEASONAL UNEMPLOYMENT: Occurring due to predictable �uctuations in cent in 2022-23.
demand based on seasons, this type a�ects various sectors of the economy such as
agriculture and tourism, where employment needs vary with the time of year.
•• TECHNOLOGICAL UNEMPLOYMENT: Driven by advancements in technology, this form results from automation and
innovation leading to a reduced demand for certain manual or routine tasks, potentially displacing workers. It also occurs when
people are not able to match up with the technology.
•• FRICTIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT: Arising from the natural transition between jobs, this type re�ects the temporary
period individuals spend searching for new employment opportunities.
•• UNDEREMPLOYMENT: While not strictly unemployment, this concept pertains to individuals employed in positions that
underutilize their skills or provide insu�cient working hours, contributing to a sense of economic ine�ciency.
•• HIDDEN UNEMPLOYMENT: Refers to individuals who are not actively seeking employment due to discouragement or
other factors but could potentially enter the job market if conditions improve.
Understanding these various types of unemployment is crucial for formulating targeted policies and interventions that address the
diverse challenges within the labour market.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Manas: The rate of unemployment in India has been one of the most talked about social and
economic issue over the years. What is the unemployment scenario in our country?
Pranay Aggarwal: According to the PLFS Annual Report 2022- 2023, there is an overall encouraging scenario regarding
employment, with Unemployment Rate falling from 6.0 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2022-23.
In rural areas, unemployment rate has reduced from 5.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 2.4 per cent in 2022-23 while for urban areas it
declined from 7.7 per cent to 5.4 per cent during the same period. �e unemployment rate for males in India reduced from 6.1 per cent
in 2017-18 to 3.3 per cent in 2022-23 and that for female declined from 5.6 per cent to 2.9 per cent.
�e unemployment scenario in India re�ects a complex interplay of various factors. �e unemployment rate has experienced
�uctuations in�uenced by both structural and cyclical forces. Ongoing e�orts are being made to address challenges associated
with skill-mismatch, a noteworthy contributor to unemployment, through initiatives aimed at enhancing vocational training and
aligning educational curricula with market demands.
�e country also contends with informal employment, a signi�cant aspect of the labour market. Tracking and addressing
underemployment, particularly in the context of the expansive informal sector, is pivotal for a comprehensive evaluation of India’s
employment landscape.
Furthermore, the emergence of the gig economy has introduced new
dynamics, altering the traditional employment paradigm. Integrating ADDRESSING YOUTH
this aspect into our understanding of unemployment provides a more
contemporary and accurate portrayal of the employment scenario.
UNEMPLOYMENT REQUIRES
In essence, India’s unemployment scenario is multifaceted, re�ecting TARGETED POLICIES THAT
the intricacies of a diverse and dynamic economy. It requires a nuanced ALIGN EDUCATION WITH
approach that considers both traditional and evolving aspects of MARKET NEEDS, FOSTER
employment to formulate e�ective policies for sustained economic
growth and equitable opportunities.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND
CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
Manas: What, according to you, are the major CONDUCIVE TO JOB
causes of unemployment in India? CREATION IN SECTORS
Pranay Aggarwal: �e unemployment landscape in India is APPEALING TO THE
shaped by a con�uence of factors, encompassing both structural and
cyclical in�uences.
YOUNGER WORKFORCE.
•• POPULATION SIZE: India’s substantial population ampli�es
the competition for employment opportunities, putting additional pressure on the job market. Managing this demographic
challenge necessitates a comprehensive approach to economic development and job creation.
•• SKILLS MISMATCH: A predominant cause, where the skills possessed by the workforce may not align with the evolving
demands of the job market. Addressing this issue requires initiatives focused on enhancing education and vocational training
programs.
•• ECONOMIC CYCLES: �e cyclical nature of the economy contributes to �uctuations in job availability. Periods of economic
downturns can lead to increased unemployment, highlighting the need for strategies that bolster resilience during economic
contractions.
•• INFORMAL SECTORDYNAMICS: �e prevalence of the informal sector introduces complexities in tracking and
addressing unemployment. E�orts to formalise and regulate this sector can contribute to a more accurate representation of
employment conditions.
•• TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION: Rapid technological advancements can lead to displacement in certain industries,
contributing to unemployment. Encouraging skill adaptation and fostering innovation in emerging sectors become crucial
responses.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

•• POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Well-intentioned policies may face challenges in e�ective

implementation, impacting their ability to generate employment. Streamlining policy execution and ensuring alignment with
ground realities are imperative.
•• GLOBAL ECONOMIC FACTORS: In�uences from the global economy, such as trade dynamics and geopolitical shi�s, can
impact India’s employment scenario. Cra�ing policies that enhance economic resilience to external factors is essential.
In addressing these causes, a comprehensive and adaptive approach, considering both short-term and long-term strategies, is
imperative for fostering sustainable employment opportunities in India.
Manas: The burning issue often seen in news headlines is ‘Unemployment and Youth’. Why
is youth unemployment seen as a major problem today?
Pranay Aggarwal: Youth unemployment is a signi�cant contemporary issue due to several interconnected factors:

•• DEMOGRAPHIC PRESSURES: India has a sizable youth population, leading to a surge in the number of individuals
entering the job market. We are presently in the demographic dividend opportunity stage, and it is expected to last till about 2055.
�e mismatch between the demographic bulge and available employment opportunities intensi�es competition and raises the stakes
for young job seekers.
•• EDUCATIONAL EXPANSION AND RISING EXPECTATIONS: As
educational attainment rises, so do expectations for meaningful and well-compensated
employment. �e Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education has already India has a sizable
crossed 27 per cent. NEP 2020 targets 50 per cent GER by 2035. �e gap between rising youth population,
aspirations (due to better quali�cations) and actual job availability can lead to
frustration and disillusionment among youth.
leading to a surge
in the number of
•• TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION: Rapid technological advancements can lead to
the displacement of traditional jobs, a�ecting youth disproportionately as they o�en individuals entering the
seek employment in sectors vulnerable to automation. job market. We are
•• GLOBAL ECONOMIC DYNAMICS: Global economic �uctuations and presently in the
uncertainties can impact industries that traditionally absorb young workers, demographic dividend
exacerbating youth unemployment during economic downturns.
opportunity stage, and it
•• DELAYED ENTRY INTO THE WORKFORCE: Factors such as pursuing
higher education or taking time to explore diverse career paths can delay entry into the
is expected to last till
workforce. However, prolonged transitions can contribute to higher levels of youth about 2055.
unemployment.
•• SKILLS GAP: Changes in the skills demanded by the job market and the skills
possessed by recent graduates can result in a signi�cant gap, making it challenging for youth to secure employment matching their
quali�cations.
•• SOCIAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS: High youth unemployment can have social and political repercussions,
leading to disenchantment, demands for reservations and state bene�ts, social unrest, and potential challenges to political stability.
Addressing youth unemployment requires targeted policies that align education with market needs, foster entrepreneurship, and
create an environment conducive to job creation in sectors appealing to the younger workforce.
�e multifaceted nature of this issue underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies for sustainable solutions.
Manas: Before moving ahead, if you can suggest what should be read on unemployment?
Pranay Aggarwal: To gain a comprehensive understanding of unemployment, you can explore a variety of readings, including
reports, books, and articles. Here are some recommended sources:

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

REPORTS AND RESEARCH:

•• WORLD EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL OUTLOOK � TRENDS 2024 BY ILO: �is report by the International
Labour Organization provides insights into global employment trends, including unemployment rates and challenges.
•• ANNUAL REPORT 2022�23 BY UNION MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT: It captures the
current scenario in Indian labour market well, including issues like child labour and women in the labour force. �e report
mentions key labour statistics, important constitutional and legal provisions, and various government policies and schemes.
•• 2022 DISCUSSION PAPER ON WORKFORCE CHANGES AND EMPLOYMENT BY NITI AAYOG: It is a useful
paper to understand basic employment related terms like Labour-Force-Participation Rate and Worker-to-Population Ratio; and
also the major �ndings from the recent PLFS surveys.
•• EMPLOYMENT AND SELF EMPLOYMENT �SPECIAL
ISSUE� OF YOJANA MAGAZINE: It provides an overview of the CHANGES IN THE SKILLS
employment scenario in the country and various related issues, in DEMANDED BY THE JOB
informative articles by leading economists, planners and bureaucrats. MARKET AND THE SKILLS
•• INDIA’S BOOMING GIG AND PLATFORM ECONOMY POSSESSED BY RECENT
REPORT BY NITI AAYOG: �is report presents a scienti�c GRADUATES CAN RESULT
framework for assessing the potential job creation in the gig-platform
economy. It also o�ers comprehensive perspectives and IN A SIGNIFICANT GAP,
recommendations concerning the gig economy in India. MAKING IT CHALLENGING
BOOKS: FOR YOUTH TO SECURE
EMPLOYMENT MATCHING
•• EMPLOYMENT IN INDIA �BY AJIT K. GHOSE�: �is book
brie�y traces the historical trends, current challenges, and future THEIR QUALIFICATIONS.
prospects of employment in India. It starts with the employment
conditions during the country’s planned development, charting its
evolution in connection with growth strategies, demographic shi�s, and institutional changes. It also explores fundamental
concepts like employment, unemployment, labor force and labor participation.

•• GLOBALIZATION, LABOUR MARKET INSTITUTIONS, PROCESSES AND POLICIES IN INDIA �EDITED

BY K.R. SHYAM SUNDAR�: �is book delves into the consequences of product market and labor market reforms on
companies, labor institutions, and labor rights in India’s economy and industrial relations system. It also evaluates how labor
market reforms a�ect both formal and informal labor markets in the country.

•• EMPLOYMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT �BY AMARTYA SEN�: Exploring the interconnectedness
of institutions, technology, and labour market, this book examines how institutional factors in�uence policy making, including
modes of production, ownership patterns, and employment.
�ese readings o�er diverse perspectives on unemployment, covering economic theories, policy considerations, and real-
world case studies.
Of course, civil services aspirants should be aware of the constraints on their time. �ey must consider the relative importance of
topics in the exam syllabus and allocate study time accordingly. �erefore, UPSC aspirants should view the above mentioned resources
as valuable, comprehensive, and reliable; but use them selectively. It is recommended to selectively explore a mix of reports, books, and
articles to gain a well-rounded understanding of this complex topic.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS THIS QUOTE MEANS

‘Mathematics is the music of reason’

Wri�en by Yashee

�is statement, a topic in the essay section of UPSC exam 2023, can be looked at in two ways — math as the expression
of what is harmonious and beautiful in the human ability of reason, and the overlaps between music and math.

Bach has often been regarded as a mathematician because of the use of math in his music. On the other end is Albert
Einstein, a scientist who was an accomplished pianist and violinist. (Photos: Wikimedia Commons)

W
hile for many, mathematics can be a challenging subject, those who love it see in it a beauty — a beauty of purity
and light, of certain steps leading unerringly to certain logical conclusions. A deeper understanding of mathematics
can help us make sense of the world around us, while developing a new appreciation for the subject itself. �is
sentiment is nicely expressed in a statement that was a topic for the essay paper in the UPSC 2023 exam — ‘mathematics is the
music of reason’.

Origin of the quote

While it is not clear where the statement originates from, it is o�en attributed to the 19th century English mathematician

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

James Joseph Sylvester. In the 1993 book ‘Comic Sections Plus: �e Book of Mathematical Jokes, Humour, Wit and Wisdom’ by Des
MacHale, the full quote is given as: “May not music be described as the mathematics of the sense, mathematics as music of the reason?
�e musician feels mathematics, the mathematician thinks music: music the dream, mathematics the working life.”
A 1992 book by French mathematician Jean Dieudonné is titled ‘Mathematics: �e Music of Reason’.

What it means
�e quote can be looked at in two ways — math as the expression of what is harmonious and beautiful in the human ability of
reason, and the overlaps between music and math.
For the �rst, let us take the example of architecture. All the great examples of architecture around the world, from the Konark
Sun temple and Taj Mahal in India to the pyramids of Egypt to the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, have been created thanks to the
use of the mathematic concepts of geometry, algebra, trigonometry, etc. Just like musical notes combine to produce a piece of art,
here, the human ability for reasoning, the rules of x and y combining in a certain way to produce z, were used as the bedrock to
create art of enduring beauty.
In a more literal sense, of course all music is linked to math. To take the example of the Indian classical dance form of Kathak,
all dance pieces are performed on taals, which are broken down into speci�c numerical matras and chhands. �ese combine to
produce the music on which dance is set.
�e underpinning of music — rhythm and metre — have mathematical structures. As mathematicians David H Bailey and
Jonathan Borwein wrote for Hu�post, “….there are well-known mathematical relationships between the pitch of various notes
on the musical keyboard. An octave is separated by a factor of two; a ��h interval (say C to G) by the ratio 3/2, and two adjacent
notes on the keyboard are separated by the twel�h root of two = 1.059463…”
�e role of mathematics is apparent in many famous pieces of music. For example, �e Art of Fugue, by the famous German
composer Johann Sebastian Bach, is based on the Fibonacci series and the golden ratio. Bach, in fact, has o�en been regarded as
a mathematician because of the use of math in his music. Another musician recognised as a genius, the Austrian Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart, is also known for the use of math in his works. On the other end is Albert Einstein, a scientist who was an
accomplished pianist and violinist.
A more contemporary example is of the song ‘We will rock you’ by the British rock band ‘Queen’. Brian May, the lead guitarist
of the band, has described the role of math in the iconic ‘stomp stomp clap’ section of the song. May, who has studied
astrophysics at Imperial College in London, talked about how the band was looking for ways to incorporate audience’s reactions
in their songs, and for this song, they were stamping on some wooden boards in a disused church.
NPR quotes him as saying, “And there were some old boards lying around, but they just seemed ideal to stamp on. So we piled
them up and started stamping. And they sounded great anyway. But being a physicist, I said, ‘Suppose there were 1,000 people
doing this; what would be happening?’ And I thought, ‘Well, you would be hearing them stamping. You would also be hearing a
little bit of an e�ect, which is due to the distance that they are from you.’ So I put lots of individual repeats on them. Not an echo
but a single repeat at various distances. And the distances were all prime numbers.”
However, some argue that there is a fundamental di�erence between music and math. Bram Duyx, a statistician with a PhD
from Maastricht University, Netherlands, told �e Indian Express, “If you analyse music, you discover patterns and consistencies.
Having said that, music is perhaps best enjoyed without analysing, by just immersing oneself in it. In this, it is the opposite of
mathematics, where the underlying logic and patterns are all-important. Reason is the natural habitat of math, whereas music is
more about intuition and emotion.”

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

‘The Internet is becoming the town square

for the global village of tomorrow’
By: Explained Desk

What exactly is the concept of a town square, and why is it deemed so necessary for debate? Are social media companies
similar to such spaces?

Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan is believed to have first spoken about a "global village" in his 1962 book, The Gutenberg
Galaxy. (Via Pixabay)

M
icroso� co-founder Bill Gates is said to have spoken about the role that the Internet may play in the future as a
common space where people could share ideas, saying “�e Internet is becoming the town square for the global
village of tomorrow”.
While it is not de�nitively known when Gates said this, or if the quote is paraphrased from other words from him, the
Internet has been linked to the concept of a “town square” quite o�en.
When billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk purchased the social media platform Twitter in 2022, he said, “Free speech is the
bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are
debated.” What exactly is this town square, and why is it deemed so necessary for debate? Even before modern technology
came about, what purpose did the concept of a town square serve?

What is a town square?

In a literal sense, the term refers to a common space in a town or a village, where people get together, music may be played,
and conversations may be had among inhabitants. In the realm of philosophy, it refers to the ancient Greek practice of
discussing ideas prevailing at the time, holding debates, and talking about common concerns.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

What was the value of debate in a town square?

�e term Agora referred to such a space, where people could gather. At the time, ‘sophists’ or those engaged professionally
in the art of rhetoric would carry out such conversations in public view. However, philosophers Plato and Aristotle describe
them as being fallacious in their reasoning and intentionally arguing in a way that lacks merit to sway the audience towards a
point of view.
An article in �e Conversation notes, “Aristotle found an antidote by proposing rules for ethical rhetoric, against which the
populist claims could be measured. Ethos (credibility), pathos (emotions) and logos (logic) would become the cornerstones
of proper ethical rhetoric that could be used to measure all kinds of persuasive messages.”
�us, it underlines the idea that simply delegating a space as one for open debate is insu�cient because of potential bad
actors and an audience that maybe unable to understand when manipulation tactics are being employed against it.
�at’s where the comparison with a platform like Twitter becomes clear, in a way. Social media spaces act like areas where
everyone can talk to each other and engage in debate. Indeed, early on, Twitter and Facebook were used during the Arab
Spring, a series of protests in various countries in the Middle East and North Africa in the early 2010s. When traditional
means of communication were obstructed, these networks helped people gather and raise their political issues.
However, critics note how the way these companies operate now speaks of the absence of regulation which is considered
acceptable by its users. Policies of punishing hate speech are considered unfair, or biased against a particular ideology. And
so, even when a platform is available, the lack of a common set of rules like the one Greek philosophers hoped to create,
makes genuine, good-faith debate di�cult.

What is a global village?

Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan is believed to have CANADIAN PHILOSOPHER
�rst spoken about a “global village” in his 1962 book, �e MARSHALL MCLUHAN IS
Gutenberg Galaxy. It refers to the idea that new electric BELIEVED TO HAVE FIRST
interdependence has shrunk the world, where most of us are
easily reachable. SPOKEN ABOUT A “GLOBAL
Since then, with the rise of the Internet and now arti�cial VILLAGE” IN HIS 1962 BOOK,
intelligence, his words ring truer than ever before. But is it also THE GUTENBERG GALAXY.
true that a global village or an interconnected world needs a
free space for debate?
�e value of arguments is inherent – it means a society is acceptable to a diverse range of ideas, and people have the
freedom to voice them and accept feedback or criticism. However, the quality of these factors determines the quality of the
debate happening. If social media platforms encourage engagement and more audiences �ock to them, they could make those
posts more visible that are controversial but not substantial. And so, their claims of being a public square become
questionable.
X (formerly Twitter) said in a post this year that it “will create more original content and bring in more talent with some of
the most interesting and engaged people on X.” �e subjectiveness of what interesting debate means that while we are living
in a global village-like setup, certain online communities can not always serve as the public square we need.
As happened in the case of Greece, interventions can come when people believe that they can identify duplicity and those
who lie to the public. Setting some basic standards for what is unacceptable and needs immediate removal could be one way
to ensure the sanctity of a public space for discussion.
Or maybe, it could lead to a discussion on what an entirely new kind of platform may look like, perhaps one that is not
dependent on user attention for its sustenance.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS UPSC ETHICS SIMPLIFIED

Values which make us Human �

the concept & caselet
Wri�en by Nanditesh Nilay

Why is it important
to study Human
Values? Nanditesh
Nilay explains the
ethical concept with
examples for UPSC
aspirants.

THE CONCEPT
To reach and receive
the fundamental
meaning of any
concept, the best "Before moving to Ethics it is be�er to align with the spirit of Human Values," says
inquiry should begin Nanditesh Nilay.
with “What?” In this
context, the �rst three essential questions which should come to our minds are:
What is Value?
What are Human Values?
Why do we study Human Values as aspiring bureaucrats?
Let’s know…
Relevance: �e topic is a part of UPSC CSE General Studies Paper-IV Ethics Syllabus. Aspirants will �nd the article
useful for their Essay paper too. Moreover, the essence of the article will help aspirants in their professional lives or in life in
general. Nanditesh Nilay will write for UPSC Ethics Simpli�ed fortnightly on Sundays. �e �rst article will be a concept while
the second article will be a caselet based on the concept.

Value
Value has its Latin origin and it comes from the word, VALERE. �e meaning is,” to be of worth.” So either the value of a
product or an action carries a signi�cant worth- tangible as well as intangible. In other words, Value means the worth or
utility of a thing.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

So when we say Pro�le Value, it means the worth of a pro�le. In the same way, the monetary worth of a skill associated with a
pro�le can bring economic value. Now in the industrial era, we have products and their values. So everywhere we understand
something or somebody with the value associated or exhibited.
According to Rokeach, “Value is an enduring belief, a speci�c mode of conduct or an end state of existence, along a continuum of
relative importance.”

Human Values
When we associate the worth or utility of human attributes in life or personality, we refer to them as Human Values. Simply
put, Values which make us Human. Here we can understand in a simple way that values are those notions or feelings which are
urgent as well as important for the collective survival and happiness of society. It promotes harmonious living as well as guides our
relationship with the environment across.
So before moving to Ethics it is better to align with the spirit of Human Values.

ETHICS EXEMPLIFIED: The Human Value of Service and Daridra Narayan – A Pandemic lesson
Here is an example of an important human value- Service. I take it from my article in �e Indian Express, “Pandemic lesson on
the importance of service must not be forgotten”.
�e pain and su�ering around the world and in our country due to COVID brought us closer to a speci�c human value — the
spirit of service. In a world where pro�t and loss decide human interaction, it was the essence of service, the doctor and the nurse,
the delivery person, the storekeeper, all risking their lives to help ease ours, that touched everyone across the world, even in the most
powerful of nations. Service and only service stirred our souls.
�e French designer Coco Chanel said, “the best things in life are free. �e second-best things are very expensive.” Apart from
water, sunlight, and air, during the pandemic, we came closer to the human value of sel�ess service. It prepared us to relate, to forge
solidarity with others. �e pandemic has, therefore, de�ned the texture of a human relationship in terms of service and connection.
But the nature of that connection has a history.
�is sense of service as key to the human relationship got sharply de�ned during the pandemic. To care for and serve somebody
without any prejudice or immediate interest became the calling card of compassion. �e values of interpersonal relationships,
community bonding, and intrapersonal relationships emerged larger than life. Swami Vivekananda a�rmed that “if one wants to
�nd God, serve man. To reach Narayana, one must serve the Daridra Narayan.”
Here, Daridra Narayan would mean those �ghting the COVID-19 virus in critical care or those who succumbed to it, those who
had to care for their loved ones. �e day and night became a battle for the survival of humanity itself. Professionals, from frontline
workers to vaccine researchers, emerged to serve in the middle of a crisis. �ey proved that one can live individually but survival
needs the collective spirit. �is wasn’t the case before the pandemic. Between customers — the customer is god or king — service
and sel�ess service, we liked to read balance sheets and work out the margin of pro�t. Sel�ess service wasn’t a natural choice. Many
of us have worked with countless people all our lives, but most of us will �nd it a challenge to pick four to �ve persons whom we
have served sel�essly.

Studying Human Values as aspiring bureaucrats

You are aspiring not just for a prestigious job but also as you will be a role model for many in society. We are studying Human
Values because governance is based on the ideals of justice, transparency, and the spirit of civil service. So it is expected that a civil
servant must carry those human feelings or attributes which can do justice and take care of the needs of the last person in society.
Simultaneously, there must be holistic and sensitive governance that can balance the relationship between man and nature.
Here it is important that a civil servant must exhibit the values of empathy, transparency, trust, integrity, courage, and many other
human values in the execution or decision making process. Human values are equally needed even in policy formulation.

EXPRESS INPUT
In his opinion piece (‘In Good Faith: A secular ethics for our times) for The Indian Express, The Dalai Lama wrote:

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

“�ere is good reason to develop these basic human values, because I

believe that human nature is basically gentle. I believe that we are only
occasionally aggressive and that generally our lives are very much
involved with love and a�ection. Even the cells in our body work better
if we have peace of mind. An agitated mind usually provokes some
physical imbalance. If peace of mind is important for good health, that
means the body itself is structured in a way that accords with mental
peace. We can therefore conclude that human nature is more inclined to
gentleness and a�ection.”
Point to ponder: Civil servants are expected to be like Caesar’s
wife in character and Plato’s “philosopher king”. Discuss.

FYI
“Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion”
�e phrase means that those holding important public positions
should avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing. �eir behaviour must
always be “above suspicion”, since any misconduct, or rumours of
misconduct, by them besmirches the
high o�ce they hold.
Plato’s “philosopher king” (
Plato, The Republic)
�e idea means that the best
governance is the one in which
philosophers rule. �e Platonic idea
here is that philosophers are both
ethically and intellectually the best
class to rule. Ethically, they are built of
values and are free from greed and
other temptations which push them
away from their duties. Intellectually,
they are wise enough to understand
the task at hand.

THE CASELET
Between 2 roles, no easy way out
Mr X was working as a Chief Surgeon and Head of Department in a hospital. At 2 am, he received a call of an accident and was
asked to rush to the hospital. X was very tired and promised the family to spend the next day with them. �erefore, X didn’t respond
well and asked his subordinate Mr Y to go to the hospital and do the job.
Mr Y was a brilliant mind and was supposed to become the head of the department (HOD). As per the hospital’s rule, it was not
compulsory for an HOD to visit in person, particularly in the odd hours. In the meantime, his wife and children insisted on
switching o� the mobile as it would disturb their peace. Mr X follows the same but suddenly �nds his son a bit uneasy. He was
su�ering from fever. In the pandemic time, it was important to take care of that little boy. However, his landline was now
continuously ringing. Mr X (doctor), picked the landline phone and found that one of the celebrities had met with an accident.
Hospital authorities were expecting him to arrive as early as possible. However, his family members and his ill son didn’t want him
to leave in pandemic times. Mr X — a doctor and a father — was in dilemma. A�er a while the Director of the hospital informed
Mr X about the name of the celebrity. Mr X was willing to go to the hospital, however he shared the issue of his ill son. A�er

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

listening to this the Director was not willing to pressurise him. A�er a while, one of his colleagues informed him that the media had
also reached the hospital.
Mr X’s promotion was also due. Without wasting a minute, he rushed to the hospital. It turned out to be one of the critical
surgeries of his life. Finally, the patient was saved. �ere was a lot of media who were waiting for a medical brief. Mr X deputed Mr
Y for that brie�ng and rushed to the home as his son was waiting for him. Mr Y was a low pro�le person, and was completely in a
state of surprise. He even requested Mr X to be there, who was not keen to stop even or a minute. He advised certain instructions to
his sta� for that patient and le� the hospital.
�e Director of the hospital and Mr Y were there for a media brie�ng. Next day, Mr X’s photos �ooded the newspapers. His son
was extremely happy to see his father’s achievements but Mr X was only looking towards the thermometer.
A�er six months, Mr Y got promoted, though Mr X was still Head of Department.
Post Read Questions:
You are aspiring
Q 1. Identify the main issues in this case?
not just for a
Q2. How would you have handled this case?
prestigious job but
Q3. As a leader and a doctor what were expected values from Mr X? also as you will be a role
Q4 Do you think hospitals can trust doctors like Mr X in future? If yes, why? model for many in
Q5. What is your opinion about the values of the Director? society. We are studying
Human Values because
EXPRESS INPUT
governance is based on
Thought Process the ideals of justice,
Decision making in tough situation involves a lot of factors. When it comes to take a transparency, and the
decision based on our conscience, basic human values may guide us to a path where we spirit of civil service.
can make the best choices from the options available. A�er stepping in the shoes of Mr X,
we need to assess what was more important and required immediate attention in the given
situation. Listing his priorities will help us understand the wisdom behind his actions. Why did he go to the hospital, even though the
hospital rules didn’t require him to do so? What about his promotion? Why did he not wait for the media brie�ng? Ponder on these
lines. What you may realise that the value of Service, the call for Duty, the Responsibility and concern of a father etc. made him choose
the course of action Between 2 roles.

The AIIMS Charak Shapath

“Not for the self; Not for the ful�lment of any worldly material desire or gain, but solely for the good of su�ering humanity, I will
treat my patient and excel well.”
(As told to �e Indian Express earlier by Dr M C Misra, former director of AIIMS)
�is Charaka Shapath is universal, and remains just as relevant and applicable today. It places the value of Service to Humanity at
the center of professional ethics.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS EXPERT’S TALK

How to study Indian Polity For

Civil Services Exam?
Wri�en by Manas Srivastava

Does one book su�ce for studying Indian Polity? Jatin Verma takes up this frequently asked question and breaks
down how best to prepare for this subject.

W
hich
subject
should
you kick start your
UPSC preparation
with? Well, most
Aspirants, from
diverse educational
backgrounds, o�en
have one answer
— Indian
Polity. Why? Is it
interesting? Is it more
relevant to current
a�airs? Is a single
source/book enough
to master the subject?
Whatever your reason "A dispassionate analysis would tell you that Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth lacks on two fronts", says
may be, the fact Jatin Verma.
remains that this
popular subject can also be tricky. UPSC Past Year Questions (PYQs) are a testimony to this. Jatin Verma, our subject
expert, talks to Manas Srivastava and takes up some essential queries on strategies to prepare for Indian Polity and
validates his points with PYQs.
About our Expert: Jatin Verma is an educator & mentor for aspirants preparing for UPSC Civil Services
Examination. An expert on subjects like Polity & Governance, Public Administration and Current A�airs, he has been
guiding civil service aspirants for more than 10 years. He also writes on various aspects of UPSC Civil Services Exam.

Manas: One of the most popular subjects among aspirants, Indian Polity, has both
troubled and acted as a saviour sometimes. What are your comments on recent trends in
questions related to Polity in UPSC exams?

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Jatin Verma: Let’s answer this question for Prelims and Mains separately.

Prelims
�e number of questions from the Polity section hovers around 15-20 in Prelims. What has changed is the areas from
where these questions are being framed.

Quality of questions
�e questions in prelims are framed correlating static theory with the current a�airs of national importance. To cite certain
examples, questions related to Aadhar, the Election Commission of India’s powers, and the Power of Contempt of Court.

Static questions
Another trend that is discernible since the 2011 pattern change is that even the static questions in prelims are from a wide
range of topics (unlike the conventional Parliament, Panchayati Raj institutions, Fundamental rights and Schedule V and VI
themes dominating the polity section in the pre-2011 pattern).

Questions based on deep understanding

Nowadays, the questions are framed based on deep understanding derived from a thorough reading of editorials, remarks
made by S.C. judges in landmark judgments like Aadhar, Triple Talaq, the jurisdiction of CBI, Citizenship Amendment Act,
NGOs in news, minute details about the Representation of Peoples’ Act like candidate’s right to contest from multiple
constituencies and power of the speaker to label a bill as a money bill. �ese types of questions have become more common,
especially since 2017.

So What’s Good About �e Trend…

�e good side of this way of asking questions is that there is more synchronicity between preparation for prelims and
mains, which is quite helpful for sincere aspirants, given the reduced time gap between prelims and mains. �at is why, I
always recommend aspirants to prepare for UPSC prelims and mains in an integrated manner to increase their chances of
acing both prelims and mains.

Mains
Questions from almost all the broad sub-topics mentioned in the o�cial UPSC mains syllabus for GS Mains paper 2 are
being asked in a balanced manner. �ere has been a question almost every year from one of these subtopics-Historical
underpinnings & evolution, Features, amendments, signi�cant provisions, and basic structure– every year from 2013 to 2023.
To illustrate, “constitution as a living document”, “Constitutional morality”, adjectives attached to the word republic in
the preamble, freedom of speech and expression, Section-66A, Khap Panchayats etc.
Likewise, the questions are being asked from other sub-topics- Transparency, Accountability, RPA, Role of civil services in
a democracy as well as in a balanced manner. However, as I said earlier, the probability of a question being asked from a given
topic in a particular year increases depending upon the national discourse (recent controversy, S.C. judgement, Govt’s policy
interventions) around that topic during that year.
For instance, the Uniform Civil Code question was asked in 2016 when this topic was one of the burning issues in 2015-16.
Similarly, Section 66A of the I.T. Act was asked in 2013 because there was a S.C. judgement on it in 2013. �e same logic
applies to Aadhar-related questions in Prelims 2018 and 2020. �is way to logically guesstimate can be easy and one can make
a list of highly probabilistic topics and prepare them thoroughly.
Having said that, there are some evergreen topics which a sincere UPSC aspirant must be prepared with at all times.

Manas: Is it right to say that this subject is vast in its syllabus and has evolving content?
Jatin Verma: What is colloquially referred to as “Indian Polity” has two tenets to it- “Indian Constitution” and “Indian

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Democracy at Work” with the former being about the letter or the theory of the Constitution and the latter being about the
spirit, the actual working of the Constitution.
The dynamic and static parts of the syllabus
Understanding the basics of the Constitution has become easier, thanks to the availability of books like M.Laxmikanth and
D.D. Basu. However, a sincere aspirant needs to be abreast of the latest interpretations/amendments of the constitution by the
judiciary and parliament as the constitution itself is an organic and ever-evolving document.
When it comes to the more dynamic and ever evolving section, i.e. “Indian democracy at work”, it is important for an
aspirant to update herself with all the politico-legal developments which are relevant from the examination point of view-
powers of various constitutional and non-constitutional bodies as those are evolving, recent trends in Centre-state relations to
enlist a few. Also, this part includes governance-related topics like the role of SHGs and NGOs, Electoral reforms, the role of
media, and regulatory bodies.
Over the last 7-8 years, the number of questions from the dynamic section has increased which is what makes the work cut
out for the aspirants. Even as this is happening, the candidates are also being tested on their gasp over the static “Indian
Constitution” part by framing the questions in the prelims in such a manner that static knowledge is being blended with the
awareness of current a�airs.

To illustrate the point with the help of a question-

Consider the Following statements:
1. �e Election Commission of India is a �ve-member body.
2. �e Union Ministry of Home A�airs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and by-elections.
3. �e Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.

Statements 2 and 3 were specifically inserted owing to

a. by-election in Anantnag constituency during that year
b. disputes in political parties- AIADMK and Samajwadi party related to allocation of election symbols.

�e Keywords in the Syllabus

Given the broad nature of keywords mentioned in the o�cial UPSC syllabus for G.S. Mains paper 2, I would say that the
scope of expansion and extrapolation of each keyword is immense. For instance, most of the aspirants interpret the term
“Accountability” in a narrow sense and limit it to the executive’s accountability to parliament (parliamentary standing
committee, CAG etc.) but, said unsaid, it includes the accountability of all the organs in all the possible ways- accountability
to/of– media, judiciary and independent regulators. �is is clear from the previous years’ questions–
Discuss the role of the Competition Commission (a regulator) of India in containing the abuse of dominant position by the
Multinational Corporations in India. Refer to the recent decisions.(UPSC CSE MAIN, 2023)

Similarly, another question-

�ough the Human Rights Commissions have contributed immensely to the protection of human rights in India, they
have failed to assert themselves against the mighty and powerful. Analysing their structural and practical limitations, suggest
remedial measures. (UPSC CSE MAIN, 2021)
�e same applies to other sub-topics like federalism, the role of civil services in a democracy, ministries, and departments,
appointment to constitutional positions from wherein the UPSC is asking questions like �scal federalism and �nance
commission, the role of governor in a state, civil service neutrality, cadre based civil services.
It is this generic nature of the broad topics which makes the Indian Polity and Governance, as a subject, vast and enriching.
So, what makes its syllabus vast is the dynamic nature- wherein the depth of the coverage of a topic varies depending upon

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

the context in which it is being prepared as the aspirant is required to cite the recent examples to substantiate the point while
answering the question.

Manas: What are some of the common challenges that aspirants face while studying Indian
Polity, and what solutions do you suggest?
Jatin Verma: While studying for Indian polity and governance, many budding aspirants face the following challenges:
1. How to memorise Constitutional articles & amendments?
My solution: Candidates are not required to memorise Article numbers, per se, What is required of an aspirant is to
understand the underlying essence of an article as UPSC is interested in that only. Article numbers do have a citational value
in the Mains exam.
�e same applies to constitutional amendments. One need not remember all the amendments and their year(s) of passage.
Only the salient amendments like the 42nd and 44th Constitutional amendments and the recent ones like GST Constitutional
Amendment Act and EWS Reservation Amendment Act or the ones which appear in the news are to be thoroughly
memorised.
2. Do we need to make summary notes from M. Laxmikanth?
My solution: For making notes, apply the 1/10th formula, until and unless you have revised anything so many times that
you can reduce 100 words to 10 words, don’t jump to notes-making as, then, you would end up reproducing the book itself.
�e idea is to make crisp and concise notes only for those things which you are prone to forget.

Manas: Polity, as we all know, sees a lot of interplay with law. Law we know is evolving.
How to keep this aspect in mind while studying. Also, how important are the legal language
and terminology to be studied for this paper?
Jatin Verma: In so far as UPSC CSE is concerned, we are only required to be thorough with basic nuances of constitutional
terminologies, and recent updates on amendments and bills. �ere is no need to burden oneself with legal jargon and
terminologies for one or two obscure questions in recent years.
Always keep the cost-bene�t ratio in mind, while delving deeper into any topic as the probability of something being asked
in prelims is 1:10,000.
So, whenever an aspirant gets confused, refer to PYQs and syllabus to reboot her compass.

Manas: The Constitutional framework is very complex, with so many amendments and
judicial interpretations. How to tackle it?
Jatin Verma: One need not burden herself with every constitutional amendment. Just understand the salient amendments
from 1951- 1973 and the judicial pronouncements on them, from one source. For this, you can refer to the editorials from the
archives of any good newspaper website as many books don’t cover it in a “story-telling” manner.

Manas: Aspirants are often seen to begin with Polity picking up one popular book� Indian
Polity by M. Laxmikanth and staying limited to it. Do you think that suffice, looking at the
dynamic and sometimes shocking nature of the questions?
Jatin Verma: I would say Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth is a good source to begin with. But considering the way the
UPSC is framing questions by mixing up the information from a polity related current event and an underlying concept, it is
not su�cient to just con�ne oneself to it.
A dispassionate analysis would tell you that Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth lacks on two fronts-
One, it does not su�ciently explain conceptual terms like secularism, communalism, parliamentary form of government,

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

liberty, etc. in the depth in which UPSC is framing the question. Take, for example, the question of
PRELIMS 2023:
1. In essence, what does ‘Due Process of Law’ mean?
(a) �e principle of natural justice
(b) �e procedure established by law
(c) Fair application of law
(d) Equality before law
Every year, there are 3-4 questions like the one above. For example, the 2019 Prelims question on “Liberty.”
Second, Laxmikanth, or for that matter, any polity book cannot cater to the UPSC’s requirement of asking questions about
recent events. Most of the renowned books are in a “catch-up” mode on this front i.e. these books are updated right a�er the
UPSC prelims with the previously “missing” information to give the new entrants the feeling of the book being a
comprehensive one.
As we are in the age of the internet, it would not be proper to con�ne oneself to just one or two books for such a dynamic
subject as Polity and Constitution, more so for Mains preparation. UPSC is checking candidates on these three accounts-

�1� Knowledge of Indian Polity since Independence- Eg. Questions on Swatantra party, H.N. Sanyal Committee on Contempt of
Court Law, Santhanam Committee recommendations, First ARC- salient recommendations, Bhuria commission on PESA,
[2] Conceptual clarity on generic terms- Questions around Freedom, liberty, Secularism, communalism
[3] Awareness of polity current a�airs– which is relevant for both prelims & mains.
To conclude, I would say Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth is a good compendium on Indian polity for beginners especially
for mains but it is not enough.

Manas: So, what is

the book list you
want to suggest?
Jatin Verma: Supplement
of Indian Polity by M.
Laxmikanth with the
Fundamental Rights
chapter of Introduction to
the Constitution of India by
D.D. Basu. �e best source
for having command over
the current a�airs related to
Indian Polity is the
newspaper. Read the
newspaper regularly and
make notes out of it. If an
aspirant �nds newspaper
reading to be tedious, refer
to the class notes of any "Many times, as a teacher, I see aspirants burdening themselves more with politically motivating
reputed polity teacher. content at the cost of the content that is relevant for cracking this exam", says Jatin Verma.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Manas: Often said about the UPSC syllabus that it has interlinks and overlaps with
various other subjects. Is it also seen with Polity? How can the understanding of Polity
help students in other areas of the UPSC syllabus too?
Jatin Verma: Considering the generalist nature of civil services in India, having inter-linkages across subjects has to be
naturally there in any examination that selects civil servants. �ese inter-linkages and overlaps have become more discernible,
especially when we look at the last 10 years of questions since the UPSC changed the syllabus and the pattern, in 2013, to
re�ect contemporary challenges that young civil servants are going to face, once in service.
Understanding these inter-linkages and overlaps helps ease the task of budding UPSC aspirants, more so in the age of
information overload. �is eliminates duplication of e�ort — in terms of reading/collecting similar content for overlapping topics.
When it comes to Indian Polity, certain areas of overlap are worth mentioning:
1. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation – a topic of G.S. Mains Paper-2 overlaps with Inclusive growth and issues arising from it — a topic of G.S. Mains
paper-3
2. Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, and Human
Resources (G.S. Mains paper-2) overlap with Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. (G.S. Mains paper-3)
3. Post-Independence Consolidation and Reorganisation;
Women Empowerment (G.S. Mains paper-1 topic) overlaps THE IMPORTANCE OF
with certain topics of Indian polity like the State
Reorganisation Commission etc. NEWSPAPER READING, IN
4. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population GENERAL, FOR ALL THE
by the Centre and States and the performance of these STAGES/PAPERS OF UPSC CSE
schemes overlaps a lot with G.S. Mains paper-3 HAS BEEN INCREASING EVER
5. �e role of women and women’s organisations (G.S. Mains SINCE THE CHANGE OF
Paper-1) overlaps with the role of NGOs, SHGs, various
groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and
SYLLABUS IN 2013. REMEMBER,
other stakeholders. IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO
When it comes to overlapping with optional subjects, Indian KNOW WHAT IS NOT TO BE
Polity overlaps a lot with Public Administration and Political READ IN THE NEWSPAPER.
science.
More than the explicit overlapping, an aspirant needs to learn
the art of ‘slicing and dicing’ wherein the knowledge and information relating to a topic needs to be used for another topic in
another GS paper — be it essay, ethics, or optional subject paper.
However, the harsh reality is that one gets to see these interlinkages only a�er going through all the topics multiple times, which
is what I call ‘a�er going through the grind’.

Manas: What are some of the major areas in Polity that require more attention and take
more time to understand and memorise?
Jatin Verma: In the initial phase, try to understand constitutional philosophy well. One must cover Preamble,
Fundamental rights and DPSPs well and try to supplement theoretical learning with newspaper reading to understand their
varied interpretations and concretise them.
As your understanding develops, you will be able to solve the concept-oriented, application based questions as well. Topics
such as Fundamental Rights, Parliament and Centre-State relations would initially take some time, but a�er �rst few readings,
you will feel more familiarsied with them. It becomes important to not leave them mid-way and revise within the same week
to reinforce them in your memory.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Manas: There are some re-occurring doubts which the aspirants who are also our
subscribers ask often � notes making, revision strategy, newspaper reading and more…
Jatin Verma: �ey are common but essential doubts. Let’s brie�y discuss each one of them.
Notes Making: It is better to make notes in an integrated manner for both prelims and mains due to the dynamic nature of questions
being asked in prelims as well. Many candidates just prepare for prelims a few months before prelims. �is should be avoided as the
time window between prelims and mains is reducing. Remember, the questions in prelims and mains are being framed from the same
information base, more so in the last couple of years. So make notes simultaneously.
Revision and retention: Read and revise from one source only. Make your own notes for the topics, which you think are di�cult for
you. Don’t switch from one book/ source to another just because you think that the content is di�cult for you to absorb in the �rst or
second instance. A�er two or three readings from the same source, you will �nd that you can comprehend it.
Striking a balance between static and dynamic (current a�airs) portion: To begin, an aspirant must be thorough with basic facts
about the Constitution — preamble, Federalism, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, etc. For Prelims, the static portion remains
important as without it, one won’t be able to answer the questions despite having good command over the dynamic section as prelims
are about minute details and pin-pointedness when it comes to choosing the correct option.
To illustrate, there is no point in developing opinion around the Uniform Civil Code unless an aspirant has got command of various
connotations of secularism- positive and negative (Article 25). �e same goes for the basics of the Election Commission of India
(Article 324) and simultaneous elections.
�e best way to go about striking the balance is to draw the cue from the previous years’ questions. �ere is no point in spending too
much time on newspaper reading until and unless an aspirant is thorough with the basics of every important institution- from
President to bureaucracy. A�er attaining that level of understanding of Fundamental rights, DPSPs, Federalism, an aspirant would be
able to appreciate the dynamic side of such topics, i.e. the gap between the letter and spirit of the constitution.

Manas: Speaking about current affairs, how important are the newspapers and how
should one approach newspapers for Polity?
Jatin Verma: �e importance of newspaper reading, in general, for all the stages/papers of UPSC CSE has been increasing
ever since the change of syllabus in 2013. Be it G.S. Mains paper-1 (Social issues) or G.S. Mains paper-3 (Economy, Cyber
Security, Disaster Management), the role of newspaper reading in CSE is no longer just limited to amassing factual
information for prelims. Rather, it helps an aspirant in framing original, unique opinions on every issue of national and
international importance. As UPSC is asking questions that are beyond the pale of regular coaching material and periodicals
(for example, impact of work from home on family relationships), regular reading of newspapers, especially editorials and
explainers becomes important to comprehend the nuances of various topics of current a�airs even as the UPSC goes beyond
conventional books.
As far as the importance of newspaper reading for Indian Polity is concerned, it is important to understand what to read
and how much to read. Aspirants must �rst clearly draw the contours through the o�cial UPSC G.S. Prelims and Mains
question Paper-2. Make a list of topics a�er doing a trend analysis of the last 8-10 years’ question papers. A�er this, while
reading the newspaper, be watchful for news articles related to constitutional amendments/salient judgment/legislative
proposals/regulatory bodies, and other keywords mentioned in the G.S. Mains paper syllabus and as deduced from previous
years’ questions — both prelims and mains — and make your notes for such topics. Having good command over the static
section will ease one’s task of reading polity-related content in the newspaper and a�er a certain period, both static and
dynamic sections start feeding into each other.
Remember, it is equally important to know what is not to be read in the newspaper.

Manas: Often beginners are not able to understand the difference between Politics and
Polity as a subject. How should they figure out what is relevant and irrelevant when
studying Polity?
Jatin Verma: I cannot agree more. Many times, as a teacher, I see aspirants burdening themselves more with politically
motivating content at the cost of the content that is relevant for cracking this exam. As I mentioned earlier, it is more

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

important to know what is not to be read as there is limited time available at the disposal of every candidate, considering the
vast syllabus and competition.
To understand what is to be read, it is important to not lose sight of previous years’ questions of Indian polity and
governance and have a look at toppers’ answer copies. Doing this exercise at periodic intervals, they will get to see clearly that
none of the UPSC questions are politically motivated/inclined. Even while answering in mains, a candidate is expected to be
objective (neither too pro nor too critical of any political dispensation) in their views. Here, choosing a politically neutral
journal/source of information is equally important.
Apart from this, an aspirant must keep in mind at all times that they are preparing for the Civil services examination and
they need to be politically neutral, keeping aside their own political opinions, whatsoever.

Manas: How to make Polity both interesting and productive for UPSC and life in general?
Jatin Verma: Polity is a subject that one must read in their capacity as a citizen of this proud country. It makes us a responsible
citizen if we study it in the right earnest. Topics such as RTI, Citizens Charter, Lokpal, Right to Public Services Delivery Act, and
Citizen- Administration interface, especially with the police authorities, make us empowered citizens at the least.
While reading it for exam preparation, correlate every piece of factual information with practical aspects of civic life — our
rights, duties, secular outlook, and unity in diversity. Cultivate the habit of satiating your curiosity of ‘what, when, why,
where, and how’ related to any polity topic. Also, make a list of questions for which the answers are not available in
mainstream books/newspapers and search for them online. You will notice that this exercise helps you cover the subject
interestingly and will also help you answer tricky questions, such as the one on Aadhaar.
It helps us understand our duties as a “sovereign” and in framing an informed opinion on every issue of national
importance. One is getting this privilege only because of one’s UPSC preparation. �e understanding you gain around these
issues, in the course of your UPSC preparation, would serve you for your entire life.
Manas: Your final Dos and Don’ts for the aspirants and the misconceptions about Polity
that aspirants should do away with.
Jatin Verma: Here are some Dos and Don’ts that aspirants may �nd useful in their Polity coverage for UPSC preparation —
DOS:
1. Revise from the same source again and again Polity is a subject that
2. Make notes only a�er you have understood the topic one must read in their
3. Attempt PYQs a�er you have studied the topic capacity as a citizen of
4. Try answering Mains practice questions before you appear in Prelims this proud country. It makes
5. Make notes in an integrated manner, for both prelims and mains. us a responsible citizen if we
study it in the right earnest.
DON’TS:
1. Avoid reading multiple books and con�ne yourself to one or two books
2. Over-use of the internet needs to be avoided
3. Avoid propagating your political ideologies under the garb of UPSC preparation(at least till your selection!)
4. Con�ning yourself to anyone or two Coaching institutes’ notes at the cost of your own notes.
5. Don’t skip the Newspaper reading as UPSC appreciates originality of opinions and unique points of view, be it in prelims or mains.
It is important here to bust the misconception that preparing polity is limited to just reading Indian Polity by M. Laxmiknath and a
popular UPSC oriented magazine. Widen your horizons of understanding of a topic by regularly following one good newspaper. One
need not follow two or three newspapers, as eventually, one newspaper will cover all shades of opinion and topics.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

UPSC SPECIALS PRACTICE QUIZ

Brush Up Your Current Affairs Knowledge

And Consolidate Your UPSC CSE Preparation.
Compiled by Nitendra Pal Singh 2. It is used to treat autoimmune disorders.

QUESTION 1 WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/

ARE CORRECT?
WITH REFERENCE TO THE NAGARA STYLE OF
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE, CONSIDER THE (a) 1 only
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(b) 2 only
1. �ese temples are built on a raised plinth.
(c) Both 1 and 2
2. Shikhara is the most distinguishable aspect of Nagara
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
style temples.
QUESTION 3
3. In these temples, circumambulatory passage around the
garbha griha is absent. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PORTS:
4. �e Nagara style of temple architecture emerged during 1. Port of Hodeidah
the late Maurya period.
2. Gwadar Port
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE
ARE CORRECT? 3. Chabahar Port

(a) Only one 4. Port of Duqm

(b) Only two WHAT IS THE CORRECT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

OF THESE PORTS FROM WEST TO EAST?
(c) Only three
(a) 2—3—1—4
QUESTION 2
(b) 2—1—3—4
WITH REFERENCE TO THE
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, CONSIDER THE (c) 1—3—4—2
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: (d) 1—4—3—2
1. It has been used to treat malaria. QUESTION 4

77
UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

WITH REFERENCE TO THE FREE MOVEMENT REGIME, LEVEL COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: RELATING TO HOLDING OF SIMULTANEOUS
ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY UNDER THE
1. It is an agreed arrangement between India and the
CHAIRMANSHIP OF:
Myanmar that allows tribes living along the border on either
side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a (a) Sunil Arora
visa.
(b) Ram Nath Kovind
2. It was implemented since the Independence.
(c) Justice B P Jeevan Reddy
3. Mizoram is not a part of Free Movement Regime.
(d) Manmohan Singh
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT? QUESTION 7

(a) Only one WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IS NOT

CORRECT ABOUT LAKSHADWEEP?
(b) Only two

(c) All three (a) It lies on the chain of coralline islands that extends
southward beyond the equator to the Chagos archipelago.
(d) None
(b) All the coral islands of Lakshadweep are inhabited.
QUESTION 5
(c) It is India’s smallest Union Territory.
WITH REFERENCE TO THE REPUBLIC DAY PARADE
2024, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: (d) To enter Lakshadweep Islands, one requires an entry
permit.
1. �e theme for the tableaux at the Republic Day Parade
2024 has been decided as Bharat – �e Mother of Democracy. QUESTION 8

2. For the �rst time, the parade will see the �rst-ever WITH REFERENCE TO THE NORTHEAST MONSOON,
participation of a tri-service women contingent. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

3. �e list of special guests includes sarpanches of vibrant 1. It is also known as the retreating monsoon.
villages. 2. It occurs from October to December and a�ects peninsular
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE India.
CORRECT? 3. It is crucial for the growth of Kharif crops.
(a) Only one
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
(b) Only two CORRECT?

(c) All three (a) Only one

(d) None (b) Only two

QUESTION 6 (c) All three

THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONSTITUTED A HIGH� (d) None

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

QUESTION 9 (d) All four

KURAL IS A COLLECTION OF 1,330 COUPLETS THAT QUESTION 12

ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EVERY TAMIL
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS DID NOT
HOUSEHOLD. IT WAS WRITTEN BY:
GET THE PADMA VIBHUSHAN AWARD FOR 2024 IN
(a) �iruvalluvar THE ART CATEGORY?

(b) Aiyur Mudavanar (a) Ms. Vyjayantimala Bali

(c) Ammallanar (b) Ms. Padma Subrahmanyam

(d) �olkapilar (c) Shri Konidela Chiranjeevi

(d) Parbati Baruah
QUESTION 10
QUESTION 13
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF JAITAPUR WITH REFERENCE TO THE POEM�3 (PSLV ORBITAL
NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT �JNPP�? EXPERIMENTAL MODULE�3), CONSIDER THE
(a) USA FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

(b) Germany 1. It is a three-axis-attitude controlled platform with

power generation and telecommand and telemetry
(c) France capabilities.

(d) U.K 2. It was deployed with a PSLV-C58 vehicle.

QUESTION 11 WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE

CORRECT?
WITH REFERENCE TO THE BHARAT RATNA AWARD,
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: (a) 1 only
1. It is the highest civilian award in India. (b) 2 only
2. It is presented by the President of India and is (c) Both 1 and 2
intended to honor those who have le� an indelible
mark on the nation’s progress and development. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

3. �e award is not given posthumously. QUESTION 14

4. �e �rst recipient of the Bharat Ratna was Dr. Zakir �is species is one of 74 plants that scientists from the
Hussain. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London named last year
as new to science, thrilling some in the botany world. It
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE grows abundantly on Borneo, the third-largest island in
CORRECT? the world, which includes parts of Indonesia and
Malaysia. It �owers underground. �e discovery of this
(a) Only one
plant subterranea is an example of conventional science
(b) Only two catching up with Indigenous knowledge.

(c) Only three THE ABOVE�MENTIONED LINES REFER TO:

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

(a) Pinanga (a) Vyjayantimala Bali

(b) Ra�esia (b) Chami Murmu
(c) Nepenthes (c) Padma Subrahmanyam
(d) Begonia kinabaluensis (d) Uma Maheshwari D

QUESTION 15 QUESTION 18

SIMILIPAL TIGER RESERVE �STR� WAS RECENTLY IN SINGCHUNG BUGUN VILLAGE COMMUNITY RESERVE
THE NEWS DUE TO MELANISTIC TIGER SAFARI. THE AREA WAS IN THE NEWS. IT IS LOCATED IN:
RESERVE IS LOCATED IN:
(a) Assam
(a) Odisha
(b) Meghalaya
(b) Bihar
(c) Tripura
(c) Assam
(d) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Telangana
QUESTION 19
QUESTION 16
Recently, experts now said that humanity could be
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PAIRS: faced with the threat of the next pandemic from an
unlikely place — the melting permafrost in the X
Place Location region could release ancient viruses– “zombie viruses,”
1. Zhaotong South Korea also called Methuselah viruses that could potentially
a�ect humans.
2. Philip Island Indonesia
WHAT IS X?
3. Rafah Egypt
(a) Arctic
HOW MANY OF THE PAIRS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT? (b) Antarctic

(a) Only one (c) Himalayan

(b) Only two (d) Alps

(c) All three QUESTION 20

(d) None WITH REFERENCE TO ‘E INK’, CONSIDER THE

FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
QUESTION 17
1. �ey are a speci�c type of E Paper.
She is a research scholar, choreographer, teacher,
Indologist and author. She is known to have evolved and 2. E Ink displays cause less eye strain for the user.
popularised the dance form Bharata Nrithyam. She
received the Padma Shri in 1981 and Padma Bhushan in 3. �ey consume very little power compared to LCD
2003. She has been awarded Padma Vibhushan for the and OLED displays.
year 2024. 4. �ey have a faster refresh rate compared to LCD and
THE ABOVE�MENTIONED LINES REFER TO: OLED displays.

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
CORRECT?
1. �ese are the second-largest land mammals and also
(a) Only one known as the square-lipped rhinoceros.
(b) Only two 2. �e scientists announced the �rst-ever rhino
pregnancy achieved by transferring a lab-made rhino
(c) Only three
embryo into a surrogate mother.
(d) All four
3. Its status is near threatened.
QUESTION 21
THE ABOVE�MENTIONED STATEMENTS REFER TO
WITH REFERENCE TO THE INDIA�FRANCE WHICH RHINO?
RELATIONSHIP, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
(a) Woolly rhinoceros
STATEMENTS:
(b) Javan rhinoceros
(1) 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic
partnership of India-France ties. (c) Indian rhinoceros
(2) 2024 was the sixth time that a French leader will be (d) White rhinoceros
the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
QUESTION 24
(3) Rajasthan continues to lead among all Indian
destinations for French tourists. WITH REFERENCE TO THE BLUE ECONOMY, CONSIDER
(4) �e two sides have also agreed to establish a THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
partnership on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and
1. It refers to economic activities related to the sea and
Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR).
the coasts.
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE 2. A scheme for restoration and adaptation measures
CORRECT? for promoting climate resilient activities for blue
(a) Only one economy has been launched during the Interim budget.

(b) Only two WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE

CORRECT?
(c) All three
(a) 1 only
(d) All four
(b) 2 only
QUESTION 22
(c) Both 1 and 2
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING PAIRS IS NOT
CORRECTLY MATCHED? (d) Neither 1 nor 2

(a) Hikayat Seri Rama – Malaysia QUESTION 25

(b) Ramakien – Myanmar CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(c) Reamker – Cambodia
1. �e post of Deputy CM is equivalent in rank to that
(d) Phra Lak Phra Ram – Laos of Cabinet Minister (in the state).

QUESTION 23 2. �e provision of Deputy CM is mentioned in the

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

Constitution of India. CHUSHUL REGION WAS IN THE NEWS DUE TO

CONFLICT BETWEEN INDIA AND CHINA. THE REGION
3. �e �rst Deputy CM in India was Karpoori �akur.
IS LOCATED IN:
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE (a) Arunachal Pradesh
CORRECT?
(b) Himachal Pradesh
(a) Only one
(c) Ladakh
(b) Only two
(d) Sikkim
(c) All three
QUESTION 29
(d) None
WITH REFERENCE TO THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL
QUESTION 26
POVERTY IN INDIA, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BANKS HAS BEEN BARED STATEMENTS:
BY THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA �RBI� FROM 1. Multidimensional poverty in India declined from
ACCEPTING DEPOSITS? 2013-14 to 2022-23.
(a) Airtel Payment Banks 2. Rajasthan has topped the list of escaping poverty.
(b) Paytm Payments Bank 3. Maternal health is not covered under the Indian
(c) Axis Bank Multidimensional Poverty Index.

(d) HDFC Bank How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
QUESTION 27
(b) Only two
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATES:
(c) All three
1. Assam
(d) None
2. Manipur
QUESTION 30
3. Nagaland
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT
4. Mizoram
SNOW LEOPARD:
HOW MANY OF THE STATES GIVEN ABOVE SHARE A 1. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN-World
BOUNDARY WITH MEGHALAYA? Conservation Union’s Red List.

(a) Only one 2. Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India

(SPAI) has estimated maximum number of snow
(b) Only two leopards in Arunachal Pradesh.
(c) Only three Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(d) All four (a) 1 only
QUESTION 28 (b) 2 only

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Prayagraj

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 QUESTION 34
QUESTION 31 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATE GOVERNMENTS
HAS ATTEMPTED TO REVIVE TRADITIONAL
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES ARE
PRACTICES OF BUFFALO AND BULBUL �SONGBIRD�
INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE SUPPLY
FIGHTING?
OF 31 MQ�9B PREDATOR LONG ENDURANCE DRONES?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh
(a) India-Russia
(b) Sikkim
(b) India-Australia
(c) Karnataka
(c) India-USA
(d) Assam
(d) India-France
QUESTION 35
QUESTION 32
WITH REFERENCE TO LAB�GROWN FISH MEAT,
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATES:
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
1. Madhya Pradesh
1. Singapore is the front-runner in pioneering this
2. Gujarat technology.
3. Rajasthan 2. Lab-grown �sh meat has signi�cant potential for
ensuring food security and environmental bene�ts.
4. Haryana
3. Recently, a government lab in Kochi with a private-
5. Uttar Pradesh sector start-up has taken up a project of growing
seafood outside the sea, the �rst initiative of its kind in
HOW MANY OF THE STATES GIVEN ABOVE ARE
the country.
ASSOCIATED WITH MODIFIED PARBATI�KALISINDH�
CHAMBAL�ERCP �MODIFIED PKC�ERCP� LINK HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
PROJECT? CORRECT?
(a) Only two (a) Only one
(b) Only three (b) Only two
(c) Only four (c) All three
(d) All �ve (d) None
QUESTION 33 QUESTION 36
RECENTLY SEEN IN THE NEWS ‘VYAS JI KA TEHKANA’ WITH REFERENCE TO THE ALL INDIA SURVEY OF
IS SITUATED IN WHICH CITY: HIGHER EDUCATION (AISHE) 2021–22, CONSIDER THE
(a) Ujjain FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

(b) Varanasi 1. Female enrolment is lesser than male.

(c) Ayodhya 2. �e Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme has the

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

highest enrolment. 3. Christians saw the sharpest dip in the incidence of

polygyny.
3. At PhD level, social sciences stood at �rst spot.
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT?
CORRECT?
(a) Only one
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(c) All three
(d) None
(d) None
QUESTION 39
QUESTION 37
WITH REFERENCE TO THE DEEP TECH, CONSIDER THE
THE FIRST APPOINTMENT OF AN ELECTION
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
COMMISSIONER AS PER THE CHIEF ELECTION
COMMISSIONER AND OTHER ELECTION 1. It refers to advanced and disruptive technologies that
COMMISSIONERS (APPOINTMENT, CONDITIONS OF have the potential to trigger transformative change.
SERVICE AND TERM OF OFFICE) ACT, 2023 WILL BE 2. �ey are likely to enhance productivity and drive
DONE THROUGH SELECTION COMMITTEE. CONSIDER economic growth.
THE FOLLOWING:
3. It can not be used for the data sciences and robotics
1. Prime Minister �elds.

2. Union Home Minister 4. It is used to describe cutting-edge research in

nanotechnology.
3. Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
4. Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
CORRECT?
HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE ARE PART OF SELECTION
(a) Only one
COMMITTEE?
(b) Only two
(a) Only one
(c) Only three
(b) Only two
(d) All four
(c) Only three
QUESTION 40
(d) All four
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATE ASSEMBLIES HAS
QUESTION 38
PASSED THE UNIFORM CIVIL CODE �UCC�, BILL 2024,
WITH REFERENCE TO THE POLYGAMY IN INDIA, WHICH SEEKS TO “GOVERN AND REGULATE THE
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: LAWS RELATED TO MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE,
SUCCESSIONS, LIVE�IN RELATIONSHIPS, AND
1. �e prevalence of polygamy was highest among
MATTERS RELATED THERETO?
Muslims.
(a) Himachal Pradesh
2. �e polygynous marriages have decreased from
2005-06 to 2019-21. (b) Sikkim

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

(c) Goa (c) Article 45

(d) Uttarakhand (d) Article 46

QUESTION 41 QUESTION 44
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING PERSONALITIES HAS WITH REFERENCE TO THE HIGH�ALTITUDE PSEUDO
NOT BEEN AWARDED BHARAT RATNA AWARD FOR SATELLITE VEHICLE (HAPS), CONSIDER THE
THE YEAR 2024? FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(a) Karpoori �akur 1. It can �y at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground.
(b) Lal Krishna Advani 2. It is developed by DRDO.
(c) MS Swaminathan 3. It can generate solar power.
(d) Padma Subrahmanyam 4. It t does not require a rocket to get into space.
QUESTION 42
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT?
WITH REFERENCE TO THE PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING (a) Only one
STATEMENTS:
(b) Only two
1. Sections 29 and 42 of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities Act, 2016 mandate the government to take (c) Only three
measures to promote universal access in the (d) All four
information and communication sector.
QUESTION 45
2. According to the 2011 Census, the most common
disability is a visual impairment. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT
ASSAM AND MIZORAM:
WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE
CORRECT? 1. �e border dispute between the two neighbouring
states is a long-standing issue stemmed from two
(a) 1 only colonial demarcations.
(b) 2 only 2. �ere is a clear ground demarcation of boundaries
(c) Both 1 and 2 between the two states.

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE

CORRECT?
QUESTION 43
(a) 1 only
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES OF THE
(b) 2 only
CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PROVIDES FOR UNIFORM
CIVIL CODE FOR THE CITIZENS? (c) Both 1 and 2

(a) Article 47 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

(b) Article 44 QUESTION 46

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

THE ‘MANKUR MANGO’ OR ‘MALCORADO’ IS THE 3. India depends on LNG imports to meet around half
MOST POPULAR MANGO WHICH HAS HIGH of its gas demand.
MONETARY VALUE. THEY ARE GROWN IN: HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
(a) Assam NOT CORRECT?
(a) Only one
(b) Tamil Nadu
(b) Only two
(c) Kerala
(c) All three
(d) Goa
(d) None
QUESTION 47
QUESTION 49
WITH REFERENCE TO FREE MOVEMENT
REGIME (FMR) BETWEEN INDIA AND WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IS TRUE
MYANMAR, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WITH REFERENCE TO E.V. CHINNAIAH CASE:
STATEMENTS:
(a) �e Supreme Court of India delivered an
1. Under the FMR, every member of the hill tribes, authoritative verdict in favour of the right to livelihood
who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar of the tribals inhabiting the scheduled areas of the
and who is a resident of any area within 16 km on country.
either side of the border, can cross over on production
of a border pass with one-year validity and can stay up (b) �e Supreme Court struck down the Andhra
to two weeks. Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of
Reservations) Act, 2000 for being violative of the right
2. �e FMR was implemented in 2017 as part of the to equality.
Modi government’s Act East policy at a time when
diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar were (c) �e Supreme Court struck down the 99th
on the upswing. Amendment of the Constitution of India and the
proposal of the National Judicial Appointments
WHICH OF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS IS/ARE Commission.
CORRECT? (d) �e Supreme Court established right to education
(a) Only 1 as an integral part of the right to life guaranteed under
Article 21.
(b) Only 2
QUESTION 50
(c) Both 1 and 2
�e chairperson of this body is appointed by a committee
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition,
the Speaker of the house, the Chief Justice of India and
QUESTION 48 one “eminent jurist” nominated by the President.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS THE ABOVE LINES ARE REFERRED TO:
WITH REFERENCE TO LNG SECTOR IN INDIA: (a) Central Vigilance Commission
1. Petronet LNG is India’s largest LNG terminal (b) Comptroller and Auditor General of India
operator.
(c) Human Rights Commission
2. India is likely to end supplying lique�ed natural gas
(LNG) to Sri Lanka. (d) Lokpal

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UPSC ESSENTIALS March 2024 Issue

ANSWER KEY

1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (a) 5. (c) 6. (b) 7. (b) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (c) 11. (b) 12. (d) 13. (c)
14. (a) 15. (a) 16. (d) 17. (c) 18. (d) 19. (a) 20. (c) 21. (d) 22. (b) 23. (d) 24. (c) 25. (a) 26. (b)
27. (a) 28. (c) 29. (a) 30. (a) 31. (c) 32. (a) 33. (b) 34. (d) 35. (b) 36. (a) 37. (c) 38. (a) 39. (c)
40. (d) 41. (d) 42. (c) 43. (b) 44. (c) 45. (a) 46. (d) 47. (a) 48. (a) 49. (b) 50. (d)

87