Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Life Expectancy and related challenges,
Why in the News?
After decades of steady increases in human life expectancy due to advancements in medicine and technology, recent trends suggest that these gains are starting to slow down, according to a new study.
The Key Findings of the Study:
- Slowing of Life Expectancy Gains: After decades of rising life expectancy due to medical and technological advancements, the pace of these increases has slowed significantly. The study suggests that human life expectancy has nearly plateaued, with dramatic extensions unlikely without breakthroughs in anti-aging medicine.
- Regional Analysis: The study analyzed life expectancy data between 1990 and 2019 from regions with the longest life spans, such as Australia, Japan, and Sweden.
- Even in these regions, life expectancy increased by only 6.5 years on average over the 29-year period.
- Challenges of Radical Life Extension: Researchers found that while people live longer due to improvements in healthcare, the human body’s aging process—marked by the declining function of internal organs—limits life span. Even if diseases like cancer and heart disease are eliminated, aging itself remains a barrier.
- Low Probability of Reaching 100: The study estimates that girls born in the longest-living regions have only a 5.3% chance of reaching 100 years, while boys have a 1.8% chance. Thus, despite medical advancements, reaching 100 years remains rare without interventions to slow aging.
- Aging as the Primary Barrier: Researchers argue that extending average life expectancy dramatically will require breakthroughs that slow the aging process rather than just better treatments for common diseases.
- Some experimental drugs, like metformin, have shown potential in animal studies, but human trials are needed.
India’s Present Status:
- Lower Life Expectancy: As of 2024, India’s average life expectancy is around 70 years, In contrast, countries like Japan and Switzerland boast life expectancies exceeding 83 years.
- Healthcare Advancements: While India has made significant progress in combating infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health, chronic illnesses and lifestyle diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes) are emerging as leading causes of death.
What Needs to Be Done: (Way forward)
- Focus on Anti-Aging Research: India must invest in research on aging and regenerative medicine, exploring ways to slow down the aging process rather than just treating diseases.
- Strengthening Healthcare Systems: Expanding access to quality healthcare and preventive medicine to manage age-related diseases can enhance the quality of life in later years, even if life expectancy does not rise dramatically.
- Policy Support for Longevity Research: There is a need for policies supporting medical research into life-extension technologies, including drug trials and clinical studies focused on aging.
- Public Health Interventions: Improved public health measures targeting lifestyle diseases (obesity, diabetes) and better management of age-related conditions can enhance life span and overall well-being.
Mains PYQ:
Q The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (UPSC IAS/2022)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Inclusive Growth; Middle-income trap;
Why in the News?
The World Development Report 2024 highlights the “middle-income trap,” where economies stagnate as growth slows. Only 34 middle-income nations advanced to high-income status in 34 years.
How does the World Bank define the threshold for middle-income economies?
- The World Bank defines middle-income economies as those with incomes between $1,136 and $13,845 per capita.
- The middle-income trap refers to a slowdown in growth when an economy reaches a certain income threshold, about 11% of U.S. per capita income.
- Only 34 middle-income countries have transitioned to higher-income status over the last 34 years, indicating the difficulty of escaping the middle-income trap.
Why is state intervention crucial for breaking the middle-income trap?
- State intervention is vital for coordinating development goals, as seen in South Korea and Chile, where governments played an active role in shaping industries and ensuring the private sector’s alignment with national development objectives.
- The state ensures investment, infusion of global technologies, and domestic innovation, which are critical for modern economies. This is known as the 3i approach (Investment, Infusion, Innovation).
- State intervention disciplines local elites, ensuring firms succeed based on performance, not political connections. Underperforming firms are allowed to fail, promoting efficiency and innovation.
What lessons can be drawn from South Korea and Chile?
- South Korea adopted a state-led industrialization strategy with a focus on export-driven manufacturing:
- The state actively directed private sector activities, ensuring businesses were competitive on the global stage.
- Chaebols (large business conglomerates) were supported based on their performance, promoting technological advancement and innovation.
- Chile achieved success by focusing on natural resource exports, like its salmon industry:
- The state’s role was crucial in developing and supporting industries with growth potential, showing how targeted interventions can help small but strategically important sectors thrive.
What challenges does India face in balancing state intervention with democratic values?
- Economic Power Concentration: India faces a growing concentration of wealth among powerful business houses, which are perceived to be closely linked to the state. This risks cronyism rather than performance-based growth, which could hinder innovation and investment.
- Manufacturing Stagnation: Unlike South Korea, India’s manufacturing sector has not experienced significant growth. With global export demand slowing and increased protectionism, manufacturing is less likely to drive India’s growth.
- Wage Stagnation: Real wage growth has been stagnant, as inflation erodes the benefits of nominal wage increases. This limits domestic demand, a critical factor in economic dynamism.
- Premature Deindustrialization: India, like many developing economies, faces premature deindustrialization, meaning that manufacturing’s contribution to GDP is declining at a lower level of income than historically seen in developed economies.
- Balancing State Intervention with Democracy: South Korea and Chile implemented aggressive state interventions under authoritarian regimes. However, India, as the world’s largest democracy, must ensure that growth strategies do not come at the cost of democratic values and labor rights.
World Bank recommendation to escape the middle-income trap:
World Development Report 2024: This report outlines a three-pronged approach for middle-income countries to escape the trap:
- Investment: Initially focusing on increasing investment.
- Technology Infusion: Incorporating modern technologies into domestic industries.
- Innovation: Ultimately fostering innovation to enhance competitiveness and productivity
|
Way forward:
- Economic Growth Strategy: Niti Aayog CEO emphasized the need for a comprehensive economic strategy to avoid the middle-income trap, which he described as the “biggest threat” to India’s growth.
- Free Trade and Global Integration: Niti Aayog CEO advocated for increased openness to free trade and alignment with global value chains.
- Urban Development and Infrastructure: The government should focus on transforming urban areas into economic hubs, which is seen as crucial for driving growth.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Case pendency in judiciary;
Why in the News?
At the National Conference of the District Judiciary, President Droupadi Murmu emphasized the problem of court delays. She pointed out that these delays are causing people to hesitate in approaching the courts.
What are the primary causes of delays in the Indian judicial system?
- Ineffective Case Management: The lack of proper scheduling and timelines for filing documents, examining witnesses, and scheduling hearings leads to inefficiencies and prolonged delays.
- Lawyers often seek adjournments due to unpredictable scheduling or strategic reasons, leading to repeated postponements of hearings.
- Overburdened Judges: District court judges are often under pressure to prioritize cases based on higher court directives, skewing case management in favor of meeting deadlines rather than ensuring timely justice.
- Incentive Structure for Judges: The “units system” rewards judges for disposing of simpler cases, often causing more complex cases to be delayed or neglected.
- Extended Stays and Interim Orders: Litigants may use stays as a strategic delay tactic, reducing the urgency to resolve cases quickly.
- Unpredictable Witness Testimonies: Disruptions in the court schedule and procedural delays make it difficult for witnesses to attend court, further contributing to trial delays.
Status of the case pending in India:
- Total Pending Cases: As of 2024, there are over 58.59 lakh cases pending in high courts alone, with a staggering total of more than 51 million (5.1 crore) cases across all court levels, including district and Supreme Court.
- Long-standing Cases: Nearly 62,000 cases have been pending for over 30 years, with some dating back to 1952. In high courts, about 23% of cases have been pending for over ten years2.
- High Court Breakdown: The Allahabad High Court has the highest backlog, with over seven lakh cases pending as of 2018. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court currently has around 83,000 cases pending, marking a significant increase over the past decade despite an increase in the number of judges
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What impact do these delays have on public perception and access to justice?
- Erosion of Trust: Delays make the judicial process appear slow and ineffective, leading to public hesitation in approaching courts, fearing that litigation will complicate their lives.
- Increased Legal Costs: Prolonged cases escalate legal costs for litigants, making justice unaffordable for many.
- Reluctance to Seek Justice: The “black coat syndrome” highlights how people avoid courts due to the fear of endless adjournments and delays, diminishing access to timely justice.
- Backlog of Cases: The increasing backlog due to delays creates further congestion in the judicial system, perpetuating a cycle of inefficiency.
How can reforms improve the efficiency of the judiciary? (Way forward)
- Improved Case Management Systems: Implementation of Case Flow Management Rules with a focus on enforcing timelines for hearings and case disposal can streamline the process.
- Reformed Incentive Structures: Reform the “units system” to incentivize judges to handle complex cases more efficiently rather than prioritizing simpler ones.
- Predictable Scheduling for Lawyers: Providing clear scheduling information to lawyers can reduce unnecessary adjournments and improve case flow.
- Review of Stay Orders: Limiting the duration of stay orders and making them subject to regular review can discourage their misuse as delay tactics.
- Introducing real-time case management systems to track case progress and monitor delays could enhance judicial efficiency.
- Support for Witnesses: Offering financial compensation and providing predictability in court appearances can encourage witnesses to testify without unnecessary delays.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ASEAN Summit
Why in the News?
In alignment with the theme of this year’s ASEAN Summit—“Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”—PM Modi laid out the following ten key suggestions for strengthening cooperation.
Back2Basics: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- ASEAN, founded in 1967 with the Bangkok Declaration, aims for economic growth, regional peace, and an integrated ASEAN community.
- The ASEAN Charter, launched in 2008, formalized ASEAN’s legal status and sought to establish a single free-trade area.
- The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was established in 2009, adopting the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration in 2012.
- ASEAN members comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. East Timor (Timor-Leste) applied for membership in 2011 but is not yet a member.
- ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan, South Korea) aims to deepen regional integration among Southeast Asia and East Asian countries.
- East Asia Summit (EAS), including ASEAN Plus Three + India, Australia, and New Zealand, enhances strategic dialogue and cooperation in the region.
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Ten suggestions by PM Modi for ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience:
| No. |
Suggestion |
Details |
| 1 |
ASEAN-India Year of Tourism (2025) |
Declare 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, with India committing USD 5 million to promote tourism between India and ASEAN. |
| 2 |
Celebrating a Decade of India’s Act East Policy |
Organize events connecting artists, youth, entrepreneurs, and think tanks, including a Music Festival, Youth Summit, Hackathon, etc. |
| 3 |
Women Scientists’ Conclave |
Hold an annual Women Scientists’ Conclave under the India-ASEAN Science and Technology Fund to promote collaboration and innovation. |
| 4 |
Scholarships for ASEAN Students |
Double the Masters scholarships for ASEAN students at Nalanda University and launch a new scholarship program for ASEAN students in agriculture. |
| 5 |
Review of ASEAN-India Trade Agreement |
Complete the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025 to enhance economic ties and build a secure, resilient supply chain. |
| 6 |
Disaster Resilience |
Allocate USD 5 million from the ASEAN-India Fund for disaster resilience, with collaboration between India’s NDMA and ASEAN’s Humanitarian Assistance Centre. |
| 7 |
Health Resilience |
Institutionalize the ASEAN-India Health Ministers Meeting and invite two experts from each ASEAN country to India’s National Cancer Grid Vishwam Conference. |
| 8 |
Digital and Cyber Resilience |
Establish a cyber-policy dialogue between India and ASEAN to strengthen digital and cyber resilience. |
| 9 |
Promoting a Green Future |
Organize workshops on green hydrogen involving experts from India and ASEAN to promote sustainable energy solutions. |
| 10 |
Climate Resilience |
Promote the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (Plant for Mother) campaign to encourage tree planting and strengthen climate resilience. |
PYQ:
[2016] Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post-Cold War international scenario.
[2015] India is a member of which among the following? (2015)
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
- Association of South-East Asian Nations
- East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) India is a member of none of them |
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2063975
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Key highlights of Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has released the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024 for public comments and suggestions.
Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024: Key Features
|
Details |
| Sports Regulatory Board of India |
• Central regulatory authority overseeing National Sports Federations (NSFs).
• Responsible for granting recognition to NSFs, ensuring governance, financial, and ethical standards are followed.
• Flexible and autonomous in regulating sports governance without a fixed formula for NSF recognition. |
| Governance Structure for Sports Bodies |
• Applies to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), and NSFs.
• Limits Executive Committees (ECs) to 15 members.
• Leadership positions open to citizens with usual terms and conditions.
• Encourages NSFs to hire full-time salaried management, led by a CEO. |
| Ethical and Governance Standards |
• Mandatory Ethics Commissions and Dispute Resolution Commissions at the NOC, NPC, and NSF levels.
• Aligns with international standards to help India host global events like the Olympics. |
| Athletes Commissions |
• Required in NOC, NPC, and all NSFs.
• Provides athletes a platform to raise concerns and participate in decision-making.
• Government to provide additional funding. |
| Athlete Representation in Governance |
• At least 10% of voting members in the General Body of NOC, NPC, and NSFs must be sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs).
• At least 2 SOM representatives (one male, one female) must serve on the Executive Committee. |
| Safe Sports Policy |
• Introduces a Safe Sports Policy to protect athletes, especially minors and women, from harassment and abuse.
• Strict adherence to the POSH Act. |
| National Sports Promotion Organisations (NSPOs) |
• Guidelines for recognizing and regulating NSPOs to support sports governance, athlete development, and sports promotion. |
| Appellate Sports Tribunal |
• Handles sports-related disputes, reducing the burden on civil courts.
• Provides faster, cheaper, and efficient dispute resolution. |
| Ad-hoc Normalisation Committees |
• The Sports Regulatory Board can form these committees in cases of non-compliance or suspension of sports federations. |
| Global Anti-Doping and Ethical Standards |
• Emphasizes anti-doping measures and compliance with international standards, positioning India as a clean host for global events. |
| Public Accountability and Transparency |
• NOC, NPC, and NSFs subject to the RTI Act with exclusions for performance and medical data, ensuring transparency in sports governance. |
| Inclusivity and Gender Representation |
• At least 30% of the members of Executive Committees and other governing bodies must be female, promoting gender equality in sports. |
| Sports Election Panel |
• IOA, PCI, and NSFs must engage electoral officers from the Sports Election Panel to ensure free and fair elections. |
| Use of National Name and Insignia |
• Only recognized sports bodies will be allowed to use the Indian Flag or national names.
• Violations can result in fines up to Rs 10 lakhs or imprisonment for up to one year. |
Significance of the Bill:
- The National Sports Governance Bill, 2024 is significant as it aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in sports governance while ensuring the welfare of athletes.
- It establishes regulatory frameworks and ethical standards that align India’s sports ecosystem with global practices, fostering a more efficient, fair, and athlete-centric sports environment.
PYQ:
[2014] An athlete participates in Olympics for personal triumph and nation’s glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies, on their return. Discuss the merit of state sponsored talent hunt and its cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Synthetic Medical Images, GANs
Why in the News?
As we consider how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming various fields, one emerging area is the use of synthetic medical images in healthcare.
What are Synthetic Medical Images?
- Synthetic medical images are AI-generated images created without using traditional imaging devices like MRI, CT scans, or X-rays.
- These images are constructed using mathematical models or AI techniques, such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), diffusion models, and autoencoders.
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Advantages offered
- Intra- and Inter-Modality Translation: Generate images from the same or different types of scans, helping when certain scans are unavailable.
- Privacy Protection: Created without patient data, reducing privacy concerns and easing data sharing for research.
- Cost and Time Efficiency: Synthetic images are quicker and cheaper to generate compared to real medical scans.
- Scalability: Easier to produce large volumes of medical data for AI training and research.
Challenges posed
- Potential for Misuse: Could be used to create medical deepfakes, leading to fraudulent claims or fake clinical findings.
- Lack of Real-World Complexity: May not capture subtle details found in real medical data, potentially lowering diagnostic accuracy.
- Truth Erosion: Relying too heavily on synthetic data may distort AI models, leading to diagnoses that don’t align with real-world cases.
- Ethical and Regulatory Concerns: Questions around how these images should be controlled and monitored to avoid misuse.
PYQ:
[2020] With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?
- Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
- Create meaningful short stories and songs
- Disease diagnosis
- Text-to-Speech Conversion
- Wireless transmission of electrical energy
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NABARD, NAFIS Survey
Why in the News?
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has published findings from its second All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22.
About the NAFIS 2021-22
- The survey gathered primary data from 1 lakh rural households across 28 states and Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- The first NAFIS survey was conducted for the agricultural year 2016-17, with results released in 2018.
- This survey provides valuable information on rural economic and financial indicators, especially in the post-COVID period.
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Key Highlights from NAFIS 2021-22:
|
Details |
| 1. Increase in Average Monthly Income |
• Average monthly income increased by 57.6% from Rs. 8,059 in 2016-17 to Rs. 12,698 in 2021-22, indicating a nominal CAGR of 9.5%.
• Agricultural households earned slightly more, with an average income of Rs. 13,661, compared to Rs. 11,438 for non-agricultural households.
• Salaried employment was the largest income source for all households, accounting for approximately 37% of total income.
• For agricultural households, cultivation was the main income source, contributing about one-third of their monthly earnings.
• For non-agricultural households, government/private services contributed 57% of the total household income. |
| 2. Rise in Average Monthly Expenditure |
• Average monthly expenditure increased from Rs. 6,646 in 2016-17 to Rs. 11,262 in 2021-22.
• Agricultural households had higher expenditure at Rs. 11,710, compared to Rs. 10,675 for non-agricultural households.
• In states like Goa and Jammu & Kashmir, monthly household expenditure exceeded Rs. 17,000.
• Overall, agricultural households demonstrated both higher income and expenditure levels than non-agricultural households. |
| 3. Increase in Financial Savings |
• Annual average financial savings rose to Rs. 13,209 in 2021-22 from Rs. 9,104 in 2016-17.
• 66% of households reported saving money in 2021-22, up from 50.6% in 2016-17.
• 71% of agricultural households reported savings, compared to 58% of non-agricultural households.
• States with 70% or more households saving money include Uttarakhand (93%), Uttar Pradesh (84%), and Jharkhand (83%).
• States with less than half of households reporting savings are Goa (29%), Kerala (35%), Mizoram (35%), Gujarat (37%), Maharashtra (40%), and Tripura (46%). |
| 4. Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Usage |
• 44% of agricultural households possessed a valid Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
• Among those with land holdings greater than 0.4 hectares or who had taken agricultural loans from banks in the past year, 77% had a valid KCC. |
| 5. Insurance Coverage |
• Households with at least one member covered by any form of insurance increased from 25.5% in 2016-17 to 80.3% in 2021-22.
• 80.3% means that four out of every five households had at least one insured member.
• Agricultural households had higher insurance coverage than non-agricultural households by about 13 percentage points.
• Vehicle insurance was the most prevalent, with 55% of households covered.
• Life insurance coverage extended to 24% of households, with agricultural households showing slightly higher penetration (26%) compared to non-agricultural ones (20%). |
| 6. Pension Coverage |
• Households with at least one member receiving any form of pension increased from 18.9% in 2016-17 to 23.5% in 2021-22.
• Overall, 54% of households with at least one member over 60 years old reported receiving a pension.
• Pensions included old age, family, retirement, or disability pensions, highlighting their importance in supporting elderly members of society. |
| 7. Financial Literacy |
• Respondents demonstrating good financial literacy increased from 33.9% in 2016-17 to 51.3% in 2021-22, a rise of 17% points.
• Individuals exhibiting sound financial behavior increased from 56.4% to 72.8% during the same period.
• When assessed on financial knowledge, 58% of rural respondents and 66% of semi-urban respondents answered all questions correctly. |
Key aspects that contribute to Rural Empowerment
- The survey shows significant progress in rural financial inclusion since the first survey in 2016-17.
- Rural households have seen improvements in income, savings, insurance coverage, and financial literacy.
- Government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, MGNREGS, and PMAY-G have contributed to the improvement in the lives of rural people.
PYQ:
[2015] Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was launched by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 28 August 2014. What is the main objective of the scheme?
(a) To provide housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates
(b) To promote women’s Self Help Groups in backward areas
(c) To promote financial inclusion in the country
(d) To provide financial help to marginalised communities |
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