Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Significance of NITI Aayog;
Why in the News?
NITI Aayog, the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, celebrates a significant milestone as it completes 10 years since its establishment.
What are the roles and functions of NITI Aayog?
NITI Aayog, established in 2015, serves as the premier policy think tank of the Government of India. Its primary roles and functions include:
- Policy Formulation: NITI Aayog is responsible for formulating strategic and long-term policies aimed at promoting sustainable development across various sectors.
- Coordination: It coordinates the efforts of central ministries, state governments, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of government schemes and initiatives.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: The organization monitors the progress of various developmental programs and evaluates their effectiveness, particularly in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Data Collection and Analysis: NITI Aayog collects and analyzes data to inform policy decisions, including the development of the SDG India Index which tracks progress across states.
What are the key differences between the Planning Commission and NITI Aayog?
| Feature |
Planning Commission |
NITI Aayog |
| Formation |
Established in 1950 |
Established in 2015 |
| Mandate |
Centralized planning and allocation of funds |
Policy advisory and coordination |
| Approach |
Top-down approach |
Bottom-up approach |
| Funds Allocation |
Had the power to allocate funds to states |
No fund allocation powers |
| Federalism |
Limited state participation |
Emphasis on cooperative federalism |
| Focus |
Five-year plans |
Dynamic and flexible strategy formulation |
| Structure |
Static, hierarchical |
Dynamic, with active participation from stakeholders |
Why did the Government replace the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog?
- Need for a Modern Approach: The Planning Commission’s top-down, centralized model was considered outdated in the context of India’s diverse and evolving socio-economic landscape.
- NITI Aayog was established to adopt a more flexible, bottom-up approach that encourages participation from states and local governments, reflecting the need for tailored solutions to regional challenges.
- Cooperative Federalism: NITI Aayog aims to foster cooperative federalism by promoting collaboration between the central and state governments.
- This contrasts with the Planning Commission, where states had limited input and were often treated as passive participants in the planning process.
- Focus on Strategic Input: NITI Aayog is designed to serve as a think tank that provides strategic guidance and policy recommendations rather than merely allocating resources. This shift allows for a more dynamic response to economic needs and aspirations of the populace.
- Enhanced Stakeholder Engagement: The establishment of NITI Aayog followed extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including state governments, domain experts, and the public. This inclusive approach is intended to ensure that policies are relevant and effective.
- Relevance in a Globalized Economy: With India’s integration into the global economy, there was a recognized need for an institution that could adapt to changing economic conditions and promote competitive federalism rather than a one-size-fits-all planning model.
What is the 2030 and 2035 NITI Aayog roadmap?
NITI Aayog has outlined a comprehensive roadmap aimed at achieving sustainable development goals by 2030 and establishing a long-term vision for 2035. This roadmap encompasses various sectors, including energy, health, and technology.
Goals for 2030
- Energy Transition: NITI Aayog aims to ensure that India meets 50% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030. This includes achieving a non-fossil energy capacity of 500 GW and reducing carbon emissions by one billion tonnes during the same period.
- Public Health Enhancement: The focus is on strengthening public health surveillance systems to be more inclusive, covering non-communicable diseases and environmental conditions.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): NITI Aayog is committed to aligning national policies with the SDGs, ensuring that developmental strategies are integrated with global sustainability targets, particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, education, and gender equality.
Vision for 2035
- Long-term Economic Growth: The Vision Document for 2035 emphasizes creating a roadmap that focuses on economic growth while ensuring social equity and environmental sustainability. This involves leveraging technology and innovation to drive inclusive growth across various sectors.
- Energy Security: The 2035 vision includes comprehensive strategies for energy access, affordability, reliability, and security, addressing both current challenges and future needs in the energy sector.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration: NITI Aayog plans to harness AI technologies across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and urban infrastructure to improve efficiency and service delivery.
What are the challenges?
- Data Management: Effective implementation of the roadmap requires robust data collection and management systems to monitor progress accurately and inform policy decisions.
- Inter-State Disparities: Addressing inequalities among states in terms of resource allocation and development outcomes is crucial for achieving national goals.
- Funding and Resources: Securing adequate funding for ambitious projects aimed at renewable energy expansion, public health improvements, and technological advancements poses a significant challenge.
- Capacity Building: Developing the necessary skills and expertise within the workforce to implement new technologies and strategies effectively is essential for success.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Enhance data infrastructure, governance frameworks, and inter-state coordination to address disparities and improve policy implementation.
- Foster Public-Private Collaboration: Leverage partnerships with the private sector to secure funding, drive innovation, and scale renewable energy, public health, and technology initiatives.
Mains PYQ:
Q How are the principles followed by NITI Aayog different from those followed by the erstwhile planning commission in India? (UPSC IAS/2018)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Education system;
Why in the News?
The latest guidelines from the University Grants Commission (UGC) mark a significant transformation in India’s higher education system.
What are the Draft Guidelines by UGC in 2025?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced new draft guidelines for undergraduate education in India, which include:
- Accelerated Degree Programmes (ADP): This allows students to complete their degrees faster by earning additional credits per semester. Students can opt for this after their first or second semester based on their academic performance. A three-year degree can be completed in five semesters, while a four-year degree can be finished in six or seven semesters.
- Extended Degree Programmes (EDP): This option enables students facing personal or academic challenges to extend their study duration, allowing them to take fewer credits per semester. There is no upper limit on the number of students who can enroll in EDP, unlike ADP, which may have a cap of 10% of the sanctioned intake.
What are the advantages of adapting new guidelines?
- Greater Flexibility: The new guidelines allow for biannual admissions, enabling students to enroll in higher education programs twice a year. This flexibility helps students who may have missed the initial admission cycle or face personal challenges, reducing the risk of losing an entire academic year.
- Multiple Entry and Exit Options: Students can now enter and exit programs as needed, which accommodates various life circumstances and promotes lifelong learning. This approach aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s emphasis on inclusivity and adaptability.
- Holistic Development: The guidelines promote multidisciplinary learning by allowing students to earn credits in skill development, apprenticeships, or other subjects outside their major discipline. This fosters a more well-rounded educational experience.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): The introduction of RPL allows individuals to gain formal recognition for skills and knowledge acquired through informal or experiential learning. This enhances career prospects and supports the integration of informal workers into the education system.
- Alignment with Global Standards: By adopting these flexible structures, Indian higher education can better align with international practices, improving student mobility both within India and abroad.
What are the challenges in adapting new guidelines?
- Administrative Complexity: Implementing these new guidelines requires significant changes to existing administrative structures and processes within higher education institutions (HEIs). This can be daunting for institutions already facing resource constraints.
- Quality Assurance Concerns: There are concerns about maintaining educational quality and rigor, especially in accelerated programs where the curriculum is compressed. This could lead to superficial understanding of key concepts among students.
- Equity Issues: Students from underprivileged backgrounds may struggle to navigate the new system without adequate support, potentially leading to higher dropout rates if they cannot keep pace with peers.
- Faculty Adaptation: Educators will need professional development to adjust to new pedagogical models that emphasize flexibility and interdisciplinary learning. The success of these reforms depends not only on student adaptation but also on faculty capability to support diverse learning needs effectively.
What are the practical issues?
- Curriculum Restructuring: Implementing these new formats requires significant changes to existing curricula and teaching methodologies, which could strain resources at many institutions.
- Administrative Frameworks: Institutions must develop robust systems for tracking student progress, managing credit transfers, and recognizing academic achievements effectively.
- Digital Divide: The shift towards digitalization in education could exacerbate inequalities among students from different socio-economic backgrounds if adequate support systems are not established.
- Faculty Development: Educators will need professional development to adapt to new teaching models that emphasize flexibility and interdisciplinary learning.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Provide financial support, upgrade infrastructure, and streamline administrative systems to manage credit transfers, biannual admissions, and curriculum restructuring effectively.
- Ensure Inclusivity and Quality: Offer targeted support for underprivileged students, bridge the digital divide, and invest in faculty development programs to maintain educational quality and equity.
Mains PYQ:
Q National Education Policy 2020 is in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal-4 (2030). It intends to restructure and reorient education system in India. Critically examine the statement. (UPSC IAS/2020)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Coffee cultivation in India
Why in the News?
India’s coffee exports in the 2024 calendar year witnessed a significant growth of 45% in dollar terms, reaching an all-time high of $1.684 billion, compared to $1.160 billion in 2023.
Coffee Production in India
- Coffee was introduced to India in 1600s by Baba Budan, who planted seven seeds in Chikmagalur, Karnataka.
- Karnataka is the largest producer, contributing 70% of the total, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Over 70% of India’s coffee production is exported, making India the 8th largest coffee exporter globally.
- Coffee thrives in tropical to semi-tropical climates with temperatures of 16°–28°C and annual rainfall of 150–250 cm.
- The plant grows best on well-drained slopes with laterite soils, especially in Karnataka.
- Major varieties cultivated include Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Arabica has a higher market value due to its mild aromatic flavor.
- The Coffee Board of India plays a crucial role in promoting the Indian coffee industry by focusing on export promotion, domestic market development, and improving production and quality standards.
Note:
- The Coffee Board of India was established in 1942 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It is headquartered in Bangalore and consists of 33 members, including a Chairman appointed by the Government of India.
- Initially, it managed the pooled supply and marketing of coffee until 1995. After economic liberalization, coffee marketing became a private-sector activity.
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Reasons for growth
- Coffee prices reached record highs in 2024 due to poor weather conditions in major coffee-producing nations like Brazil and Vietnam, leading to increased global demand for Indian coffee.
- The anticipated rollout of European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) norms prompted advance purchases by European buyers, including roasters and traders, boosting demand for Indian coffee exports.
- A 37% increase in unit value per tonne enhanced the overall export revenue, driven by higher global prices and better quality of Indian coffee.
- Efforts to strengthen relationships with traditional buyers (e.g., Italy, Germany) while expanding to emerging markets (e.g., UAE) helped diversify export destinations and increase overall volumes.
PYQ:
[2010] Though coffee and tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements:
- Coffee plant requires a hot and humid climate of tropical areas whereas tea can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical areas.
- Coffee is propagated by seeds but tea is propagated by stem cuttings only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rudra 1N System
Why in the News?
Bellatrix Aerospace, the Bengaluru-based space startup, has announced a significant milestone with the successful demonstration of its Rudra High-Performance Green Propulsion System during the PSLV C-60 mission, onboard the POEM-4 platform.
About Rudra 1N System:
- The Rudra 1N System is an advanced green mono-propellant propulsion system developed by Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based space technology start-up.
- It is a cutting-edge solution for space propulsion, designed to enhance efficiency, precision, and sustainability in satellite and space platform operations.
- Features and Significance:
- Demonstrated a 1.4-degree/sec disturbance on the Yaw axis and an 80-degree angular rotation during its operational tests, highlighting its precise manoeuvering capabilities.
- Utilizes a non-toxic, environmentally friendly propellant to minimize ecological impact during space missions.
- Offers a cleaner alternative to traditional chemical propulsion systems.
- Entirely designed and manufactured in-house, showcasing Bellatrix Aerospace’s technological independence.
- Suitable for a variety of satellite sizes and mission profiles, offering scalability.
About the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM-4)
- POEM-4 is a platform developed by ISRO that repurposes the spent 4th stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) into a functional orbital laboratory.
- It enables cost-effective research in space by hosting various scientific and technological experiments in microgravity.
- It utilizes the fourth stage of the PSLV rocket as a stable microgravity testbed.
- It supports diverse experiments, such as studying plant growth, bacterial behavior, and other space phenomena.
- It thus maximizes the utility of what would otherwise become space debris.
- POEM-4 was launched aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket, also known as the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission.
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PYQ:
[2018] With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements:
- PSLVs launch satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
- Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
- GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 3 only |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA)
Why in the News?
Several major US banks have recently withdrawn from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), raising concerns about the banking sector’s commitment to combating climate change.
What is Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA)?
- Established as a bank-led, UN-convened initiative, the NZBA commits members to align their lending, investment, and capital market activities with achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
- It is a part of the UNEP Financial Initiative’s Principles for Responsible Banking, serving as a climate accelerator.
- NZBA retains 142 members from 44 countries, with 80 European banks representing the majority of the alliance’s $64 trillion in assets.
- No Indian banks are signatory to this NZBA.
- Structural Mandate:
- Overseen by a Steering Group representing diverse geographies and business models.
- Supported by the UNEP FI Secretariat and governed under documents updated in August 2023 and March 2024.
- Commitments of Member Banks:
- Transition operational and portfolio emissions to align with net-zero pathways.
- Set 2030 targets (or sooner) within 18 months of joining and establish intermediate targets every five years.
- Publish annual reports on absolute emissions and emissions intensity.
What is the Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Target by 2050?
- Net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 refer to achieving a balance between the amount of GHGs emitted into the atmosphere and the amount removed or offset by natural or technological means.
- This target is critical for limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
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About the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)
- The GFANZ is a global coalition of leading financial institutions committed to accelerating the transition to a net-zero economy and achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
- It was established in April 2021 in the lead-up to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
- Membership comprises over 550 financial institutions across 50 countries.
- Includes banks, insurers, asset managers, and other financial players managing a combined $150 trillion in assets.
- It is chaired by Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of England and current UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance.
- It is supported by global initiatives like the UN Race to Zero campaign and other financial alliances.
PYQ:
[2016] The term ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of:
(a) Pledges made by the European countries to rehabilitate refugees from the war-affected Middle East.
(b) Plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change.
(c) Capital contributed by the member countries in the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
(d) Plan of action outlined by the countries of the world regarding Sustainable Development Goals. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Panch Pran
Why in the News?
Addressing NCC cadets in Delhi, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar outlined a visionary roadmap for India’s development, rooted in five guiding principles known as PanchPran.
What is Panch Pran (Five Pillars of National Transformation)?
- The PanchPran, or five resolves, represent the core principles that aim to guide India’s progress toward becoming a globally admired nation.
- This framework integrates personal responsibility, traditional values, environmental sustainability, cultural pride, unity, and self-reliance to shape a stronger and more resilient nation.
- The 5 principles are:
- Social Harmony: Strengthens national unity by transforming India’s diverse cultures and traditions into sources of collective strength.
- Family Enlightenment: Emphasizes the role of families in nurturing patriotic and moral values, forming the foundation for a cohesive and enlightened society.
- Environmental Consciousness: Advocates for sustainable development through the conservation and protection of natural resources.
- Swadeshi: Promotes self-reliance and prioritization of indigenous products as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
- Civic Duties: Encourages citizens to actively contribute to the nation’s progress by fulfilling their civic responsibilities.
About National Cadet Corps (NCC)
- The NCC is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces with its headquarters in New Delhi.
- It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis as a Tri-Services Organisation, comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
- Cadets are given basic military training in small arms and drill.
- Officers and cadets have no liability for active military service once they complete their course.
- The NCC was formed in 1948.
- It can be traced back to the ‘University Corps’, which was created under the Indian Defence Act 1917, with the objective to make up for a shortage of personnel in the Army.
- The NCC is headed by the Director General (DG), an officer of 3-star rank.
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