Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Illegal mining;
Why in the News?
Recently nine workers were trapped in an illegal coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.
What is Rat Hole Mining?
- Rat hole mining is a form of illegal mining prevalent in northeastern India, particularly in Assam. It involves creating small tunnels or “rat holes” to extract coal, typically done by hand without proper safety measures or regulations.
- This method is dangerous due to its unregulated nature, leading to frequent accidents, including flooding and collapses.
- The mines are often poorly ventilated and can be highly unstable.
What are the Current Laws and Regulations Related to Mining in India?
- Constitutional Provisions: Mining and minerals are listed under both the Union List and State List in Schedule VII of the Constitution, granting regulatory powers to both the Central and State governments.
- Key Legislations: Major laws governing mining include the MMDR Act, 1957 for regulation and development, the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 for coal management, the Environment Protection Act, 1986 for environmental clearances, and the Mines Act, 1952 for miners’ safety and welfare.
- Regulatory Bodies: The Ministry of Coal formulates coal policies, the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) enforces safety standards, and State Mining Departments manage state-level operations.
- Supreme Court Directives: The Supreme Court banned rat-hole mining in Meghalaya in 2014, emphasizing the need for environmental clearances and the adoption of scientific and sustainable mining practices.
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What are the present Issues with Rat-Hole Mining?
- Safety Concerns: The lack of safety measures in rat hole mining poses significant risks to miners. Accidents are common, as evidenced by the recent tragedy in Assam where miners were trapped due to flooding caused by inadequate infrastructure.
- Environmental Impact: Rat hole mining contributes to severe environmental degradation, including deforestation and soil erosion. The unregulated extraction of minerals disrupts local ecosystems.
- Regulatory Failures: There are systemic failures in enforcing mining laws. Opposition parties have criticized the government for allowing illegal mining activities to flourish, suggesting collusion between officials and miners. This has raised questions about accountability and governance in the region.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Enforcement and Regulation: Ensure strict implementation of existing mining laws to conduct regular inspections, and establish accountability for illegal mining activities through penalties and prosecution of violators.
- Promote Sustainable Livelihoods: Develop alternative livelihood opportunities for communities dependent on rat-hole mining, along with awareness campaigns on environmental and safety concerns, to reduce reliance on illegal mining practices.
Mains PYQ:
Q Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyse the impact of sand mining along the Indian coasts, citing specific examples. (UPSC IAS/2019)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Challenges related to PDS;
Why in the News?
Bureaucratic problems have caused many households in northern, central, and eastern India to be taken off the PDS rolls.
How effectively does the PDS ensure food security for vulnerable populations?
- Food Access and Coverage: The PDS covers approximately 57% of the population, providing subsidized staples primarily rice and wheat. This system acts as a safety net during economic shocks and has played a crucial role during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic by distributing free food grains to millions.
- Leakages and Corruption: A staggering 28% of allocated food never reaches intended beneficiaries, translating into significant losses and exacerbating food insecurity among the poor.
- Corruption and illegal diversion of food grains are rampant, with reports indicating that high leakage rates persist despite technological interventions like point-of-sale machines.
- Nutritional Security: While the PDS provides basic food staples, it often neglects broader nutritional needs. The focus on rice and wheat means that other essential items, such as pulses and fortified foods, are not consistently included, which is crucial for combating malnutrition among vulnerable populations.
Case study:
The Public Distribution System (PDS) is intended to provide food security to vulnerable populations, but reports indicate significant inefficiencies. In states like Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar, a substantial number of households have been removed from PDS rolls, exacerbating food insecurity among marginalised communities such as the Musahar community. |
What are the key documentation challenges facing the implementation of the PDS?
- Unnecessary Documentation: The PDS requires documents like caste, income, and residence certificates, which are not mandated by the NFSA or PDS control orders, creating barriers for individuals who lack or cannot easily obtain them.
- Inclusion and Exclusion Errors: Errors in beneficiary identification result in eligible households being excluded (61%) and ineligible ones receiving benefits (25%), undermining the system’s fairness.
- Biometric Verification Challenges: Biometric failures and data discrepancies lead to eligible individuals being removed from PDS rolls, forcing them to reapply without guarantees of approval.
- Awareness Gap: Marginalized communities often lack knowledge about their rights and the application process, leading to underutilization of benefits and increased vulnerability to exploitation.
- Technological Barriers: The shift to online applications disadvantages individuals without internet access or digital literacy, widening the gap in accessing entitlements.
- Ghost Beneficiaries: The issuance of ration cards to non-existent individuals (“ghost cards”) due to poor data management and irregular updates creates inefficiencies and complicates the system.
What are the bureaucratic challenges?
- Exclusion Due to Ineffective Targeting: The move to a targeted PDS has resulted in many eligible households being excluded due to bureaucratic inefficiencies in identifying the right beneficiaries.
- Complicated Documentation Process: The need for documents like caste and income certificates creates obstacles for many eligible individuals, particularly in marginalised communities, leading to their exclusion from the system.
- Issues with Biometric Verification: The mandatory biometric verification has caused problems, with many individuals being removed from PDS rolls due to technical errors or discrepancies, forcing them to reapply without certainty of approval.
- Poor Data Management: Inadequate beneficiary list management has led to both inclusion and exclusion errors, with outdated records and ghost beneficiaries making it difficult for genuine recipients to access their food entitlements.
- Corruption and Mismanagement: Corruption within the PDS, such as the diversion of food grains and mismanagement at various levels, has caused significant portions of allocated food to not reach the intended beneficiaries.
What reforms are necessary to enhance the PDS and uphold the right to food? (Way forward)
- Streamlining Documentation Requirements: Simplifying or eliminating unnecessary documentation can help improve access for eligible households.
- Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: Implementing regular audits and community monitoring can help combat corruption within the system.
- Increased transparency in operations will ensure that resources reach those who need them most.
- Expanding Nutritional Offerings: Including a wider variety of food items in the PDS can address nutritional deficiencies among vulnerable populations.
- States like Tamil Nadu have successfully incorporated pulses and fortified rice into their distribution systems, serving as models for others.
- Digitalization and Grievance Redressal: Improving digital infrastructure while ensuring robust grievance redressal mechanisms can enhance efficiency and accountability within the PDS.
Mains PYQ:
Q What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent? (UPSC IAS/2022)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Challenges related to AI in governance;
Why in the News?
A government panel has recommended forming an inter-ministerial committee to enforce AI rules and ensure effective governance of India’s growing AI ecosystem under India’s AI Mission.
- The Government of India has allocated ₹10,372 crore for the recently launched IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
What are the key issues highlighted by the Report?
- Need for Coordinated Governance: The report emphasizes the necessity of a coordinated, whole-of-government approach for effective AI governance in India. It highlights that fragmentation in AI oversight across ministries may lead to inefficiencies and gaps.
- Importance of Multi-disciplinary Expertise: The report underscores the importance of pooling together expertise from various departments, regulators, and stakeholders to manage AI’s evolving ecosystem. It suggests setting up a technical secretariat within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to facilitate this process.
- Life Cycle and Ecosystem View: The report stresses the need for a life cycle approach to AI governance, addressing risks at different stages—development, deployment, and diffusion of AI systems. It advocates for an “ecosystem view” that considers various AI actors, including data providers, developers, and end users, for a holistic approach.
- Light Regulatory Framework: The report advocates for a lightweight regulatory framework rather than a “command and control” approach. It proposes a tech-enabled digital governance system to gradually scale regulatory control, thus encouraging innovation while ensuring safety and accountability.
- Sector-Specific Risks: It acknowledges that different sectors, such as health and banking, pose specific risks with AI systems. As such, a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach might not be effective in these areas.
- Existing Laws for Specific Issues: The report refers to existing legal frameworks to address emerging issues like deepfakes and cybersecurity, reiterating that these concerns can be handled under current laws.
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What are the 8 Principles?
- Transparency: AI systems must provide meaningful information about their development and capabilities, ensuring that stakeholders understand how they function.
- Accountability: Developers and deployers of AI systems should be held accountable for their impacts, with clear organizational structures to identify responsible parties.
- Safety, Reliability, and Robustness: AI systems should be designed to be safe and reliable, with safeguards in place to ensure they function as intended.
- Privacy and Security: Protect user data privacy and ensure security measures are implemented to safeguard against unauthorized access.
- Fairness and Non-Discrimination: AI systems must operate without bias, ensuring equitable treatment across different demographic groups.
- Human-Centered Values: AI should align with human values, promoting positive outcomes for individuals and society while minimizing harm.
- Inclusive Innovation: Encourage innovation that equitably distributes benefits across society, ensuring that advancements in AI do not exacerbate existing inequalities.
- Digital Governance: Leverage digital technologies to operationalize governance principles effectively, facilitating compliance and oversight.
What are the key recommendations? (Way forward)
- Establishment of an Inter-Ministerial AI Coordination Committee: This committee should serve as a permanent body to coordinate AI governance efforts across various national authorities and institutions, ensuring a unified approach to policy and regulation.
- Creation of a Technical Secretariat: The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) should establish a technical secretariat to act as a focal point for coordination, providing technical advisory support and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders.
- Development of an AI Incident Database: A central repository should be created to document real-world issues related to AI, such as discriminatory outputs and privacy violations, to inform risk assessments and harm mitigation strategies.
- Promotion of Voluntary Transparency Commitments: The Technical Secretariat should engage with industry stakeholders to encourage voluntary commitments on transparency and best practices across the AI ecosystem.
- Exploration of Technological Solutions: The committee should investigate the use of techno-legal measures, such as watermarking and content provenance, to address challenges like deepfakes and ensure accountability in AI systems.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Polar Vortex
Why in the News?
The United States is facing severe winter storms as the polar vortex is expanding southward from the Arctic and driving temperatures as low as -50°C (-60°F).
What is a Polar Vortex?
- The polar vortex is a band of fast-moving air that traps cold Arctic air within the Polar Regions.
- It is a natural atmospheric phenomenon, typically spinning in a counter-clockwise direction around the North Pole.
- Wind speeds in the polar vortex can reach up to 250 km/h (155 mph).
- Causes of a Polar Vortex:
- Stable State: Under normal conditions, the polar vortex remains strong and well-contained within the Arctic Circle, keeping frigid air confined to the Polar Regions.
- Weakened State:
- The vortex weakens when rising warm air from the lower atmosphere disrupts its circular flow, allowing Arctic air to spill southward.
- Factors contributing to a weakened state include: Significant weather patterns (e.g., powerful winds in mountainous regions); Changes in tropical climate systems or sea surface temperatures. Climate change causing uneven warming, especially at the poles..
What are its types?
- Tropospheric Polar Vortex:
- It occurs in the lowest atmospheric layer (troposphere) where most weather phenomena take place.
- Typically results in milder weather across northern latitudes.
- Stratospheric Polar Vortex:
- Forms 16–48 km above the Earth’s surface in the Stratosphere.
- Stronger and more stable but can weaken due to disruptions, leading to southward extensions of Arctic air.
- It emerges in autumn and dissipates by spring each year.
Impacts of a Polar Vortex
- Extreme cold temperatures in mid-latitudes.
- Prolonged cold spells can disrupt daily life and strain infrastructure.
- Increased snowfall in regions like the eastern U.S., Canada, and parts of Europe.
- Historical Example: In 2013–14, the polar vortex caused record-breaking snowfall and 93.3% ice coverage on Lake Michigan.
- Frost damage to crops, particularly in regions unaccustomed to extreme cold; Delays in planting or harvesting.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Section 479 of the BNSS
Why in the News?
The Central Government has directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to implement Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). This provision seeks to relieve undertrial prisoners (UTPs) by addressing prolonged detention and mitigating prison overcrowding.
What is Section 479 of the BNSS?
- Section 479 governs the maximum period for which an undertrial prisoner (UTP) can be detained during investigation, inquiry, or trial.
- It is based on Section 436-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC).
- It aims to address the prolonged detention of UTPs, ensure their timely release on bail or bond, and maintain fairness and accountability in the judicial process.
- This section applies to cases where the punishment does not include death or life imprisonment, and introduces clear mechanisms for review and action, thereby mitigating issues like prison overcrowding.
Key Provisions under Section 479 of BNSS:
- Eligibility for Bail: Undertrials (UTPs) who have served half of their maximum possible sentence may be released on bail; the court must provide written reasons if they decide to extend detention after hearing the Public Prosecutor.
- First-Time Offenders: UTPs with no prior convictions who have served one-third of their maximum sentence are eligible for release on bond, aligning with the principle of reformative justice.
- Superintendent’s Responsibility: Jail superintendents must submit a written application to the court for the release of UTPs upon completion of the applicable detention period (one-third or one-half, depending on eligibility).
- Exclusions: The provision does not apply to offences punishable by death or life imprisonment, and any delay caused by the accused is excluded from the detention period calculation.
- Limitations for Multiple Offences: Accused individuals facing multiple offences or multiple charges are not covered, ensuring the provision is not misused in complex or repeated criminal cases.
- Absolute Ceiling on Detention: Detention cannot exceed the maximum imprisonment term prescribed for the offence, preventing indefinite incarceration.
- Judicial Oversight: Courts must ensure extended detention serves public safety and justice, requiring input from the Public Prosecutor for any continued confinement.
- Mandatory Review Mechanism: A statutory review process is in place to prevent prolonged undertrial detention and address potential oversights or delays.
- Safeguard against Misuse: Time delays caused by the accused do not count towards the detention period, ensuring fair application of the law.
- Focus on Reform and Decongestion: By expediting bail and bond processes for eligible UTPs, the law aims to reduce overcrowding in prisons and uphold reformative objectives.
PYQ:
[2021] With reference to India, consider the following statements :
1. Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such accused is locked up in police station, not in jail.
2. During judicial custody, the police officer in charge of the case is not allowed to interrogate the suspect without the approval of the court.
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: Selective Gene Silencing
Why in the News?
Researchers at Columbia University found that cells can selectively switch off one parent’s copy of a gene. This may explain why some people with harmful mutations remain symptom-free, and it could lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for genetic disorders.
About the Selective Silencing Mechanism:
- Selective gene silencing refers to the process where cells inactivate one parent’s copy of a gene (either maternal or paternal), resulting in an unequal contribution of the two gene copies to cellular function.
- Previously thought to be rare, recent research reveals that this phenomenon is relatively common and plays a significant role in genetic variability, disease progression, and individual health outcomes.
- Key Features:
- Inactivation can vary between different cell types (e.g., immune cells and kidney cells).
- The process is dynamic and may change over time, adding complexity to how genes function in the body.
- Approximately 1 in 20 active genes in some immune cells exhibit this selective bias.
- Implications for Health:
- This mechanism helps explain why individuals carrying the same disease-causing mutation can have vastly different symptom severities.
- It shifts the understanding of genetic diseases, emphasizing the importance of dynamic gene activity patterns alongside static genetic codes.
- The discovery opens up opportunities for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches by focusing on gene expression rather than genetic sequences.
What are its significant applications?
- Selective Gene Manipulation: Therapies could be developed to activate healthy gene copies while suppressing diseased ones, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional genetic editing.
- Improved Understanding of Diseases: Selective gene silencing explains variability in conditions like lupus and cancer, revealing why some individuals remain symptom-free.
- Precision Medicine: By identifying individual patterns of gene expression, personalized treatment options become possible, reducing the need for one-size-fits-all approaches.
- Early Interventions: Recognizing at-risk but asymptomatic individuals allows healthcare providers to implement preventive measures and potentially delay disease onset.
- Protein-Based Therapies: Focusing on selective gene activity aids in detecting and differentiating disease-related proteins from healthy ones, paving the way for targeted, protein-specific drugs.
PYQ:
[2014] Consider the following techniques/phenomena:
- Budding and grafting in fruit plants
- Cytoplasmic male sterility
- Gene silencing
Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) None |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ‘Year of Reforms’
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, marking a significant step in modernizing India’s Armed Forces.
Nine Broad Areas Listed for the ‘Year of Reforms’
- Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs): Enhance jointness and resolve inter-service disagreements for effective ITC implementation.
- Emerging Domains and Technologies: Prioritize cybersecurity, AI, ML, hypersonics, and robotics, and develop tactics for future warfare.
- Operational Collaboration: Strengthen inter-service cooperation through shared training and joint operational capabilities.
- Acquisition Reforms: Simplify procedures to expedite procurement and facilitate technology transfers via public-private partnerships.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage collaboration between the defence sector and industries to foster innovation.
- Civil-Military Coordination: Break silos to eliminate inefficiencies and optimize resources.
- Defence Exports: Position India as a global defence exporter, promoting R&D and partnerships with foreign OEMs.
- Veterans’ Welfare: Optimize welfare measures for veterans and leverage their expertise.
- Cultural Pride: Promote indigenous capabilities and instil pride in Indian culture alongside adopting modern military practices.
Key Initiatives for Defence Modernization in India
- Acquisition of Advanced Weaponry: Rafale jets (36 inducted, 26 more planned) enhance air power; S-400 air defence systems provide long-range protection; Arjun Mk-1A tanks boost indigenous capability and firepower.
- Indigenous Development: LCA Tejas replaces ageing fighter jets and supports air-to-air refuelling; INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, strengthens underwater deterrence.
- Technological Advancements: Network-centric warfare improves situational awareness (e.g., Project Sanjay, E-Sitrep); AI and robotics enhance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; cyber warfare capabilities grow under the National Cyber Security Policy.
- Defence Production and Export: Domestic production reached a record ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2023–24, emphasizing indigenisation; exports hit $2.63 billion, supplying markets like Vietnam and the Philippines.
- Strategic Infrastructure: Border security efforts include the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System and Border Infrastructure Management, improving troop mobility and safeguarding boundaries.
PYQ:
[2014] Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the defence sector is now set to be liberalized: What influence this is expected to have on Indian defence and economy in the short and long run? |
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