| PYQ Relevance:
Q) The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China’s supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter China’s political and economic dominance.’ Explain this statement with examples. (2023) |
Mentor’s Comment: This question focused on India’s strategic positioning and alliances with the West, relates to the broader context of high-level summit diplomacy and strategic interactions between nations
A strong leader is often seen as someone who holds significant power, shaping both government policies and their political party. This leadership style is debated, but many agree it can be useful in politics and diplomacy. Leaders like Donald Trump and Narendra Modi are considered strong leaders. Both actively engage in summit diplomacy, which has both advantages and risks. While decisive leadership can bring benefits, relying too much on personal judgment can lead to problems. Despite these challenges, summit diplomacy has become a key tool for powerful leaders in handling major global issues like war and peace.
Today’s editorial highlights the importance of summit diplomacy and the key traits of a strong leader. This topic is useful for GS Paper 2 in the UPSC Mains exam.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
Despite unplanned meetings like Trump’s, summit diplomacy will remain important in global relations.
What are the key characteristics of a “strong leader” in the context of modern politics and diplomacy?
- Centralization of Power: A strong leader often consolidates power, making key policy and political decisions with minimal consultation. Example: Vladimir Putin’s centralized control over Russian politics and military decisions.
- Assertive Foreign Policy and Summit Diplomacy: They engage directly in high-profile diplomatic negotiations, often prioritizing personal rapport over traditional diplomatic channels. Example: Donald Trump’s direct summits with Kim Jong-un to negotiate North Korea’s nuclear program.
- Image Building and Popular Appeal: They craft a strong public persona through rhetoric, social media, and large-scale events to project authority and national pride. Example: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s use of mass rallies and media control to consolidate power in Turkey.
- Decisive but Controversial Decision-Making: They make bold decisions, sometimes bypassing institutional checks, which can lead to both positive reforms and authoritarian tendencies. Example: Xi Jinping’s removal of term limits in China, allowing him to rule indefinitely.
| Why is summit diplomacy considered both beneficial and problematic in resolving international conflicts?
Benefits of summit diplomacy:
- Direct and Efficient Decision-Making: Summits allow leaders to bypass bureaucratic delays and make high-stakes decisions quickly. Example: The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) saw U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev negotiate directly, preventing nuclear war.
- Confidence-Building and Diplomatic Trust: Face-to-face interactions help build mutual trust and diplomatic relationships between nations. Example: The Reagan-Gorbachev Summits (1985-1988) played a key role in reducing Cold War tensions and leading to nuclear arms reduction.
- Breakthroughs in Long-Standing Disputes: Summit diplomacy has resolved historical disputes that traditional diplomacy failed to address. Example: The Camp David Accords (1978) led to peace between Egypt and Israel after decades of hostility.
- Symbolic and Strategic Value: High-profile summits reinforce a country’s global leadership and strategic partnerships. Example: The Singapore Summit (2018) between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, which temporarily reduced tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
- Crisis Management and De-escalation: Summits provide a platform for crisis diplomacy, helping to prevent conflicts from escalating into full-scale wars. Example: The Dayton Accords (1995) ended the Bosnian War by bringing together leaders of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia for direct negotiations.
Problems of summit diplomacy:
- Risk of Superficial Agreements: Leaders often prioritize political optics over substantive solutions, leading to vague or unenforceable agreements. Example: The Minsk Agreements (2014-2015) aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict but lacked effective implementation mechanisms.
- Personal Egos and Power Imbalances: Strong-willed leaders may focus more on personal victories rather than genuine conflict resolution. Example: The Trump-Zelenskyy Summit (2025), where public confrontations and political grandstanding overshadowed meaningful negotiations on Ukraine.
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How did the Trump-Zelenskyy exchanges highlight the complexities and risks of pseudo-summit diplomacy?
- Blurred Lines Between Diplomacy and Personal Interests: Instead of focusing purely on state interests, pseudo-summit diplomacy can be influenced by personal or political gains. Example: The Trump-Zelenskyy phone call (2019) became controversial when Trump allegedly pressured Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden’s son, intertwining diplomacy with U.S. domestic politics.
- Lack of Institutional Safeguards: Informal or direct leader-to-leader diplomacy can bypass traditional diplomatic channels, reducing oversight and accountability. Example: The absence of career diplomats in the Trump-Zelenskyy exchanges led to concerns over improper diplomatic conduct and potential abuse of power.
- Vulnerability to Misinformation and Manipulation: Without structured diplomatic engagement, such interactions can be misused for propaganda or misinterpreted in ways that escalate tensions. Example: The impeachment inquiry against Trump was fueled by the whistleblower complaint alleging that the U.S. was leveraging military aid for political favors.
What should India learn from this? (Way forward)
- Institutionalize Diplomatic Processes: Informal leader-to-leader diplomacy should not replace structured diplomatic engagement involving foreign service professionals.
- India should prioritize institutional mechanisms (e.g., MEA-led negotiations) to ensure consistency and avoid undue political influence in international relations.
- Avoid Mixing Domestic Politics with Foreign Policy: Diplomatic engagements must remain separate from electoral or partisan interests to maintain credibility.
- India must ensure that foreign policy decisions are not dictated by short-term political gains and avoid using international diplomacy for domestic political narratives.
- Strengthen Transparency and Accountability: Diplomatic engagements should be conducted with oversight to prevent misuse or misinterpretation.
- India should continue using parliamentary committees and professional diplomats to maintain transparency and avoid secretive deals that could lead to unintended consequences.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Data protection; impact of APAAR;
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Education introduced the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID to digitally store each student’s academic records, providing a single, reliable source of their educational history throughout their life in India.
Should the APAAR ID be imposed without a legal framework in place?
- Violation of Right to Privacy: Without a legal framework, imposing APAAR violates the right to privacy upheld by the Supreme Court in the Puttaswamy judgment (2017). Example: The Court ruled that Aadhaar cannot be mandatory for basic services like school admissions. APAAR, linked to Aadhaar, may similarly infringe on privacy rights.
- Lack of Informed Consent: Mandatory implementation without clear legal guidelines undermines voluntary participation and informed consent. Example: Parents in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka face pressure to enroll their children despite official claims that APAAR is voluntary.
- Data Security Risks: Collecting sensitive student data without legal safeguards increases vulnerability to data breaches and misuse. Example: The Aadhaar leak incidents exposed millions of personal records, highlighting risks in handling large-scale digital databases without strict protection laws.
- Discrimination and Exclusion: Errors in digital records (e.g., name mismatches) can exclude students from educational benefits if no legal recourse is available. Example: In DigiLocker, discrepancies in Aadhaar details have led to failed registrations and denial of services. Similar risks exist with APAAR.
- Need for Legislative Oversight: A legal framework ensures transparency, accountability, and public trust in the system’s operation. Example: Countries like Germany regulate educational data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to protect citizens’ privacy. India lacks similar comprehensive safeguards for APAAR.
What is the purpose of the APAAR ID introduced by the Ministry of Education?
- Digitisation of Academic Records: APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) aims to create a digital repository for every student’s academic transcripts, ensuring a lifetime record of their educational journey.
- It seeks to provide a unified and verified database for academic credentials, reducing discrepancies and ensuring authenticity across institutions.
- Improved Accessibility and Portability: Enables students to access, share, and transfer their academic records seamlessly across educational institutions and employment platforms.
- Integration with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): APAAR is part of the broader Digital Public Infrastructure strategy, aligning with initiatives like UDISE+ and the Student Database Management System to enhance educational governance.
- Facilitating Future Opportunities: It aims to streamline processes like scholarship applications, higher education admissions, and employment verification, making these services more efficient and transparent.
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How are schools and state education authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka enforcing APAAR enrolment?
- Imposing 100% Enrolment Targets: Schools have been directed to achieve “saturation”, meaning complete APAAR enrolment for all students, putting pressure on administrators and parents. Example: In Uttar Pradesh, education authorities have set strict deadlines for schools to register every student under the APAAR system.
- Threatening Consequences for Non-Enrolment: Schools are warning parents of potential penalties or loss of educational services if they refuse to enroll their children. Example: In Karnataka, some schools have informed parents that students may face issues in accessing government benefits and future educational opportunities without APAAR registration.
- Targeting Minority Institutions and Administrators: Religious minority schools and district education officials face increased scrutiny for discrepancies between APAAR and existing student records. Example: In Uttar Pradesh, authorities have questioned minority institutions over mismatched enrollment data, raising concerns about discrimination and administrative overreach.
Way forward:
- Enact a Clear Legal Framework: Introduce legislation to regulate APAAR, ensuring data protection, informed consent, and compliance with the right to privacy as upheld by the Supreme Court.
- Ensure Voluntary Participation and Transparency: Maintain APAAR enrolment as optional, provide clear communication to parents and institutions, and establish grievance redressal mechanisms to address errors and concerns.
Mains PYQ:
Q Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on the Right to Privacy. (UPSC IAS/2017)
Reason- UPSC’s focus on privacy concerns related to government actions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues related to Adivasi communities;
Why in the News?
The shutdown of the only Gondi-medium school in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, which was started in 2019 by the Mohgaon gram panchayat, raises concerns about tribal students learning in their own language.
What constitutional provisions support the preservation of Adivasi languages and cultures in India?
- Article 29: Protects the rights of minorities to conserve their distinct languages, scripts, and cultures.
- Article 350A: Directs the state to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary education level for minority children.
- Fifth Schedule: Provides special protections and governance provisions for Scheduled Areas, where many Adivasi communities reside.
- Sixth Schedule: Grants autonomy to certain tribal areas in the northeastern states, allowing self-governance and cultural preservation.
- Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA): Recognizes the role of gram sabhas in self-governance, including decisions related to education in tribal areas.
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How do the forces of absorption in secular and religious realms impact Adivasi communities?
- Marginalization of Adivasi Languages in Education: Adivasi students are forced to learn in dominant languages, leading to the decline of their mother tongues and weakening of cultural identity. Example: The closure of the Gondi-medium school in Maharashtra due to non-recognition under the Right to Education Act.
- Loss of Land and Displacement Due to Development Projects: Adivasi communities are displaced from their ancestral lands due to industrial and infrastructural projects, leading to economic instability and cultural loss. Example: Large-scale mining and dam projects in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have forced many Adivasis to migrate to urban slums.
- Religious Assimilation and Erosion of Indigenous Beliefs: Traditional tribal religious practices are undermined or replaced by dominant religions, leading to cultural homogenization. Example: The decline of Sarna worship among Adivasis due to conversions to Hinduism and Christianity.
- Market-Driven Cultural Appropriation: Tribal art, music, and traditions are exploited for commercial purposes without benefiting the Adivasi creators. Example: Warli and Gond paintings being sold globally, while many Adivasi artists remain in poverty.
- Denial of Political and Constitutional Recognition: The lack of official recognition for Adivasi languages and cultures weakens their identity and limits access to resources and opportunities. Example: Gondi, spoken by over 2.9 million people, is not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, whereas Sanskrit, spoken by fewer than 25,000, is recognized.
What are the steps taken by the government?
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Emphasizes mother-tongue-based education at the primary level, promoting indigenous languages. Example: Bilingual textbooks in tribal languages have been introduced in states like Odisha and Jharkhand.
- Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): Aims to provide quality education to tribal students while incorporating their cultural heritage. Example: Over 700 EMRS schools are planned across India, with some offering instruction in tribal languages.
- Documentation and Digital Preservation Initiatives: Projects to document and preserve endangered tribal languages and cultures. Example: The Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL) under the CIIL (Central Institute of Indian Languages) focuses on documenting languages like Gondi.
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What are the factors that highlight the contrast between the recognition of Sanskrit and Gondi in the Eighth Schedule?
- Oral vs. Textual Tradition: Sanskrit has a vast corpus of classical texts and scriptures, whereas Gondi follows an oral tradition, making it vulnerable to erosion without formal preservation efforts. Example: Ancient Sanskrit texts like the Vedas are archived and studied, but Gondi folklore and oral histories are at risk of being lost due to a lack of institutional documentation.
- Number of Speakers: Gondi is spoken by over 2.9 million people across six states, while Sanskrit has fewer than 25,000 speakers. Example: Despite its widespread use among Adivasi communities, Gondi remains unrecognized, whereas Sanskrit, with a much smaller speaker base, is included in the Eighth Schedule.
- State Support and Promotion: Sanskrit receives government funding, university courses, and institutional backing, whereas Gondi lacks state-supported educational and literary initiatives. Example: Sanskrit is taught in schools and has dedicated institutions like the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, while Gondi-medium schools struggle for recognition, such as the case in Maharashtra.
- Socio-Political Influence: Sanskrit is associated with elite Brahminical traditions and enjoys support from powerful socio-political groups, whereas Gondi is linked to marginalized Adivasi communities with limited political representation. Example: Political leaders and policymakers advocate for Sanskrit’s preservation, but there is little lobbying for Gondi’s inclusion in the Eighth Schedule.
- Economic and Employment Relevance: Sanskrit is promoted as a classical and sacred language, but it has minimal practical usage in employment, whereas Gondi is actively spoken by tribal communities in daily life. Example: Sanskrit is used in religious and academic contexts, while Gondi is the primary language for communication among Adivasis, yet lacks state recognition.
Way forward:
- Institutional Recognition and Policy Support: Need to include Gondi and other major Adivasi languages in the Eighth Schedule to ensure constitutional recognition, funding for education, and cultural preservation.
- Community-Led Preservation and Promotion: The Government should strengthen grassroots efforts by empowering Adivasi organizations, establishing indigenous language schools, and promoting digital documentation of oral traditions.
Mains PYQ:
Q Given the diversities among tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? (UPSC IAS/2022)
Reason- This question is relevant because the closure of the Gondi-medium school highlights the specific educational needs of a particular tribal community (Gondi speakers).
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Critical Minerals
Why in the News?
Union Coal and Mines Minister has launched the first-ever auction of Exploration Licences (ELs) for 13 critical mineral blocks.
About the Critical Minerals Exploration Policy
- India’s Critical Minerals Policy is designed to reduce import dependence, boost domestic production, and ensure secure access to essential minerals required for modern technology, defense, and clean energy.
- It is driven by amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR), 2023, introduces systematic exploration, private sector participation, and transparent auctions.
- Key Features of the Policy:
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- Private Sector Involvement: Allows private companies to explore and develop mineral blocks through Exploration Licences (ELs).
- Transparent Auction Process: Introduces an auction-based allocation of exploration blocks, ensuring efficiency and competition.
- Focus on Deep-Seated Minerals: Encourages the exploration of hard-to-extract minerals like lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), and platinum group metals (PGMs).
- Financial Support for Exploration: Provides risk-sharing mechanisms, where 50% of exploration costs are borne by the government if minerals are not found.
What are Critical Minerals?
- Critical minerals are essential elements required for high-tech industries, clean energy technologies, and national security.
- They are however at risk of supply chain disruptions due to their limited availability or geopolitical factors.
- India’s 30 Critical Minerals (2023 List) includes: Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Platinum Group Elements (PGEs), Silicon, Phosphorous, Potash, Tin, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, and others.
Uses of Critical Minerals:
- Electronics & Semiconductors: Copper, gallium, germanium, indium.
- Electric Vehicles & Batteries: Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite.
- Renewable Energy Technologies: Rare Earth Elements (REEs) for wind turbines and solar panels.
- Aerospace & Defense: Titanium, tungsten, platinum group elements (PGEs).
PYQ:
[2019] With reference to the management of minor minerals in India, consider the following statements:
- Sand is a ‘minor mineral’ according to the prevailing law in the country.
- State governments have the power to grant mining leases of minor minerals, but the powers regarding the formation of rules related to the grant of minor minerals lie with the Central Government.
- State Governments have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining of minor minerals.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: H5N1 Bird Flu
Why in the News?
Bihar is currently facing a bird flu outbreak, yet the state lacks a dedicated testing facility for confirming cases.
What is H5N1 Bird Flu?
- H5N1 (Avian Influenza A) is a highly contagious virus affecting birds and some mammals.
- It was first detected in China in 1996 and has since spread globally, including India.
- In 2020, a highly pathogenic strain emerged, leading to outbreaks in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Impact of H5N1 on Animals:
- Wild birds, especially endangered species like California condors, have suffered mass casualties.
- The virus previously targeted poultry, but now marine mammals (sea lions, dolphins) and terrestrial mammals (foxes, bears, pumas, minks) are also infected.
- India’s first H5N1 outbreak occurred in Maharashtra and Gujarat in 2015.
Human Risk and Potential Transmission:
- Direct human infections are rare and usually occur through close contact with infected birds.
- Climate change is worsening the spread, altering bird migration patterns and increasing interspecies interactions.
- Human-to-human transmission is uncommon, but experts warn that mutations could make it possible in the future.
PYQ:
[2015] H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
(a) AIDS
(b) Bird flu
(c) Dengue
(d) Swine flu |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Aditya L1 Mission, CMEs
Why in the News?
India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, has made a significant scientific observation—a flareless Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) using the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) Payload.
About Flareless Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)
- A Flareless CME is a solar eruption that occurs without an associated solar flare.
- Unlike typical CMEs, which are often linked to intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation, flareless CMEs result from magnetic instabilities in the solar corona without sudden energy releases.
Key Features of Flareless CMEs:
- No Solar Flare Trigger: Unlike most CMEs, they do not originate from an intense energy burst.
- Magnetic Instability Driven: Plasma ejection occurs due to internal rearrangements in the Sun’s magnetic field.
- Gradual Energy Release: These CMEs may expand more slowly compared to CME-flare events.
- Scientific Significance: Helps differentiate CME mechanisms from flare activities, improving space weather forecasts.
About the Aditya-L1 Mission
- Aditya-L1 is India’s first space-based observatory dedicated to solar studies.
- Launched by ISRO, it is positioned at Lagrange Point 1 (L1), about 1.5 million km from Earth.
- It takes 125 days to reach L1, where gravitational equilibrium allows continuous solar observation.
- It is India’s second space observatory after AstroSat (2015).
- Mission Objectives:
- Study the solar corona, photosphere, chromosphere, and solar wind dynamics.
- Monitor solar activity, flares, and CMEs to predict space weather events.
- Provide early warnings for geomagnetic storms affecting Earth’s satellites and power grids.
- Scientific Instruments:
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- Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC): Observes the solar corona and tracks CMEs.
- Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT): Captures images of the Sun’s lower atmosphere.
- Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS): Measures soft X-ray emissions from the Sun.
- High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS): Detects high-energy solar X-rays.
- Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX): Studies solar wind particles and their impact on space weather.
- Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA): Analyzes plasma properties in the solar wind.
- Magnetometer: Measures magnetic field variations at L1.
PYQ:
[2022] If a major solar storm (solar flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth ?
1. GPS and navigation systems could fail.
2. Tsunamis could occur at equatorial regions.
3. Power grids could be damaged.
4. Intense auroras could occur over much of the Earth.
5. Forest fires could take place over much of the planet.
6. Orbits of the satellites could be disturbed.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only (d) 2, 5 and 6 only |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Quantum Mission (NQM)
Why in the News?
The Government of India has launched four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) for quantum computing research, with Uttar Pradesh receiving the highest allocation of ₹28.7 crore for quantum technology development in FY 2024-25, followed by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu.
About the Quantum Hubs
- Quantum Hubs, also known as Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs), are specialized research centres established under India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM).
- They are designed to drive innovation, research, and development in different aspects of quantum technology.
- Four T-Hubs have been established in leading academic institutions.
- Each hub focuses on a specific domain of quantum research:
- Quantum Computing (IISc Bengaluru).
- Quantum Communication (IIT Bombay).
- Quantum Sensing & Metrology (IIT Delhi).
- Quantum Materials & Devices (IIT Madras).
- IIT Kanpur serves as the management coordinating center, overseeing administration and funding allocation.
- The hubs operate across 17 States and 2 Union Territories, with 14 technical research groups collaborating on different projects.
About National Quantum Mission (NQM)
- The NQM was launched by the Union Cabinet on April 19, 2023, with a total budget of ₹6,003.65 crore for a period of eight years (2023-2031).
- It is implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology.
- The mission aims to build intermediate-scale quantum computers, starting with:
- 20-50 qubits in 3 years,
- 50-100 qubits in 5 years, and
- 50-1,000 qubits in 8 years.
- Additionally, it seeks to establish satellite-based quantum communication over 2,000 km within India, inter-city quantum key distribution (QKD), and multi-node quantum networks.
PYQ:
[2022] Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned?
(a) Cloud Services
(b) Quantum Computing
(c) Visible Light Communication Technologies
(d) Wireless Communication Technologies |
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