About Senegal:

• Location: It is a West African country.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by four countries; Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau to the north, east, southeast, and southwest, respectively.
• Maritime Border: The country is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
• Capital City: Dakar
• Geographical Features of Senegal:
  • It is a flat country that lies in the depression known as the Senegal-Mauritanian Basin.
  • Major Geographical regions: Cap-Vert Peninsula (It is the Western most point of Africa), Sahelian Zone (Baunez Ridge (648 m) located in this region), Sudanian Zone and Casamance Region.
  • Climate: It has a tropical and dry climate.
  • Rivers: Senegal River (forms the northern border with Mauritania), River Gambia River, Saloum Delta.
  • Natural Resources: Senegal is rich in critical minerals, including titanium, zirconium, gold, and phosphate.

About Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana:

• It is an umbrella scheme under Ministry of Culture for the promotion of art and culture in the country.
• Under this financial assistance is provided to eligible cultural organizations/ individuals working in the field of performing arts.
• It was launched to promote, preserve, and develop India’s rich art and cultural heritage.
• It has the following sub-schemes
  • Financial Assistance for Promotion of Guru-Shishya Parampara (Repertory Grant)
  • Scheme of Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art and Culture.
  • Scheme of Scholarship and Fellowship for Promotion of Art and Culture.
  • Financial Assistance for Construction of Tagore Cultural Complexes (TCC)
  • Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists.
  • Seva Bhoj Yojana
  • National Gandhi Heritage Site Mission
  • National Award Scheme
• Features of Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana:
  • Financial Assistance: Provides grants to artists, cultural organizations, NGOs, and institutions for conducting programs and activities.
  • Support for Cultural Programs: Encourages organization of festivals, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and performances at various levels.
  • Infrastructure Development: Offers funding for creation and modernization of cultural infrastructure like auditoriums, museums, and cultural centers.
  • Focus on Intangible Heritage: Aims to safeguard traditions such as music, dance, crafts, and rituals, including those recognized by UNESCO.
  • Inclusive Approach: Promotes participation from rural areas, tribal communities, and underrepresented groups.
  • Pan-India Coverage: Ensures cultural development and outreach across all states and regions of India.

About Central Bureau of Narcotics:

• It is a central government organization dealing with the international trade of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Precursor Chemicals.
• It works under the ambit of various United Nations Conventions and the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• Nodal Ministry: It works under the Department of Revenue (DoR), Ministry of Finance.
• Headquarter: Gwalior
• Organization
  • Narcotics Commissioner is the head of Central Bureau of Narcotics.
  • A Deputy Narcotics Commissioner is in-charge of each of respective three opium growing States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • The Deputy Narcotics Commissioner is assisted by the Assistant Narcotics Commissioner and District Opium Officers.
  • The District Opium Officer issues licences for cultivation of opium poppy as per the General Licencing Conditions notified by the Central Government.
• Functions of Central Bureau of Narcotics:
  • Supervision over licit cultivation of opium poppy in India
  • Preventive and enforcement functions especially in the three poppy growing States.
  • Investigation of cases under the NDPS Act, 1985 and filing of complaint in the Court.
  • Issue of licences for manufacture of synthetic narcotic drugs.
  • Issuance of Export Authorisations/ Import Certificate for export/ import of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
  • Issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for import/ export of a select number of Precursor Chemicals.

About WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies:

• It was adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022.
• It is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective.
• It prohibits government support to illegal fishing activities and overexploitation of stocks, contributing to the protection of marine life.
• The Agreement entered into force on 15 September 2025 after acceptance by two-thirds of WTO Members.
• India is the 123rd Member of the WTO to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance. i.e
  • India has officially joined the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• Key Features WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies:
  • The Agreement focuses on subsidies related to marine wild capture fishing and fishing-related activities at sea.
  • Aquaculture and inland fisheries remain outside the scope of this Agreement.
  • It protects the livelihoods of traditional and small-scale fishers by promoting sustainable fisheries.
  • It prohibits subsidies linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fishing of overfished stocks,
  • It also creates a more equitable global fisheries regime by disciplining harmful subsidies that support large, heavily subsidised industrial fishing fleets operated by distant water fishing nations.

Why in news?

Police cracked down on the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its supporters as thousands joined a planned march to Parliament, leading to the shutting of Parliament complex gates.

The government engaged with protesters, with CJP submitting a written letter of demands to a senior ruling party leader. The episode has revived the debate: is staging a protest legal in India, and what forms of protest are permitted?

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Constitutional Basis for the Right to Protest
• How Protests Are Regulated?

Constitutional Basis for the Right to Protest

• The right to protest is protected under the Fundamental Right to Freedom:
  • Article 19(1)(a): Guarantees "freedom of speech and expression."
  • Article 19(1)(b): Guarantees the right to "assemble peaceably and without arms."
• However, these rights are subject to "reasonable restrictions" in the interest of:
  • Sovereignty and integrity of India
  • Security of the State
  • Friendly relations with foreign States
  • Public order, decency, or morality
  • Contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offence

How Protests Are Regulated?

• While citizens have the right to organise protests, this must be exercised within constitutional restrictions.
• The common regulatory practice in India includes:
  • Designating specific spots for protests
  • Making police permission mandatory
  • Imposing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (earlier Section 144 of the CrPC)

India's Position at the UN

• At the 47th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, 2021), India's representative affirmed that peaceful assembly and marches are a "cherished and valuable aspect" of India's democratic tradition, tracing this practice back to the independence struggle.
• It was noted that Article 19 guarantees the right to assemble peacefully without arms and to form associations and unions, and that the Supreme Court has recognised peaceful protest as a constitutional right.
• India also emphasised that the government must balance citizens' rights with its duty to protect the right to life.

Key Supreme Court Rulings on Protest Rights

• The Supreme Court has, over the years, upheld both the right to protest and reasonable limits on it.
• Himat Lal K. Shah v. Commissioner of Police (1973)
  • The Court held that freedom of assembly is essential to democracy, enabling citizens to meet and discuss religious, political, economic, or social issues.
  • It clarified that while the State can regulate its property for public purposes, there is a constitutional difference between "reasonable regulation and arbitrary exclusion."
• Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan v. Union of India (2018)
  • This case challenged the repeated imposition of Section 144 CrPC banning assembly near Parliament House, North and South Block, Central Vista Lawns, and surrounding areas in Delhi.
  • The Court laid down specific guidelines:
    • Regulating the number of participants
    • Maintaining minimum distance from Parliament House, North/South Blocks, the Supreme Court, and dignitaries' residences
    • Prohibiting demonstrators from carrying firearms, lathis, spears, swords, etc.
  • This ruling effectively reaffirmed Jantar Mantar as Delhi's designated protest site while clarifying that regulation must not amount to prohibition.
• Amit Sahni v. Commissioner of Police (2020) - The Shaheen Bagh case
  • The Supreme Court ruled that protests must be held in "identified areas" and that protesters cannot block public roads or cause public inconvenience.
  • The Court stated clearly: "You cannot block public roads. There cannot be indefinite period of protest in such an area... You cannot create inconvenience for the people."

Why in news?

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is planning its next phase of reforms, EPFO 3.0.

This aims to introduce a universal pension cover for all workers, extend first-time social security contributions to unorganised sector workers including gig and platform workers, and upgrade its technology backbone through a Core Banking Solution (CBS).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• From EPFO 2.0 to EPFO 3.0
• Universal Pension Cover: How It Will Work?
• Learning from Global Models
• Coverage for Gig and Platform Workers

From EPFO 2.0 to EPFO 3.0

• Over the past year, EPFO has worked on EPFO 2.0, which delivered a revamped portal with a centralised database merging 123 regional databases, ensuring timely interest credit and visibility of eligible withdrawal balances for members.
• The organisation is now moving to EPFO 3.0, built on a CBS-enabled tech platform.
  • CBS is the centralised payments software that forms the backbone of Indian banks, enabling real-time deposits and withdrawals across branches.
• This shift is essential to manage payments for social security schemes covering India's entire workforce of over 60 crore workers, more than three-quarters of whom are in the unorganised sector with limited or no pension coverage.

Universal Pension Cover: How It Will Work?

• The new pension scheme will follow a defined contribution framework, drawing from multiple sources:
  • Workers themselves
  • Employers
  • Government co-contributions for lower-income workers
  • Aggregators (for gig and platform workers)
  • CSR or third-party funds
• This marks the first time EPFO will allow such varied contribution and withdrawal structures.
• Currently, it only permits advance claims or partial withdrawals for specific purposes (education, illness, housing, marriage) or a lump-sum settlement at retirement.
• How the Corpus Builds?
  • Contributions will accumulate over time, invested in government-backed securities with annual interest credit.
  • At retirement, members can convert their "Target Retirement Sum" (TRS) into either:
    • A pension, based on prevailing annuity and interest rates, or
    • A systematic withdrawal plan
  • The system will dynamically compute the TRS based on the member's chosen pension goal and expected retirement age, offering personalised dashboards showing contributions, real-time corpus status, and progress toward the TRS.
  • Members can also adjust their TRS, with contribution requirements recalculated accordingly.

Learning from Global Models

• EPFO is studying international systems, notably Singapore's Central Provident Fund (CPF), a deferred annuity scheme covering retirement, housing, and healthcare.
• Under CPF, 20% of salary is contributed, supplemented by employers and the government, with differential interest rates: up to 6% for those aged 55 and above and 5% for those below 55.
• Flexibility features planned
  • Inflation-adjusted pension projections.
  • Simulation of pension amounts based on age, corpus, interest rate, and retirement age.
  • Ability to increase or decrease withdrawal amounts (higher initial drawdowns draw from the principal; lower drawdowns let interest compound, creating an inflation-linked effect later).
  • Notably, the proposed EPFO scheme is expected to be more flexible than the National Pension System (NPS), where the mandatory annuity requirement was reduced to 20% in December 2025, easing lump-sum payouts for non-government subscribers from the earlier 60:40 ratio.

Coverage for Gig and Platform Workers

• EPFO expects around 2.5 crore gig workers and Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) to be added over the next five years.
• Key Design Features Include
  • One-to-many mapping: a single Universal Account Number (UAN) will be linked to multiple employers and aggregators, showing total contributions while retaining employer-wise breakdowns.
  • Support for third-party contributions from NGOs, individuals, donor organisations, and CSR, tracked under each UAN with a configurable upper limit.
  • Flexible co-contribution models to include delivery partners, drivers, and other platform workers.
• BOCW Coverage
  • India has over 3.5 crore registered BOCWs, with net cess collections exceeding ₹70,000 crore across state welfare boards.
  • The new scheme aims to channel these funds into structured, sustainable, and portable pension benefits.
• Family and Survivor Pensions
  • The scheme also proposes coverage for spouses, children, and orphans, funded through a pooled "Family Benefit Fund" managed on actuarial principles.
  • Members of EPF, GPF (General Provident Fund), and other provident funds may also be allowed to transfer balances into the new pension initiative.

Legal Basis and Technical Backbone

• EPFO 3.0 will operationalise PF contributions for all unorganised sector and gig workers, in line with the Code on Social Security, which brings gig and platform workers into the social security net for the first time.
• Under the Code, aggregators must contribute 1-2% of annual turnover toward social security, with total contributions capped at 5% of the amount payable by the aggregator.
• Given the scale involved, covering a workforce exceeding 60 crore, EPFO is adopting CBS as its technological foundation, since it is already validated and regulated by the RBI.
• The platform will support a split-payment model, allowing innovative contribution mechanisms, such as voluntary contributions from unorganised workers, third-party payments, or even a small diversion (e.g., 5%) from digital transactions like food delivery app payments toward social security.

Conclusion

EPFO 3.0 represents a structural shift, from a scheme built around formal-sector employees to one designed for India's vast and diverse workforce, including gig workers and the unorganised sector. Its success will depend on how effectively technology, flexible contribution models, and the Code on Social Security are integrated to deliver adequate, portable pension coverage at scale.

Context:

• With Parliament's Monsoon Session witnessing several Members of Parliament (MPs) switching political parties, the debate over the effectiveness of India's anti-defection law has resurfaced.
• While political parties trade allegations of inducements and coercion, the deeper issue remains the inability of the existing legal framework to prevent political opportunism and protect the integrity of the electoral mandate.

Background - Evolution of the Anti-Defection Law:

• The anti-defection framework was introduced through the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985, which inserted the Tenth Schedule into the Constitution.
• Objectives:
  • Prevent political defections motivated by personal gain.
  • Ensure stability of elected governments.
  • Preserve the mandate given by voters to political parties.
• Key constitutional developments:
  • 52nd Amendment (1985): Introduced disqualification for legislators voluntarily giving up party membership or violating the party whip.
  • 91st Constitutional Amendment (2003):
    • Abolished the exemption for splits involving one-third of legislators.
    • Retained exemption only for mergers supported by at least two-thirds of the legislature party.
    • Aimed to strengthen anti-defection safeguards.

Why the Law Has Failed?

• Delayed disqualification decisions:
  • The authority to decide disqualification petitions lies with the Speaker (Lok Sabha and State Assemblies), and Chairman (Rajya Sabha and Legislative Councils).
  • Speakers are often members of political parties, raising concerns about institutional neutrality.
  • Decisions are frequently delayed for months or even the entire tenure of a legislature, rendering the law ineffective.
• Judicial concerns:
  • In Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu (1992), the Supreme Court validated the Tenth Schedule's constitutional status but ruled that the Speaker's disqualification decisions are subject to judicial review.
  • The SC has also repeatedly held that disqualification petitions should ordinarily be decided within three months [Keisham Meghachandra Singh v. Speaker, Manipur (2020)].
  • Despite judicial observations, procedural delays continue, allowing defecting legislators to retain office.
• Encouragement of mass defections:
  • Ironically, stricter provisions have altered rather than eliminated political opportunism.
  • Political parties now engineer large-scale defections to meet the two-thirds merger threshold.
  • This has increased political bargaining, encouraged organised defections, and undermined the original objective of the law.
  • Thus, instead of preventing defections, the law has incentivised collective defections.

A Fundamental Restructuring of the Anti-Defection Framework:

• Automatic vacation of seat: A legislator's membership should automatically cease on the date he or she resigns from the political party on whose ticket the election was won.
• Fresh electoral mandate:
  • The defecting legislator should be free to contest as an independent, or join another political party and seek re-election.
  • The ultimate decision should rest with the electorate, not with party leadership or presiding officers.
• Rationale: This approach -
  • Restores the sanctity of the voters' mandate, eliminates incentives for opportunistic defections.
  • Reduces dependence on politically influenced decisions by presiding officers.
  • Strengthens democratic accountability.

Concerns and Counter arguments:

• Possible criticism: Critics argue that automatic disqualification may suppress genuine dissent, encourage excessive party discipline, and discourage legislators from independently expressing their views.
• Counter augment:
  • The proposal does not restrict dissent. Legislators would remain free to disagree with party policies, resign from the party, and contest elections again on a different political platform.
  • The reform merely prevents legislators from retaining an elected office obtained on one party's mandate after abandoning that party.
• Key governance issues: Political ethics, electoral accountability, legislative stability, institutional impartiality, constitutional reforms, and internal democracy within political parties.

Conclusion:

• Nearly four decades after its enactment, India's anti-defection law has fallen short of its objective of curbing political opportunism.
• Delayed adjudication, concerns over the neutrality of presiding officers, and the rise of engineered mass defections have exposed its structural weaknesses.
• A constitutional reform that links party resignation with automatic vacation of the legislative seat would transfer the final authority to the electorate, reinforce democratic accountability, and better uphold the mandate entrusted by voters.
• Such a reform could strike a more effective balance between political freedom and constitutional morality.

Why in the News?

• Magnetic levitation (maglev) technology has drawn renewed global interest as countries explore high-speed rail options that use magnetic fields to lift and propel trains at speeds exceeding 400 km/hr.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About Magnetic Levitation (Introduction, Working, Downsides, Applications, Significance, etc.)

About Magnetic Levitation

• Maglev is a portmanteau of "magnetic levitation." Instead of running on wheels like conventional trains, maglev technology uses strong magnetic fields to lift the train and move it forward. Since the train floats above the track:
  • No rolling friction during normal operations
  • Not affected by weather conditions like rain or snow
  • Extremely high speeds possible, topping 400 km/hr
  • Smooth ride for passengers with minimal vibration
• The Physics Behind Levitation
  • Nature has four fundamental forces:
    • Two nuclear forces (strong and weak)
    • Electromagnetic force
    • Gravity
  • Gravity is the weakest by far, around 10³⁹ times weaker than the electromagnetic force. This is why a small magnet can stick to a fridge despite the entire gravitational pull of the Earth.
  • The same principle enables lifting trains weighing 150 to 500 tonnes using magnetic forces.

How Maglev Trains Are Lifted?

• Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS)
  • The most common maglev technology uses EMS:
    • The train has two "arms" that wrap around the guideway.
    • Strong electromagnets on these arms point magnetic fields upward toward protruding parts of the guideway.
    • The train's arms wrap only halfway around the guideway, similar to how fingers wrap around a bag's strap.
    • When electromagnets are turned on, they attract the train toward the guideway, pushing it upward.
    • Sensors ensure the train floats at around 10 mm above the guideway at all times.
• Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS)
  • A related technology called EDS uses:
    • Superconducting magnets on the train, cooled to very low temperatures.
    • As the train moves, the magnets induce an electric current in coils built into the sides of the tracks (electromagnetic induction). This creates a repulsive force that pushes the train up.
    • The train hovers higher, at around 100 mm above the track.
    • It requires the train to reach around 100 km/hr using wheels before the effect kicks in.
    • It can support higher speeds; Japan's SCMAGLEV EDS system achieved 603 km/hr during testing in 2015
      • EMS systems typically operate at around or under 500 km/hr.

How Maglev Trains Move Forward

• The propulsion system works as follows:
  • The walls of the guideway are lined with coils carrying an alternating current (AC).
  • This current creates a magnetic field that constantly shifts its poles (north to south) along the track.
  • The magnets on the train are attracted to the opposite pole ahead and repelled by the like pole behind.
  • The train is simultaneously pulled forward from the front and pushed forward from the back. To increase speed, engineers just need to increase the frequency of the AC.
  • To slow down or stop, the current direction is switched to reverse the magnetic field.
  • Regenerative braking can divert energy saved by braking back to the electric grid.
• Maintaining Stability
  • Side magnets ensure the train stays centred by repelling/attracting as needed.
  • For emergencies or magnetic brake failure, friction brakes are also fitted.
  • Auxiliary wheels with braking systems similar to those of regular trains.
  • Braking pads between the guideway and train apply friction.

Downsides of Maglev Technology

• Infrastructure Requirements
  • Dedicated guideways are required; they cannot reuse existing rail infrastructure or stations.
  • Precision engineering is needed for magnets and coils in the guideway.
  • Very expensive infrastructure, the Shanghai Maglev (completed in 2004) cost Rs. 580 crore to Rs. 720 crore per kilometre (inflation-adjusted).
  • This excludes the cost of preparing local terrain and ongoing operational costs.
• Economic Viability
  • Requires very high and consistent passenger demand to justify costs.
  • High maintenance and operational expenses.
  • Limited scalability compared to conventional rail.
• Engineering Challenges
  • Trains moving over 300 km/hr experience significant aerodynamic resistance.
  • This requires aerodynamic designs, including bird-beak-shaped front portions.
  • Additional design considerations add to the overall costs.

Applications Beyond Trains

• Industrial Applications
  • High-speed turbines and compressors suspend rotating shafts in magnetic fields instead of conventional bearings.
  • Aircraft carriers use linear motor technology (similar to maglev propulsion) to accelerate aircraft on runways.
  • Factory automation systems achieve rapid, precise motion for:
    • Semiconductor manufacturing
    • Food and medicine packaging
    • CNC machining
    • Inspection cameras with lasers or X-rays
    • DNA sequencing
• Scientific Research
  • Biological samples
  • Liquid droplets
  • Molten metals
  • Small animals for experiments

Global Maglev Systems

• Notable Operational Systems
  • Shanghai Maglev (China): Commercial service since 2004, top speed of 431 km/hr.
  • Linimo (Japan): Low-speed maglev, operational since 2005.
  • SCMAGLEV (Japan): Under construction, achieved 603 km/hr in testing.
  • Incheon Airport Maglev (South Korea): Low-speed maglev.
• Future Prospects
  • Several countries are exploring maglev for high-speed intercity travel, though the high infrastructure costs remain a significant barrier to widespread adoption.

Significance of Maglev Technology

• Transportation Revolution
  • Faster travel times for intercity connectivity
  • Reduced dependence on air travel for short-to-medium distance journeys
  • Environmentally friendly as it can run on renewable electricity
  • Reduced noise pollution compared to conventional trains
• Technological Innovation
  • Demonstrates advanced applications of electromagnetism
  • Drives innovation in superconducting technologies
  • Contributes to precision engineering capabilities
  • Enables spin-off technologies for various industries
• Economic Considerations
  • High initial investment but potential long-term benefits
  • Creates specialised manufacturing and engineering jobs
  • Requires skilled workforce development
  • Can spur regional economic development along corridors

Relevance for India

• While India currently does not have operational maglev systems, the technology has been discussed in the context of:
  • High-speed rail projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train (which uses conventional Shinkansen technology);
  • Future connectivity between major metropolitan areas;
  • Semiconductor manufacturing benefiting from maglev-based automation;
  • Research and development in advanced transportation technologies;
• The technology's high cost remains a significant consideration for a country balancing multiple infrastructure priorities.