Context

• India’s Union Budget 2026 introduces several financial-sector initiatives, including the creation of a market-making framework for corporate bonds, etc.
• While these measures may appear technical, they collectively reflect a significant shift in policy thinking.
• Rather than merely reforming banks, the government is attempting to address a deeper structural imbalance in India’s financial architecture.
• The core issue is that Indian banks carry long-term credit risks that, in mature economies, are absorbed by financial markets.
• Consequently, the reforms represent a move away from a bank-dominated system toward a market-oriented financial structure.

Structural Imbalance in the Financial System

• Public discussions often attribute banking distress in India to weak governance, political interference, and poor risk management.
• Although these factors exist, they do not fully explain recurring banking crises. The more fundamental problem is institutional.
• India lacks a deep corporate bond market, forcing banks to finance large and risky projects.
• India possesses a relatively well-developed government securities market, with outstanding sovereign bonds approaching 90 percent of GDP.
• However, its corporate bond market is shallow, amounting to only about 15-16 percent of GDP, far smaller than those of the United States, Germany, or China.
• Because the economy still requires long-term investment financing, banks inevitably step in to fill this gap.
• As a result, banks hold around 60–65 percent of non-financial corporate debt, compared with roughly 30 percent in the United States and 40 percent in Europe.
• The difference arises not from managerial competence but from financial system design.

Maturity Mismatch and Financial Fragility

• Banks are structurally unsuited to finance long-term infrastructure projects.
• They fund themselves primarily through short-term deposits and therefore depend heavily on liquidity and depositor confidence.
• Yet they are expected to finance projects such as highways, power plants, ports, and telecom networks that require 15 to 20 years to generate returns.
• This creates a severe maturity mismatch: short-term liabilities funding long-term assets.
• When projects fail or are delayed, losses appear suddenly on bank balance sheets. In market-based systems, such losses are distributed gradually across investors.
• In India, however, they accumulate within banks, making the financial system more fragile and vulnerable to shocks.

Fiscal Costs and Credit Misallocation

• The consequences of this imbalance extend beyond banking stability. Since 2017, the government has injected over ₹3.2 lakh crore into public sector banks to recapitalise them.
• These interventions stabilised the financial system but effectively transferred private corporate losses onto taxpayers, functioning as a hidden fiscal burden.
• Additionally, large corporate exposures tie up bank capital that could otherwise support smaller enterprises.
• This helps explain why small and medium-sized firms continue to face credit shortages despite repeated bank recapitalisation.
• Thus, the problem is not merely insufficient credit but misallocated credit.

Impact on Monetary Policy and Role of Budget 2026 Reforms

• Impact on Monetary Policy
  • The concentration of risk within banks also weakens monetary policy transmission.
  • When interest rates rise, banks burdened with long-term exposures hesitate to pass on higher costs.
  • When rates fall, impaired balance sheets limit fresh lending. Consequently, borrowing costs in the real economy adjust unevenly to policy changes.
  • In contrast, deep bond markets allow interest rates to reprice smoothly across maturities, improving the effectiveness of central bank policy.
• Role of Budget 2026 Reforms
  • The Budget 2026 initiatives attempt to correct this structural deficiency.
  • Measures such as improving corporate bond market liquidity, introducing hedging instruments like total-return swaps, providing partial credit guarantees for infrastructure, and expanding market-ready assets through REITs are designed to distribute credit risk beyond banks.
  • By enabling institutional investors, pension funds, and other market participants to participate in long-term financing, these reforms aim to create a functioning corporate debt market.
  • In essence, the reforms seek to transform the financial system from one where banks act as the economy’s primary risk-bearers to one where markets share and price risk more efficiently.

Conclusion

• India’s financial challenges stem less from banking mismanagement than from systemic design.
• A shallow corporate bond market has forced banks to shoulder long-term credit risk, creating financial fragility, fiscal burdens, distorted credit allocation, and weak monetary transmission.
• The financial-sector measures in Budget 2026 therefore represent more than incremental reform; they signal an effort to rebalance the financial architecture.
• Whether these initiatives succeed will determine whether India evolves into a resilient, market-based financial system or continues relying on banks as the economy’s shock absorbers of last resort.

Context

• The Constitution of India created a federal system with a pronounced unitary At Independence, the Constitution prioritised stability and unity over dispersion of authority.
• The argument for recalibration arises from the transformation of India into a politically mature, administratively capable, and socially consolidated nation.
• Continued concentration of authority at the Centre now risks weakening governance rather than strengthening national cohesion.
• A rebalancing of Union-State relations is therefore presented not as a political demand but as a constitutional necessity.

Historical Context: Why Centralisation Emerged?

• The immediate post-1947 environment shaped constitutional design. Partition, the integration of princely states, and fears of territorial fragmentation demanded a strong Union government.
• Borrowing institutional features from the Government of India Act, 1935, authority was concentrated in New Delhi.
• Centralisation functioned as a defensive mechanism to secure national consolidation.
• However, institutional structures created in emergency conditions often persist beyond the crisis. What began as a protective arrangement evolved into a permanent administrative orientation.

Theoretical Foundations: The Meaning of Federalism

• Federalism rests on both allocation and restraint of authority. The effectiveness of public power depends on its proximity to information and accountability.
• Decision-making closer to citizens improves responsiveness and administrative accuracy.
• Excessive centralisation produces fragility because a single authority cannot efficiently manage diverse responsibilities.
• A government that simultaneously oversees strategic sectors and local welfare disperses its capacity. The strength of a federation lies not in the accumulation of functions but in disciplined limitation.

Political Practice: From Necessity to Habit

• For decades, the dominance of a single national party reinforced central authority. Political hierarchy reduced practical autonomy even where legal powers existed.
• Later, coalition governments and the rise of regional parties produced greater equilibrium without threatening unity.
• India’s continued centralising orientation reflects persistence of early anxieties rather than present realities.
• The nation has moved beyond its formative insecurities, yet institutional reflexes remain.

Institutional Mechanisms of Centralisation

• Central authority expanded through multiple channels:
  • constitutional amendments,
  • legislation in the Concurrent List,
  • conditional fiscal transfers,
  • centrally sponsored schemes,
  • administrative oversight.
• Financial dependence has become a decisive instrument of influence. Ministries in New Delhi frequently duplicate state functions and steer priorities through procedural regulation.
• In certain areas, executive rule-making effectively overrides state legislation, altering the practical balance of power.

Judicial Doctrine and Constitutional Tension

• In R. Bommai (1994), the Supreme Court declared federalism part of the Basic Structure and affirmed that states are constitutionally autonomous within their spheres.
• Federalism derives from India’s diversity and historical pluralism rather than administrative convenience.
• A tension thus arises between doctrine and practice: judicial interpretation recognises parity of authority, yet administrative patterns continue to concentrate control.

Functional Argument: Why Decentralisation Improves Governance?

• India’s size and diversity make uniform policy inherently limited. Regional variation in language, ecology, labour markets, and development levels requires flexible solutions.
• Decentralisation allows policy experimentation, containment of failure, and replication of success.
• Many effective national programmes began as state initiatives.
• Regional experimentation in nutrition programmes, literacy campaigns, and employment guarantees demonstrated how local innovation informs broader policy. Over-centralisation suppresses such adaptive learning.

The Way Forward: Recalibration, Not Disintegration

• The relationship between the Union and the states is not a zero-sum contest. Strengthening states does not weaken the Union; it sharpens its focus on genuinely national functions.
• Concentrated national authority combined with regional autonomy improves both administrative efficiency and democratic legitimacy.

Conclusion

• India has reached a stage where centralisation no longer serves its original purpose.
• A calibrated redistribution of functions would align authority with responsibility and enhance accountability.
• A focused Union and trusted states together reinforce national unity; durable cohesion arises not from control but from participation, cooperation, and balanced constitutional practice.

Why in the News?

• The Uttar Pradesh government has banned the sale of non-subsidised fertilisers by urea manufacturers and suppliers, raising concerns over excessive controls in the Indian fertiliser industry.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Fertiliser Industry (Structure, Distribution & Movement, Fertilisers, Ban in UP, Implications of Ban, Structural Challenges, Way Forward)

Structure of the Fertiliser Industry in India

• The fertiliser sector in India is one of the most regulated industries in the country.
• It plays a crucial role in ensuring food security, given India’s large agricultural base and dependence on chemical fertilisers such as urea, DAP, MOP and NPK complexes.
• The maximum retail price (MRP) of urea is fixed at Rs. 266.5 per 45-kg bag, and this rate has remained largely unchanged since November 2012.
• Although some fertilisers such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) are officially “decontrolled”, companies receive a fixed subsidy per bag, subject to maintaining a capped MRP.
  • For instance, the Centre provides a flat subsidy for DAP, but companies must sell it at a notified price to receive that subsidy.
• Similarly, for other fertilisers such as Muriate of Potash (MOP) and NPK complexes, MRPs are indirectly regulated. Companies must align prices with subsidy rates notified by the government, and “unreasonable” profits can be recovered from subsidy claims.
• Thus, while partial decontrol exists on paper, effective price control continues in practice.

Control Over Distribution and Movement

• Government control is not limited to pricing. The Centre also regulates the movement and allocation of subsidised fertilisers across states.
• The Department of Fertilisers (DoF) prepares an “agreed supply plan” based on the requirement assessed by the Union Agriculture Ministry and state governments.
• This plan is broken down state-wise, season-wise and month-wise.
• At the state level, district-wise allocation is decided by the agriculture authorities.
• Companies must dispatch fertilisers according to official railway rake and road movement plans.
• Once a rake reaches a designated railhead, the district agriculture officer allocates stock dealer-wise.
• In essence, even private fertiliser companies operate under a framework where price, quantity, location and timing of sale are largely determined by the government.

Non-Subsidised and Speciality Fertilisers

• Apart from subsidised fertilisers, companies also sell non-subsidised speciality nutrients. These include:

• Water-soluble fertilisers, Calcium nitrate, Zinc sulphate, Bentonite sulphur, Micronutrients and bio-stimulants

• These products are used in high-value crops such as fruits, vegetables and sugarcane. They are typically applied in smaller quantities but offer higher nutrient efficiency.
• Unlike subsidised fertilisers such as urea (around Rs. 5.9 per kg), speciality products can cost Rs. 60-90 per kg.
• However, their market size is small, about 0.4 million tonnes annually, compared to 67 million tonnes of subsidised fertilisers.
• These products are officially notified under the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985.

The Uttar Pradesh Ban

• In January 2026, the Uttar Pradesh agriculture directorate issued an order prohibiting urea manufacturers and suppliers from selling any “gair-anudaanit” (non-subsidised) fertilisers in the state.
• The ban applies to several major fertiliser companies, including cooperative, public and private entities.
• Reason Behind the Ban
• The state government acted on allegations of “tagging”, forcing farmers to buy non-subsidised products along with subsidised fertilisers. However, industry representatives argue that:

• Both product categories are sold through the same dealer networks.
• Cross-selling is a normal business practice.
• The market for speciality fertilisers in UP is relatively small compared to subsidised fertilisers.

Implications of the Ban

• Impact on Nutrient Use Efficiency
  • Speciality fertilisers are often more nutrient-efficient and environmentally sustainable. Restricting their sale may discourage balanced fertiliser use and worsen overdependence on cheap urea.
  • India already faces the problem of excessive nitrogen application due to the highly subsidised price of urea.
• Investor Sentiment
  • The fertiliser industry operates in a capital-intensive environment. Frequent regulatory interventions can: Reduce private sector investment, Discourage innovation, Create policy uncertainty
• Market Distortions
  • Ministry sources argue that banning established players could open space for unorganised operators selling low-quality products.
  • This may undermine quality control and farmer education.

Structural Challenges in the Fertiliser Sector

• Overdependence on Subsidies: The fertiliser subsidy bill remains a major fiscal burden.
• Imbalanced Nutrient Use: Artificially cheap urea leads to overuse of nitrogen relative to phosphorus and potassium.
• Supply Constraints: Reports of urea selling above MRP have been linked to rising consumption and production constraints.
• Policy Overreach: Layered controls on price, movement and sales restrict market flexibility.

Way Forward

• Gradual rationalisation of fertiliser subsidies.
• Promotion of balanced nutrient application under schemes like Soil Health Cards.
• Encouragement of speciality and efficiency-enhancing fertilisers.
• Clear and predictable regulatory framework to attract investment.
• The fertiliser sector is central to India’s food security. However, excessive controls may hinder innovation, efficiency and long-term sustainability.

Why in News?

• At the India AI Impact Summit held at Bharat Mandapam, senior policymakers and global experts deliberated on the theme ‘Global Mission on AI for Energy Scaling through citizen-centric India Energy Stack’.
• Reflecting the global interest in India’s AI-energy convergence model, the Indian government highlighted how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can become a game changer for India’s rapidly expanding Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) sector.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Understanding Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE)
• India’s Renewable Energy Landscape
• Why AI is Crucial for the Next Phase of Energy Transition
• AI as Development Infrastructure
• Governance and Regulation
• Defining Success - What Will AI-RE Convergence Achieve in the Next 2-3 Years?
• Key Challenges and Way Forward
• Conclusion

Understanding Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE):

• DRE refers to small-scale, decentralised renewable power systems (few kW to MW scale) located near the point of consumption — such as rooftop solar systems, small wind turbines, biomass-based units, and solar pumps.
• Unlike conventional centralised grids, DRE promotes energy decentralisation, local generation, and consumer participation.

India’s Renewable Energy Landscape:

• Key data points:
  • 52% (about 272 GW) of India’s total installed power capacity is now from non-fossil fuel sources.
  • Solar capacity: ~140 GW.
  • DRE: 38 GW. Nearly 18 GW was added in the DRE segment in the last 15 months.
• Public expenditure: Approximately $9 billion on rooftop solarisation, and $4 billion on PM-KUSUM.
• Major schemes driving DRE expansion: Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri KUSUM Yojana.
• Enabling factors: This rapid scale-up was enabled through technology integration benefiting consumers, vendors, banks, field workers, and DISCOMs.

Why AI is Crucial for the Next Phase of Energy Transition?

• Structural challenges in the grid:
  • Transformers designed for unidirectional power flow. Emergence of ‘prosumers’ (consumers who also generate electricity). Increased stress on distribution networks.
  • Need for demand response management and predictive maintenance.
• AI applications in DRE:
  • AI can enable -
    • Weather forecasting and predictive analytics for solar generation.
    • Asset performance monitoring across geographies.
    • Peer benchmarking for rooftop systems.
    • B2B electricity trading enablement.
    • Predictive load management.
    • Grid stability management.
  • Government’s emphasis: AI will move the system from reactive governance to predictive governance — enabling India to “act, not react”.

AI as Development Infrastructure:

• AI should be viewed as core development infrastructure, similar to power grids, DISCOMs, and smart meters.
• This aligns with India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) approach — suggesting the creation of an India Energy Stack, analogous to India Stack in fintech.
• Strategic vision:
  • Scale AI deployment — not treat it as pilot projects.
  • Position India as the “Google of AI for Energy” globally.
  • Build interoperable digital architecture for energy markets.

Governance and Regulation:

• Concerns:
  • Energy transition increases system complexity.
  • AI innovation does not automatically equal progress.
  • Poor digital regulation (e.g., social media concentration) led to Big Tech dominance.
• Key governance principles:
  • Open standards (like TCP/IP model).
  • Open-source AI systems.
  • Prevent monopolisation by global AI giants.
  • Promote local solutions tailored to farms, grids, and decentralised energy systems.
• This raises critical questions about data sovereignty, digital regulation, energy security, and technological self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat).

Defining Success - What Will AI-RE Convergence Achieve in the Next 2-3 Years?

• Reduction in overall cost of power to consumers.
• Increased industrial competitiveness.
• Transition from consumer empowerment to prosumer empowerment.
• Grid readiness for high renewable penetration.
• Improved energy access and reliability.

Key Challenges and Way Forward:

• Legacy grid infrastructure constraints: Build an India Energy Stack - interoperable digital layers for generation, distribution, trading.
• DISCOM financial stress: Promote open-source AI ecosystem - encourage startups, enable local innovation, avoid concentration risks.
• Data governance, cybersecurity risks and risk of AI monopolisation: Strengthen regulatory frameworks - open standards, anti-monopoly safeguards, data privacy protections.
• AI-energy integration:
  • Invest in AI-driven grid modernisation - smart transformers, real-time load balancing, AI-based forecasting.
  • Integrate AI with climate goals - support India’s Net Zero 2070 target, align with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Conclusion:

• India stands at the intersection of energy transition and digital transformation.
• With over half its installed capacity already non-fossil, and rapid growth in distributed renewable energy, the next phase will depend not just on adding capacity but on intelligently managing
• The convergence of AI and DRE may well determine whether India becomes a passive technology adopter — or a global leader shaping the future of sustainable, citizen-centric energy systems.

Context:

• In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court of India overturned a Bombay High Court ruling and permitted a teenager to terminate her 30-week pregnancy.
• The decision assumes importance in the backdrop of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 2021.
• The act allows abortion up to 24 weeks under specified conditions but remains silent on late-term terminations beyond this limit, leaving courts to intervene on a case-by-case basis.
• This judgment marks a notable reaffirmation of women’s reproductive autonomy and expands the constitutional conversation on mental health, bodily integrity, and dignity.

Legal Framework - The MTP Act and Judicial Discretion:

• Expanded but limited statutory framework:
  • The MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021 extended the gestational limit for abortion from 20 to 24 weeks for certain categories of women (including survivors of rape, minors, and other vulnerable groups).
  • Beyond 24 weeks, termination is permissible only in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities, as diagnosed by Medical Boards.
  • There is no explicit fundamental “right to abortion” under Indian law.
• Judicial role in late-term abortions: Due to statutory limits, courts frequently adjudicate petitions for termination beyond 24 weeks. However, outcomes have been inconsistent, revealing judicial subjectivity and moral complexities.

Key Observations by the Supreme Court:

• Reproductive autonomy cannot be compelled:
  • The Court emphatically stated that it “cannot compel” a woman to continue a pregnancy if she is unwilling.
  • This marks a clear shift toward prioritising bodily autonomy and individual choice, consistent with Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty).
• Restrictive laws increase unsafe abortions:
  • The Court acknowledged an important public health reality - restrictive access does not prevent abortions.
  • It increases the risk of unsafe procedures by “quacks and unauthorised doctors”.
  • Thus, access to safe Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) services becomes central to reproductive justice and public health policy.
• Mental health equals physical health:
  • A landmark aspect of the judgment is the recognition of mental trauma as equally significant as physical health, placing mental health on par with physical health.
  • It adopted a broader, health-based approach rather than a moralistic “pro-life vs pro-choice” framework.
  • This aligns with a rights-based and health-centred interpretation of reproductive autonomy.

Health as a Determinant: Whose Health Matters?

• Abortion jurisprudence globally wrestles with the foetus’s potential “right to life”, and the pregnant woman’s right to choice.
• The Bombay HC had denied termination citing that the foetus was “healthy and viable”.
• The SC set this aside and prioritised the pregnant individual’s unwillingness, thus clearly foregrounding maternal autonomy over foetal viability in this case.

The Minor and the Question of ‘Illegitimacy’:

• Special consideration for minors:
  • The Court referred to the petitioner as a “child” (she had conceived as a minor though she turned 18 later). It held that minors cannot be compelled to continue pregnancy.
  • This is significant in light of rising cases of sexual abuse against minors, concerns under the POCSO Act, and the constitutional emphasis on dignity and best interests of the child.
• Role of marital status:
  • The pregnancy was described as “illegitimate” (outside marriage), which arguably influenced the Court’s empathetic stance.
  • However, this raises critical questions: Would the outcome have differed if the women were married?; Does marital status shape judicial perception of reproductive rights?

Inconsistency in Judicial Approach (The 2023 Case):

• In 2023, the SC rejected a 26-week termination plea of a married 27-year-old woman, despite her citing mental health concerns and an unwanted pregnancy.
• This contrast highlights judicial inconsistency, the continued influence of marital norms, and the entanglement of motherhood with marriage in legal reasoning.

Broader Constitutional and Social Questions:

• Marriage, motherhood and autonomy: Indian women’s sexual and reproductive autonomy often remains overshadowed by marital status.
• This ties into: The ongoing debate on the marital rape exception, societal notions of “legitimacy”, and patriarchal assumptions about motherhood.
• The Court’s observation: That “the mother’s reproductive autonomy must be given emphasis” should ideally transcend marital and social categories.

Challenges:

• Absence of absolute right to abortion: Decisions hinge on judicial discretion.
• Inconsistent jurisprudence: Similar cases yield divergent outcomes.
• Foetal viability debate: Ethical and legal tensions persist.
• Marital status bias: Marriage continues to shape legal outcomes.
• Limited mental health integration: Despite recognition, practical implementation remains weak.
• Access barriers: Medical Boards, procedural delays, and stigma hinder timely access.

Way Forward:

• Codify: Reproductive autonomy as a fundamental right. Explicit recognition under Article 21 through judicial clarification or legislative reform.
• Uniform: Guidelines for late-term abortions. Clear medical and psychological parameters to reduce judicial arbitrariness.
• Strengthen: Public health infrastructure. Ensure safe, affordable, stigma-free access to abortion services. Expand trained providers and Medical Boards.
• Mainstreaming: Mental health. Integrate psychiatric evaluation and trauma-informed care in reproductive health policy.
• De-link: Autonomy from marital status. Ensure rights are not mediated by notions of legitimacy or marriage. Align abortion jurisprudence with gender justice principles.
• Rights-based framework: Move from morality-based reasoning to dignity, autonomy, and health-based reasoning.

Conclusion:

• The Supreme Court’s ruling marks a progressive reaffirmation of women’s reproductive autonomy and a crucial shift toward a health-centred, dignity-based framework.
• By recognising mental health as central and rejecting coercive continuation of pregnancy, the Court strengthens the constitutional promise of personal liberty.
• However, inconsistencies across cases reveal that reproductive autonomy in India remains conditional and context-dependent.
• For reproductive rights to become truly inalienable, the guiding principle going forward must be unequivocal: a woman’s reproductive autonomy is integral to her dignity, bodily integrity, and constitutional freedom.

Why in the News?

• The Centre has announced the integration of AI tools in teaching from the next academic session, backed by the launch of Bodhan AI and the Bharat EduAI Stack.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• AI in Education (Background, Policy Context, Framework, etc.)
• Bharat EduAI (Tools & Applications, Funding & Operational Model, Data Protection, Significance, etc.)

AI in Education: Background and Policy Context

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force across sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, governance, and education.
• In the education sector, AI can enable personalised learning, real-time assessment, multilingual content delivery, and data-driven policy decisions.
• India’s policy shift toward AI in Education aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises technology-enabled learning, foundational literacy and numeracy, and multilingual education.
• The NEP also advocates adaptive learning systems and the integration of emerging technologies in teaching and evaluation.
• Globally, AI tools are used for:

• Personalised content recommendation
• Automated grading and feedback
• Intelligent tutoring systems
• Language translation and speech recognition

• However, most existing AI systems are built primarily for English and rely on global platforms.
• This creates limitations for a linguistically diverse country like India, where school education takes place in multiple regional languages.

Centre of Excellence and Institutional Framework

• The Centre’s initiative is anchored at the Centre of Excellence in AI for Education at IIT Madras, which was announced in the Union Budget with an allocation of Rs. 500 crore.
• To operationalise the initiative, a not-for-profit company named Bodhan AI has been launched. It will function as a technology backbone provider and build core AI infrastructure tailored to Indian needs.

Bharat EduAI Stack as Digital Public Infrastructure

• Bodhan AI will develop the Bharat EduAI Stack as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for education.
• Digital Public Infrastructure refers to scalable digital systems that provide public services efficiently, similar to how UPI transformed digital payments. In this case, the EduAI Stack will serve as a foundational layer for AI applications in education.
• Key components include:

• AI models trained in Indian languages
• Automatic speech recognition systems
• Speech synthesis tools
• Language understanding and diagnostics models

• Instead of directly building classroom apps, Bodhan AI will create the “basic building blocks.” Edtech companies and state governments can plug their applications into this sovereign AI infrastructure. This approach aims to:

• Reduce dependence on foreign AI platforms
• Promote indigenous AI models
• Enable scalable deployment across schools

Likely AI Tools and Applications

• Personalised Learning for Students
  • AI tools will help students understand concepts in their mother tongue and identify learning gaps.
  • Voice-based exercises can be delivered through phones, tablets, or laptops. The system can:

• Provide instant feedback
• Generate personalised worksheets
• Suggest targeted practice modules

• This is especially significant for foundational literacy and numeracy, where early interventions are critical.

• Assistance for Teachers and Parents
  • AI-generated reports can help teachers track student performance and recommend interventions. Teachers can use AI-driven diagnostics to design remedial strategies.
  • For parents, AI-based dashboards may provide insights into their child’s progress.
• Administrative and Policy Support
  • At the district or state level, AI tools can analyse aggregated data to assess school performance. This enables evidence-based policy decisions, resource allocation, and targeted interventions.

Funding and Operational Model

• The initial funding comes from the Union Budget allocation for the Centre of Excellence. Over time, the system is expected to become self-sustaining through:

• Maintenance contributions from state governments
• Equity participation by start-ups using the infrastructure
• Collaborative partnerships with edtech firms

• The long-term vision is to evolve into a community-driven ecosystem, similar to open-source platforms like Linux.

Data Protection and Ethical Concerns

• Data Privacy
  • Student inputs, written responses, and voice recordings constitute personal data. Authorities have emphasised that such data should not be stored in public forums and must remain secure.
  • This aligns with India’s broader digital governance framework, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
• Screen Time
  • To reduce excessive screen exposure, voice-based tools are being prioritised. The focus is on assistive use rather than replacing classroom teaching.
• Equity and Access
  • Digital infrastructure gaps remain a challenge in rural and remote areas. Effective implementation will require device access, connectivity, and teacher training.

Significance for India’s Education System

• The Bharat EduAI Stack represents a structural shift in how technology can be embedded into public education. Its importance lies in:

• Building sovereign AI capabilities
• Strengthening multilingual learning
• Supporting teachers rather than replacing them
• Creating scalable Digital Public Infrastructure

• If implemented effectively, the initiative can improve learning outcomes, reduce regional disparities, and strengthen India’s position in educational technology innovation.

About Osteoporosis:

• It is a disease in which the bones become weak and are likely to fracture.
• What Causes Osteoporosis?
  • Osteoporosis develops when more bone is broken down than replaced.
  • It is accompanied by the loss of bone mass.
• Symptoms:
  • It is called a "silent" disease because it doesn't usually cause symptoms.
  • It is most common in the bones of hip, vertebrae in the spine, and wrist.
  • Once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, signs and symptoms may include:
    • Back pain, caused by a broken or collapsed bone in the spine.
    • Loss of height over time.
    • A stooped posture.
    • A bone that breaks much more easily than expected.
  • Treatment: Treatment for osteoporosis may involve:
    • Making lifestyle changes, such as changing diet and exercise routine
    • Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.

About Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl:

• The spot-bellied eagle-owl, also known as the forest eagle-owl, is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance.
• Scientific Name: Ketupa nipalensis
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is commonly found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and parts of Southeast Asia.
  • It can be found in a variety of habitats, including tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands, and savannas.
• Features:
  • It is one of the longest owls in the world.
  • The most distinguishing feature is its striking colouration. The upper parts of its body are a rich chocolate brown, speckled with white spots.
  • It is primarily nocturnal.
  • It is a solitary bird that is territorial and maintains a home range.
  • It is famous for its strange, human-like calls.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

About Exposome:

• It can be defined as the measure of all the exposures of an individual in a lifetime, from conception onward and how those exposures relate to health.
• The International Human Exposome Network (IHEN) defines the exposome as the "integrated compilation of all physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial factors, and their interactions."
• It reveals the accumulated lifetime exposures that determine our health, wellness, and susceptibility to disease.
• This is shaped by internal exposures such as individual metabolism or the microbiome, as well as external factors such as air quality.
• It also involves social or behavioral decisions that influence nutrition and exercise.
• Exposomics is the study of the exposome and relies on the application of internal and external exposure assessment methods.
• Internal exposure assessment relies on fields of study such as genomics, metabonomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. Commonalities of these fields include:
  • use of biomarkers to determine exposure, effect of exposure, disease progression, and susceptibility factors
  • use of technologies that result in large amounts of data and
  • use of data mining techniques to find statistical associations between exposures, effect of exposures, and other factors such as genetics with disease.
• External exposure assessment relies on measuring environmental stressors.
  • Common approaches include using direct reading instruments, laboratory-based analysis, and survey instruments.