Why in news?

Recently, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala as the first fully digitally literate State in India after completing the first phase of the Digi Kerala programme.

The initiative, implemented through local self-government bodies, aimed to bridge the digital divide.

As part of the effort, 21.87 lakh people identified as digitally illiterate were trained and successfully cleared evaluations, marking a milestone in grassroots digital empowerment. Trainees unfamiliar with digital devices learned to make voice and video calls on smartphones, use WhatsApp and social media, access government services, and perform digital transactions.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Origins of Kerala’s Digital Literacy Drive
• Scaling Up the Pullampara Model Statewide
• Digi Kerala 2.0: Expanding the Mission

Origins of Kerala’s Digital Literacy Drive

• Kerala’s Digi Kerala programme stemmed from a local initiative in Pullampara panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram, in 2021.
• Officials noticed long queues outside banks, where daily-wage and MGNREGS labourers often lost a day’s income just to check balances.
• This hardship inspired the idea of teaching basic digital skills to reduce dependency on physical banking.
• Launch of Digi Pullampara
  • The panchayat launched the Digi Pullampara project, surveying wards to identify 3,917 digitally illiterate residents.
  • Of these, 3,300 were trained, while bedridden individuals were excluded.
  • The training included 15 activities in three modules, covering essential digital tasks.
• Role of Volunteers and Training Methods
  • Volunteers, including students from NSS units, Kudumbashree members, SC/ST promoters, and library council members, conducted the training.
  • Sessions were held at MGNREGS worksites, Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups, and even in households for senior citizens.
  • After training, evaluations tested whether participants could perform at least six out of 15 tasks; retraining was offered to those who failed.
• Success and Statewide Expansion
  • Pullampara achieved 96.18% success, becoming Kerala’s first fully digitally literate panchayat in September 2022.
  • Encouraged by this, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the expansion of the initiative across the State, ultimately shaping Kerala’s digital literacy revolution.

Scaling Up the Pullampara Model Statewide

• To expand the Digi Pullampara model, the government brought Pullampara’s core team to the Kerala Institute of Local Administration to train master trainers.
• These trainers, in turn, prepared 2.57 lakh volunteers across the State.
• Survey and Training Process
  • Following the model of the Total Literacy Campaign of the 1980s, surveys covered 1.51 crore people across 83.45 lakh households, identifying 21.88 lakh digitally illiterate individuals.
  • Training followed a structured process, and the Economics and Statistics Department conducted third-party evaluations.
  • Out of those trained, 21.87 lakh passed. Panchayats with more than 10% failures were provided re-training.
• Inclusivity Beyond Guidelines
  • Unlike the National Digital Literacy Mission, which mandates training only up to 60 years of age, Kerala included all age groups, even those over 100.
  • Data shows 15,221 trainees above 90 years, 7.77 lakh between 60–75 years, and 1.35 lakh between 76–90 years were trained.
• Wide Participation Across Communities
  • The programme saw participation from over 13 lakh women, eight lakh men, and 1,644 transgender persons, showcasing its inclusive approach.
  • Officials noted that Kudumbashree workers helped volunteers focus only on households where residents were not already digitally literate, ensuring better targeting.

Digi Kerala 2.0: Expanding the Mission

• At the Digi Kerala declaration, the Chief Minister launched Digi Kerala 2.0, which will go beyond basic digital skills.
• It will include awareness classes on cyber fraud, training to identify and reject fake news, and intensive sessions on accessing government services digitally.
• Smartphone-Centric Approach
  • Unlike the national digital literacy programmes that focus mainly on computer use, Kerala has prioritised smartphones as the key tool for navigating daily life, reflecting ground realities.
• Integration with Broader Projects
  • The initiative forms part of Kerala’s larger digital vision, integrated with:
    • Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON): Ensures universal Internet access, offering free connectivity to BPL families (14,000 connected so far, plus 74,203 commercial homes).
    • K-SMART Project: Aims to bring all local self-government services onto a single digital platform, enhancing accessibility and governance efficiency.
• This roadmap positions Kerala not only as India’s first fully digitally literate state, but also as a model for bridging the digital divide

Why in news?

A recent study has reconstructed the long-term discharge flow of the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS), the source of the upper Ganga basin feeding the Bhagirathi River in the central Himalayas.

With climate change driving faster glacier melt globally, glaciologists are closely examining how changes in Gangotri’s discharge patterns could affect water availability, river flow, and long-term sustainability of the region’s ecosystems and livelihoods.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Composition of the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS)
• New Study on Gangotri Glacier System (GGS)
• Key Findings of the Study
• Implications of the Study on GGS

Composition of the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS)

• The GGS comprises four glaciers — Meru (7 km²), Raktavaran (30 km²), Chaturangi (75 km²), and the largest, Gangotri (140 km²).
• Together, the system spans 549 km², with about 48% glacierised area, across elevations from 3,767 m to 7,072 m.
• The GGS receives precipitation from western disturbances in winter (October–April) and the Indian summer monsoon in summer (May–September).
• Seasonal rainfall (May–October) averages 260 mm, with a mean temperature of 9.4°C recorded between 2000–2003.

New Study on Gangotri Glacier System (GGS)

• The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) holds vital snow and ice reserves that feed major rivers like the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, sustaining millions of lives.
• In recent decades, climatic changes have altered the cryosphere and hydrological cycles, leading to faster glacial retreat and shifting seasonal discharge patterns.
• While most modelling studies focus on large river catchments, it is difficult to separate the impacts of snowmelt and precipitation there.
• Smaller systems like the GGS allow for more precise assessments, making it a preferred choice for hydrologists and climate scientists.
• However, long-term discharge analysis and understanding climatic drivers have remained limited.
• To address this, a new study titled “Hydrological Contributions of Snow and Glacier Melt from the Gangotri Glacier System and Their Climatic Controls Since 1980” was conducted.
• The study, published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, provides deeper insights into GGS’s meltwater contributions and climate influences.

Key Findings of the Study

• The study combined the Spatial Processes in Hydrology (SPHY) glacio-hydrological model with the Indian Monsoon Data Assimilation and Analysis (IMDAA) dataset (1980–2020) to reconstruct GGS discharge trends.
  • SPHY model is a hydrological modelling tool suitable for a wide range of water resource management applications.
• It found that maximum discharge occurs in summer, peaking in July (129 m³/s).
• The mean annual discharge was estimated at 28±1.9 m³/s, primarily from snow melt (64%), followed by glacier melt (21%), rainfall-runoff (11%), and base flow (4%).
• A decadal analysis revealed a shift in discharge peaks from August to July after 1990, linked to reduced winter precipitation and enhanced early summer melting.
• The highest volumetric increase (7.8%) occurred between 1991–2000 and 2001–2010.
• While mean annual temperatures rose, there was no significant trend in precipitation or glacier melt.
• Snow melt declined due to shrinking snow cover, whereas rainfall-runoff and base flow increased.
• The analysis highlighted that summer precipitation was the main driver of annual discharge, followed by winter temperature.

Implications of the Study on GGS

• The findings highlight warming-induced hydrological changes in the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS), with increasing rainfall run-off and base flow.
• This aligns with the 25% excess rainfall observed in North India’s summer monsoon (June–August), which has caused frequent floods in Uttarakhand, Jammu, and Himachal Pradesh.
• While such events are often hastily termed “cloudbursts” without scientific evidence, climate change does raise the risk of extreme rainfall.
• The study stresses the need for sustained field monitoring and advanced modelling to improve water resource management in glacier-fed river basins, ensuring resilience against future hydrological and climatic shifts.

Why in News?

• India remains heavily dependent on imports for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), fermentation-based drugs, enzymes for biofuels, and biofertilizer reagents.
• Post Covid-19 pandemic, the government has accelerated efforts for domestic manufacturing under policies like the PLI scheme.
• The Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment (BioE3) policy/ BioE3 policy of the Government of India envisions setting up 16 biomanufacturing hubs to strengthen the bioeconomy and ensure self-reliance (Atmanirbharta).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Bioeconomy
• About the BioE3 Policy
• Key Features of the BioE3 Policy
• Biofoundries - The First Step
• Implementation Model
• Significance of BioE3 Policy for India
• Conclusion

India’s Bioeconomy:

• The bioeconomy is an economic system that utilizes renewable biological resources from plants, animals, and microorganisms—along with organic waste—to create food, feed, energy, and bio-based products.
• As in December 2023, Bioeconomy contributes 4.25% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Indian Bioeconomy has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to $151 billion in 2023, achieving this target two years ahead of projections for 2025.
• The number of Biotech Startups has grown from 50 Biotech Startups in 2014 to 8,531 Biotech Startups in 2023.

About the BioE3 Policy:

• Launched in August 2024, it is a Union S&T Ministry’s policy that sets forth a framework to ensure the adoption of cutting-edge advanced technologies for promoting Biomanufacturing.
• The policy outlines guidelines and principles for enabling mechanisms for ‘Fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing’ in the country across diverse sectors.
• It is aligned with India’s vision of Green Growth and also with the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative that envisions collective approach towards sustainability.

Key Features of the BioE3 Policy:

• Biomanufacturing hubs:
  • Around 16 hubs to be set up across India.
  • Each hub will house large fermenters (500–1,000 litres).
  • Focus: Fermentation-based medicines, biofuels, bioproteins, carbon capture technologies, and novel monoclonal antibody treatments.
  • Hubs will pool resources → reducing capital burden for start-ups and MSMEs.
• Product focus:
  • The government has listed approximately 1,000 critical products needed for indigenous manufacturing.
  • Categories:
    • APIs and drugs
    • Enzymes for biofuels
    • Reagents for biofertilizers
    • Smart proteins and nutrition enhancers
    • Carbon capture innovations

Biofoundries - The First Step:

• 6 Biofoundries already supported by Department of Biotechnology (DBT):
  • NABI, Mohali, for sustainable food & nutrition.
  • Tata Memorial Centre, for new drugs.
  • ICGEB, New Delhi, for synthetic biology, microbial cells, biofuels, carbon capture.
  • THSTI, Faridabad, for monoclonal antibody therapies.
  • IPFT, Gurugram, for biopesticides.
  • NCCS, Pune, for enzymes and metabolites.
• Function: Conduct proof-of-concept testing, and innovations are transferred to hubs for scaling up.

Implementation Model:

• Location: The biomanufacturing hubs will be set up within research institutes, private companies, or near knowledge hubs.
• Accessibility: Open to government R&D labs, universities, start-ups, and private industry.
• Cost-sharing model: The start-ups will be charged a maximum of 5% over the actual costs while private companies may be charged up to 15% over the cost.
• IPR policy: Facilities will not claim IP rights, ensuring innovation ownership with developers.

Significance of BioE3 Policy for India:

• Reduces import dependency in critical pharma and bio-based sectors.
• Strengthens bioeconomy and aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat
• Supports innovation-to-market pipeline through biofoundries → hubs.
• Boosts R&D collaboration among government, academia, and industry.
• Promotes start-up ecosystem in biotechnology.

Conclusion:

• The BioE3 policy, by integrating biofoundries with biomanufacturing hubs, positions India to emerge as a global leader in biotechnology-driven solutions for health, energy, and agriculture.
• Going forward, sustained investment, industry-academia collaboration, and supportive regulatory frameworks will be key to realising the vision of a self-reliant and innovation-led bioeconomy.

 Why in the News?

• The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to frame guidelines for regulating social media, stressing that free speech cannot be misused for commercial gain at the cost of public dignity.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Court’s Order (Introduction, Court’s Directives, Constitutional Framework, Debate on Free Speech, Broader Implications, etc.)

Introduction

• Recently, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to draft comprehensive guidelines for regulating social media content.
• The order comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of free speech by influencers and digital creators for commercial gain, often at the cost of public sentiment and individual dignity.
• The directive marks a significant step in balancing constitutional freedoms with accountability in the digital age.

The Supreme Court’s Directive

• A two-judge bench stressed that while free speech is a constitutional right under Article 19(1)(a), it cannot be used purely for commercial purposes in a manner that offends vulnerable groups.
• The case originated from a petition filed by a non-profit supporting individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), who alleged derogatory remarks made by comedians had violated their dignity.
• The court ordered the Centre to frame regulations in consultation with the National Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) and also directed the comedians involved to issue public apologies on their social media platforms.

Constitutional Framework on Free Speech

• The Constitution permits restrictions on free speech under Article 19(2) on limited grounds, including:

• Sovereignty and integrity of India
• Security of the State
• Friendly relations with foreign states
• Public order
• Decency and morality
• Contempt of court
• Defamation
• Incitement to offences

• The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that restrictions cannot extend beyond these grounds.
• In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), the Court struck down Section 66A of the IT Act for criminalising vague expressions like “annoyance” or “hatred,” affirming that even speech that “offends, shocks, or disturbs” remains constitutionally protected.

The Debate on Commercial Speech

• The regulation of commercial speech has had an evolving jurisprudence in India:

• In Hamdard Dawakhana v. Union of India (1959), the Court held that advertisements tied to trade and commerce do not qualify as free speech.
• However, in Tata Press v. MTNL (1995), the Court recognised commercial speech as constitutionally protected, since advertisements serve public interest by disseminating information.
• Later judgments, such as A. Suresh v. State of Tamil Nadu (1997), reiterated the need to balance commercial expression with societal interests.

• This evolution demonstrates the Court’s nuanced approach to distinguishing between public-interest commercial expression and purely profit-driven content.

Existing Legal Framework for Digital Media

• Social media companies in India are already governed by the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under the IT Act, 2000.
• These rules require platforms to restrict obscene, pornographic, or harmful content.
• Influencers and online creators are also subject to criminal law if their speech amounts to defamation, incitement, or other recognised offences.
• Experts caution that any additional guidelines must be carefully drafted to avoid infringing upon free speech, given the Supreme Court’s strong history of protecting this right.

Broader Implications

• The Court’s intervention raises critical questions about the future of free speech in the digital age.
• With nearly 491 million Indians active on social media, the regulation of online platforms is no longer just a legal issue but also a societal necessity.
• While the move is aimed at curbing abusive or derogatory content disguised as entertainment or marketing, it also places the responsibility on the government to ensure that regulation does not become a tool of censorship.
• Legal scholars argue that the Supreme Court’s “polyvocality” in free speech jurisprudence, arising from differing judicial interpretations, has resulted in inconsistencies.
• This ruling, therefore, may provide an opportunity to consolidate principles of accountability without diluting constitutional protections.

Why in news?

With the end of the Modi-Trump camaraderie and the US imposing steep tariffs on Indian goods, New Delhi is redirecting diplomatic focus.

Prime Minister Modi will visit Tianjin for the 2025 SCO Summit and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to strengthen bilateral ties.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India-China Relations: From Conflict to Cautious Recalibration
• Trump’s Tariffs Push India and China Closer
• Challenges of Deepening India-China Trade Ties
• India’s Trade Dilemma Between the US and China

India-China Relations: From Conflict to Cautious Recalibration

• India–China relations deteriorated sharply after the June 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, which fueled strong public sentiment in India to cut trade ties with China.
• In response, the Indian government banned several Chinese apps and imposed restrictions on Chinese FDI.
• Trade and Economic Concerns
  • India has resisted deeper economic integration with China, most notably by pulling out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in late 2019.
  • Policymakers feared Chinese imports would flood Indian markets, undermining domestic industries.
• India as a “China +1” Alternative
  • Post-Covid, India has sought to position itself as a viable “China +1” investment destination for Western businesses.
  • However, competition from countries like Vietnam, Mexico, and Poland has limited India’s success.
• Security and Strategic Tensions
  • Beyond trade, Indians increasingly view China as their primary strategic adversary.
  • Even during conflicts with Pakistan, such as after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, India perceived Chinese weaponry in Pakistani hands, deepening security concerns.

Trump’s Tariffs Push India and China Closer

• The sharp rise in US tariffs has forced both India and China to explore closer cooperation.
• India now faces 50% tariffs — the second-highest after Brazil — while China, which earlier endured 145% tariffs before seeing them reduced to 30%, has already begun outreach to multiple nations.
  • The US’s “reciprocal tariff” approach, aimed at balancing trade deficits, made such measures predictable.
  • Reports reveal that China approached India in March 2025, but New Delhi responded only in June.
• Recently, China criticised US tariff hikes on India, echoing PM Modi’s own past remarks by calling India and China “double engines” of Asia’s economic growth.

Challenges of Deepening India-China Trade Ties

• Amid rising US tariffs on Indian goods, China’s offers of closer trade ties may appear attractive. However, experts warn that relying more on China could pose long-term risks for India.
• Trade Deficit Concerns - India enjoys a $40+ billion trade surplus with the US, but faces a $100 billion trade deficit with China, highlighting structural imbalances in bilateral trade.
• China’s Manufacturing Dominance - China has emerged as the world’s sole manufacturing superpower, capturing a massive share of global exports, making it difficult for India to compete directly.
• India’s Manufacturing Weakness - Since 2019-20, manufacturing GVA has grown only 4% CAGR, slower than agriculture (4.7%), underscoring India’s struggle to build competitive manufacturing strength.
• Impact on India’s “China +1” Position - If India aligns too closely with China, it may lose credibility as a viable alternative to China for Western businesses seeking to diversify supply chains.
• China’s Overcapacity Challenge - China’s deflation and industrial overcapacity may push it to dump cheap goods in other markets, including India, intensifying pressure on Indian producers.
• Geopolitical Mismatch - While both nations are economic powerhouses, India’s democratic, transparent, private sector-led model contrasts with China’s state-driven system. Moreover, China’s support for Pakistan complicates trust-building.

India’s Trade Dilemma Between the US and China

• India’s reluctance to embrace free global trade stems from its deep-rooted structural weaknesses.
• For years, coalition politics was seen as a hurdle to reforms, but even a decade of single-party majority governments since 2014 has not delivered significant structural reforms.
• Instead, India has drifted towards greater protectionism, while its growth momentum has slowed.
• China’s Rise and Risks
  • During this time, China has expanded its manufacturing dominance, becoming so large that it poses a challenge to the United States.
  • However, China now faces industrial overcapacity and deflation, pushing it to dump cheap goods in foreign markets — a risk that could further hurt Indian industries if India opens up excessively to Chinese imports.
• US Challenges
  • Meanwhile, the United States appears as a superpower seeking to reassert its global dominance, using tariffs and “reciprocal” trade measures under President Trump.
  • However, such policies are often viewed as arbitrary and counterproductive, creating friction even with traditional allies.
• India’s Strategic Dilemma
  • India’s growing tensions with both Washington and Beijing place it in a diplomatic and economic dilemma.
  • While China offers market opportunities, its export strength and strategic rivalry with India pose dangers.
  • Conversely, the US remains India’s largest export market, despite current tariff disputes.

Why in news?

Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran said that Indian households’ disposable income will be significantly higher this year compared to last year. This increase is mainly driven by easing inflation and the tax cuts already announced, along with potential further reductions expected soon.

The rise in disposable income is seen as a positive factor for household spending and economic growth.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Understanding Disposable Income
• Higher Disposable Income in 2025
• Urban vs Rural Demand Trends
• Countering US Tariffs

Understanding Disposable Income

• Disposable income is the money that households have left after paying taxes. It is the net income available for spending and saving.
• In simple words, it’s the money in one’s hand after the payment of one’s taxes.
• People can use it for daily expenses like food, rent, healthcare, education, or save and invest it for the future.
• Formula: Disposable Income = Total Income – Taxes
• Role of Inflation in Disposable Income
  • Even if disposable income (after-tax income) remains the same in numbers, high inflation reduces its real value.
  • E.g., If disposable income is ₹50,000, and inflation rises, the same ₹50,000 buys fewer goods and services.
  • High Inflation → Lower real disposable income → People cut down on non-essential spending, which slows down demand and growth.
  • Also, when inflation is high, households may struggle to save because a larger share of disposable income goes toward basic expenses (food, fuel, rent). This reduces long-term investments and weakens financial security.
• Importance of Higher Disposable Income
  • Boosts Consumption: When people have more money left after taxes and inflation, they can spend more on goods and services, which drives economic growth.
  • Improves Standard of Living: Higher disposable income allows households to afford better food, healthcare, education, and housing, improving overall quality of life.
  • Supports Savings & Investments: Families with more money left after expenses can save and invest, which builds financial security and contributes to capital formation.
  • Encourages Business Growth: Increased consumer spending raises demand, helping businesses grow, expand production, and create more jobs.
  • Enhances Economic Resilience: Higher disposable income cushions families against inflation or economic shocks, reducing poverty and vulnerability.
  • Economic Growth: Higher disposable income boosts consumer spending on goods and services, which drives demand, stimulates economic activity, and creates more jobs—making it a key driver of growth.

Higher Disposable Income in 2025

• Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran announced that Indian households’ disposable income will be significantly higher this year compared to 2024.
• This improvement is attributed to lower inflation, the direct tax cuts announced in the 2025 Union Budget, and the expected GST rate rationalisation.
• These measures are expected to boost household spending and support economic growth.
  • India’s GDP growth for April–June 2025 reached 7.8%, the highest in five quarters, surpassing expectations.

Urban vs Rural Demand Trends

• Despite concerns raised in the RBI’s August MPC meeting about weak urban demand, CEA argued that urban consumption was underestimated due to reliance on traditional surveys.
• He cited UPI merchant payment data, which showed strong growth in digital transactions across categories.
• Rural demand has remained resilient, supported by a good monsoon, while urban consumption displayed mixed trends—robust in services like hospitality and trade but muted in housing and consumer durable loans.

Countering US Tariffs

• From August 27, 2025, tariffs on Indian goods entering the US market doubled to 50% (25% duty + 25% penalty linked to India’s Russian oil imports).
• This raises risks for labour-intensive export sectors such as textiles, potentially impacting jobs, wages, and consumption, and dampening private investment.
• Economists caution of a possible negative domino effect on growth.
• Government’s Policy Response
  • The government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy:
    • Boosting domestic consumption through income tax cuts (₹1 lakh crore revenue loss estimated) and GST rationalisation to lower inflation.
    • Exploring alternatives to US markets and enhancing domestic resilience to reduce vulnerability to external shocks.

Why in News?

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, recently addressed the National Conference of Chairpersons of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees on Welfare of SCs and STs.
• He highlighted the increasing importance of parliamentary committees in India in ensuring accountability.
• He also highlighted the declining quality of dialogue, decorum, and discussion in legislatures.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Historical Evolution and Structure of Parliamentary Committees in India
• Need for Parliamentary Committees
• Role of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees
• Significant Contributions of Parliamentary Committees in India
• Concerns Raised About Parliamentary and Legislature Committees
• The Road Ahead
• Conclusion

Historical Evolution and Structure of Parliamentary Committees in India:

• Historical evolution: Even though a structured committee system was only established in 1993, individual committees were being formed for various reasons as far back as independence. For instance, the Ad Hoc Committee on the Citizenship Clause.
• Structure:
  • Standing committees: Permanent, subject-specific (finance, defence, etc.).
  • Ad Hoc committees: Temporary, for specific purposes.
  • Joint committees: Drawn from both Houses for common issues. For example, the JPC to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative.
  • Specialised committees: e.g., Business Advisory Committee, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table.

Need for Parliamentary Committees:

• Volume of work: The Parliament cannot deliberate on all issues on the floor due to time and procedural constraints.
• Beyond legislation: Committees handle sector-specific concerns, welfare oversight, financial scrutiny, and executive accountability.
• Behind-the-scenes contribution: Every Bill, debate, and parliamentary procedure is supported by committee work, often invisible to the public eye.

Role of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees:

• Accountability and transparency: Committees scrutinize government functioning, schemes, and expenditure.
• Bipartisan nature and consensus building: Panels function above party lines, making them crucial for effective governance.
• Oversight on spending: Demand for Grants reports highlight expenditure gaps (e.g., Panchayati Raj Ministry’s under-utilisation of funds in 2022-23).
• Impactful interventions: Empowered to recommend improvements in implementation of schemes for SCs and STs, ensure budget allocations reach intended beneficiaries.

Significant Contributions of Parliamentary Committees in India:

• Digital Data Protection Bill: From Justice Srikrishna Committee (2017) → Joint Parliamentary Committee (2021) → Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (2022).
• Major legislations referred:
  • Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill.
  • Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill.
  • Jan Vishwas Bill.
  • Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill.
  • Competition (Amendment) Bill, Electricity Bill, Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill.
• Public Accounts Committee (2015): Flagged inefficiencies in defence shipyards — cost overruns, delays, inadequate practices.

Concerns Raised About Parliamentary and Legislature Committees:

• Decline in deliberation: Reduced debates and disruptions in both Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
  • For example, only 60% bills referred to these committees in the 14th Lok Sabha, 15th Lok Sabha (71%), 16th Lok Sabha (25%), and 17th Lok Sabha (16%), highlighting their declining role in legislative/ expert scrutiny.
• Language and conduct: Falling standards of parliamentary behaviour. Example: recent Monsoon Session of Parliament marred by daily disruptions over electoral roll revision in Bihar.
• Political polarisation: Committees could lose their influence.
• Lack of binding power: Recommendations often ignored.

The Road Ahead:

• Compulsory referral of Bills: As in the U.S., every Bill should be scrutinised by relevant committees before passing.
• Strengthening powers: To avoid becoming “toothless tigers,” committees need more authority to enforce accountability.
• Institutionalisation: Formalise processes to prevent political expediency from bypassing scrutiny.
• Preserve consensus mechanism: Committees must remain bipartisan spaces of constructive deliberation.

Conclusion:

• Strengthening the committee system is essential to revive deliberative democracy in India, as it provides a bipartisan space for scrutiny, accountability, and consensus-building.
• Empowering parliamentary committees in India with greater authority can ensure more informed, inclusive, and transparent law-making in the years ahead.

Why in the News?

• India’s GDP grew 7.8% in Q1 FY26, the fastest in five quarters, driven by strong manufacturing, services, and construction despite US tariff headwinds.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• GDP Growth (Introduction, GDP Growth, Sectoral Growth, Global & Domestic Headwinds, Consumption & Investment Trends, Outlook, etc.)

Introduction

• India’s economy registered an impressive 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of FY26 (April-June 2025), its fastest pace in five quarters.
• This surge was fuelled by strong performances in manufacturing, services, and construction sectors, consolidating India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing large economy.
• The growth comes at a critical juncture when global trade is under pressure due to the US imposing steep tariffs on Indian goods, testing the resilience of the Indian economy.

Sectoral Performance Driving Growth

• Manufacturing Momentum
  • The manufacturing sector expanded 7.7%, a significant improvement over the 4.8% recorded in January-March 2025 and slightly above the 7.6% in the same quarter last year.
  • This indicates robust industrial demand despite external trade uncertainties.
• Construction and Infrastructure
  • Construction activity maintained a 7.6% growth rate, though slower than the 10.1% posted in Q1 FY25.
  • Despite moderation, the sector’s resilience reflects steady infrastructure investments and housing demand.
• Services Sector as the Growth Engine
  • The services sector grew 9.3%, its highest in two years. Within this:
    • Public Administration, Defence & Other Services surged 9.8%, indicating higher government expenditure.
    • Financial, Real Estate & Professional Services grew 9.5%, aided by financial sector expansion.
    • Trade, Hotels, Transport, and Communication posted 8.6% growth, reflecting recovery in travel and consumer demand.

• Agriculture and Utilities
  • Agriculture grew by 3.7%, more than double last year’s growth of 1.5%, highlighting rural sector strength.
  • However, the electricity, gas, water supply, and utilities sector slowed sharply to just 0.5%, partly due to heavy rains reducing power demand.

Global and Domestic Headwinds

• US Tariff Impact
  • On August 27, 2025, the US imposed a 50% tariff on Indian exports, including textiles, gems, and engineering goods.
  • While the move raised concerns about export-linked jobs and consumption, India’s Chief Economic Advisor emphasised that the impact would be “modest” and demand growth would hold up.
• GST and Tax Reforms
  • The government has sought to bolster demand by lowering indirect tax rates and pushing for GST rationalisation, expected to further stimulate consumption in the festival season.
  • Additionally, direct tax cuts announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 continue to support disposable incomes.

Consumption and Investment Trends

• Private consumption expenditure grew 7%, slower than the 8.3% in the previous year but an improvement over the previous quarter’s 6%.
• Investment demand, measured through Gross Fixed Capital Formation, expanded 7.8%, showing continued corporate and infrastructure investments.
• Government expenditure also rebounded strongly, rising 7.4%, after contracting in the prior quarter.

Outlook for FY26

• Despite tariff headwinds, policymakers and economists remain confident of India maintaining its growth trajectory:
  • The government expects FY26 GDP growth in the 6.3-6.8% range, retaining India’s global growth leadership.
  • Nominal GDP growth stood at 8.8%, the lowest in three quarters, but still supportive of corporate earnings growth.
  • Economists caution that low inflation boosted real GDP growth figures; sustained reforms and export diversification will be critical.

Context

• Every year, nearly 70 lakh students in India vie for a limited number of undergraduate seats through highly competitive entrance examinations such as JEE, NEET, CUET, and CLAT.
• The scarcity of seats in premier institutions has not only fuelled a multibillion-rupee coaching industry but also entrenched a culture of relentless pressure.
• Recent controversies, from financial misconduct at coaching centres to tragic student suicides, highlight the cracks in this system.
• It is time to reimagine undergraduate admissions in India, shifting from a model of hyper-competition to one that prioritises fairness, equity, and student well-being.

The Coaching Crisis and Its Toll

• The rise of the coaching industry is perhaps the most visible symptom of the problem.
• With 15 lakh aspirants for the JEE alone, centres charge exorbitant fees, often ₹6–7 lakh for two years, pushing families into financial strain.
• Students as young as 14 are enrolled in rigorous programmes where they spend their adolescence solving advanced problems from Irodov and Krotov, far beyond the needs of an undergraduate curriculum.
• This comes at a steep cost: stress, depression, social isolation, and in tragic cases, loss of life.
• Governments have attempted to regulate coaching centres, but regulation misses the root issue: the entrance examination system itself.
• By treating minuscule percentile differences as decisive, the system sidelines capable students while favouring those with financial means.
• What should matter a solid grasp of school-level physics, chemistry, and mathematics, is overshadowed by the artificial hierarchy created by rankings.

The Illusion of Meritocracy

• At its core, the system perpetuates an illusion of meritocracy.
• Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel has argued that societies become toxic when success is seen purely as a reflection of individual superiority, ignoring the roles of privilege and chance.
• In India, this illusion is intensified: a student from an affluent urban family with access to elite coaching is far more likely to secure a top rank than a rural student with equal potential but fewer resources.
• What results is not true merit, but stratified access disguised as fairness.

Learning from Global Models

• India need not reinvent the wheel. International experiences provide valuable lessons.
• The Netherlands, for instance, has implemented a weighted lottery for medical school admissions, ensuring that all students above a minimum threshold have a fair chance, while higher grades only marginally improve odds.
• This system reduces bias, promotes diversity, and eases pressure, recognising that fine-grained distinctions in scores are both irrelevant and unjust.
• Similarly, China’s 2021 “double reduction” policy radically curtailed for-profit tutoring, nationalising education support to reduce financial burdens and protect student well-being.
• Both cases demonstrate that systemic reform is not only possible but also effective in balancing excellence with equity.

The Path Forward: A Vision for India

• For India, the way forward lies in simplifying admissions and trusting the school system.
• Class 12 board examinations already provide a rigorous curriculum sufficient to gauge readiness for higher education.
• A threshold, say, 80% in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, could serve as the eligibility bar. Within this pool, seats could be allotted through a weighted lottery, with higher scores modestly improving chances but not monopolising opportunity.
• Reservation policies could be integrated, with special emphasis on rural and government school students to ensure mobility and social justice.
• If entrance examinations are retained, they should be delinked from private profit. Coaching could be banned or nationalised, with free online materials made universally available.
• To further dismantle the hierarchy among IITs, an annual student exchange programme and inter-campus faculty transfers could create diversity, integration, and uniform academic standards.

Conclusion

• Ultimately, the question is whether India will continue a toxic rat race that scars its youth or embrace a system rooted in fairness, sanity, and egalitarianism.
• Moving to a lottery-based admissions process would free students from the treadmill of coaching, restore adolescence as a time for learning and growth, and make elite education accessible to all qualified students, not just the privileged few.
• India’s education system stands at a crossroads and the choice is between perpetuating a narrow definition of merit that privileges wealth and burns out its brightest, or adopting a model that balances excellence with compassion and equality.
• The path forward is clear, one that allows young people to thrive as learners, citizens, and human beings, not mere machines chasing percentiles.

Context

• India’s dependence on imported hydrocarbons represents not merely an economic challenge but a national security vulnerability.
• With over 85% of crude oil and more than 50% of natural gas imported, the country’s energy lifelines are at the mercy of geopolitical volatility, fragile supply chains, and sudden market shocks.
• The reliance on discounted Russian barrels since 2022 has provided temporary fiscal relief, yet it underscores the perils of overdependence on a single source.
• The pursuit of energy sovereignty, therefore, is not a policy preference but a survival strategy for India in a turbulent global order.

Lessons from Global Energy Flashpoints

• The fragility of global energy security is not hypothetical; it is a historical fact.
• Five pivotal events highlight how crises have repeatedly forced nations to rethink energy strategy:
  • The 1973 Oil Embargo exposed Western vulnerability to OPEC’s leverage but also triggered innovations in strategic reserves and diversification.
  • The Fukushima Disaster (2011) undermined nuclear confidence, forcing Japan and others toward coal and gas, only to rediscover the necessity of zero-carbon baseloads.
  • The Texas Freeze (2021) demonstrated the inadequacy of infrastructure built for cost efficiency rather than resilience.
  • The Russia-Ukraine War (2022) showed the dangers of single-sourced energy, as Europe scrambled to replace Russian gas at exorbitant costs.
  • The Iberian Peninsula Blackout (2025) revealed the risks of excessive reliance on intermittent renewables without sufficient dispatchable backup.
• Each shock has redefined global energy thinking, proving that resilience must precede ambition.
• Energy transitions are not instant switches but pathways requiring foresight, balance, and redundancy.

India’s Current Vulnerability

• In 2023-24, crude oil and natural gas imports accounted for $170 billion, or more than a quarter of India’s merchandise import bill.
• Such outflows depress the rupee, inflate the trade deficit, and constrain macroeconomic stability.
• The June 2025 Israel-Iran confrontation, narrowly avoiding disruption of 20 million barrels per day of global oil flows, served as a stark reminder of how external crises can instantly destabilise energy-dependent economies like India.

Towards an Energy Sovereignty Doctrine

• Coal Gasification and Indigenous Energy
  • With 150 billion tonnes of coal reserves, India can no longer dismiss domestic coal due to high ash content.
  • Modern gasification and carbon capture can unlock syngas, hydrogen, methanol, and fertilizers, converting a liability into an asset.
  • Biofuels and Rural Empowerment
  • Ethanol blending has already reduced crude dependence and transferred over ₹92,000 crore to farmers.
  • Scaling bio-CNG through the SATAT scheme not only diversifies energy sources but restores soil health in North India, integrating sustainability with rural economic revival.
• Nuclear Power as a Dispatchable Backbone
  • India’s stagnant 8.8 GW nuclear capacity must be expanded through thorium research, uranium partnerships, and Small Modular Reactors.
  • Nuclear power provides the reliable baseload necessary in a renewable-dominated grid.
• Green Hydrogen and Technology Sovereignty
  • The ambition of producing 5 million metric tonnes by 2030 requires indigenous electrolyser and catalyst industries.
  • True sovereignty will come not from imports of green hydrogen but from mastering the technology chain itself.
  • Pumped Hydro for Grid Inertia
  • As renewable penetration deepens, pumped hydro offers proven large-scale storage and grid stability.
  • India’s diverse topography can be harnessed to ensure resilience against intermittency.

The Age of Sovereignty

• India has already reduced its dependence on West Asian oil from 60% to below 45%, a deliberate strategy of diversification.
• Yet the future cannot rest solely on shifting suppliers. The defining competition of the 21st century will not be over oil reserves but over which nations can secure uninterrupted, affordable, and indigenous energy.
• The Israel-Iran ceasefire represents a narrow escape, a chance to act before the next shock.
• India must seize this window not with short-term fixes but with structural reforms that blend ambition with realism.
• Sovereignty lies not in slogans but in the patient construction of capacity across coal, biofuels, nuclear, hydrogen, and pumped hydro.

Conclusion

• India stands at an inflection point; Every past global energy pivot has been forged in crisis. Today, India has the rare opportunity to pivot by foresight rather than force.
• The five foundational pillars of energy sovereignty are not peripheral to the global energy transition; they are its sovereign spine.
• In an uncertain century, the most precious resource will not be crude oil but uninterrupted, indigenous, and resilient energy.
• Building that future is no longer optional. It is the essence of sovereignty itself.

Context

• India’s health-care system faces a dual imperative: to expand access for millions of underserved citizens while ensuring affordability in the face of rising costs.
• Meeting this challenge demands not piecemeal solutions, but a systemic and interconnected approach, strengthening insurance, embedding prevention in primary care, leveraging digital tools, ensuring regulatory clarity, and attracting sustained investment.
• If executed with coherence, India has the opportunity to build a health-care model that is inclusive, financially viable, and globally aspirational.

Insurance as the Foundation of Affordability

• Risk pooling through insurance is the most effective way to make costly medical care accessible.
• Even modest premiums can unlock significant financial protection, shielding households from catastrophic health shocks.
• Yet, insurance penetration in India remains limited, only 15–18% of Indians are covered, with a premium-to-GDP ratio of 3.7% compared to the global average of 7%.
• Despite this gap, the sector presents immense opportunity, with gross written premiums already reaching $15 billion in 2024 and projected to grow at over 20% annually until 2030.
• However, affordability cannot rest solely on insurance coverage.
• The true impact will emerge when payers, providers, and patients partner to expand coverage, integrate preventive care, and reposition insurance as a tool for everyday health security rather than merely a crisis response.

Efficiency, Scale and The Role of Government Schemes

• Efficiency and Scale: India’s Distinct Strength
  • One of India’s unique advantages lies in its capacity to deliver quality care at scale.
  • Where medical imaging in Western countries may serve a handful of patients daily, Indian hospitals routinely maximise utilisation without diluting quality.
  • This efficiency reflects decades of innovation in workflow design, doctor-patient ratios, and infrastructure management.
  • The next frontier is extending this efficiency to underserved regions. Tier-2 and tier-3 cities, which remain at the margins of India’s health-care system, represent the true test of inclusive growth.
  • If India can replicate its urban efficiency in these geographies, it could close the access gap and set a global benchmark for how scale, innovation, and equity can converge.
• The Role of Government Schemes
  • Schemes like Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) have already redefined access by covering nearly 500 million people with benefits of up to ₹5 lakh per family for advanced care.
  • The program has enabled millions of cashless treatments, with measurable outcomes such as a 90% increase in timely cancer treatments.
  • Yet the success of such schemes hinges on greater participation by private hospitals, anchored in fair reimbursements and transparent processes.
  • This would ensure both the financial viability of providers and genuine value for patients.

The Way Forward

• Prevention as the Most Effective Cost-Saver
  • Despite progress, studies reveal that even insured families often face catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
  • The solution lies in two complementary strategies: redesigning insurance to include outpatient and diagnostic care, and launching a nationwide preventive health push.
  • Prevention, however, requires public participation. Every rupee spent on healthier lifestyles saves multiples in future treatment costs.
  • Schools, employers, communities, and citizens must collectively embrace a preventive mindset, controlling risks, raising awareness, and fostering long-term health security.
  • Without this shift, India risks being overwhelmed by the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
• Digital Transformation and Technological Innovation
  • India was an early adopter of telemedicine and continues to advance digital health solutions.
  • Artificial Intelligence tools that detect early signs of illness, triage diagnostic reports, and enable remote consultations are already in use.
  • These innovations optimise medical resources and extend care to remote regions.
  • Moreover, digital health is democratising access. A cardiologist in a metropolitan city can now guide treatment for a rural patient hundreds of kilometers away.
  • Supported by the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, universal health records and continuity of care are increasingly within reach.

Regulation and Trust: The Missing Link

• Innovation alone is insufficient without trust. Rising health-care costs, such as insurers considering premium hikes due to pollution-driven illnesses, highlight the urgent need for regulatory safeguards.
• Robust oversight by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is essential for fair pricing, transparent claims settlement, and grievance redressal.
• Without confidence in the system, households will remain reluctant to prioritise insurance.
• In 2023, India’s health sector attracted $5.5 billion in private equity and venture capital, but this capital must be channelled into tier-2 and tier-3 cities to build primary networks and train specialists. Only then can growth translate into inclusion.

Conclusion

• India’s health-care system is at an inflection point. Insurance must evolve to cover everyday care, providers must extend efficiency beyond urban centres, prevention must curb long-term costs, and technology must democratize access.
• Regulation and investment must ensure trust and inclusion, while public-private partnerships can scale solutions sustainably.
• The vision is clear: health care must shift from being a privilege to becoming a universal right.
• If India can align policy, innovation, and participation, it will not only secure a healthier future for its citizens but also emerge as a global model for resilient and inclusive health care.

Context

• Rabindranath Tagore once wrote, “Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for she was born in another time.”
• These words, spoken over a century ago, hold striking relevance for India today. At a time when technology is transforming the very fabric of work and society, the nation’s education system remains tethered to outdated structures.
• The consequence is a growing misalignment between what young Indians are taught and what the future economy demands.

The Future of Work, the Education Lag and The Demographic Dividend Paradox

• The Future of Work, the Education Lag
  • The world of work is being reshaped by emerging technologies, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the forefront.
  • Research suggests that nearly 70% of jobs worldwide will be impacted by AI, with up to a third of tasks in many occupations automated entirely.
  • While this disruption is displacing traditional roles, it is also creating new opportunities in AI development, data analysis, cybersecurity, and other knowledge-intensive sectors.
  • Yet, India’s curriculum cycles remain locked in three-year updates that barely scratch the surface of this transformation.
  • Students continue to be prepared for roles that are either disappearing or radically evolving.
• The Demographic Dividend Paradox
  • With over 800 million people under the age of 35, India possesses the largest youth population in the world.
  • In theory, this is a powerful growth engine; in practice, it has become a double-edged sword.
  • Despite producing millions of graduates each year, employability remains alarmingly low.
  • Nearly half of engineering graduates struggle to secure jobs, underscoring the widening chasm between degrees and real-world skills.
  • The numbers are stark: according to higher education leaders, 61% of curricula are not aligned with industry needs.
  • The Graduate Skills Index 2025 reveals that only 43% of Indian graduates are considered job-ready.
  • This paradox, of abundant graduates but scarce employable talent, threatens to turn the demographic dividend into a demographic time bomb.

The Crisis Begins in High School

• A 2022 survey found that 93% of students between grades 8 and 12 were aware of only seven career options, mostly traditional professions such as doctor, engineer, or lawyer.
• In reality, today’s economy offers over 20,000 possible career paths. Shockingly, just 7% of students reported receiving any formal career guidance.
• This lack of awareness funnels students into degrees misaligned with both their aptitudes and market demands.
• The India Skills Report 2024 found that more than 65% of high school graduates pursue degrees incompatible with their interests or abilities.
• By the time they graduate, they are neither equipped with job-ready skills nor prepared for the careers of tomorrow.

Policy Attempts and Their Shortcomings

• Recognising the crisis, the Indian government has launched numerous initiatives, from the Skill India Mission to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and SANKALP.
• Yet, despite heavy funding, most of these programs have fallen short of their ambitious targets.
• Fragmentation and lack of coordination among initiatives have diluted their impact.
• What India urgently requires is not more acronyms, but a cohesive, unified national strategy that aligns education with industry needs.
• Collaboration between government, educational institutions, and the private sector will be key to building a robust skill-development ecosystem.

The Decisive Decade

• India’s aspirations to be a global digital powerhouse hinge on its ability to equip youth with future-ready skills.
• The next decade will be decisive. Failure to act risks creating a generation of literate yet unemployable citizens, a crisis that could destabilize the nation’s social fabric.
• Historical precedents, such as the youth-led unrest during the Mandal Commission protests, remind us that disillusioned youth movements can spiral into volatility.
• Yet, this is not an inevitable trajectory. The AI revolution, though disruptive, presents immense opportunities.
• The World Economic Forum estimates that while automation may displace 92 million jobs in India by 2030, it will also create 170 million new ones.
• The challenge, therefore, is not one of scarcity but of transition: preparing youth to seize emerging roles while cushioning the losses from automation.

Conclusion

• India’s education crisis is not merely an academic or employment issue; it is a national imperative that touches upon economic growth, social stability, and the future of democracy itself.
• To heed Tagore’s wisdom, India must stop limiting children to outdated learning. Instead, it must prepare them for the realities of their own time, a time defined by AI, global competition, and rapidly evolving career landscapes.
• The choice is stark: convert the demographic dividend into a transformative asset, or allow it to decay into a liability.
• The clock is ticking, and the next decade will determine which path India takes.

Why in the News?

• India’s school enrolment fell by 25 lakh in 2024-25, with UDISE+ data linking the decline to falling birth rates and rising preference for private schools.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• School Enrolment (Introduction, Trends, Causes Behind Decline, Positive Indicators & Decline, Long Term Implications, etc.)

Introduction

• India’s school enrolment figures have witnessed a concerning decline for the third consecutive year.
• According to the latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) data released by the Ministry of Education, total enrolment of students aged 3 to 11 dropped by nearly 25 lakh in 2024-25 compared to the previous year.
• Overall, total enrolment across Classes 1-12 fell by 11 lakh students, marking the lowest level since 2018-19.
• While falling birth rates are a primary reason, migration patterns, demographic transitions, and the expansion of private schools are shaping India’s changing education landscape.

Trends in School Enrolment

• The UDISE+ 2023-24 report recorded 12.09 crore students in foundational and preparatory stages.
• This number declined to 11.84 crore in 2024-25, registering a dip of 24.93 lakh students.
• Similarly, total enrolment across schools (Classes 1-12) dropped from 24.80 crore in 2023-24 to 24.69 crore in 2024-25. This continuing decline marks a structural shift in India’s school-age population.
• While government schools have seen steady reductions in enrolment, private schools have registered growth.
  • Government school enrolment declined from 13.62 crore in 2022-23 to 12.16 crore in 2024-25, while private schools saw a rise from 8.42 crore to 9.59 crore over the same period.
• This reflects parents’ increasing preference for private institutions despite higher costs.

Causes Behind the Decline

• Falling Birth Rates
  • A major driver of this enrolment dip is India’s declining fertility rate. The National Family Health Survey 2021 reported India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) at 1.91, below the replacement level of 2.1.
  • Except for states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Meghalaya, most have fertility rates below replacement levels.
  • With fewer children being born, the natural pipeline of primary school-age students has shrunk.
• Data Accuracy and Methodology Changes
  • The enrolment decline since 2022-23 also coincides with a new methodology adopted by UDISE+, which now records individual student data rather than aggregated school-level numbers.
  • This change weeded out duplicate entries, contributing to a more accurate, though lower, enrolment figure.
• Migration and Private Sector Expansion
  • Migration to urban centres and the increasing prevalence of standalone private pre-primary institutions have influenced enrolment statistics.
  • Many children are now being enrolled in private nurseries and preschools outside the government data system, further explaining the decline in official numbers.

Positive Indicators Amid Decline

• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): GER at the middle school level improved from 89.5% in 2023-24 to 90.3% in 2024-25, and at the secondary level from 66.5% to 68.5%. This suggests that a higher proportion of eligible children are staying within the school system.
• Reduced Dropout Rates: Dropout rates have consistently fallen. In preparatory stages, dropouts reduced from 3.7% in 2023-24 to 2.3% in 2024-25. Similarly, in secondary schools, dropout rates dropped from 10.9% to 8.2%.
• Improved Gender Balance: While enrolment among boys slightly decreased, enrolment among girls remained stable and even saw marginal improvement.
• Teacher-Student Ratios: Teacher availability has improved significantly. At the foundational level, the teacher-student ratio improved from 1:15 in 2014-15 to 1:10 in 2024-25, indicating better learning conditions.

Long-Term Implications

• The consistent decline in enrolment reflects broader demographic transitions in India.
• As the country edges towards an ageing society, education policies will need to adapt to shrinking cohorts of young learners.
• This could allow for more investment per student, higher-quality learning environments, and a focus on improving learning outcomes rather than expanding enrolment.
• At the same time, the rising preference for private schools underscores the need for policy reforms in government schooling.
• Strengthening infrastructure, ensuring accountability, and raising teaching standards will be crucial to retaining enrolment in public schools.
• Additionally, once Census 2026 data becomes available, the true extent of demographic changes and their implications for India’s education system will be clearer.

Why in news?

Two Indian aquanauts, Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh and R Ramesh, undertook training dives aboard the French vessel Nautile, reaching depths of 5,002 and 4,025 metres in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month.

These preparatory missions are crucial for India’s ambitious Samudrayaan project, which aims to send three humans 6,000 metres deep into the ocean by 2027.

The experience, much like how Axiom-4 supports Gaganyaan, will provide vital insights for advancing India’s deep-sea exploration capabilities.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Samudrayaan Mission: India’s Deep Ocean Exploration Plan
• Matsya-6000: India’s Crewed Deep-Sea Submersible
• Challenges of India’s Crewed Deep-Sea Mission under Samudrayaan
• India’s Push for Deep Sea Exploration under the Blue Economy Vision

Samudrayaan Mission: India’s Deep Ocean Exploration Plan

• The Samudrayaan Mission, part of India’s Deep Ocean Mission approved in 2021 with an outlay of ₹4,077 crore over five years, aims to explore and sustainably utilise deep ocean resources.
• Its objectives include developing technologies for deep-sea mining, underwater vehicles, robotics, and a crewed submersible to carry three humans up to 6,000 metres below sea level.
• Other components involve creating:
  • An ocean climate change advisory service,
  • exploring and conserving deep-sea biodiversity,
  • conducting surveys for mineral deposits, and
  • innovating technologies for deriving energy and freshwater from the ocean.
• Additionally, the mission will establish an advanced marine station to boost research-to-industry applications in ocean biology and engineering, thereby supporting India’s blue economy.
• The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is the coordinating agency leading the development of the human-carrying submersible.

Matsya-6000: India’s Crewed Deep-Sea Submersible

• Matsya-6000 is the specialised vehicle being developed under India’s Samudrayaan Mission to carry three aquanauts to a depth of 6,000 metres in the ocean.
• Shaped like a large fish, it houses a 2.1-metre diameter personal sphere designed to safely accommodate the crew.
• The submersible will support human life for 12-hour missions, with backup systems ensuring survival for up to 96 hours in emergencies.
• For the initial human trials at 500 metres depth, a steel sphere will be used, though this material cannot withstand the extreme pressures at 6,000 metres (around 600 times atmospheric pressure at sea level).
• For the full-scale mission planned for 2027, the personal sphere will be constructed from a titanium alloy with 80 mm thickness, offering the required strength and durability for deep-sea exploration.

Challenges of India’s Crewed Deep-Sea Mission under Samudrayaan

• India’s Samudrayaan Mission, which aims to send three aquanauts to a depth of 6,000 metres, faces multiple scientific, engineering, and human challenges.
• Developing a Pressure-Resistant Vessel
  • The foremost challenge is building a submersible strong enough to withstand extreme ocean pressure — nearly 600 times atmospheric pressure at 6,000 metres.
  • A titanium alloy personal sphere (2.1 m diameter, 80 mm thick) is being developed by ISRO.
  • The challenge lies in sourcing titanium (a rare and strategically controlled material) and achieving precise electron beam welding, as even a 0.2 mm deviation in thickness could cause catastrophic collapse.
• Maintaining a Livable Environment
  • Inside the confined personal sphere, aquanauts will require a controlled atmosphere with 20% oxygen levels and regulated carbon dioxide scrubbing.
  • Emergency backup systems include packed re-breather oxygen units that recycle exhaled air, similar to diving systems.
• Ensuring Aquanaut Health and Safety
  • Aquanauts must be in peak physical condition to endure long hours under extreme pressure and respond effectively to emergencies.
  • With no access to washrooms, food and water intake is minimised before and during the mission.
    • For instance, during a nine-hour test dive to 5,002 metres, Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh consumed only a few dry fruits.
• Overcoming Communication Barriers
  • Radio waves cannot penetrate deep waters, making conventional communication impossible.
  • Instead, India has developed its own acoustic telephone, which transmits sound waves to receivers near the surface.
  • Early harbour tests failed due to factors like temperature and salinity, but the system later worked successfully in open sea trials.

India’s Push for Deep Sea Exploration under the Blue Economy Vision

• India, with its 7,517 km-long coastline, is investing in deep-sea missions as part of its Blue Economy strategy to drive future growth and sustainable resource use.
• The deep ocean remains largely unexplored but holds vast reserves of minerals, fuels, and biodiversity, which can boost economic and scientific development.
• Exploring under-explored domains like the deep sea and outer space will play a crucial role in achieving the government’s vision of “Viksit Bharat”.
• With the Samudrayaan Mission, India aims to send humans to 6,000 metres below sea level by 2027, placing it among the few nations — including the United States, Russia, China, Japan, and France — with advanced deep-sea exploration capability.

Why in news?

PM Modi is traveling to Japan on August 29-30, 2025, for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, his first with PM Shigeru Ishiba.

This marks PM Modi’s eighth Japan visit. He last attended the Annual Summit in 2018, though he visited Japan for multilateral events like the G20 Osaka (2019) and G7 Hiroshima (2023).

From Japan, the Prime Minister will travel to China for the Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India–Japan Ties: Old Partnership, Shared Vision
• Different Aspects of India–Japan Cooperation
• Conclusion

India–Japan Ties: Old Partnership, Shared Vision

• India and Japan share one of India’s oldest Annual Summit-level mechanisms, alongside Russia.
• Their ties were elevated progressively — Global Partnership (2000), Strategic and Global Partnership (2006), and Special Strategic and Global Partnership (2014).
• Summits between former PM Shinzo Abe and PM Narendra Modi provided a strong strategic edge to the relationship.
• Alignment in the Indo-Pacific
  • India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) align with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision.
  • Japan leads the connectivity pillar of IPOI and remains India’s largest Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) donor.
• Multilateral Cooperation
  • Beyond bilateral ties, both countries collaborate in Quad, International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).

Different Aspects of India–Japan Cooperation

• As two leading Asian democracies and among the world’s top five economies, their cooperation is underpinned by civilisational ties and converging global perspectives.
• Defence and Security
  • India and Japan have strengthened defence ties through key agreements such as:
    • the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (2008),
    • MoU on Defence Cooperation and Exchanges (2014),
    • Information Protection Agreement (2015), and
    • the Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services Agreement (2020).
  • They also co-developed the UNICORN naval mast (2024).
  • Regular joint exercises include Malabar, Milan, JIMEX, Dharma Guardian, and Coast Guard cooperation, with 2024-25 witnessing the participation of service chiefs from both countries.
  • Dialogue mechanisms such as Defence Ministers’ meetings and Joint Service Staff Talks have consolidated trust.
  • Both sides are considering an upgrade to the 2008 framework in light of the evolving security environment.
• Trade and Investment
  • Bilateral trade reached $22.8 billion in 2023-24 and $21 billion in Apr–Jan 2024-25.
  • India mainly exports chemicals, vehicles, aluminium, seafood, while imports from Japan include machinery, steel, copper, and reactors.
  • Japan is India’s 5th-largest FDI source with cumulative investment of $43.2 billion up to Dec 2024.
  • Around 1,400 Japanese companies with 5,000 establishments operate in India, while over 100 Indian firms are present in Japan.
  • Emerging areas of focus include semiconductors, AI, clean energy, startups, and supply chain resilience.
  • Leaders are expected to launch a new economic security initiative, revise the investment target from 5 trillion yen to 7–10 trillion yen, and expand digital and energy partnerships.
• Development and Infrastructure Cooperation
  • Japan has been India’s largest ODA donor since 1958, disbursing JPY 580 billion ($4.5 billion) in 2023-24.
  • The flagship Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project exemplifies Japan’s technology transfer and skill-building support.
  • Both countries are considering a wider mobility partnership in railways, roads, and bridges.
• Multilateral and Regional Cooperation
  • India and Japan coordinate closely through the Quad with the US and Australia to ensure a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
  • They are also working on diversifying supply chains under the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).
  • Discussions will also cover the future of Quad in the context of US policy shifts under the Trump administration.
• People-to-People, Culture and Education
  • The 2023-24 Year of Tourism Exchange, themed “Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji”, highlighted cultural bonds.
  • Education ties are strong, with 665 academic partnerships and initiatives such as Edu-Connect, Universities Forum, and Skill Connect (2023) linking Indian talent with Japanese employers.
  • Japanese language learning in India and Indian studies in Japan are expanding.
  • The Indian diaspora in Japan numbers around 54,000, mainly IT professionals and engineers.
  • Both sides are exploring cooperation on addressing Japan’s ageing population and skilling Indian youth, along with state-to-prefecture level partnerships.

Conclusion

India’s diplomacy in Asia is entering a decisive phase. While relations with the US face trade strains and ties with China and Pakistan remain tense, partnership with Japan and other Indo-Pacific nations offers a pathway to greater strategic autonomy.

Context:

• The Indian Parliament recently passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, after minimal debate.
• The Act bans online real-money games like rummy and poker while claiming to promote innovation and protect against socio-economic, public health, and privacy concerns.
• The law raises constitutional, legal, and policy questions about the Union Government’s competence and proportionality of restrictions on individual liberty.

Key Features of the Act:

• About the law: It ostensibly aims to promote online gaming and protect individuals with respect to social, economic and privacy-related concerns.
• Objective: To secure a safe, innovation-friendly digital environment while addressing the public health, public morality and financial sovereignty risks of online gaming.
• Provisions: To completely ban all online games involving real money, such as rummy and poker. Thus, the law retains “promotion” rhetoric but adopts a prohibitive approach.

Union vs State Powers:

• Constitutional allocation: Following subjects primarily lies in the State domain as per Schedule VII List II (State List) of the Indian constitution -
  • Sports, entertainments, amusements
  • Betting and gambling
  • Public health, trade and commerce
• Issue:
  • By regulating online gaming, the union government assumes legislative competence by citing public interest.
  • This raises federalism concerns since the subject lies in the State domain.

Government’s Rationale:

• Addiction and mental health: Due to the temptation of these "predatory gaming platforms," Indian youth are rapidly spiralling into financial instability and mental health crises (WHO).
• Cybersecurity and financial risks:
  • Unlike offline games, software coding in online games can manipulate odds against players.
  • Online games are vulnerable to fraud, money laundering, identity concealment.
• Moral and social grounds: Online money gaming are seen as predatory platforms exploiting youth.

Critical Issues and Debates:

• Liberty and proportionality:
  • Ban restricts adult autonomy in a free country.
  • Constitutional law demands that restrictions be rational, necessary, suitable, proportionate.
  • Current ban risks being seen as excessive and paternalistic.
• Rational nexus question:
  • Does banning online real-money games actually prevent mental/financial crises?
  • Risk of underground, unregulated markets that are accessible through VPNs and dark web.
• Policy alternatives: Instead of outright ban, possible regulatory measures are -
  • Licensing of gaming companies.
  • Strict fiscal controls and limits on the stakes players choose to play for.
  • Age restrictions and player verification.
  • Taxation and monitoring for accountability.
• Socio-economic considerations:
  • Need for mental health support systems.
  • Employment creation as an alternative to risky online earnings.

Unanswered Questions:

• Why differentiate between online and offline real-money games?
• Is prohibition more effective than strict regulation?
• Does Union intervention violate the federal spirit of the Constitution?
• How will enforcement tackle cross-border digital platforms?

Conclusion:

• The future of online gaming regulation in India must move beyond prohibition towards a balanced framework of accountability, innovation, and player protection, ensuring that risks are addressed without undermining federalism or individual liberty.
• A nuanced regulatory approach with licensing, safeguards, and mental health interventions can transform the sector into a source of responsible entertainment, economic growth, and digital innovation.

Context

• Archaeology, as a scientific discipline, aims to reconstruct the past through material evidence and objective analysis.
• Yet in India, it has often become a contested field, where historical narratives are shaped as much by politics as by empirical findings.
• The recent controversy surrounding the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Keeladi excavations highlights not only the struggle between scientific inquiry and political agendas, but also the institutional limitations of the ASI in sustaining credibility and scholarly integrity.

The Keeladi Excavations: A Challenge to Established Narratives

• The Objective of Keeladi Excavations
  • The Keeladi excavations in Tamil Nadu, initiated in 2014, quickly emerged as one of the most significant archaeological projects in India.
  • With over 7,500 artefacts unearthed in its early phases, the findings pointed to the existence of a literate, urban, and secular society in South India during the Early Historic Period.
  • By potentially bridging the historical gap between the Iron Age (12th–6th century BCE) and the Early Historic period (6th–4th century BCE), Keeladi questioned the prevailing narrative of India’s second urbanisation being centred solely around the Gangetic plains.
• The Politicisation of Keeladi
  • The project’s trajectory, however, was disrupted when its lead archaeologist, K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, was abruptly transferred in 2017.
  • The ASI simultaneously dismissed the site’s significance and halted further excavation, fuelling suspicion that institutional decisions were motivated by political sensitivities rather than scientific considerations.
  • This intervention provoked both scholarly criticism and political confrontation between the Tamil Nadu and Union governments.
• Intervention of Madras High Court
  • The Madras High Court eventually transferred the project to the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology, which expanded the scope of discovery by unearthing over 18,000 artefacts.
  • The handling of Keeladi underscores a central issue: archaeology in India is not merely about uncovering the past, but about negotiating which versions of the past are permitted recognition.
  • By downplaying Keeladi’s implications for Dravidian antiquity, the ASI demonstrated how state institutions can constrain alternative historical narratives, even in the face of rigorous scientific evidence such as stratigraphic sequencing and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry dating.

Challenges Faced by the ASI

• Methodological Inconsistency and Selective Rigor
  • The Union government has argued that isolated findings cannot substantiate sweeping historical revisions without broader validation.
  • While such caution ostensibly reflects methodological rigour, the ASI’s track record reveals glaring inconsistency.
  • At Adichanallur, one of the earliest archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu, the rediscovery of Iron Age artefacts in 2004 was met with prolonged neglect.
  • Despite evidence suggesting a 3,000-year-old civilisation, the ASI delayed publication of results for over 15 years, requiring court intervention.
• Selective Caution
  • This selective embrace of caution or speculation suggests that the ASI’s commitment to rigour is often subordinate to ideological or political considerations.
  • On one hand, findings that complicate dominant narratives (such as Keeladi’s evidence of Dravidian urbanism) are dismissed as inconclusive; on the other hand, sites that reinforce mytho-historical or nationalist narratives are promoted with little hesitation.
  • Such double standards weaken the ASI’s credibility and reveal what scholars describe as methodological nationalism, an approach that privileges a singular, state-sanctioned vision of India’s past.

Institutional and Structural Weaknesses

• Scholars have long criticised the agency for arbitrary personnel decisions, reliance on outdated methods like the Wheeler system, and absence of comprehensive research frameworks.
• These factors contribute to the production of fragmented, poorly contextualised data, rather than coherent historical interpretations.
• Equally troubling is the ASI’s insularity.
• Unlike global counterparts such as the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut in Germany or the Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives in France, the ASI rarely publishes findings in peer-reviewed academic journals.
• Instead, it circulates knowledge internally through monographs and bulletins, limiting scholarly scrutiny and international engagement.
• This lack of transparency fuels suspicion, stifles debate, and prevents Indian archaeology from contributing fully to global scholarship.

The Way Forward: Toward Reform and Renewal

• To restore its credibility, the ASI must undergo comprehensive reform.
• First, structural changes are needed to reduce bureaucratic interference and ensure financial and intellectual autonomy.
• Second, methodological innovation must replace outdated excavation techniques, accompanied by robust peer review and international collaboration.
• Third, transparency in publishing findings should become a priority, enabling global scrutiny and engagement.
• Finally, archaeology in India must embrace a plural epistemic framework, one that acknowledges the diversity of the subcontinent’s past rather than subsuming it into a monolithic national narrative.

Conclusion

• The controversies surrounding the ASI and the Keeladi excavations are symptomatic of larger tensions within Indian archaeology.
• Unless the ASI reorients itself toward openness, rigour, and inclusivity, it risks further eroding its legitimacy and credibility as the custodian of India’s archaeological heritage.
• At stake is not just the fate of individual excavation sites, but the very possibility of reconstructing India’s past in all its complexity and plurality.

Context:

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the maiden flight test of the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) off the coast of Odisha.
• This marks a significant step in India’s quest for self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in advanced defence technology.

Key Features of IADWS:

• Three-layered defence structure:
  • Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM): Range 30 km.
  • Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS): Range up to 6 km.
  • Directed Energy Weapon (DEW): High-power laser with range 2–4 km.
• Operational mechanism: Controlled by a Centralised Command and Control Centre, developed by DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory).
• Maiden flight test: Successfully neutralised three different aerial targets (UAVs and drones) in flight tests.

DRDO’s Technological Evolution:

• The IADWS missile defence system incorporates multiple technologies that the DRDO has developed over time, in different labs.
• For example, India began this technological synergising with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) that was set up in 1983 by A P J Abdul Kalam.
• The IGMDP’s “missile cluster”, which is mainly located in Hyderabad, includes 5 specialised labs:
  • ASL (Advanced Systems Laboratory): Developed Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles, which were developed into a highly advanced -
    • Anti-ballistic missile (ABM) shield,
    • Anti-satellite (ASAT) missile system, and
    • Multi independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV)
  • DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory): Developed tactical missiles like Trishul, Akash, Nag.
  • Research Centre Imarat (RCI): Specialises in navigation, guidance, homing, command and control, high-temperature materials.
  • Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory: Specialises in warhead design.
  • Young Scientists Laboratory: Works in the field of emerging tech (AI, quantum computing).
• Public-private synergy: Transfer of DRDO technology to the private sector, for example, Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI) licensed for manufacturing ceramic radomes (critical for missiles and aircraft under extreme heat).

Global Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships:

• Lessons from Israel:
  • Israel’s multi-layered air defence: Iron Dome (up to 160 km); David’s Sling (300 km); Arrow-3 (2,400 km); US-supplied THAAD (200 km).
    • The technology challenge involves integrating the individual elements of the missile shield.
    • Israel demonstrates integration of radar, interceptor missiles, and command systems.
  • Cost-effectiveness: The Tamir (missile, that is the primary component of Iron Dome) initially cost about $1,00,000 each to produce, but the Israeli industry brought down the price to $40-$50,000.
• India’s approach to joint development:
  • Collaboration principle: Share strengths, complement weaknesses.
  • For examples,
    • BrahMos with Russia: India developed navigation and mission control.
    • Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) like Barak 8 with Israel: India built the rear section and integration, Israel provided the seeker and front section.
  • Rule: India avoids collaborations for systems that already exist; prefers joint development of new technology.

Strategic Significance of IADWS for India:

• Self-reliance: Advances Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
• Synergised R&D: Integrates multiple labs’ expertise into battlefield-ready systems.
• Geopolitical leverage: Enhances India’s ability to deter combined threats from Pakistan and China.
• Industrial growth: Public-private partnerships (PPP) foster indigenous defence manufacturing.
• Future scope: Scope for international collaboration in advanced air defence systems.

Conclusion:

• The successful test of the IADWS signals India’s steady progress towards building a multi-layered, indigenously developed air defence architecture that reduces external dependence.
• Going forward, synergising public-private capacities with selective global collaborations can enable India to evolve into a major hub for advanced defence technologies and strengthen its strategic autonomy.

Why in the News?

• The US has imposed steep 50% tariffs on Indian exports since August 27, hitting key sectors like textiles, gems, and jewellery, and prompting calls for trade diversification.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• US Tariffs on Indian Exports (Introduction, Impact, India’s Dependence on the US Market, Policy Reforms & Diversification, Outcomes & Opportunities, etc.)

Introduction

• India is facing a significant external trade challenge as the United States has imposed steep 50% tariffs on Indian goods exports.
• This development comes at a time when India’s export sector has grown increasingly reliant on the American market, which has remained the country’s largest trading partner for four consecutive years.
• The tariffs have not only raised questions about India’s dependence on the US but have also triggered renewed debates on trade diversification, reforms, and the possibility of joining multilateral trade blocs.

Impact of US Tariffs on Indian Exports

• The 50% tariff makes India’s labour-intensive and low-margin exports, such as textiles, gems, jewellery, shrimps, furniture, and carpets, uncompetitive in the American market.
• Many small and medium exporters, particularly in hubs like Tirupur, Surat, and Noida, have already halted production due to falling demand and shrinking cost competitiveness.
• Although exports to the US account for less than 2% of India’s GDP, the employment impact is disproportionately large, given that the affected sectors are among the most labour-intensive.
• Competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia are poised to benefit from India’s losses, as they currently face lower US tariffs.

India’s Overdependence on the US Market

• The latest tariff action has exposed the risks of India’s growing reliance on a single export destination.
• As of 2024, the US accounted for 18% of India’s exports, up from 11% in 2010. By contrast, China consciously reduced its dependence on the US by diversifying its export basket, with its share of exports to the US falling from 20% to 14% in the same period.
• This concentration has given the US significant leverage over India’s trade policy.
• Until now, Indian exporters enjoyed relatively smooth access to the US market, with average tariffs of just 4% and minimal non-tariff barriers.
• That comfort discouraged India from aggressively pursuing alternative export destinations or multilateral trade agreements.

Policy Space for Reform and Diversification

• The crisis has forced policymakers to reconsider three long-pending issues:

• Reducing dependence on the US market by aggressively pursuing trade with other regions, including Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
• Exploring multilateral trade deals, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), where key members like Japan, Australia, and ASEAN nations are supportive of India’s entry.
• Reframing India-US trade negotiations by highlighting the broader economic relationship.
• While the US claims a goods trade deficit, it actually enjoys a $40 billion overall surplus with India when revenues from digital services, education, financial activities, royalties, and defence are considered.

Domestic Measures to Cushion the Impact

• In the short term, exporters have demanded that the government facilitate domestic procurement by large buyers such as the Indian Railways and public sector undertakings.
• The Centre is also considering a relief package with cheaper credit, though the effectiveness of such measures remains uncertain without clarity on how long the tariffs will persist.

Positive Outcomes and Opportunities

• Trade Reform Momentum: The tariffs could accelerate much-needed reforms in India’s trade structure, such as lowering tariffs on intermediate goods to make domestic industries more competitive.
• Multilateral Leverage: India is better placed today to negotiate multilateral deals than during the RCEP talks, thanks to its greater willingness to adopt a “structured and balanced” approach to market access.
• Diversification Push: With the US market becoming riskier, India is likely to expand its trade footprint in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, while also strengthening its presence in digital services and high-value manufacturing.

Why in news?

Recently, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick labelled the H-1B visa program a “scam,” arguing it allows foreign workers to take jobs that should go to Americans. His remarks align with the Trump administration’s stance who oppose the program for allegedly undercutting domestic workers.

However, the H-1B continues to have strong supporters, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who highlight its role in bringing global talent to the US.

The program remains particularly significant for Indians, who accounted for over 72% of approved H-1B petitions in 2023.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Overview of the H-1B Visa Program
• Immigration Politics and Criticism of H-1B Visas in the US
• Indians as the Largest Beneficiaries of H-1B
• Defence of the Program
• Trump’s Proposed Overhaul of H-1B

Overview of the H-1B Visa Program

• The H-1B is a temporary, non-immigrant visa that enables US employers to hire foreign workers in specialized fields like technology, engineering, and finance.
• Launched in 1990, it allows US employers to hire skilled foreign professionals in jobs requiring at least a bachelor’s degree.
• It was designed to help businesses access skills unavailable in the domestic workforce by permitting temporary employment of qualified immigrants.
• The visa can be granted for up to six years, after which holders must either leave the US for at least 12 months or obtain permanent residency (Green Card).
• H-1B Visa Caps and Exemptions
  • Currently, there is an annual cap of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 for individuals holding advanced degrees from US universities.
  • However, not all petitions fall under this cap — exemptions apply for continuing employment, higher education institutions, and nonprofit or government research organisations. As a result, approvals far exceed the cap.
  • In FY 2023, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services approved 118,948 initial employment petitions and 267,370 for continuing employment, totalling 3,86,318.

Immigration Politics and Criticism of H-1B Visas in the US

• Immigration remains one of the most divisive issues in US politics, with concern over it rising sharply in recent years.
• Trump’s campaign rhetoric has often targeted immigration, blaming it for job losses, wage stagnation, inflation, and economic distress faced by the working class.
• While earlier criticism centred on low-skilled migrants, the H-1B visa program has now come under fire for allegedly displacing American workers from high-paying jobs.
• This narrative, often intertwined with racial undertones, frames immigration as a threat to American livelihoods and fuels political attacks on skilled migration programs like H-1B.

Indians as the Largest Beneficiaries of H-1B

• Since 2015, Indians have consistently accounted for over 70% of all H-1B visa approvals, far outnumbering Chinese applicants, who remain around 12–13%.
• This dominance has made Indian professionals a focal point of criticism from nativist Republicans, who argue that the program allows Indians to take American jobs at lower wages.
• Criticism of Wage Disparities
  • Opponents claim that US tech companies misuse the H-1B program to fill low-to-mid-level positions at salaries below what Americans would demand.
  • Supporting this narrative, data show that nearly 70% of Indian H-1B approvals in FY 2023 were for salaries under $100,000, compared to the US median IT salary of $104,420.
    • Only 5% were for salaries above $150,000.

Defence of the Program

• Despite criticism, industry leaders emphasize that H-1B visas remain essential for addressing the US skills gap.
• They argue that wages are market-driven, and global competition for STEM talent is fierce.
• With China (3.57 million) and India (2.55 million) producing far more STEM graduates than the US (820,000), Indian and Chinese professionals continue to dominate the high-skilled workforce.

Trump’s Proposed Overhaul of H-1B

• Although details remain unclear, Trump and his allies have hinted at a major restructuring of the H-1B visa system.
• A 2021 rule proposed under his administration offers insights into the possible direction of reforms.
• Salary-Based Selection Rule
  • The 2021 proposal sought to prioritize H-1B petitions based on salary levels under the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).
  • Higher-paid applicants (Level 3 and 4) would be favored over lower-paid ones (Level 1 and 2).
  • If implemented, such a change would heavily disadvantage early-career professionals, particularly international students who typically begin at Level 1 or 2 wage bands.
  • This aligns with Trump’s narrative of prioritizing “higher-value” workers while curbing low-wage immigration.
• The “Golden Card” Project
  • In parallel, Trump has floated the idea of a “Golden Card,” offering residency and citizenship to wealthy investors contributing $1 million to businesses or $800,000 to rural or distressed areas.
  • The initiative has reportedly attracted 250,000 applicants, potentially generating up to $1.25 trillion in investments.

Why in news?

A team of international scientists has identified an extremely rare quadruple star system in the Milky Way, named UPM J1040−3551 AabBab. The system features a pair of cold brown dwarfs orbiting two young red dwarf stars — a configuration never observed before.

The study was published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (September issue).

Scientists say this discovery is significant as it provides fresh insights into brown dwarfs, celestial objects that are notoriously hard to detect and study, helping improve understanding of their properties and role in stellar evolution.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Young Red Dwarf Stars
• Brown Dwarfs: The “Failed Stars”
• Why Brown Dwarfs Are Hard to Detect
• Importance of Studying Brown Dwarfs

Young Red Dwarf Stars

• Young red dwarf stars are small, relatively cool stars in the early stages of their long lifetimes. They are the most common type of stars in the Milky Way.
• High radiation: They are characterized by strong magnetic activity, leading to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation and violent superflares, which can pose significant challenges to planetary atmospheres and life.
• Size & Temperature: They are smaller and cooler than our Sun, with surface temperatures ranging from about 2,500°C to 4,000°C.
• Longevity: Red dwarfs burn hydrogen fuel very slowly, allowing them to live for tens to hundreds of billions of years, far longer than stars like the Sun.
• Youth factor: When they are young, red dwarfs are more active, often emitting intense stellar flares and strong radiation.
• Importance in astronomy: Studying young red dwarfs helps scientists understand stellar evolution, the habitability of surrounding exoplanets, and how such stars influence planetary atmospheres.
• Proximity to Earth: The nearest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri, is a red dwarf, highlighting the abundance and significance of these stars in our galactic neighbourhood.

Brown Dwarfs: The “Failed Stars”

• Brown dwarfs are unique celestial objects that form like stars from collapsing gas and dust but lack the mass to sustain hydrogen fusion, which powers normal stars.
• This limitation makes them faint and cooler, earning them the nickname “failed stars.”
• Despite this, they share characteristics with gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn, having similar atmospheres filled with molecules like water vapor.
• Brown dwarfs can be massive—reaching up to 70 times the mass of Jupiter—yet remain distinct from true stars, occupying the gap between planets and stars in the cosmic family.

Why Brown Dwarfs Are Hard to Detect?

• Brown dwarfs are extremely cold and faint, making them difficult to observe directly.
• To study them, astronomers often track brown dwarfs that orbit brighter companion stars, since both objects are usually born together from the same material.
• By analysing the brighter stars, scientists can estimate the age, temperature, and composition of the dimmer brown dwarfs.
• The recent discovery of the quadruple star system UPM J1040−3551 AabBab is remarkable because it contains two T-type brown dwarfs, each about the size of Jupiter, orbiting two young red dwarf stars.
• Such a configuration is exceptionally rare — the probability of a low-mass brown dwarf having a companion is less than 5%, making this finding a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of these elusive “failed stars.”

Importance of Studying Brown Dwarfs

• Brown dwarfs help astronomers understand the processes behind star and planet formation, since they occupy the middle ground between the two.
• Mapping their abundance and distribution also provides crucial insights into how mass is spread across the universe.
• This is particularly significant because much of the universe’s mass remains unseen, existing as dark matter, and studying brown dwarfs offers valuable clues to this cosmic mystery.

Why in the News?

• The US has imposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports effective August 27, 2025, hitting key sectors like textiles, gems, jewellery, and shrimps, raising concerns over a trade and investment slowdown.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• US Tariffs (Introduction, Details, Impact, Implications, Geopolitical Dimensions, Way Forward, etc.)

Introduction

• On August 27, 2025, the United States, under President Donald Trump, implemented steep 50% tariffs on Indian merchandise exports, significantly escalating trade tensions.
• These tariffs, applied across a wide range of labour-intensive and low-margin products, mark one of the sharpest trade restrictions India has faced in recent years.
• The move is expected to severely disrupt India’s export performance, particularly in sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, shrimp, carpets, and furniture.
• The rationale behind the additional tariffs lies in the US’s objections to India’s purchases of Russian oil and defence equipment, which the Trump administration cited as the basis for penalising India.
• However, the implications of this decision stretch far beyond geopolitical concerns, threatening millions of jobs, export revenues, and investment momentum under India’s ambitious Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes.

Details of the US Tariffs

• The new tariff regime effectively doubles existing duties, taking tariffs to over 60% in some categories.
• Nearly 66% of Indian exports to the US, valued at around $59 billion in FY25, are now subject to the 50% tariff.
• According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), exports could plummet by as much as 40-45% in FY26, reducing shipments to the US from $87 billion in FY25 to $49.6 billion.

• Duty-free Exports (30%): Pharmaceuticals ($12.7 billion), electronics ($10.6 billion), and petroleum products remain exempt.
• Moderate Tariffs (4%): Auto parts will face 25% tariffs.
• Heavy Tariffs (66%): Apparel, textiles, gems and jewellery, shrimps, handicrafts, carpets, and furniture will face the brunt.

Sectoral Impact on India

• The US is India’s largest export market, accounting for nearly 20% of total merchandise exports and about 2% of GDP.
• Labour-intensive sectors with high US dependence are at maximum risk:

• Textiles & Apparel: Units in Tirupur, Noida, and Surat have already reported halts in production. With the US accounting for nearly 60% of home textiles exports and 50% of carpet exports, the fallout could be devastating.
• Gems & Jewellery: Exports worth over $10 billion to the US (30% of the industry’s total) face erosion, raising fears of widespread job losses.
• Shrimps: The US contributes nearly 48% of revenue for Indian shrimp exporters, making the marine sector highly vulnerable.
• Handicrafts & Furniture: Both industries, dependent on American demand, risk sharp revenue contractions.

• According to industry estimates, export volumes from these affected sectors could plunge by up to 70%, leading to widespread unemployment, particularly for low-skilled workers.

Implications for India’s PLI Push and Capex Momentum

• The timing of the US tariffs is particularly sensitive, as India is banking on the PLI scheme to boost manufacturing and exports in high-value sectors.
• However, the tariffs could derail capital-intensive industries by deepening the private capex slowdown:

• Weak PLI Uptake in Key Sectors: Applications for advanced chemistry cells, solar PV modules, and drones have lagged due to high investment needs.
• Investor Caution: Tariff-related uncertainty has made firms wary of long-term commitments in export-dependent sectors.
• Crisil Analysis: Nearly 50% of planned industrial capex is exposed to global trade risks, including US tariffs and EU climate policies.

• While lower capex-intensive sectors like food processing and pharmaceuticals under PLI have seen strong uptake, sectors like electronics, solar, and batteries face setbacks that could delay India’s manufacturing growth trajectory.

Macroeconomic and Geopolitical Dimensions

• The US tariffs could cut India’s GDP growth down from 6.5% to 5.6%, according to trade experts.
• With competitors like Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia benefiting from lower tariffs, India risks losing its competitive edge in critical export markets.
• Geopolitically, the tariffs underline the fragile nature of India-US trade ties, where strategic convergence on security is increasingly clashing with protectionist economics.
• Moreover, with Trump threatening 200% tariffs on pharmaceuticals unless companies localise production in the US, further disruptions cannot be ruled out.

Way Forward

• Despite the grim outlook, India retains some advantages:

• Domestic Economy: With exports forming only 20% of GDP, India is less vulnerable compared to Vietnam (90%).
• Diversification Opportunities: Strengthening trade with the EU, ASEAN, Africa, and the Middle East can partially offset US losses.
• Policy Measures: Exporters are demanding duty drawback schemes, loan moratoriums, and fast-tracking of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), especially with the EU, to cushion shocks.

• Experts argue that India must also accelerate ease-of-doing-business reforms, tax rationalisation, and logistics infrastructure improvements to remain competitive globally.

Context

• India’s rapid economic ascent, now valued at $4.19 trillion, has cemented its place as a rising global powerhouse and positioned to soon become the world’s third-largest economy, India’s growth narrative is compelling.
• Yet, this trajectory faces fresh challenges, particularly considering the United States’ proposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports.
• Targeting $40 billion in trade, these tariffs could potentially shave off nearly 1% from India’s GDP, striking hardest at labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems, leather, and footwear.
• Notably, these industries disproportionately employ women, making the tariff shock both an economic and gendered crisis.

The Gendered Vulnerability of India’s Economy

• Unlike China, which has weathered U.S. tariffs through its sheer manufacturing scale and diversified export base, India remains comparatively exposed.
• With the U.S. accounting for 18% of Indian exports, the imposition of steep tariffs could saddle Indian exporters with a 30–35% cost disadvantage against competitors such as Vietnam.
• This vulnerability is magnified by India’s underutilisation of half its population. Women’s economic participation is not only a matter of equality but also a strategic necessity.
• Sectors at risk from the tariff shock employ nearly 50 million people, with millions of women standing to lose their livelihoods.
• India’s female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) remains stuck between 37% and 41.7%, significantly lower than the global average and China’s 60%.
• The International Monetary Fund estimates that closing this gender gap could boost India’s GDP by 27% over the long term.
• Yet, cultural barriers, policy inertia, and systemic obstacles continue to stifle women’s employment.
• The looming tariff crisis exposes this neglect as a liability for India’s growth ambitions.

The Demographic Dividend Dilemma

• India’s demographic dividend, its bulging working-age population, offers a fleeting window of opportunity expected to close by 2045.
• Countries such as China, Japan, and the U.S. capitalised on similar moments to fuel decades of prosperity, but India risks squandering its chance.
• Low female participation threatens to convert this demographic boon into a demographic burden.
• In rural areas, women’s labour has inched upward, but largely in unpaid and low-productivity family roles.
• In urban centres, participation has stagnated, constrained by safety concerns, unreliable public transport, poor sanitation, and the weight of unpaid care responsibilities.
• Without decisive action, India risks the fate of Southern European economies such as Italy and Greece, where persistently low female labour participation has dragged down growth.

The Way Forward

• Global Lessons
  • Global experiences offer a roadmap for reform.
  • During World War II, the U.S. integrated women into the labour force with policies guaranteeing equal pay and childcare support.
  • China’s post-1978 reforms raised female participation to 60% through investments in care and education.
  • Japan, by boosting its FLFPR from 63% to 70%, lifted GDP per capita by 4%.
  • The Netherlands pioneered flexible part-time work with full benefits, a model especially relevant for India, where many women prefer such arrangements.
• Structural Reforms
  • India lags behind on all three fronts: legal protections, care infrastructure, and skill development.
  • Instead of resorting to short-term populism or blanket welfare, the country must embrace structural reforms that view women not as passive beneficiaries but as active economic agents.
  • Some promising models already exist. Karnataka’s Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women, has boosted female ridership by 40% since 2023, improving mobility and independence.
  • Gig platforms such as Urban Company employ over 15,000 women, offering them income, insurance, maternity benefits, and skill development.
  • Rajasthan’s Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme has created millions of jobs, with women comprising 65% of its workforce, many entering the labour market for the first time.
  • These initiatives show that when mobility, safety, and flexible work opportunities are prioritised, women can meaningfully contribute to economic growth.

Conclusion

• The impending tariff shock from the U.S. should not be seen merely as a trade dispute but as a wake-up call for India.
• External vulnerabilities intersect with internal shortcomings, particularly the chronic underemployment of women.
• Empowering women is not a gesture of social justice alone; it is the linchpin of India’s future growth.
• India now stands at a crossroads. By investing in its women, the nation can secure resilience and inclusive prosperity, on the other hand, by neglecting them, it risks stagnation and fragility.

Context

• Elections form the cornerstone of any democracy. Their credibility depends not only on the fairness of voting but also on the integrity of the electoral rolls that determine who has the right to vote.
• In recent weeks, two high-profile press conferences have brought India’s electoral process under the scanner.
• Together, these events have triggered a national debate on whether India’s democratic foundations are being eroded by systemic flaws in electoral management and by the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) questionable responses.

Opposition’s Allegations: A Threat to Electoral Credibility

• On August 7, 2025, Rahul Gandhi’s revelations concerning the Mahadevapura Assembly segment in Bangalore highlighted what appear to be blatant manipulations in voter registration.
• Instances of multiple voters listed under the same address, fictitious entries with placeholders such as “xyz” as a father’s name, and even zero house numbers point to gross irregularities.
• Opposition claimed these findings were the result of six months of meticulous scrutiny of official ECI documents.
• If these charges are accurate, the implications are grave. The legitimacy of India’s electoral process, and by extension its democratic system, is at stake.
• Free and fair elections are a constitutional guarantee, forming part of the “basic structure” of the Constitution.

The ECI’s Response: From Neutral Arbiter to Political Actor

• The second press conference, held on August 17, 2025, was expected to provide clarity and reassurance from the Election Commission.
• Instead, the CEC’s ultimatum, demanding either a sworn affidavit from Gandhi or a public apology, deepened public unease.
• Rather than addressing the substance of the allegations, the ECI appeared to position itself as a political adversary.
• This is problematic for two reasons. First, the ECI is a high constitutional body whose independence and neutrality are essential to democracy.
• By entering into an adversarial posture with the opposition, it risks losing credibility as a fair umpire.
• Second, Article 324 of the Constitution vests the ECI with extensive powers to ensure the integrity of elections.
• But these powers must be exercised responsibly, not weaponized against political criticism.
• As the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised, Article 324 empowers but also obligates the Commission to safeguard democracy.
• Issuing ultimatums to political leaders is outside its constitutional remit.

The Legal and Procedural Context

• The Representation of the People Act, 1950, provides multiple safeguards for preparing and revising electoral rolls.
• These include annual revisions, public inspections, and mechanisms to address disputes.
• Yet, Gandhi’s allegations reveal how these procedures may be circumvented or manipulated in practice.
• The challenge lies in reconciling two principles: one, the finality of elections, and the need to rectify systemic errors.
• While the law assumes that electoral rolls acquire finality before elections, large-scale irregularities cannot simply be brushed aside.
• A rigid reliance on technicalities such as demanding affidavits is counterproductive when the integrity of democracy itself is in question.
• The ECI’s responsibility is not merely procedural compliance but substantive fairness.

The Bihar ‘Special Intensive Revision’ Controversy

• The ongoing electoral revision exercise in Bihar further illustrates the fragility of the ECI’s credibility.
• The Commission has undertaken what it calls a ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR), despite the fact that neither the Act nor the Rules recognise such a category.
• By setting July 1 as the qualifying date, contrary to the statutory mandate of January 1, the ECI has acted beyond the law.
• Reports of chaotic enumeration, coupled with the deletion of 65 lakh voters, have sparked political turmoil in the State.
• Intensive revision, by definition, requires house-to-house verification, a task practically impossible to complete within a month.
• Unsurprisingly, the Supreme Court intervened, ordering publication of deleted names and reasons, a move widely welcomed as restoring transparency.

The Broader Constitutional Concerns

• The controversy brings to mind Justice S. Murtaza Fazal Ali’s prescient warning in A.C. Jose vs. Sivan Pillai (1984).
• He cautioned that unchecked powers in the hands of a politically compromised Election Commission could cause ‘political havoc’ and a constitutional crisis.
• The ECI, though constitutionally empowered, is not above the law and its mandate is to act as a neutral arbiter ensuring free and fair elections.
• Any deviation, whether through politicised responses to criticism, legal overreach, or procedural shortcuts, risks destabilizing India’s democratic system.

Conclusion

• The twin press conferences reveal more than a partisan clash; they expose a systemic vulnerability at the heart of Indian democracy.
• Opposition’s disclosures highlight the ease with which electoral rolls may be manipulated, while the ECI’s defensive and overreaching response raises troubling questions about its neutrality and accountability.
• The Bihar SIR further illustrates the perils of procedural improvisation at the cost of legality and fairness.
• Ultimately, the integrity of Indian democracy depends on the Election Commission upholding its constitutional obligations with transparency, neutrality, and fidelity to the law.

Context:

• Financial Inclusion is vital for empowering individuals, fostering growth, reducing poverty, and promoting social equality.
• The Indian government-backed financial inclusion drive, launched through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on 28 August 2014, aimed at universal access to banking services, especially for the marginalised sections.

Genesis and Objectives of PMJDY:

• Genesis of PMJDY: When PMJDY was launched, approximately 7.5 crore households did not have bank accounts.
• Objectives of PMJDY: It aimed to provide universal access to banking services and ensure that every household, particularly the marginalised, could participate in the formal financial system.
• Focus of PMJDY: It focuses on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), elimination of informal credit, and promotion of savings and insurance culture.

Achievements of PMJDY:

• Bank account penetration:
  • Pre-PMJDY: Only 59% of Indian households and 35% of adults had bank accounts.
  • Post-PMJDY (2024):
    • Nearly 100% households and over 90% adults have bank accounts.
    • World Bank’s Findex report: Account ownership in India in 2024 increased to 89% with respect to individuals aged 15 years and more.
    • NSS survey 2022-23: It states that 94.65% of adults in the country own a bank account.
• Account growth:
• Over 56.2 crore accounts have been opened, a nearly four-fold increase from March 2015.
  • This includes 37.5 crore accounts in rural/semi-urban areas and 18.7 crore in urban areas.
• Women account holders: Women hold 56% of these accounts, showcasing PMJDY’s strong focus on gender inclusion.
• Total deposits: The total balance in PMJDY accounts stands at Rs 2.68 lakh crore, a 17-fold increase since 2015.
• Banking network expansion:
  • Over 16.2 lakh bank mitras (business correspondents) deliver banking services in remote areas.
  • 99.9% villages now have a banking outlet (branch, business correspondent or India Post Payments Bank) within 5 km.

Role of PMJDY in Welfare and Crisis Management:

• PMJDY accounts have streamlined DBT and ensured that subsidies and relief payments reach beneficiaries without intermediaries.
• During demonetisation and the Covid crisis, PMJDY accounts facilitated rapid financial support.

Financial Products and Digital Integration:

• The scheme has promoted digital transactions through RuPay cards. For example, over 38.7 crore RuPay cards have been issued under the scheme.
• PMJDY accounts are being used not only for receiving DBT but also facilitated -
  • For savings
  • Provided access to micro-insurance and investment products. For example, extending life and accident cover (Jan Suraksha) of Rs 2 lakh through the PMJJBY and the PMSBY.
  • Much-needed financial security (to people working in the unorganised segment) by enrolling in Jan Suraksha schemes.
• The scheme has also boosted UPI and digital transactions growth.

Future Prospects:

• Artificial intelligence and natural language processing can help in voice-based transaction authorisations, doing away with the need for smartphones or internet connectivity.
• Facilitated innovations in e-commerce with fast and reliable delivery systems in Tier 4 and Tier 5 centres.
• The government has launched a financial inclusion saturation drive, and banks are organising camps to -
  • Update KYC details,
  • Open new accounts,
  • Promote micro-insurance and pension schemes, and
  • Reduce inactive accounts under PMJDY.

Conclusion:

• PMJDY is the world’s largest financial inclusion programme, which acts as a testament to inclusive governance, and recognised as a global model for universal financial inclusion.
• As PMJDY enters its 12th year, the focus must shift from mere account creation to enhancing account activity, financial literacy, and access to diversified financial products like insurance, credit, and pensions.
• Leveraging digital innovations and deeper outreach in rural and unorganised sectors can transform PMJDY into a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Why in news?

Cotton, the key raw material for India’s textile industry and grown by nearly six million farmers, has seen a decline in domestic production.

To address this, the Centre has withdrawn the 11% import duty—first imposed in February 2021—until September 30, when the current cotton season ends. The move follows a steep rise in cotton imports last year, despite the duty being in place.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Introduction and Withdrawal of Cotton Import Duty
• Implications of Cotton Import Duty Withdrawal
• Current Status of Cotton Production and Imports in India
• Long-Term Solutions for Cotton Sector

Introduction and Withdrawal of Cotton Import Duty

• The import duty was announced in the 2021 Budget, when the country was producing 350 lakh bales of cotton annually against the requirement of 335 lakh bales.
  • While the country was exporting cotton, there were imports too and the duty was aimed at protecting the interest of cotton growers.
• However, as the textile industry later faced a raw material shortage, the government exempted all varieties of cotton from the duty between April–September 2022, later extending it to October 2022.
  • According to the Global Trade Research Initiative, cotton imports surged 107.4%, rising from $579.2 million in FY2023-2024 to $1.20 billion in FY2024-2025.

Implications of Cotton Import Duty Withdrawal

• With this, the government has scrapped both the 5% basic customs duty and the 5% agriculture cess on cotton, enabling mills to source raw material at lower costs.
• This move is expected to cool domestic cotton prices, benefitting everything from T-shirts to handloom sarees, and provide relief to SMEs in the textile sector.
• The decision comes as Indian apparel exporters face steep global competition, burdened by nearly 60% tariffs in the US (compared to Bangladesh and Vietnam at 20%).
• Rising cotton prices at home had further strained the industry, making the exemption a step taken in the “public interest”.
• Implications
  • The withdrawal of cotton import duty will mainly benefit garment exporters, as around two lakh bales in transit will now enter duty-free.
  • This will give them a level-playing field internationally where high raw material costs earlier hampered competitiveness.
    • Several global brands also expect Indian suppliers to use this imported cotton.
  • However, farmers have voiced concerns, arguing that the move discourages cotton cultivation.
  • Without adequate government support, they feel the decision undermines their interests, even as exporters and manufacturers stand to gain.

Current Status of Cotton Production and Imports in India

• India’s domestic cotton production has fallen to 294 lakh bales in 2024-25, the lowest in 15 years, against a requirement of 318 lakh bales (including non-mill use).
• Output this season is projected to be 20 lakh bales lower than last year.
• To bridge the gap, imports may touch 40 lakh bales, mainly from Australia ($258.2 million), the U.S. ($234.1 million), Brazil ($180.8 million), and Egypt ($116.3 million).
• Meanwhile, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procured around 100 lakh bales at MSP, spending ₹37,500 crore, and has already sold 73 lakh bales in the market.
• For the 2025-26 season starting October 1, the government has announced an 8% hike in MSP, with fresh supplies expected from northern States in October and central and western States after Deepavali.

Long-Term Solutions for Cotton Sector

• The textile industry seeks policy stability in cotton procurement.
• It suggests the government suspend import duty during the non-peak season (April–September), after farmers sell most of their produce, ensuring mills access affordable raw material without affecting growers.
• Additionally, the industry has asked for a 5% interest subvention on working capital to help mills, especially MSMEs, purchase cotton during the peak season.
• With sufficient funds, mills could cover their cotton needs, reducing dependence on costly MSP operations by the government.

Why in news?

ISRO successfully conducted its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1), marking a key step for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.

A five-tonne dummy crew capsule was released from a helicopter to evaluate its parachute-based deceleration system for safe splashdown. The test validated critical safety mechanisms needed to ensure astronaut survival during re-entry and landing.

While the first uncrewed mission is expected by late 2025, India’s first crewed spaceflight is planned for 2027.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Integrated Air Drop Test
• Execution of the Air Drop Test
• Current Status of the Gaganyaan Mission
• India’s Long-Term Human Spaceflight Goals

Integrated Air Drop Test

• An Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT) simulates the final phase of a spacecraft’s return to Earth by dropping it from an aircraft or helicopter.
• This allows engineers to evaluate critical systems such as parachute deployment in abort scenarios, performance during partial parachute failure, and crew module safety during splashdown.
• However, it cannot fully replicate actual re-entry conditions, since helicopters cannot reach sufficient altitudes.
• To address this, ISRO conducts sub-orbital or orbital tests—such as the Test Vehicle Abort Mission (TV-D1) in October 2023—to validate the crew escape system and performance under real re-entry conditions.
• Purpose of IADT-1
  • IADT-1 was conducted to evaluate the parachute-based deceleration system crucial for safely bringing back the Gaganyaan crew module after re-entry.
  • In this test, an uncrewed capsule was dropped from a helicopter at about 3 km altitude, with parachutes expected to deploy in a precise sequence.
  • The process simulated the final stages of a real mission, where the capsule is slowed first by atmospheric drag and heat shields, then by drogue parachutes, and finally by three large main parachutes.
  • The goal was to ensure the capsule reduced its speed to about 8 m/s before splashdown.
• IADT-1 in the Gaganyaan Roadmap
  • In the broader roadmap, IADT-1 lies between TV-D1 (2023 abort test) and the G1 uncrewed mission (late 2025), forming part of a sequence of thousands of tests ISRO must complete before human flight.

Execution of the Air Drop Test

• The air drop test simulated a launch pad abort scenario where astronauts would need emergency ejection.
• A 4.8-tonne dummy crew module was dropped from 3 km altitude using a Chinook helicopter.
• Once released, the onboard avionics autonomously triggered deceleration and deployed 10 parachutes, which slowed the module to a safe splashdown speed of about 8 m/s.
• For comparison, parachutes in real re-entry missions typically deploy at around 150 m/s.
• The test also confirmed the crew module’s orientation and recovery process during splashdown.

Current Status of the Gaganyaan Mission

• The Gaganyaan mission aims to send Indian astronauts to low-earth orbit by 2027.
• To achieve this, ISRO is conducting a series of rigorous tests to validate safety and mission systems.
• Test Vehicle Missions
  • After the success of Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), ISRO is preparing TV-D2, scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.
  • This will simulate a more complex abort scenario and validate the crew escape system.
• Uncrewed Demonstration Missions
  • The first uncrewed mission, Gaganyaan-1 (G-1), is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025.
  • It will test technology preparedness, using an unpressurised crew module without the Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS).
  • Two additional uncrewed missions, G-2 and G-3, are also scheduled for launch next year to further validate systems.
• Hardware and Systems Preparedness
  • Crew module and service module structures have been manufactured.
  • Propulsion systems for the crew module, service module, and crew escape system have been tested.
  • The LVM3 rocket has been fully human-rated, incorporating redundancies for crew safety.
  • A Life Support System model has also been built.
• Infrastructure and Facilities
  • Key facilities are complete: Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, crew training facility, and launch pad modifications.
  • A recovery plan for the crew module after splashdown has also been finalised.

India’s Long-Term Human Spaceflight Goals

• The Gaganyaan mission is only the first step in India’s broader human spaceflight roadmap.
• The government has set ambitious targets, including establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and achieving an Indian crewed lunar landing by 2040.
• These milestones will require repeated missions, long-duration stays in orbit, and advanced deep-space technologies.
• Progress may face delays — for instance, IADT-1 was pushed from April 2024 to August 2025 — but each milestone strengthens India’s capabilities.
• The upcoming TV-D2 mission will test the Crew Escape System in a complex abort scenario, while ISRO’s SpaDeX mission has already demonstrated in-orbit docking, a key technology for BAS, Chandrayaan-4, and future lunar missions.