Why in news?

Punjab is witnessing one of its worst floods, with all 23 districts declared flood-hit. Over 1,900 villages, 3.8 lakh people, and 11.7 lakh hectares of farmland have been affected, with 43 deaths reported. Gurdaspur is the worst-hit district.

Across the border, Punjab in Pakistan has also faced severe flooding, displacing over 9 lakh people. While the region’s riverine geography makes it naturally flood-prone, human factors have worsened the crisis.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Rivers: Boon or Bane for Punjab
• The Role of Dams in Punjab’s Floods
• Punjab’s Concerns with BBMB
• Governance Failures Behind Punjab’s Floods

Rivers: Boon or Bane for Punjab

• Punjab is nourished by three perennial rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — along with the seasonal Ghaggar and smaller hill streams (choes).
• These rivers deposit fertile alluvium, making Punjab one of the most productive agricultural regions globally.
• Despite comprising just 1.5% of India’s landmass, Punjab contributes nearly 20% of the nation’s wheat and 12% of its rice, earning it the title “food bowl of India.”
• The Bane: Recurrent Flooding
  • The same rivers that sustain agriculture also bring devastation during the monsoon.
  • Rainfall in Punjab and upstream catchments of Himachal Pradesh and J&K causes rivers to swell.
  • Though dhussi bundhs (earthen embankments) offer protection, they are often overwhelmed by heavy inflows.
• Floods in 2024 and Historical Recurrence
  • Punjab has witnessed major floods repeatedly in 1955, 1988, 1993, 2019, and 2023.
  • This year, excessive rainfall triggered flooding once again.
  • The Beas overflowed in August due to heavy rain in Himachal, inundating villages and farmland in Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Hoshiarpur.
  • Soon after, the Ravi swelled dangerously; the collapse of two gates of Madhopur Barrage led to catastrophic flooding in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar.
• Widespread Impact of Excess Rainfall
  • Simultaneously, incessant rainfall across Punjab worsened the crisis.
  • While Sutlej embankments held, the Malwa region experienced severe waterlogging, affecting Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Ropar, Nawanshahr, and Moga.
  • According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and J&K have all received over 45% excess rainfall this year, far above seasonal norms.

The Role of Dams in Punjab’s Floods

• Every time Punjab faces floods, attention turns to three major dams on its perennial rivers. These are: Bhakra dam; Pong dam; Thein dam.
• The Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej (Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh) and the Pong Dam on the Beas (Kangra, Himachal Pradesh) are run by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
  • BBMB is a statutory body constituted under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
• The Thein or Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi (border of J&K and Punjab) is managed by Punjab’s State Power Corporation and Irrigation Department.
• These dams regulate river flow and play a critical role in flood control.
• Release of Water from Dams
  • When heavy rainfall fills reservoirs beyond safe levels, dam operators must release water to avoid overtopping, which can be disastrous.
  • The BBMB follows a “rule curve” that guides how much water should be stored or released based on weather forecasts and hydrology.
  • However, extreme rainfall events often force sudden releases. This year, inflows into the Pong Dam were about 20% higher than 2023, an unprecedented surge.
  • The Bhakra Dam also saw very high inflows, though not entirely new in scale.

Punjab’s Concerns with BBMB

• Punjab has long argued that the BBMB prioritizes irrigation and power generation over flood management.
• According to state officials, BBMB keeps reservoir levels too high in July and August to secure water for winter farming and power supply, leaving little cushion for sudden heavy rains in August-September.
• Sudden water releases, often without timely warnings, worsen flooding downstream and leave local officials unprepared.
• Governance Issues and Tensions
  • At the core of Punjab’s problem is the structure of the BBMB.
  • It is a Centre-controlled body whose main mandate is irrigation and power, not flood management.
  • Punjab feels it has too little say in the Board’s decisions.
  • Tensions increased after the Centre amended BBMB rules in 2022, allowing officers from across India—not just Punjab and Haryana—to hold top positions.
  • Punjab criticized the BBMB, accusing it of holding back water until the last moment before suddenly releasing it.

Governance Failures Behind Punjab’s Floods

• Experts stress that poor dam management, delayed warnings, and weak infrastructure worsened Punjab’s floods this year.
• The collapse of two Madhopur barrage gates after sudden water release from the Thein dam highlighted gaps in coordination within Punjab’s own Irrigation Department.
• Environmentalists noted that reservoirs at Ranjit Sagar, Pong, and Bhakra were kept too full and then emptied abruptly, triggering severe downstream flooding.
• Weak dhussi bundhs, further damaged by illegal mining, added to the crisis.

Why in News?

The Environment Ministry has introduced the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, creating a new class of independent “environment auditors.”

These accredited private agencies, similar to chartered accountants, will be licensed to inspect and verify project compliance with environmental laws. Their role will supplement State Pollution Control Boards by conducting environmental impact assessments and ensuring adherence to best practices in pollution prevention and control.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Environment Audit Rules, 2025
• Expected Outcomes
• Analysis: A Shift in Environmental Monitoring
• Conclusion

Environment Audit Rules, 2025

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has introduced the Environment Audit Rules, 2025 as part of India’s commitment to Ease of Doing Business and sustainable governance.
• Drawing on international best practices, the rules address gaps in monitoring environmental compliance, ensuring protection of natural resources while enabling development.
• Need for the Rules
  • Monitoring is currently carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State PCBs, and regional offices, but limited manpower, infrastructure, and resources hamper effective enforcement.
  • The new scheme bridges these gaps, aiming to enhance transparency, accountability, and credibility in compliance monitoring while building trust among stakeholders.
• Main Features of the Rules
  • Certification and Registration: Environment auditors must be certified and registered through the Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA).
  • Assignment of Auditors: Auditors are assigned randomly to avoid bias and conflict of interest.
  • Responsibilities: Registered auditors will verify compliance, conduct sampling and analysis, calculate compensation, and ensure adherence to laws like the Green Credit Rules, waste management regulations, and forest/environmental legislation.
  • Self-Compliance Verification: Auditors can also verify self-reported compliance by project proponents.
• Key Stakeholders
  • Certified Environment Auditor (CEA): Qualified through Recognition of Prior Learning or a National Certification Examination.
  • Registered Environment Auditor (REA): Certified professionals officially licensed to perform audits.
  • Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA): Responsible for certification, registration, oversight, training, and maintaining an online registry.
  • MoEFCC: Oversees implementation and issues guidelines.
  • CPCB, SPCBs, and Regional Offices: Continue inspections and assist in enforcing the rules.
• Oversight Mechanism
  • A Steering Committee, led by an Additional Secretary of MoEFCC with representatives from regulatory bodies, will monitor progress, resolve challenges, and propose reforms for effective implementation.

Expected Outcomes

• Stronger Compliance: Independent audits will make monitoring more credible and enforceable.
• Integration with Frameworks: Supports Green Credit Programme, Ecomark certification, and Extended Producer Responsibility under waste rules.
• Enhanced Capacity: Expands trained professionals, enabling regulators to focus on high-risk enforcement and policymaking.
• Transparency and Accountability: Random auditor assignment reduces conflicts of interest and promotes trust.
• Data-Driven Governance: Digitized audit records enable better decision-making, disclosure, and targeted interventions.
• Proactive Risk Management: Early detection of non-compliance allows timely corrective action and prevents environmental harm.

Analysis: A Shift in Environmental Monitoring

• The Environment Audit Rules, 2025 mark a major reform in India’s environmental governance.
• These rules expand the scope of monitoring and auditing beyond State Pollution Control Boards (PCBs), allowing accredited private agencies to take on the task.
• Addressing Regulatory Gaps
  • The current compliance system, managed by the CPCB, State PCBs, and the Environment Ministry’s regional offices, faces severe manpower and resource shortages.
  • These limitations hinder comprehensive monitoring of the large number of projects and industries across the country.
  • The new scheme aims to bridge these deficits and strengthen compliance mechanisms.
• Role of Private Environment Auditors
  • Under the rules, private agencies can become licensed environment auditors, similar to chartered accountants. They will be authorised to:
    • Evaluate compliance with environmental laws.
    • Assess adherence to best practices in pollution prevention and control.
    • Support Green Credit Rules, enabling tradeable credits for afforestation, water management, and waste management.
  • Auditors will help companies account for both direct and indirect carbon emissions, requiring complex evaluation beyond the capacity of PCBs.
• Challenges at the Grassroots
  • While the reforms strengthen top-level monitoring, challenges remain at the district, block, and panchayat levels, where environmental violations are often most severe.
  • The success of the new regime depends on empowering local staff and ensuring that core monitoring responsibilities are not compromised.

Conclusion

The Environment Audit Rules, 2025 aim to modernise compliance monitoring, bring in private expertise, and prepare India for future climate-related regulations. At the same time, local-level enforcement must be strengthened to ensure holistic and effective environmental governance.

Context

• India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is neither an abstract ideal nor a rhetorical flourish; it is a pragmatic diplomatic practice, forged in history and tested in contemporary geopolitics.
• By examining India’s engagements with major powers, the United States, China, and Russia, and its positioning within the Global South, it is important to discuss that strategic autonomy has become the fulcrum of India’s global aspirations and the key to its resilience in an uncertain international order.
• Once confined to academic debates, the term has now moved into the mainstream of Indian foreign policy discourse, reflecting the country’s determination to retain agency in a volatile, multipolar world.

Defining Strategic Autonomy: Between Dependence and Isolation

• Strategic autonomy refers to a state’s capacity to make sovereign decisions in foreign and defence policy without being dictated by external pressures or alliance commitments.
• Importantly, it does not imply isolationism or neutrality but rather flexibility, independence, and adaptability in a world of shifting alignments.
• For India, the concept has deep historical roots. Colonial subjugation instilled a determination never to allow external powers to decide India’s destiny.

The American Partnership, Chinese Challenge and Russian Connection

• The American Partnership: Collaboration Without Subordination
  • Over the past two decades, India’s relationship with the United States has transformed dramatically.
  • Strategic cooperation spans defence, intelligence sharing, technology transfers, and joint military exercises.
  • Multilateral initiatives such as the Quad, I2U2, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor further underscore converging interests, especially in countering China’s rise.
  • Yet, tensions persist. U.S. pressure to reduce defence and energy ties with Russia, coupled with protectionist trade policies, has tested New Delhi’s ability to safeguard its interests.
  • India’s response, engaging deeply with Washington while asserting independence on global issues, illustrates strategic autonomy in practice.
  • It is not anti-Americanism but rather a principled refusal to subordinate India’s interests to another country’s strategic imperatives.
• The Chinese Challenge: Rivalry Without Rupture
  • China represents India’s most complex strategic challenge.
  • The 2020 border clashes underscored the limits of cooperative engagement, pushing India to bolster its military posture and deepen partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
  • At the same time, China remains one of India’s largest trading partners and a co-participant in forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
  • Here, strategic autonomy translates into dual-track diplomacy: firm deterrence alongside selective engagement.
  • India neither succumbs to Chinese pressure nor wholly decouples from its neighbour.
• The Russian Connection: Legacy and Pragmatism
  • Despite Moscow’s growing alignment with Beijing and its isolation following the Ukraine war, New Delhi has continued to import Russian oil and arms while engaging diplomatically.
  • This has invited criticism from Western capitals, yet India’s position reflects a consistent principle: external powers cannot dictate its partnerships.
  • At the same time, India has diversified defence imports, invested in indigenous capacity, and cultivated new strategic partners.
  • Its engagement with Russia, therefore, is not nostalgia but pragmatism, a reminder that strategic autonomy is less about loyalty to old allies and more about preserving space for manoeuvre in a rapidly polarising world.

India as the Voice of the Global South

• India’s G-20 presidency in 2023 highlighted another dimension of strategic autonomy: its leadership of the Global South.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar articulated a vision of India as a sovereign pole in global politics, plural, pragmatic, and unapologetically independent.
• This resonated with many middle powers that also seek agency rather than alignment.
• In this sense, India’s strategic autonomy has normative as well as practical significance: it embodies an alternative path for states unwilling to be trapped in great-power rivalries.

Constraints and Redefinitions: Autonomy in a Globalised Age

• Despite its appeal, strategic autonomy is not without challenges. Economic vulnerabilities, political polarisation, and institutional constraints can limit India’s capacity for independent action.
• In an era dominated by cyber threats, artificial intelligence, and space competition, autonomy must extend beyond traditional defence to encompass digital sovereignty, supply chain resilience, and technological self-reliance.
• India’s recent initiatives in critical minerals, indigenous digital platforms, and global tech governance reflect an effort to expand the scope of autonomy into new domains.

The Way Forward: Standing Tall in a Turbulent World

• Strategic autonomy, for India, is neither a slogan nor a vestige of non-alignment. It is the art of navigating a turbulent world without losing one’s bearings.
• In practice, it means engaging with the United States without becoming a junior partner, deterring China without provoking conflict, and maintaining ties with Russia without inheriting its isolation.
• It requires both diplomatic skill and domestic strength, economic, technological, and institutional.

Conclusion

• Ultimately, strategic autonomy is about more than survival; it is about agency and it allows India to participate in shaping global norms while protecting its sovereignty.
• As the global order continues to fragment, India’s ability to walk this tightrope with resilience and confidence will define not only its place in the world but also the future of multipolarity itself.
• Strategic autonomy, then, is not about standing alone, it is about standing straight, and standing tall.

Context

• India’s economic trajectory has historically been marked by bold reforms, from liberalisation in 1991 to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017.
• Each step has sought to balance efficiency, inclusivity, and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global economy.
• The latest set of measures announced at the 56th GST Council meeting on September 3, 2025, represents the next milestone in this journey.
• Widely referred to as GST 2.0, the reform package is not merely a technical adjustment but a forward-looking transformation designed to simplify taxation, promote growth, and strengthen institutional trust.

Significance of GST 2.0

• The Promise of Simplification and Fairness
  • For years, businesses and policymakers have called for a GST framework that is simpler, more predictable, and fairer.
  • The reforms directly address these concerns by streamlining rates, harmonising classifications, and clarifying tax rules.
  • By moving towards a two-rate structure, a standard 18% and a merit rate of 5%, with only a few items taxed at 40%, India is aligning itself with global best practices.
  • This reduces complexity for businesses while reassuring investors of policy stability and long-term predictability.
  • Institutional credibility is further reinforced by the operationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).
  • With faster, more transparent dispute resolution, GSTAT not only unclogs the system but also signals that taxation in India is as much about fairness as it is about revenue collection.
• Relief for Consumers and Households
  • One of the most immediate impacts of GST 2.0 is its relief for households across income groups.
  • Everyday essentials such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and packaged foods have been moved to lower tax brackets, easing budgets and stimulating demand in mass-consumption sectors.
  • The construction sector also benefits from reduced GST on cement and other inputs, which directly supports the government’s Housing for All mission while lowering costs for infrastructure projects.
  • These changes carry a multiplier effect, boosting allied industries like steel, tiles, and paints.
  • Equally significant is the decision to cut GST on life-saving drugs and medical devices.
  • Beyond easing healthcare costs, this reform reinforces India’s global role as a hub for affordable medicines.
  • It illustrates how fiscal policy can achieve social good while sustaining economic advantage.
• Strengthening Labour-Intensive and Export Sectors
  • Labour-intensive industries, textiles, handicrafts, leather, footwear, and toys, stand to gain considerably from rationalised rates.
  • Lower costs will preserve margins, safeguard livelihoods, and stimulate employment in semi-urban and rural areas.
  • The automotive sector, another key pillar of the economy, is set to benefit from cheaper vehicles, further energising investment in auto-manufacturing hubs.
  • Exporters and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are among the biggest winners of GST 2.0.
  • Long-standing distortions created by inverted duty structures in textiles, fertilizers, and renewables have been corrected, making Indian products more globally competitive.
  • By removing thresholds for refunds on low-value consignments, the government has also extended critical relief to courier and e-commerce exporters, where liquidity issues are often acute.

Broader Significance of GST 2.0 and Challenges Ahead

• Empowering MSMEs Through Formalisation
  • Perhaps the most transformative measure is the Simplified GST Registration Scheme for small and low-risk businesses.
  • Automated approvals within three days significantly reduce compliance costs, lower entry barriers, and encourage formalisation.
  • For MSMEs, the backbone of India’s economy in terms of jobs, exports, and innovation, this change provides not only immediate relief but also long-term opportunities to expand into new markets.
  • By strengthening MSMEs, GST 2.0 builds resilience at the grassroots level of India’s economy.
• Towards a Competitive and Inclusive Future
  • The broader significance of GST 2.0 lies in its alignment of domestic reform with global economic realities.
  • By simplifying tax rates and reducing litigation, India presents itself as a more predictable and business-friendly destination for international investors.
  • At a time when global supply chains are being reconfigured, India’s reforms send a clear message: the country is committed to ease of doing business, competitiveness, and sustained growth.
• Challenges Ahead
  • While the intent and scope of GST 2.0 are ambitious, its success will depend on effective implementation.
  • Procedural delays, compliance burdens, and capacity constraints in enforcement remain challenges that policymakers must address.
  • Yet, the reforms reflect a government willing to listen to industry, act decisively, and craft a taxation framework that fuels growth rather than hinders it.

Conclusion

• GST 2.0 is more than a tax reform; it is a comprehensive economic reform that aims to boost consumption, empower MSMEs, and reinforce India’s growth momentum.
• By making goods more affordable, industries more competitive, and the tax system more reliable, these reforms mark the beginning of a new chapter in India’s growth story.
• If implemented effectively, GST 2.0 could well be remembered as a decisive step in India’s transformation into a globally competitive economy.

Why in News?

• The European Union (EU) plans to ban imports of fuels refined from Russian crude starting January 21, 2026.
• Europe is stockpiling petroleum products, particularly diesel, ahead of the ban.
• Amid this scenario, India has become a major swing supplier of petroleum products to Europe, bringing a fresh perspective to the India-Europe energy dynamics.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Petroleum Exports to Europe
• India–Europe Energy Dynamics
• Drivers of Export Growth
• Geopolitical Dimensions
• EU Ban on Russian-Origin Fuels
• Challenges and Uncertainties
• Conclusion

India’s Petroleum Exports to Europe:

• Role in India’s economy:
  • India’s petroleum industry is a key driver of foreign exchange earnings and global trade presence.
  • Exports to Europe, a market with high energy demand and stringent quality standards, strengthen India’s position as a reliable global energy supplier.
• Export volumes and revenue:
  • Petroleum exports to Europe in April–January 2024 valued at $18.4 billion.
  • July 2024: Exports rose 26%, reaching 266,000 barrels/day (bpd).
    • Major products: Diesel (238,000 bpd) and aviation fuel (81,000 bpd) exports.
• Historical growth: Between 2018–19 and 2023–24, petroleum exports to Europe surged by over 253,000% in volume and nearly 250% in value, reflecting Europe’s dependence on Indian refined fuels.
• Global export comparison: Top global petroleum exporters - Saudi Arabia (16.2%), Russia (9.14%), Canada (8.48%), while India has carved a growing niche through refined product exports.
• Types of exports:
  • Crude oil derivatives – Diesel, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, fuel oil.
  • Refined petroleum products – Aviation turbine fuel (ATF), industrial fuels.
  • Petrochemicals – Polypropylene, polyethylene, and polymers for manufacturing.
• Strategic importance:
  • Europe’s steady energy demand and India’s advanced refining capacity provide mutual benefits.
  • The trend underscores India’s growing role in global energy trade, while exporters can leverage logistics solutions to expand further.

India–Europe Energy Dynamics:

• India’s diesel exports to Europe:
  • It jumped to around 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August 2025, up nearly 63% over July 2025 and 103% over August of last year.
  • India’s total petroleum product exports to Europe in August jumped 41% month-on-month to nearly 399,000 bpd.
• Largest exporter: All of India’s diesel exports to Europe in August were from Reliance Industries (RIL), the country’s largest private sector refiner and petroleum product exporter.

Drivers of Export Growth:

• EU stockpiling ahead of the 2026 sanctions.
• Advancing of maintenance shutdown of Shell’s Pernis refinery in the Netherlands from 2026.
  • This is as part of Europe's strategy to make sure its own refineries are not hampered by turnaround schedules once the January 2026 ban goes into force.
• West Asia refinery maintenance expected in late 2025, reducing supplies to Europe.
• India’s role as a swing supplier of middle distillates (diesel, jet fuel, kerosene).

Geopolitical Dimensions:

• Western concerns: US and Western allies allege India is profiteering by refining discounted Russian crude and exporting products to Europe.
• India rejects allegations, emphasizing:
  • Import of Russian crude is legal.
  • Export of refined fuels is within global trade norms.
  • Countries objecting can stop importing from India.

EU Ban on Russian-Origin Fuels:

• The EU had already banned direct imports of Russian petroleum products in February 2023.
• From January 2026, the ban extends to fuels refined from Russian crude, even if processed in third countries.
  • Exemptions: Canada, Norway, Switzerland, UK, and US.

Challenges and Uncertainties:

• Enforcement issues:
  • Refineries process mixed crude baskets (60–70% non-Russian in India).
  • Difficult to differentiate refined fuels from Russian vs. non-Russian crude.
  • RIL operates two separate refining systems, aiding compliance flexibility.
• Impact on India: If Europe halts imports from India -
  • Impact may be transitory.
  • India can divert exports to other markets.
  • Global fuel flows would adjust (e.g., Europe sourcing more from West Asia, India shifting to markets served by West Asia).

Conclusion:

• India’s growing role as a swing supplier of petroleum products positions it as a critical player in Europe’s energy security and India-Europe energy dynamics during the transition away from Russian crude.
• Going forward, India must leverage this opportunity to strengthen its global energy trade while preparing for policy shifts like the 2026 EU ban through market diversification and diplomatic engagement.

Why in the News?

• The Indian Science Congress has been replaced by the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC), with its first edition scheduled for November 2025 in New Delhi.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• ISC (Introduction, Achievements, Issues, etc.)
• About ESTIC (Key Features, Objectives, Significance, etc.)

Introduction

• For over a century, the Indian Science Congress (ISC) has been the premier platform for Indian scientists, researchers, and policymakers to deliberate on national scientific priorities.
• Established in 1914, the ISC grew into a prestigious event inaugurated annually by the Prime Minister, bringing together global and Indian experts.
• However, over recent years, concerns over its effectiveness, controversies in its sessions, and institutional disputes have diminished its relevance.
• In 2025, the government announced a new approach with the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC), scheduled to be held in November.
• This marks a historic transition in India’s science policy ecosystem, signalling a move toward a more structured, innovation-driven forum aligned with national priorities like Viksit Bharat 2047.

Achievements and Issues with the Indian Science Congress

• Achievements

• Platform for Scientific Exchange: The ISC played a crucial role in creating a scientific community in pre- and post-Independence India.
• Global Participation: It hosted Nobel Laureates, international scholars, and top Indian scientists.
• Policy Influence: Many national science policies were shaped through discussions at ISC sessions.
• Public Engagement: It popularised science among school and college students through exhibitions and public lectures.

• Issues

• Erosion of Academic Quality: Over time, the ISC faced criticism for allowing unscientific and controversial statements by some participants.
• Reduced Relevance: Its role as a serious forum for science policy and research exchange declined.
• Institutional Conflict: Disputes between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), which organised the event, led to funding cuts.
• COVID-19 Disruptions: After the pandemic, only the 2023 edition was held, with no physical conferences thereafter.

• The growing disconnect between ISC and India’s contemporary science needs created the ground for ESTIC.

The Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)

• Overview
  • The first ESTIC will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from November 3-4, 2025, and is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  • Organised by the DST in collaboration with all science-related ministries, ESTIC aims to become India’s leading forum for advancing innovation-driven research.
• Key Features

• Thematic Sessions: 11 technical sessions will focus on frontier areas such as space, biotechnology, deep-tech, and renewable energy.
• Innovation Showcase: 75 exhibition stalls will be set up by deep-tech startups.
• Global Participation: Nobel Laureate Andre Geim (Physics, 2010), French space expert Jean-Yves Le Gall, and Japanese biologist Professor Masaru Tomita are among the confirmed international guests.
• Government Involvement: Unlike the ISC, ESTIC will involve direct participation from all science-related ministries, including atomic energy, IT, and space.
• Prime Minister’s Presence: PM’s attendance at the inaugural underlines the strategic importance given to ESTIC.

• Objectives

• To showcase cutting-edge research and technology breakthroughs.
• To align India’s science innovation ecosystem with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
• To provide a serious global platform for scientists and innovators, different from IISF (India International Science Festival), which is designed more as a science popularisation event.

Significance of the Transition

• Replacing ISC with ESTIC represents:

• Policy Modernisation: Moving from a general science gathering to a high-level innovation conclave.
• Focus on Innovation: Prioritising applied research and startup-driven technology ecosystems.
• Global Leadership: Positioning India as a key player in international science and technology networks.
• Institutional Clarity: Shifting control directly to DST reduces friction with external associations like ISCA.

Why in news?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has urged the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) to enumerate particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) separately in the upcoming Census.

The ministry requested that data on households, individuals, and unique demographic, cultural, and socio-economic traits of PVTGs be collected. This would enable more accurate planning and effective execution of targeted welfare schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Understanding Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
• Separate Enumeration of PVTGs
• Estimates of PVTG Population

Understanding Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

• 
• PVTGs are a sub-category of Scheduled Tribes (STs) characterised by declining or stagnant populations, geographical isolation, pre-agrarian practices, economic backwardness, and low literacy levels.
• The category was created following the Dhebar Commission (1960–61), which highlighted disparities among tribal groups and noted that some were far more vulnerable than others.
• Initially, 52 groups were identified as PVTGs (then called Primitive Tribal Groups) during the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974–79).
• Later, in 2006, 23 more groups were added, bringing the total to 75 PVTGs across 18 states and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• Experts have raised concerns about the criteria used, particularly the emphasis on geographical isolation.
• They suggested that the government should revisit and update inclusion parameters before conducting a fresh enumeration to reflect improvements or worsening conditions among different groups.

Separate Enumeration of PVTGs

• So far, no separate enumeration of PVTGs has taken place in any Census. Since PVTGs are a sub-category of Scheduled Tribes (STs), they are generally counted within the broader ST category.
• Many PVTGs are not listed individually but grouped under a common nomenclature, leading to limited visibility in Census data.
• According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), 40 out of 75 PVTGs are listed as ‘single entry’ in the notified ST list under Article 342 of the Constitution.
• For example, in the 2011 Census, Baigas of Madhya Pradesh were counted separately, but groups like Abujh Marias, Bharias, Hill Korbas, and Kamars were not.
• Later, in 2013, Abujh Maria and Hill Korba were formally added to Chhattisgarh’s ST list through legislation.
• By convention, the Registrar General of India (RGI) only publishes data for the main STs, with sub-groups and synonyms automatically included, which has prevented focused data collection on PVTGs until now.

Estimates of PVTG Population

• In November 2023, the government launched the ₹24,104 crore PM JANMAN scheme to uplift PVTGs through improved health, education, livelihoods, and infrastructure in over 200 districts.
• To support its rollout, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and state governments conducted a habitation-level survey, estimating the total PVTG population at 47.5 lakh.
• Among states, Madhya Pradesh had the largest estimated PVTG population at 13.22 lakh, followed by Maharashtra (6.7 lakh) and Andhra Pradesh (5.18 lakh).
• The 2011 Census data showed that some PVTG groups had populations of fewer than 1,000 people, including:
  • the Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese, and Shompens (Andaman and Nicobar Islands),
  • Raji (Uttarakhand),
  • Kota (Tamil Nadu),
  • Birhor (Odisha),
  • Kamar (Madhya Pradesh), and
  • small tribal groups in Bihar.
• The Sentinelese were the smallest community with just 15 individuals, while the Baiga of Madhya Pradesh were the largest, numbering 4,14,526.
• Officials emphasise that accurate enumeration will plug gaps in welfare implementation, particularly in health and education, and help reassess whether current PVTG classification criteria remain relevant.

Why in news?

The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which came into effect on September 1, has introduced a comprehensive revamp of India’s framework for managing foreign nationals.

The newly notified Rules and Orders restructure regulations governing the entry, stay, and exit of foreigners, while also laying out specific exemptions for certain categories of individuals.

This marks one of the most significant updates to India’s immigration system in recent years, aimed at bringing clarity, efficiency, and uniformity to the way foreign nationals are regulated.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Consolidation of Immigration Laws under the 2025 Act
• Why an Overhaul Was Needed
• Key Provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
• Exempted Categories under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
• New Provisions in the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
• Likely Boost for Enforcement

Consolidation of Immigration Laws under the 2025 Act

• The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, passed by Parliament and received Presidential assent, replaces four older laws:
  • the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920;
  • Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939;
  • Foreigners Act, 1946; and
  • Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
• By consolidating these into a single unified statute, the Act streamlines India’s framework for the entry, stay, movement, and exit of foreigners, ensuring greater clarity and efficiency.

Why an Overhaul Was Needed?

• India’s earlier immigration regime was fragmented and outdated, built on four separate Acts dating back to the pre-Independence era (1920–2000).
• Their overlapping and confusing provisions led to inconsistent enforcement and frequent ambiguity.
• Exemptions for groups such as Tibetan and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, and citizens of Nepal and Bhutan were scattered across various notifications, making them hard to access or interpret.
• Administrative gaps also persisted — manual reporting, delayed data collection, unclear division of powers between central and local authorities, and non-uniform rules for restricted/protected areas.

Key Provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025

• The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, along with its accompanying Rules and Orders, introduces clear, centralised rules for regulating foreign nationals in India.
• Valid Documents and Entry Points - All entrants must carry a valid passport or travel document and, in the case of foreigners, a valid visa, unless exempted by the Act or special government orders.
  • Entry and exit are permitted only through designated immigration posts, covering major airports, seaports, land border posts, and rail checkpoints.
• Role and Powers of Immigration Officers - Immigration Officers posted at these entry points hold final authority to validate or deny entry or exit. They can refuse admission on national security grounds.
• Registration and Local Control Mechanism - Foreigners must register with designated authorities, such as the SP/DCP or Foreigners’ Regional Registration Officers (FRROs), who oversee regulation at district and regional levels.
• Reporting Obligations of Accommodation Providers - Hotels, hostels, paying guest facilities, and religious institutions must digitally record and report details of foreign guests — including OCI card holders — within 24 hours of arrival and departure.
• Educational and Medical Institutions’ Duties - Universities must report admissions of foreign students, while hospitals must notify authorities of foreign patients, births, and deaths within seven days via electronic submission.
• Authority Over Premises Frequented by Foreigners - Civil authorities may restrict or shut down resorts, clubs, or similar venues if linked to criminal or unlawful activities, or if foreigners frequenting them are deemed undesirable.
  • Relocation of such operations requires prior approval.
• Permits for Protected Areas - Access to protected, restricted, or prohibited areas now requires a special online permit. Applications must be filed on designated portals or apps, with standardised procedures in place.

Exempted Categories under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025

• The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, exempts specific groups from standard entry and visa rules.
• These include Indian military personnel and families, citizens of Nepal and Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, minority refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, registered Sri Lankan Tamils, certain diplomatic passport holders, and foreign military personnel on humanitarian visits.
• All enjoy regulated, conditional entry benefits.

New Provisions in the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025

• The Act not only consolidates older laws but also introduces modernised systems and clear rules for enforcement and regulation.
• Digital and Electronic Records
  • Mandatory online notification through portals and apps by accommodation providers, hospitals, and universities.
  • Creates a comprehensive digital database for enforcement, health monitoring, and citizenship-related decisions.
• Graduated Fines and Compounding System
  • Clear penalties for infractions like overstaying, visa violations, non-registration, and unauthorised visits to restricted areas.
  • Fines range from ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakh, with lower fines (as low as ₹50) for certain groups like Tibetans, Mongolian monks, and refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
• Protections and Appeals
  • Limited safeguards for humanitarian cases and for errors made in good faith.
  • Appeal mechanisms for those penalised under the Act.
• Centralisation and Delegation of Powers
  • Central government retains primary authority, but can delegate functions to states and Union Territories.
  • Empowered to modify, cancel, or issue directions at any time.
• Uniformity in Exemptions
  • No discretionary powers at the local level.
  • All exemptions for entry, visa, or protected area permits must come only from central government orders, ensuring consistency and clarity.

Why in the News?

• The Centre has signed a revised Suspension of Operations pact with Kuki-Zo groups, tightening monitoring norms and relocating camps to restore peace in Manipur.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Suspension of Operations Pact (Introduction, Key Features, Political and Security Dimensions, etc.)

Introduction

• Manipur, plagued by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023, has witnessed a major policy development with the Centre announcing a revised Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups.
• The move comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the state, marking the government’s most significant step to restore peace and stability.
• The new pact seeks to tighten oversight of cadres, relocate militant camps, and ensure compliance with the constitutional framework while opening channels for dialogue.

Free Movement and Confidence-Building Measures

• The Centre claimed that Kuki civil society groups had agreed to allow free movement along National Highway-02, a vital lifeline for commuters and essential goods in the state.
• This move was seen as the beginning of normalcy, but the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) issued clarifications stating that the highway had never been officially blocked and that its appeal was limited to the Kangpokpi district stretch.
• While the government portrayed the development as an agreement on “free movement,” Kuki groups insisted that buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki areas would continue to be respected, highlighting persistent mistrust and the fragility of peace.

About The SoO Pact

• The new SoO pact was signed recently, between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Government of Manipur, and 24 Kuki-Zo insurgent groups under the umbrellas of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF).
• Key Features of the Revised Pact:

• Stricter Monitoring: A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) led by the Manipur Principal Secretary (Home) will conduct physical verification of cadres, maintain detailed lists, and ensure removal of foreign nationals allegedly present in Kuki camps.
• Relocation of Camps: The pact mandates reducing the number of designated camps to six each for KNO and UPF, relocating them away from highways, populated areas, and the Myanmar border.
• Financial Transparency: Cadres will receive stipends only through Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, ensuring payments are restricted to those physically verified at camps.
• Restrictions on Activities: Groups are barred from recruiting new cadres, carrying weapons outside camps, associating with other armed outfits, or engaging in offensive operations.
• Respect for Constitution: The preamble emphasises that all signatories must abide by the Constitution of India and respect the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Political and Security Dimensions

• The signing of the pact has raised concerns among civil society groups.
• The Zomi Council, based in Churachandpur, rejected the KZC’s claim of representation, arguing that it does not legitimately represent the Zo people.
  • This reflects deeper divisions within Kuki-Zo society and complicates negotiations.
• For the Meiteis, relocation of camps from valley-fringe areas to the hills addresses a long-standing demand, as these camps were allegedly used to launch attacks in the valley.
• Simultaneously, Naga groups such as the United Naga Council have voiced their displeasure over exclusion from talks, and have even threatened a trade embargo in response to the border fencing issue with Myanmar.

Path Towards a Political Settlement

• The revised SoO pact is designed as a confidence-building framework. It will be followed by a tripartite dialogue among the Centre, the Manipur government, and Kuki groups to pave the way for a negotiated political settlement within the Constitution.
• Parallelly, the Centre is working with other insurgent groups such as the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), for whom designated camps are being set up.
• This signals a wider attempt to bring insurgent movements under a structured peace process.

Why in the News?

• NITI Aayog has unveiled a roadmap to boost pulses production in India, aiming for self-sufficiency and reduced import dependence by 2047.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Pulses Production (Introduction, Production, etc.)
• NITI Aayog’s Report (Recommendations)

Introduction

• Pulses are central to India’s food and nutritional security, providing protein-rich diets while also contributing to sustainable agriculture through nitrogen fixation and low water requirements.
• India is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and importer of pulses, making self-reliance in production a national priority.
• Recognising this, NITI Aayog has released a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”, laying out a comprehensive roadmap to reduce import dependency and enhance domestic production.

Pulses Production in India

• India’s diverse agro-climatic conditions allow the cultivation of 12 pulse crops across kharif, rabi, and summer seasons.
• Major producing states, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, account for over 55% of production, while the top ten states contribute over 91% of the national output.
• Historically, the country’s dependence on imports was high. Production dipped to 16.35 million tonnes (MT) in 2015-16, necessitating 6 MT of imports.
• However, government interventions, including the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Minimum Support Price (MSP) policies, improved output significantly.
• By 2022-23, production rose by nearly 59.4% to 26.06 MT, with productivity increasing by 38%. Import dependence simultaneously fell from 29% to just 10.4%.
• Despite this progress, challenges persist. Nearly 80% of pulses cultivation is rain-fed, making production vulnerable to climatic fluctuations.
• The sector supports the livelihood of over five crore farmers and their families, underscoring the importance of a stable policy framework.

NITI Aayog’s Recommendations

• NITI Aayog’s roadmap emphasises tailored interventions for different states and districts to boost productivity and sustainability.
• Key recommendations include:

• Area Retention and Diversification: Encouraging region-specific crop clusters to optimise cultivation.
• Technology Adoption: Promoting customised farming technologies suited for varied agro-ecological sub-regions.
• Seed Quality and Distribution: Focusing on high-quality seed treatment kits and ensuring widespread distribution, particularly in 111 high-potential districts that contribute 75% of national output.
• Cluster-Based Hubs: Introducing the “One Block–One Seed Village” model through farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) to enhance local productivity.
• Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses: A six-year initiative targeting key crops such as pigeonpea, black gram, and lentil to further strengthen self-sufficiency.

• The report projects that India’s pulse production will reach 30.59 MT by 2030 and 45.79 MT by 2047, aligning with the nation’s long-term goal of food security and reduced import reliance.

Nutritional and Environmental Importance

• Beyond food security, pulses are vital for nutrition, especially in a country where vegetarian diets dominate.
• They are a major source of protein, iron, and other micronutrients, helping combat malnutrition.
• Environmentally, pulses enhance soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, require less water compared to cereals, and reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture.

Conclusion

• India has made remarkable progress in pulses production over the past decade, but achieving self-sufficiency requires sustained and region-specific interventions.
• NITI Aayog’s strategic recommendations, focused on seeds, technology, and targeted clusters, are expected to accelerate progress towards Atmanirbharta in pulses.
• By 2047, India envisions not just meeting its domestic demand but also positioning itself as a key player in the global pulses market.

Context

• The 56th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on September 3, 2025, will be remembered as a landmark moment in India’s economic history.
• Far more than a routine tax reform exercise, the decisions made reflect a paradigm shift toward a simpler, fairer, and growth-oriented taxation
• In alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the Council’s reforms are not only technical adjustments but transformative steps that touch the lives of citizens, businesses, and industries alike.

Significant Transformation in GST Structure

• Simplification of the Tax Structure
  • One of the most significant changes is the transition from multiple GST slabs, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%, to a streamlined system featuring two principal rates: 18% as the Standard Rate and 5% as the Merit Rate, alongside a 40% de-merit rate for select luxury or harmful goods.
  • This simplification reduces compliance burdens, enhances predictability for businesses, and aligns India with global best practices in taxation.
  • For decades, industry stakeholders had advocated for such rationalisation, and the Council’s decision demonstrates responsiveness and foresight.
• Benefits for Households and Consumers
  • By reducing GST on everyday essentials such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, bicycles, and kitchenware to 5%, the government has directly lowered the cost of living.
  • Even more impactful is the complete exemption on life and health insurance, which promises to expand access to financial protection, particularly for senior citizens and low-income groups.
  • Healthcare, too, has been given a boost through exemptions and reduced rates on life-saving drugs, diagnostic equipment, and treatments for critical illnesses, ensuring affordability and wider access.
  • This consumer-centric approach extends to agriculture.
  • By lowering GST on tractors, farm machinery, fertilizers, and vital inputs, the reforms ease the cost of cultivation and enhance farm productivity.
  • For farmers, these changes are not abstract policy shifts but tangible economic relief that improves livelihoods.

Direct Implications of GST Reforms

• Boost to Labour-Intensive and Traditional Sectors
  • The reforms also address India’s employment challenge by supporting labour-intensive sectors such as handicrafts, leather goods, marble, and granite.
  • Reduced GST rates will enhance demand, preserve traditional industries, and create new growth opportunities.
  • In doing so, the Council has reinforced the role of taxation policy as an enabler of social as well as economic development.
• Correcting Structural Anomalies
  • Perhaps the most strategically significant reforms lie in the correction of inverted duty structures that had long created inefficiencies in sectors such as textiles and cement.
  • The reduction of GST on man-made fibre and yarn to 5% eliminates distortions in the textile value chain, boosting competitiveness and supporting both exports and domestic manufacturing.
  • Likewise, reducing GST on cement from 28% to 18% will have a multiplier effect on housing and infrastructure development.
• Strengthening Institutions and Processes
  • Equally transformative is the announcement that the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) will be operational by the end of 2025.
  • This marks a historic advance in institutional capacity, offering taxpayers faster dispute resolution and more consistent rulings.
  • Coupled with process reforms such as provisional refunds, risk-based compliance checks, and harmonisation of valuation rules, these steps build trust in the tax system and reduce uncertainty for businesses.
• Balancing Growth with Fiscal Prudence
  • The careful phasing of these reforms, beginning September 22, 2025, reflects the Council’s pragmatic approach.
  • By sequencing implementation, the government ensures that revenue stability is maintained even as consumers and industries reap the benefits of lower rates.
  • This balance between fiscal prudence and growth stimulus strengthens the credibility of the reforms.
• A People’s Reform for a Growth-Oriented Future
  • At its core, GST 2.0 is more than a tax overhaul; it is a people’s reform.
  • By simplifying structures, lowering rates on essentials, correcting distortions, and institutionalizing dispute resolution, the reforms reach across all sections of society, citizens, farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, and industrialists.
  • They signal a strong commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and growth.
  • The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which had long advocated these measures, has welcomed the Council’s responsiveness.
  • Its readiness to support implementation ensures that the benefits will flow seamlessly to every stakeholder in the economy.

Conclusion

• The 56th GST Council meeting stands as a defining milestone in India’s reform trajectory.
• By merging simplification with inclusivity, and growth with prudence, GST 2.0 lays the foundation for a taxation regime that supports India’s aspirations of becoming a developed economy by 2047.
• These reforms are not merely technical adjustments, they embody a vision of governance that is participatory, forward-looking, and deeply attuned to the needs of its people.

Context

• The contemporary world order is undergoing severe disruptions at the intersection of economics, geopolitics, and technology.
• Much attention has focused on the role of the United States and the policies of President Donald Trump, but the more urgent task for India and the wider world is to interrogate the underlying motivations of these disruptions and craft a measured strategic response.
• The global polycrisis, a condition where crises in economics, politics, and technology reinforce one another, requires India to recalibrate its national strategy to defend its interests and to contribute to building a more equitable multipolar world order.

Trump’s Motivations and Economic Warfare

• Appealing to Domestic Discontent
  • Trump has positioned himself as the champion of a silent majority in the United States that feels betrayed by globalisation.
  • This constituency, extending beyond his core Make America Great Again base, perceives itself as the victim of capital accumulation, cheap labour, and the erosion of environmental safeguards.
  • Instead of restructuring global capitalism to redress these inequalities, Trump has turned to xenophobia, populist economic nationalism, and racially charged politics.
  • The result is a sustained attack on the liberal international order through sanctions, tariffs, weakened multilateral institutions, reduced foreign aid, and stricter immigration controls.
  • These measures, cloaked in the rhetoric of national interest, are in fact instruments of aggressive sovereign self-interest.
• Reinforcing U.S. Economic Power
  • Tariffs, though ultimately borne by American consumers and companies, serve as coercive tools to extract concessions from other nations.
  • While the United States still dominates global GDP with a 26% share, China’s rapid growth at 17% represents a strategic challenge.
  • America’s subsidies for its own industries, punitive tariffs on foreign goods, and efforts to preserve the dollar’s hegemony reflect a long history of protectionist practices dressed up as free-market policies.
  • India has suffered disproportionately from these measures, facing steep tariffs on its exports, even as the U.S. shields its own markets with extreme protectionism.
• Containing China and Reasserting Unipolarity
  • Although Trump’s style is unique, the bipartisan consensus in Washington supports checking China’s rise and restoring American industrial strength.
  • Tariffs against India, linked to U.S. manoeuvres on Russia and Ukraine, also reflect a broader strategy to counter multipolar aspirations.
  • These policies serve not only to pressure competitors but also to consolidate U.S. national security objectives in Asia, where China is viewed as the principal rival.

Implications for India

• U.S. Strategy and India’s Security Dilemma
  • The assumption that Washington views India as a democratic counterweight to China must be reassessed.
  • The U.S. has continued to engage Pakistan, hesitated over commitments to the Quad, and placed barriers on technological collaboration and manufacturing investment in India.
  • These moves complicate India’s security calculus, forcing it into concessions with China to avoid simultaneous confrontation with both Beijing and Islamabad.
• India’s Compliance Under U.S. Pressure
  • India’s response to American pressure has often been marked by compliance rather than resistance.
  • While China has leveraged its control over critical rare metals to shield itself from U.S. tariffs, India has yielded to demands on oil imports from Iran and Venezuela and even on agricultural duties.
  • This behaviour risks emboldening Washington while undermining India’s own strategic autonomy.
• Limits of Personalised Diplomacy
  • The Modi government’s foreign policy approach, marked by personalised diplomacy, diaspora mobilisation, and symbolic gestures, has not translated into tangible strategic gains.
  • Instead, India finds itself facing an entrenched China-Pakistan alliance, strained neighbourhood relations, punitive tariffs, and heightened racism against its diaspora in the U.S.

The Way Forward: Leveraging the Polycrisis for Strategic Gains

• Despite the challenges, the current global disruptions also present India with opportunities to reshape the world order.
• The weakening of neoliberal globalisation and the discrediting of unipolarity create space for India to champion multipolarity as a more equitable alternative.
• A New Economic Deal that prioritises fair distribution of resources, stronger multilateral institutions, and debt relief for developing nations would resonate across the Global South.
• However, to assume such leadership, India must address its own structural deficiencies.
• Manufacturing remains weak, unemployment high, private investment stagnant, and research underfunded.
• Without equitable economic growth and greater investor confidence, India cannot position itself as a reliable global partner.
• This demands bold reforms in industrial policy, scientific development, and public sector restructuring.

Conclusion

• The disruptions of the Trump era are not passing anomalies but symptoms of deeper global fractures.
• For India, the challenge lies in resisting coercive U.S. policies while avoiding entanglement in great-power rivalries.
• At the same time, India must seize the moment to advocate for multipolarity and economic fairness, both regionally and globally.
• Achieving this vision requires confronting structural weaknesses at home, pursuing policies of equitable growth, and forging unified strategies that transcend partisanship.

Why in news?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently released draft undergraduate curriculums for feedback. However, Opposition-ruled states such as Karnataka and Kerala have raised objections. Both states have formed expert panels to review the drafts before submitting their formal responses.

The UGC has invited comments nationwide, but these objections highlight federal concerns over curriculum design and its alignment with state priorities.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF)
• Key Features of UGC’s Proposed Undergraduate Curriculum
• Integration of ‘Bharatiya’ Knowledge in Draft Curriculum
• Opposition from States over Draft Curriculum

Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF)

• The Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) is an educational model designed to enhance higher education by focusing on outcomes — what students should know, understand, and achieve — rather than just content delivery.
• It was developed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and similar bodies to promote quality, skill-based, and holistic learning.
• Key Components
  • Graduate Attributes: Broad qualities such as intellectual curiosity, problem-solving skills, ethical conduct, and adaptability expected after completing studies.
  • Programme Outcomes: Defined learning outcomes for the entire degree program.
  • Course Outcomes: Specific, measurable outcomes for individual courses, describing what students can do upon completion.
• Goals of LOCF
  • Shift in Focus - Moves away from passive memorisation to active construction and application of knowledge and skills.
  • Student Empowerment - Encourages active learning where teachers act as facilitators rather than mere instructors.
  • Skill Development - Builds critical 21st-century skills like analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving for a tech-driven world.
  • Enhanced Employability - Equips students with industry-relevant knowledge and competencies, improving workforce readiness.
  • Holistic Development - Promotes not only academic knowledge but also values, attitudes, ethics, and lifelong learning, ensuring all-round growth.

Key Features of UGC’s Proposed Undergraduate Curriculum

• The UGC has released draft curriculum frameworks for nine subjects, including anthropology, chemistry, commerce, economics, geography, home science, mathematics, physical education, and political science.
• Designed as Learning Outcomes-Based Curriculum Frameworks (LOCFs), they define the concepts and skills students should acquire.
• Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the drafts envision flexible four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programmes with multiple exit options.
• They also integrate Indian Knowledge Systems into higher education.
  • Mathematics electives include ‘Kala Ganana’ (timekeeping traditions) focusing on India’s lunar, solar, and lunisolar calendars.
  • Similarly, ‘Philosophy of Indian Mathematics’, introduces the study of Vedas, Vedangas, Puranas, and Darshanas as branches of learning.
• These additions aim to blend traditional knowledge with modern education.

Integration of ‘Bharatiya’ Knowledge in Draft Curriculum

• The new UGC draft LOCFs place strong emphasis on incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into undergraduate courses.
• For instance, the chemistry curriculum includes a unit on traditional Indian dietary practices from Ayurveda under “food chemistry”, recommending texts like Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing.
• Similarly, the draft commerce curriculum introduces a course on Indian management principles, featuring lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and Vedantic perspectives alongside modern concepts.
• Earlier frameworks lacked such components. Officials clarified that while UGC had issued LOCFs for 38 subjects since 2019 under the choice-based credit system, the rollout of NEP 2020 has prompted a fresh framework.
• According to NEP, a future Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will ultimately set outcome-based frameworks, though it is yet to be established.

Opposition from States over Draft Curriculum

• The draft UGC curriculum has drawn sharp criticism from opposition-ruled states.
• Kerala’s Higher Education Minister labelled it “obsolete,” “unscientific,” and influenced by Hindutva ideology.
• Experts cited references like Ram Rajya in commerce (as part of CSR discussions) and the inclusion of V D Savarkar’s The Indian War of Independence as recommended reading in political science, alongside a separate elective on Savarkar.
• Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister alleged that the framework aims to impose central government ideologies and objected to UGC’s interference in state curriculums.
• However, UGC clarified that universities retain autonomy to adapt or redesign modules.
• In fact, during earlier LOCF rollouts, universities, including the University of Kerala, had revised their courses in line with UGC guidance.

Why in news?

In its 56th meeting, the GST Council approved next-generation reforms, moving towards a simplified two-slab structure of 5% and 18%.

A higher 40% demerit rate will apply only to super luxury, sin, and demerit goods, streamlining India’s eight-year-old indirect tax regime.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Aim of GST Reforms
• Major GST Reforms Announced
• GST Reforms 2025: Key Rate Cuts Impact

Aim of GST Reforms

• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, during its 56th meeting, decided to revamp the tax structure into a primarily two-rate system.
• The GST reforms seek to reduce the tax burden on common people, cut slabs, ease working capital issues, and improve business efficiency through automated refunds and registrations.
• All rate changes, except for tobacco-related products, will take effect from September 22 (Navratri’s first day).
• Despite state concerns over revenue loss, the meeting concluded in a single day under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with participation from ministers of 31 states and UTs.

Key Highlights of GST Reforms

• PM Modi welcomed the GST Council’s decision to approve sweeping rate cuts and structural reforms, calling it a pro-people move benefiting farmers, MSMEs, middle-class families, women, and youth.
• Focus on Common-Use Goods and Services
  • The reforms bring major relief on daily-use items:
    • Packaged food (juices, butter, cheese, coconut water, pasta, nuts) reduced to 5%.
    • Medical items like oxygen, gauze, bandages, diagnostic kits lowered from 12% to 5%.
    • Ultra-high temperature milk, paneer, pizza bread, chapati, khakra, and erasers made GST-free.
    • Household goods (hair oil, soaps, shampoos, bicycles, kitchenware) brought down to 5%.
• Tax Cuts on White Goods and Automobiles
• GST on ACs, TVs, dishwashers cut from 28% to 18%.
• Small cars (petrol up to 1200 cc/diesel up to 1500 cc) now taxed at 18%.
• Motorcycles under 350 cc and all auto parts also shifted to 18%.
• Luxury cars taxed at 40%; electric vehicles remain at 5%.
• Insurance and Services
  • Life and health insurance (including term, ULIP, endowment, and family floater policies) made GST-exempt.
  • Gyms, salons, barbers, yoga services reduced from 18% to 5%.
• Rationalisation of GST Slabs
  • The Council replaced multiple slabs (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%) with a two-slab system (5% and 18%), plus a 40% demerit rate for sin goods (tobacco, pan masala, luxury cars).
  • This corrects the inverted duty structure, simplifies compliance, and reduces disputes.
• Financial Impact and States’ Concerns
  • Some states flagged potential revenue losses of ₹80,000–1.5 lakh crore, but consensus prevailed.
  • The Centre estimates the reforms will have a net fiscal implication of ₹48,000 crore on 2023–24 consumption data.
• Sector-Specific Reforms
  • Textiles: GST on manmade fibre cut from 18% to 5%, yarn from 12% to 5%.
  • Fertilisers: Inputs like sulphuric acid, nitric acid, ammonia reduced from 18% to 5%.
• Industry Response
  • Industry bodies like CII hailed the reforms as pathbreaking, promising to pass benefits to consumers, reduce litigation, and enhance compliance.
  • The reforms are expected to lift demand, ease compliance, and support job creation.

GST Reforms 2025: Key Rate Cuts Impact

• GST Rate Cuts for Common Man
  • The latest GST reforms bring major relief to households and middle-class consumers.
  • Everyday essentials such as hair oil, soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bicycles, kitchenware, and tableware have all been shifted to the 5% tax slab from 12–18% earlier.
  • Popular food items like namkeens, sauces, pasta, instant noodles, chocolates, coffee, and butter have also seen their tax rate reduced to 5%.
  • Significantly, cement, a key infrastructure input, has been reduced from 28% to 18%, lowering construction costs.
• Zero-Tax Relief for Essentials and Healthcare
  • Products such as ultra-high temperature milk, paneer, rotis, chapatis, and parathas will now attract 0% GST, making everyday food items cheaper.
  • In healthcare, 33 lifesaving medicines have been exempted from GST, while spectacles for vision correction will now attract just 5% instead of 28%.
  • Insurance services also see a major shift, with life and health insurance policies moved to 0% from 18%, providing direct benefits to households.
• White Goods and Automobiles
  • High-ticket consumer items such as air-conditioners, TVs, dishwashers, small cars, motorcycles (≤350cc), buses, trucks, and ambulances will now attract 18% GST instead of 28%.
  • This will ease affordability for consumers and boosting demand in the automotive sector.
• Correcting Inverted Duty Structures
  • The government has addressed long-pending anomalies in textiles and fertilisers.
  • GST on manmade fibre has been reduced from 18% to 5%, and on manmade yarn from 12% to 5%, correcting distortions in the textile value chain.
  • Similarly, fertiliser inputs like sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and ammonia have been cut from 18% to 5%, lowering costs for agriculture and farmers.
• Special 40% Slab for Sin and Luxury Goods
  • A 40% GST rate will apply only to super-luxury and sin goods such as pan masala, cigarettes, gutka, zarda, unmanufactured tobacco, caffeinated beverages, private-use helicopters, airplanes, yachts, and large cars/motorcycles (>350cc).
  • For now, pan masala and tobacco products will remain taxed at 28% plus cess, but they will move into the 40% slab once the Centre repays compensation loans borrowed for states.

Context

• The passage of the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, marks a watershed moment in India’s maritime governance.
• Together with the newly enacted Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, and the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, this legislative package aims to modernise India’s regulatory framework, replacing archaic provisions with a system better aligned to international practices.
• While the government hails these reforms as essential to streamlining governance and boosting global competitiveness, closer scrutiny reveals that the package risks centralising power, undermining federalism, and burdening smaller operators in ways that could blunt its long-term effectiveness. 

The Indian Ports Act, 2025: A Step Towards Modernisation

• India’s maritime laws have long been outdated, with the Indian Ports Act of 1908 and the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958 reflecting a world vastly different from today’s globalised shipping industry.
• The new legislative framework addresses this gap by attempting to bring India in line with international conventions, modern finance tools, and global liability standards.
• Proponents argue that the Indian Ports Act, in particular, is designed to facilitate ease of business, promote sustainable port development, and provide coherence in an otherwise fragmented regulatory environment.
• Such steps are essential for India to expand its trade horizons, attract foreign investment, and enhance its maritime reputation.

A Closer Scrutiny of the Ports Act 2025

• Federalism Undermined
  • Its most contentious feature is the creation of the Maritime State Development Council, chaired by the Union Minister of Ports, with authority to compel States to follow centrally issued guidelines.
  • While presented as a tool of cooperative federalism, critics see it as a mechanism of subordination, forcing coastal States to align with central projects such as Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti at the expense of their local priorities.
  • This shift risks reducing the fiscal autonomy and flexibility of States, while leaving them responsible for the practical burdens of port management.
  • In effect, the legislation consolidates authority in New Delhi, weakening the federal compact enshrined in India’s constitutional order.
• Discretion and Judicial Independence
  • Equally troubling are the provisions that expand discretionary powers and curtail judicial oversight.
  • The law bars civil courts from hearing port-related disputes, directing parties instead to internal resolution mechanisms overseen by the very authorities whose decisions are under challenge.
  • Such an arrangement risks eroding impartiality and deterring private investment, since investors value transparent and independent adjudication.
  • More broadly, the vague and open-ended regulatory powers conferred by the law create the potential for arbitrary enforcement, with smaller operators likely to face the greatest compliance burdens.

Some Other Troubling Aspects of the Ports Act

• Ownership and Control Concerns
  • The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, though notable for modernising registration rules, safety standards, and liability frameworks, contains significant loopholes in ownership safeguards.
  • Where the earlier law mandated full Indian ownership of Indian-flagged vessels, the new Act permits partial foreign ownership, leaving actual thresholds to government notification.
  • This ambiguity grants the executive excessive discretion and raises fears that India could drift into becoming a flag-of-convenience jurisdiction, where foreign owners effectively control Indian-registered ships.
  • Furthermore, provisions recognising Bareboat Charter-Cum-Demise registrations, while legitimate in principle, risk leaving foreign lessors with long-term control absent clear enforcement rules.
• Burdening Small Operators
  • The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, too, reflects a tension between strengthening cabotage protections and expanding central discretion.
  • On paper, it reserves coastal trade for Indian-flagged vessels. Yet it simultaneously empowers the Director General of Shipping to license foreign vessels on sweeping grounds such as national security or strategic alignment.
  • Without precise definitions, such clauses invite arbitrary use, potentially undermining domestic operators.
  • Smaller players, particularly in the fishing industry, may find themselves disproportionately burdened by onerous reporting requirements and bureaucratic compliance, without corresponding support or clarity.

The Way Forward: A Reform in Need of Reform

• Taken together, the four laws represent an important recognition of the need to update India’s maritime governance.
• But their reliance on executive discretion, their centralising tendencies, and their inadequate safeguards for judicial independence and small operators risk undermining the very objectives they seek to achieve.
• India requires a legal framework that facilitates growth while preserving federal balance and ensuring fair competition.
• For this, ownership thresholds and licensing rules must be specified clearly in law rather than left to administrative notification.
• Likewise, dispute resolution mechanisms must include impartial judicial oversight, and States must have a meaningful role in planning.

Conclusion

• The Indian maritime reform package of 2025 is both a bold step forward and a source of new vulnerabilities.
• By repealing century-old laws and aligning with international practices, it seeks to propel India into the ranks of modern maritime powers.
• Yet the dangers of over-centralisation, executive overreach, and insufficient protection for small operators cannot be overlooked.
• Reform is necessary, but it must be inclusive, transparent, and respectful of federal balance if it is to serve as the foundation for India’s maritime future.

Context

• Constitutional democracies are founded not merely on the authority of written laws but on a deeper principle, what South African jurist Etienne Mureinik described as a culture of justification.
• This principle demands that every exercise of public power must be reasoned, explained, and defended to the people.
• This standard of accountability, though often demanded by the judiciary from the legislature and executive, appears strikingly absent within India’s own system of judicial appointments.
• The controversy surrounding Justice B.V. Nagarathna’s reported dissent against the elevation of Justice Vipul M. Pancholi highlights the opacity of the Collegium system and exposes its democratic deficit.

The Problem of Opacity in the Collegium System

• The Supreme Court of India has long positioned itself as the guardian of transparency and accountability in governance.
• Yet when it comes to its own internal processes, particularly the Collegium system of judicial appointments, it has consistently resisted disclosure.
• Established through judicial decisions in the Second Judges Case (1993) and the Third Judges Case (1998), the Collegium vests appointment power in the five senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
• These deliberations occur behind closed doors, and their outcomes are often published as terse resolutions devoid of explanation.
• Justice Nagarathna’s dissent illustrates the dangers of this secrecy. Despite her reportedly grave objections, the Collegium’s published resolution presented an appearance of unanimity.
• The public learned of her reservations only through media leaks, and the note she wrote remains inaccessible.
• The government, within 48 hours, confirmed the appointment, leaving unresolved whether her dissent was ever considered.
• This gulf between what happens in the Collegium and what the public is permitted to know exemplifies how secrecy corrodes institutional legitimacy.

Failed Defences of Secrecy

• The Court has traditionally defended its opacity on two grounds: the protection of candidates’ reputations and the avoidance of political pressure.
• On closer examination, both justifications prove unconvincing. Other democracies have managed to reconcile transparency with fairness.
• Britain’s Judicial Appointments Commission openly discloses criteria and assessments, while South Africa’s Judicial Service Commission debates candidates’ suitability in public hearings.
• These systems acknowledge that legitimacy flows from openness, even if imperfections remain.
• By contrast, India’s Collegium continues to function as a private conclave. If reputational harm is a genuine concern, the answer lies not in total secrecy but in carefully structured disclosures that balance Candor with dignity.
• Likewise, fears of political interference are not alleviated by opacity, since the executive still delays or obstructs inconvenient appointments despite the Collegium’s confidentiality.

The Stakes for Democracy

• The debate is not limited to the fate of a single judge. Judicial appointments shape constitutional interpretation for generations, influencing issues from civil liberties to federal balance.
• In democracies, unelected judges are entrusted with significant power precisely because they are expected to safeguard liberty and equality against majoritarian excesses.
• They do not undermine democracy; they enable its deepest commitments.
• But the judiciary’s moral authority rests on public confidence.
• When appointments occur without reasons, or when dissents by serving judges are hidden, the Court undermines its own legitimacy.
• The principle that every exercise of public power must be justified applies with even greater force to an institution tasked with upholding constitutional morality.

Towards Reform: From Concealment to Justification

• If the Indian judiciary is to sustain its authority, the Collegium must embrace reform.
• A system of opaque deliberations is unsustainable in a democracy that increasingly demands transparency from every organ of the state.
• Past experiments, such as the brief period in 2018 when fuller reasons for appointments were disclosed, should not have been abandoned but improved upon.
• To retreat into secrecy is to erode public trust and, with it, the independence the Court seeks to preserve.
• A judiciary that subjects itself to the same standards of openness it demands of others would not weaken its autonomy.
• On the contrary, it would ground its independence in the confidence of citizens and reinforce the democratic culture of justification.
• Only by practicing accountability can the judiciary preserve the legitimacy essential to its constitutional role.

Conclusion

• The controversy surrounding Justice Nagarathna’s dissent exposes a fundamental contradiction: the Supreme Court of India insists on transparency from the executive and legislature while shielding its own decisions from scrutiny.
• This double standard cannot endure. A judiciary that cloaks itself in secrecy risks eroding the very legitimacy that justifies its power.
• The Collegium system must evolve to embrace transparency, not retreat from it and to do otherwise is to deny the principle that sustains every constitutional democracy: that power, however exalted, must always be justified.

Why in the News?

• The debate on the 50% reservation cap has been reignited, with petitions and political demands pushing for higher quotas and sub-categorisation of benefits.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Reservations in India (Introduction, Constitutional Framework, Key Judgements, Emerging Issues & Demands, Way Forward)

Introduction

• The question of whether reservations in India should exceed the judicially imposed 50% cap has resurfaced with growing political and social demands.
• Recent political statements, such as the call for 85% reservation in Bihar, coupled with petitions before the Supreme Court seeking ‘creamy layer’ provisions for SCs and STs, highlight the complexity of balancing affirmative action with constitutional guarantees of equality.

Constitutional Framework on Reservations

• Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution guarantee equality before the law and equal opportunity in public employment, while simultaneously empowering the State to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• 

                                                             Image Caption: Journey of Reservations

• At the central level, reservations currently stand at:

• OBCs: 27%
• SCs: 15%
• STs: 7.5%
• EWS: 10%

• This brings the total reservation to 59.5%, already above the 50% ceiling set by judicial precedents but justified on grounds of EWS being a separate category.

Key Judicial Pronouncements on the Cap

• The debate on reservation ceilings originates from two concepts of equality: formal equality (treating all citizens alike) and substantive equality (affirmative measures to address historical disadvantages).

• Balaji v. State of Mysore (1962): Held that reservations should be within "reasonable limits" and capped at 50%.
• State of Kerala v. N.M. Thomas (1975): Opened the door for substantive equality, observing that reservations are not an exception but an extension of equality.
• Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992): Upheld 27% OBC reservations, reaffirmed the 50% ceiling, and introduced the concept of the ‘creamy layer’ for OBCs.
• Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India (2022): Upheld the 10% EWS quota, clarifying that the 50% limit applied to backward classes and not economically weaker sections.
• State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024): A seven-judge Bench emphasised the need for introducing creamy layer principles for SCs and STs.

Emerging Issues and Demands

• Calls for Higher Quotas: Political leaders have argued that the reservation percentage should reflect the demographic proportion of backward classes, which many estimate to be far higher than 50%. This has led to demands for caste census to generate reliable data.
• Unequal Distribution of Benefits: The Rohini Commission found that 97% of OBC reservation benefits were cornered by about 25% of castes, while nearly 1,000 OBC communities saw no representation. Similar concerns exist within SCs and STs, raising the demand for sub-categorisation.
• Creamy Layer Debate for SCs/STs: While OBCs have a creamy layer exclusion, SCs and STs do not. Critics argue that this results in relatively better-off groups monopolising benefits. Others counter that many SC/ST vacancies remain unfilled, making such exclusions counterproductive.
• Backlog of Vacancies: Government data indicates 40-50% of reserved seats across SC, ST, and OBC categories remain vacant, largely due to systemic gaps in recruitment and access.

Balancing Equality and Social Justice

• The central dilemma is balancing the right to equality of opportunity with the need for social justice.
• Expanding reservations beyond the 50% cap could be seen as compromising merit and constitutional equality, yet empirical data highlights the persistent underrepresentation of marginalised communities.
• Experts suggest reforms such as:

• Sub-categorisation within OBCs and SC/ST groups to ensure fairer distribution of benefits.
• A “two-tier” system prioritising the most marginalised.
• Greater investment in skill development and employment creation, reducing overdependence on public-sector reservations.

Context:

• Passed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament 2025, the National Sports Governance Act 2025 regulates and recognises national sports bodies in India.
• It aims to end decades of misgovernance, political interference, and litigation in sports administration, replacing the ad-hoc National Sports Development Code of India with a comprehensive legislation.

Historical Background:

• While it was under colonial rule, India was the first Asian nation to participate in the Olympics in 1900. Yet, it lacked a dedicated sports governance law till 2025.
• For example, sports federations became fiefdoms of political satraps marked by -
  • Electoral malpractices.
  • Overstaying office bearers.
  • Domination by non-sportspersons (noted by 2014 Parliamentary Standing Committee).
• More than 350 cases related to malpractices in the governance of various sporting federations are currently pending before different courts.
• In some cases, the courts were compelled to intervene and appoint a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to govern federations as a stop-gap measure.

Global Penalties due to Misgovernance:

• Global penalties:
  • Wrestling Federation of India (2023): Suspended for failing to hold timely elections.
  • Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (2024): Suspended due to absence of elected body.
  • All India Football Federation (AIFF) (2022): Suspended by FIFA for being under court-appointed administrators; impacted Indian Super League 2025–26.
• Impact of misgovernance: Career setbacks for sportspersons bound by age and time, while political administrators escaped accountability.

Key Provisions of the National Sports Governance Act 2025:

• Institutional framework:
  • National Sports Board:
    • The Act empowers the Centre to establish a National Sports Board, which will grant recognition to various national sporting federations and their affiliate units.
    • This provision will put an end to the protracted battles for legitimacy waged by rival federations within the same sport.
  • Establishment of National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, and National and Regional Sports Federations for each sport.
    • Each of the above mentioned bodies has also been mandated to establish a code of conduct in line with the international best practices prevailing in each sport.
• Governance norms:
• The Act also mandates that the Executive Committee for every sporting federation must consist of up to 15 members, with at least two outstanding sportspersons and four women.
• Moreover, the age and tenure limits are also defined to ensure that fresh talent and vigour is inducted in sports administration.
• Dispute resolution:
  • A National Sports Tribunal will be constituted to adjudicate disputes pertaining to sporting federations.
  • This is a landmark provision as it would -
    • Streamline sports-related litigation by enabling matters to be decided by subject experts.
    • Reduces litigation delays as an appeal against a decision of the Tribunal would only lie before the Supreme Court.
• Election oversight:
  • The Act seeks to establish a national panel of electoral officers for monitoring elections.
  • Federations are mandated to establish their own election panels for affiliates.
  • Provision for disqualification of non-compliant federations.

Significance of the Act:

• First comprehensive legislation on sports governance in India.
• Ends monopoly of political satraps; promotes accountability, transparency, and inclusivity.
• Ensures representation of sportspersons and women in decision-making.
• Provides legal clarity to avoid international sanctions.
• Paves way for India’s aspiration to host Commonwealth Games and Olympics with integrity and robust legal backing.

Conclusion:

• The National Sports Governance Act 2025 lays the foundation for transparent, accountable, and inclusive sports administration in India, aligning governance structures with global best practices.
• Going forward, its effective implementation can empower sportspersons, restore international credibility, and help India realise its aspiration of becoming a leading sporting nation.

Why in news?

The Supreme Court has cast doubt on its 2014 Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust judgment, which had exempted minority educational institutions from the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

A two-judge Bench, while ruling on whether the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) was mandatory for minority schools, referred the matter to a larger Bench for reconsideration.

The court noted that excluding minority schools from the RTE Act’s ambit may have compromised children’s fundamental right to quality education, raising concerns about equal access to standards of learning.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Supreme Court’s TET Ruling: Minority Schools and In-Service Teachers
• Supreme Court Flags Concerns Over Pramati Ruling
• 2014 Pramati Ruling: Key Takeaways
• Key Provisions and Spirit of the RTE Act
• Misuse of Pramati Exception and Renewed Judicial Push for Inclusion

Supreme Court’s TET Ruling: Minority Schools and In-Service Teachers

• The Supreme Court, while ruling in Anjuman Ishaat-e-Taleem Trust v. State of Maharashtra, addressed two key issues:
  • Minority schools & RTE Act: The Bench referred to a larger Bench the question of whether the RTE Act applies to minority schools, casting doubt on the 2014 Pramati judgment.
  • In-service teachers in non-minority schools: Teachers with less than 5 years of service left may continue without clearing the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), but must pass it for promotions.
    • Teachers with more than 5 years left must clear TET within two years to remain eligible.
• This nuanced order balanced continuity of service with the need to uphold minimum teacher qualification standards.

Supreme Court Flags Concerns Over Pramati Ruling

• The Supreme Court criticised the 2014 Pramati judgment, calling it “legally suspect” and “disproportionate” for exempting all minority institutions from the RTE Act based largely on Section 12(1)(c), which mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged children.
• The Bench highlighted the conflict between Article 30(1) (minority institutions’ rights) and Article 21A (children’s fundamental right to education).
• It stressed that both rights “must co-exist mutually” instead of treating Article 30(1) as an absolute override, as the Pramati ruling had done.

2014 Pramati Ruling: Key Takeaways

• The five-judge Bench examined:
  • 86th Amendment (2002): Introduced Article 21A, making education a fundamental right.
  • 93rd Amendment (2005): Introduced Article 15(5), allowing the state to provide special provisions for backward classes, SCs, and STs in all institutions except minority schools.
• The Bench upheld both amendments, recognising education as a right and permitting state intervention for disadvantaged groups.
• However, it ruled that the RTE Act was unconstitutional for minority schools (aided or unaided) protected under Article 30(1).
• Rationale for Exemption
  • The Court reasoned that imposing Section 12(1)(c) — reserving 25% seats for disadvantaged children — could dilute the minority character of such schools.
  • It emphasised that minority institutions have the fundamental right to establish and administer schools of their choice, and this must remain safeguarded.

Key Provisions and Spirit of the RTE Act

• The Right to Education (RTE) Act guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14. It mandates:
  • Free education in government schools and proportionate free seats in aided schools.
  • 25% seat reservation in private unaided schools for disadvantaged children, with state reimbursement (Section 12(1)(c)).
  • Minimum standards for pupil-teacher ratios, trained teachers, infrastructure, and libraries.
  • A ban on corporal punishment and capitation fees, making all schools responsible for universal education.
• According to experts, the Act is child-centric, not institution-centric, prioritising the fundamental right of every child over the administrative autonomy of schools.

Misuse of Pramati Exception and Renewed Judicial Push for Inclusion

• A study by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights showed that only 8.76% of students in minority schools were from disadvantaged groups, while 62.5% were non-minority.
• This indicates that many institutions claimed minority status without serving their communities, yet benefited from exemption to RTE mandates.
• After the RTE Act (2010), private and minority groups challenged the 25% quota.
• While the 2012 ruling exempted unaided minority schools, the 2014 Pramati ruling extended this exemption to all minority schools, creating loopholes for elite private schools to adopt a minority label to avoid compliance.
• Experts noted that such institutions ignored disadvantaged children, undermining the spirit of RTE.
• They emphasised that the latest SC ruling rightly realigns with children’s rights, ensuring that students in minority schools also benefit from norms on libraries, pupil-teacher ratios, and qualified teachers.

Why in news?

According to new WHO data, suicide caused one in every 100 deaths worldwide in 2021, claiming 727,000 lives. For every death, over 20 attempts occurred.

The reports — World Mental Health Today and Mental Health Atlas 2024 — also reveal that more than a billion people live with mental health disorders. Country-wise profiles will be released soon as part of the updated Mental Health Atlas, factoring in the pandemic’s impact.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Top Mental Health Disorders: WHO Insights
• Prospects for Reducing Suicide Rates by 2030
• Burden of Mental Health in India
• Challenges of Broad-Basing Mental Health Care in India

Top Mental Health Disorders: WHO Insights

• Mental health is an integral part of health; it is more than the absence of mental illnesses.
• It is the foundation for well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It includes mental well-being, prevention of mental disorders, treatment and rehabilitation.
• Most Common Disorders - Anxiety and depressive disorders are the most prevalent, together making up over two-thirds of all mental health conditions in 2021.
• Rising Global Prevalence - Between 2011 and 2021, mental disorders grew faster than population growth, raising the global age-standardized prevalence to 13.6%, a 0.9% increase in a decade.
• Age-Related Trends
  • Young Adults (20–29 years): Largest increase in prevalence (+1.8%) since 2011.
  • Children (<10 years): Depressive disorders are rare.
  • Middle-Aged Adults (40–69 years): Depressive disorders surpass anxiety, peaking between 50–69 years.
• Gender Differences
  • Males: More prone to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, and intellectual developmental disorders.
  • Females: More affected by anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

Prospects for Reducing Suicide Rates by 2030

• Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people worldwide, but progress in reducing rates is insufficient to meet the UN’s target of a one-third reduction by 2030.
• Current trends indicate only a 12% reduction will be achieved.
• Experts stress that sustained financing, strong leadership, and effective execution of prevention programs are crucial.
• Suicide is driven by multiple factors — including family history, vulnerable temperament, early trauma, stressful environments, isolation, stigma, and lack of accessible mental health services.
• Tackling these risks holistically is essential for meaningful progress.

Burden of Mental Health in India

• WHO estimates that the burden of mental health problems in India is 2443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 10000 population; the age-adjusted suicide rate per 100000 population is 21.1.
• Economic loss: USD 1.03 trillion projected between 2012–2030 due to mental health conditions.
• Policy and Legal Framework
  • National Mental Health Policy, 2014: Advocates a participatory and rights-based approach.
  • Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: Provides legal protections and aligns with UNCRPD principles.
• Government Initiatives
  • National Mental Health Programme and Health and Wellness Centres provide care at the primary health level.
  • National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS) A 24/7 national toll-free helpline providing accessible, free mental health support in various Indian languages. 
  • The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) - A component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) providing decentralized, community-based mental health services. 
  • Deaddiction centres and rehabilitation services further support treatment and recovery.

Challenges of Broad-Basing Mental Health Care in India

• Limited Infrastructure and Custodial Approach
  • India’s mental health institutions alone are insufficient.
  • Experts stress the need for psychiatric beds in general hospitals and tertiary care centres staffed with multidisciplinary teams.
  • The focus must shift from custodial to therapeutic models, with larger hospitals acting as academic training hubs.
• Poor Funding and Associated Conditions
  • Psychiatric hospitals often face underfunding, leading to poor living conditions, neglect, and abuse.
• Scarcity of Trained Professionals
  • There is a severe shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, nurses, and social workers.
  • Interior regions lack access to professionals and essential medicines, leaving families unable to afford long-distance travel for treatment.
• Accessibility and Economic Burden
  • Even when families want to seek help, economic hardships—loss of wages and travel costs—become barriers.
  • With 30 million Indians suffering from severe mental illnesses, the financial strain is immense as patients often become non-earning dependents.
• Need for a Strong Chain of Care
  • Mental healthcare requires continuity of treatment, reliable availability of medicines, and systemic support.
  • Building a robust chain of care across rural and urban India is essential for effective mental health management.

Why in the News?

• The Supreme Court has ordered DISCOMs and regulators to clear regulatory assets within fixed timelines, capping their creation to ensure financial discipline in the power sector.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Regulatory Assets (Introduction, Reasons for ACS-ARR Gap, Impact, Steps Taken, Global Practices, etc.)

Introduction

• The Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling directing State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) and power distribution companies (DISCOMs) to clear their accumulated regulatory assets within four years.
• Any newly created assets must be liquidated within three years. The Court further advised capping regulatory assets at 3% of a DISCOM’s Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR), making transparency and financial discipline central to the ruling.
• This judgment is a critical step toward addressing the long-standing issue of unrecovered costs in India’s electricity sector, which has placed enormous financial strain on DISCOMs, distorted tariff structures, and affected consumers in the long run.

Understanding Regulatory Assets

• Regulatory assets represent the unrecovered revenue gap between the Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) of a DISCOM.

• Average Cost of Supply (ACS): The actual cost incurred by a DISCOM to supply a unit of electricity.
• Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR): The revenue recovered from consumer tariffs and subsidies provided by state governments.

• When ACS exceeds ARR, DISCOMs incur a loss on every unit sold. To avoid imposing sudden tariff hikes on consumers, regulators allow the revenue shortfall to be recorded as a deferred cost, termed a regulatory asset, recoverable in the future, usually with interest.
• For example, if the ACS is Rs. 7.20 per unit and ARR is Rs. 7.00, the shortfall is Rs. 0.20 per unit. If 10 billion units are supplied, the revenue gap equals Rs. 2,000 crore.
• Instead of an immediate tariff shock, this gap becomes a regulatory asset.

Reasons for ACS-ARR Gap

• The persistence of regulatory assets reflects structural weaknesses in India’s power sector:

• Non-cost reflective tariffs - Tariffs often do not match actual supply costs due to political considerations.
• Delayed subsidy payments - States frequently delay compensating DISCOMs for agricultural and low-income consumer subsidies.
• Fuel price volatility - Sudden increases in coal or gas prices raise power purchase costs.
• Operational inefficiencies - High transmission and distribution losses worsen the financial stress.

• The problem is systemic, with states like Tamil Nadu reporting regulatory assets of Rs. 89,375 crore in FY 2021-22, and Delhi DISCOMs collectively holding over Rs. 66,000 crore.

Impact on Consumers and DISCOMs

• Impact on Consumers

• Initially, regulatory assets shield consumers from tariff shocks.
• However, deferred recovery later leads to steeper tariff hikes, including carrying costs (interest).
• For example, Delhi DISCOMs would need to recover Rs. 16,580 crore annually over four years, adding about Rs. 5.5 per unit to electricity costs.

• Impact on DISCOMs

• Persistent regulatory assets create cash flow crises, making it difficult to pay power generators on time.
• DISCOMs often resort to borrowing, adding to their debt burden.
• With finances tied up in unrecovered costs, investment in grid modernisation, renewable integration, and consumer services suffers.
• This creates a vicious cycle of inefficiency and financial stress.

Measures to Bridge the Gap

• To reduce dependency on regulatory assets, multiple reforms are necessary:

• Cost-reflective tariffs - Align tariffs with actual supply costs while protecting vulnerable consumers with targeted subsidies.
• Timely subsidy release - State governments must ensure punctual disbursement of subsidy payments.
• Automatic fuel adjustment - Mechanisms like Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA) can help tariffs reflect market changes quickly.
• Annual true-up exercises - Regular reconciliation of projected and actual costs prevents large backlogs.
• Regulatory discipline - SERCs must enforce transparent accounting, cap regulatory assets, and set strict recovery timelines.

Global Best Practices

• Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model: Allows utilities to recover investments through tariffs with assured returns, providing long-term revenue certainty.
• UK’s RIIO framework (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs): Links revenues to performance targets like reliability, service quality, and carbon reduction, incentivising efficiency.
• Digital infrastructure: Smart grids and India Energy Stack can improve transparency in asset management and efficiency-based recovery.

• These models suggest that regulatory assets should remain exceptional tools rather than recurring features.

Context:

• Semiconductors have emerged as the backbone of the global digital economy, powering devices from smartphones to satellites.
• For India, building semiconductor capability is not only an industrial goal but also a strategic necessity to secure economic, technological, and geopolitical independence, and driving the semiconductor revolution in India.

Evolution of Semiconductors:

• Early era: Computers ran on vacuum tubes, occupying entire rooms.
• Modern era: Billions of transistors now fit into fingernail-sized chips, powering mobiles, AI systems, vehicles, and defence equipment.
• Critical role of semiconductors: Semiconductors form the foundation of the digital economy, comparable to steel in the industrial age.

Strategic Importance of Semiconductors:

• National security and growth: Without chips, no communication, AI, renewable energy, or defence is possible.
• Pandemic lesson: Global chip shortages disrupted auto, electronics, and networking sectors.
• Geopolitics: Concentration of chip production in a few regions makes supply chains vulnerable.
• Resource parallel: Just as rare earth magnets shape global power, semiconductors are the key resource of the digital age.

India’s Rising Demand:

• Electronics ecosystem: Over 65 crore smartphone users, electronics manufacturing worth ₹12 lakh crore annually.
• Emerging sectors: AI, data centres, EVs require advanced chips.
• Strategic imperative: India must secure its position in the global semiconductor value chain.

India’s Semiconductor Mission:

• Policy push: Under the India Semiconductor Mission, 10 semiconductor plants have been approved, and the first “Made in India” chip expected this year.
• Pilot production: Sanand unit operational, and four more units to go into production soon.
• Global partnerships: Global leaders such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, Merck, and Linde are investing in supporting factories and supply chains.
• Government role: Clear vision, professional decision-making, state support, and global collaboration.

Talent and Innovation Ecosystem:

• Human capital: India has 20% of the global chip design workforce.
• Training gap: The world is expected to face a shortage of over one million semiconductor professionals by the start of the next decade. India is preparing to fill this gap.
• Skill development:
  • Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools: Over 60,000 users across 350 institutions and start-ups are using world-class EDA tools provided free of cost by the Government of India.
  • Start-ups: Mindgrove Technologies is developing IoT chips built on the indigenously developed SHAKTI processor from IIT Madras. Netrasemi recently secured a record Rs 107 crore in funding.
  • DLI scheme: Many such start-ups are being nurtured under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme of the government.
• Student innovation: Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) Mohali students produced 20 chips, and the facility is being modernised to move India's talent from the classroom to the cleanroom.

Global Collaboration and Investments:

• Industry commitments: Lam Research is going to train 60,000 engineers in India. Applied Materials, AMD, and Microchip are committing $1.1 billion for R&D.
• Academic-industry linkages: Partnerships with IITs, IISc for lab-to-fab training.
• Global partners: Cooperation with US, Japan, EU, Singapore.

Policy Continuum - From Digital India to Semicon India:

• Digital India legacy: UPI, Aadhaar, India Stack, telecom backbone created digital infrastructure.
• Next step: Semiconductor ecosystem to drive electronics manufacturing and self-reliance.
• Semicon India Summit 2025:
  • Participation from over 500 leaders, 48 countries.
  • Dedicated pavilions from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia.

Future Outlook:

• Goal: Make India a “Product Nation”, exporting chips for telecom, automotive, data centres, consumer and industrial electronics.
• Decadal vision: India positioned to become a global semiconductor hub across the value chain, ensuring economic resilience and technological sovereignty.

Conclusion:

• The semiconductor revolution in India marks a decisive shift from being a consumer of digital technologies to becoming a global producer and innovator.
• With strong policy support, talent development, and international collaboration, Bharat is poised to emerge as a resilient hub in the global semiconductor value chain, shaping the digital future of both itself and the world.

Context

• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 was introduced to safeguard dignity, equality, and inclusion for persons with disabilities in India, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• However, the revised guidelines issued in March 2024 to assess the disability status of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), beta thalassaemia, and related blood disorders highlight the persistent tension between intent and implementation.
• While recognition of SCD under the Act represents progress, the exclusion of such conditions from employment reservations and the rigid certification process, undermine the law’s transformative potential.

The Legal Framework and Its Limits

• The RPWD Act categorises persons with benchmark disabilities those with at least 40% impairment, as eligible for benefits such as free school education, development assistance, and quotas in public sector employment.
• Yet this framework rests heavily on biomedical measurement, which often fails to reflect lived experiences.
• The guidelines for SCD continue to rely on impairment scoring, privileging visible or easily quantifiable conditions while overlooking chronic, fluctuating, and invisible disabilities.
• This narrow approach conflicts with the Act’s stated goal of recognising disability as not merely a medical condition but as a product of social and structural exclusion.
• By failing to extend the 4% reservation in public sector jobs to individuals with SCD, the government has effectively diminished the value of acknowledging the condition under the Act.
• The result is a form of symbolic recognition that does not translate into tangible protections.

The Nature of Sickle Cell Disability and Barriers in Certification

• The Nature of Sickle Cell Disability
  • SCD is a lifelong, painful, and disabling blood disorder that disproportionately affects marginalised Adivasi and Dalit communities.
  • Though its symptoms may not always be outwardly visible, the disease entails recurrent pain crises, anaemia, organ damage, and frequent hospitalisation from childhood onwards.
  • These episodes interrupt education, limit livelihood opportunities, and shorten life expectancy.
  • The social stigma surrounding the disease further compounds the challenges faced by affected individuals, making them vulnerable to discrimination in schooling, employment, and healthcare access.
• Barriers in Certification
  • Certification is the gateway to most entitlements under the RPWD Act.
  • However, obtaining a disability certificate for SCD patients is fraught with difficulties.
  • Diagnosis requires confirmatory tests from government or accredited laboratories, followed by evaluation by a district medical authority.
  • The scoring system assigns points based on complications such as transfusion frequency, neurological impact, or degree of pain.
  • This mechanistic approach often excludes individuals whose disability manifests episodically or whose symptoms are primarily invisible.

Socioeconomic Consequences and the Way Forward

• Socioeconomic Consequences
  • The inadequacies of the current framework have direct implications for education, employment, and poverty alleviation.
  • Children with SCD often miss school due to hospitalisation, while young adults face disrupted career trajectories and recurrent job losses because of painful episodes.
  • Despite this, the denial of job reservations under the RPWD Act deprives them of opportunities for stable livelihoods.
  • Economic exclusion is reinforced by gaps in social protection.
  • While income tax deductions and enhanced pension schemes exist for persons with certified disabilities, many SCD patients remain unable to access them due to restrictive scoring and certification hurdles.
  • This perpetuates a cycle of vulnerability in which health burdens and social disadvantage feed into one another.
• The Way Forward: Towards a More Inclusive Framework
  • Several reforms are essential if the RPWD Act is to fulfil its promise of equality.
  • First, job reservations should be extended to individuals with SCD and other chronic blood disorders, recognising the condition as a significant lifelong disability.
  • Second, the certification process must be reformed to account for fluctuating and invisible disabilities.
  • Instead of rigid scoring systems, assessments should adopt a rights-based approach that considers the broader socioeconomic impact of chronic illness.
  • Third, outreach and support mechanisms must be strengthened for marginalised communities, ensuring that access to certification and entitlements does not depend on geographical or financial privilege.
  • These measures would align with the Act’s original spirit: moving away from a narrow medical lens and acknowledging disability as a product of social exclusion and systemic barriers.

Conclusion

• The recognition of sickle cell disease under the RPWD Act marks an important step, but without substantive rights and protections, it risks becoming a hollow gesture.
• By excluding SCD from employment reservations and relying on inaccessible certification processes, the state undermines the very principles of dignity, equality, and inclusion that the Act was meant to uphold.
• Disability must be understood not only as an impairment but as a lived experience shaped by social, economic, and structural inequities.
• For India’s disability rights framework to be truly inclusive, it must embrace chronic and invisible conditions such as SCD, ensuring that recognition translates into real, enforceable rights.

Context

• The Supreme Court of India, as the highest judicial authority in the country, carries not only the responsibility of interpreting constitutional provisions but also of embodying the principles of equality and inclusion enshrined in the Constitution.
• However, its own institutional history reveals a striking underrepresentation of women.
• The retirement of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia in August 2025 and the subsequent appointments of Justices Vipul Pancholi and Alok Aradhe, without the inclusion of a woman, has once again drawn attention to the persistent gender imbalance in the Court.
• At present, Justice B.V. Nagarathna is the only woman among a full strength of 34 judges, raising critical questions about the process and criteria of judicial appointments.

Historical Trends in Women’s Representation

• Since its establishment in 1950, the Supreme Court has had only eleven women judges, constituting roughly 3.8% of the 287 judges appointed to date.
• This small proportion highlights the slow pace of gender inclusion. The appointment of Justice Fathima Beevi in 1989 was a landmark moment, but subsequent progress has been limited.
• The Collegium decision in August 2021, which elevated three women judges simultaneously, briefly increased women’s representation above 10%.
• This was unprecedented, but the momentum was not sustained, and subsequent appointments reverted to established patterns of exclusion.
• The demographic profile of these eleven judges also reveals further gaps. No woman judge has ever been appointed from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, and only Justice Fathima Beevi has represented a religious minority.
• Moreover, the pathway of direct elevation from the Bar, often regarded as an important route into the higher judiciary, has overwhelmingly benefited men.
• While nine male lawyers have been appointed directly to the Supreme Court since 1950, only one woman, Justice Indu Malhotra, has achieved this distinction.

Structural Barriers to Advancement

• Another notable trend is the relatively late age at which women judges are appointed to the Court. This restricts their tenure and limits their ability to attain seniority.
• For example, several women judges have served for fewer than three years, diminishing their influence in the Court’s institutional processes.
• This has also affected their opportunities to participate in the Collegium, which plays a decisive role in appointments.
• Justice Nagarathna is expected to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027, but her term will last only 36 days, an appointment more symbolic than substantive in institutional impact.
• These patterns suggest that structural barriers, rather than individual merit, have constrained women’s advancement.
• The absence of systematic efforts to address these barriers perpetuates a cycle of underrepresentation.

The Collegium System and Gender Blindness

• The process of judicial appointments through the Collegium system has long been criticised for its opacity.
• While the Memorandum of Procedure outlines the broad framework, where the Chief Justice of India, in consultation with the four senior-most judges, makes recommendations that are forwarded to the executive, the actual criteria guiding selection remain unspecified.
• Although caste, religion, and regional representation are occasionally cited, gender has not been institutionalised as a factor.
• Attempts at transparency have been inconsistent. During the tenure of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Collegium resolutions with stated reasons were made public, but this practice has not been consistently followed by his successors.
• The absence of clarity creates a system in which gender considerations remain at the margins, dependent on the priorities of individual decision-makers rather than embedded within institutional policy.

Implications for Judicial Diversity

• The limited representation of women in the Supreme Court has implications beyond numbers. Judges inevitably bring their personal and professional experiences into judicial reasoning.
• Women judges, by virtue of their perspectives, may highlight issues that might otherwise be overlooked, particularly in cases concerning gender justice, family law, or social policy.
• However, the underrepresentation of women constrains the diversity of viewpoints that can enrich judicial deliberations.
• Moreover, the absence of women from leadership positions, such as the Collegium or the Chief Justiceship, weakens the ability of the judiciary to present itself as fully representative of Indian society.
• While the Court has advanced progressive jurisprudence on gender equality in various judgments, its own institutional practices lag behind its pronouncements.

Conclusion

• The analysis of women’s representation in the Supreme Court of India reveals structural and procedural gaps that perpetuate gender imbalance.
• The issue is not simply about fairness to women candidates but about the institutional legitimacy of the judiciary itself.
• A representative bench, inclusive of women from varied backgrounds, would strengthen public confidence in the judiciary and ensure a broader range of perspectives in judicial decision-making.
• Without systemic reforms to address these structural barriers, the Supreme Court’s commitment to gender equality risks remaining more rhetorical than real.

Why in news?

An analysis of data from 43 cancer registries shows India’s lifetime risk of developing cancer is 11%, with 15.6 lakh cases and 8.74 lakh deaths reported in 2024.

These population-based registries, covering 10–18% of the population across 23 states and Union Territories, track new cancer cases, deaths, and regional trends.

Using 2015–19 data, researchers have identified critical patterns in cancer incidence, offering valuable insights for health policy and planning.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Trends in India’s Cancer Burden
• India’s Key Programmes to Fight Cancer

Key Trends in India’s Cancer Burden

• An analysis of data from 43 cancer registries (2015–2019) recorded 7.08 lakh cancer cases and 2.06 lakh deaths.
• The study, conducted by researchers from leading institutions including AIIMS Delhi, Tata Memorial, and Adyar Cancer Institute, excluded 2020 data due to Covid’s impact on health systems.
• Gender Disparities in Cancer Cases and Deaths
  • Women accounted for 51.1% of cancer cases but only 45% of deaths, largely because breast and cervical cancers — the most common among women — are more easily detectable and treatable.
  • In contrast, cancers more common in men, like lung and gastric cancers, are harder to detect early and have poorer outcomes.
• Rising Oral Cancer Cases
  • Oral cancer has now overtaken lung cancer as the most common cancer in men, despite declining tobacco use (34.6% to 28.6% between 2009–10 and 2016–17).
  • This rise is attributed to the long latency of tobacco’s effects and additional risk factors such as alcohol consumption, which increases the risk of multiple cancers.
• Northeast India: The Cancer Hotspot
  • The highest incidence rates were recorded in the Northeast, especially Mizoram (21.1% lifetime risk for men, 18.9% for women).
  • Factors include higher tobacco use, risky dietary habits (fermented pork fat, smoked meats, spicy food, hot beverages), and greater prevalence of carcinogenic infections like HPV, Helicobacter pylori, and hepatitis.
• Geographical Spread of Cancer in India
  • Cancer incidence shows strong regional variations.
  • Breast cancer is highest in Hyderabad (54/100,000), while cervical cancer peaks in Aizawl (27.1).
  • Lung cancer is most common among men in Srinagar (39.5) and among women in Aizawl (33.7), with high rates also in metro cities like Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Visakhapatnam.
  • Oral cancer is most prevalent among men in Ahmedabad (33.6) and among women in East Khasi Hills (13.6), with high cases across western, central, and northern India.
  • Prostate cancer is highest in Srinagar (12.7).
• Policy and Healthcare Significance
  • Findings underline the need for targeted cancer care programs, from screening and awareness campaigns to early detection and treatment.
  • In the Northeast, comprehensive approaches — including stronger healthcare infrastructure, community engagement, and lifestyle changes — are critical.
• Prevention and Early Detection
  • With breast cancer alone contributing 30% of female cases, screening and awareness programs are essential.
  • HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening are vital given the high incidence of cervical cancer across registries.
  • According to WHO, 30–50% of cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes and early detection, highlighting the importance of public health initiatives.

India’s Key Programmes to Fight Cancer

• India has developed a multi-pronged strategy combining policy, infrastructure, financial aid, and research to combat the rising cancer burden.
• National-Level Programmes
  • NPCDCS (National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke): Focuses on oral, breast, and cervical cancer screening, early detection, awareness, and infrastructure strengthening.
  • Strengthening of Tertiary Care for Cancer Scheme: Establishment of 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Cancer Centres (TCCCs) to decentralise advanced cancer treatment.
  • Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PM-JAY): Provides free treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery) for poor families, covering over 90% of registered cancer patients.
  • Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF): Financial aid up to ₹15 lakh per patient, ensuring affordable treatment at 27 Regional Cancer Centres.
  • National Cancer Grid (NCG): World’s largest cancer care network (287 centres) treating over 7.5 lakh new cancer patients annually, ensuring standardised, evidence-based care.
• Budget & Infrastructure Support
  • Union Budget 2025-26: Allocated nearly ₹1 lakh crore for health, including Day Care Cancer Centres in all districts, and customs duty exemptions on 36 lifesaving drugs.
• Research & Innovation
  • NexCAR19 CAR-T Cell Therapy (2024): India’s first indigenous gene therapy for blood cancers, developed by IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial, and ImmunoACT.
  • Quad Cancer Moonshot (2024): Collaboration with the US, Japan, and Australia to eliminate cervical cancer through HPV vaccination and screening.
  • ACTREC Expansion (2025): Enhancing cutting-edge cancer research, treatment, and education facilities.
• Awareness & Lifestyle Interventions
  • Campaigns like Eat Right India, Fit India Movement, and Yoga programmes promote prevention through nutrition and fitness.
  • National Cancer Awareness Day and World Cancer Day are used for mass awareness campaigns.

Why in news?

• PM Modi attended the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where discussions focused on global governance reform, counter-terrorism, peace and security, economic cooperation, and sustainable development.
• Established in 2001 by founding members China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) now has 10 member states, two observer states and 15 dialogue partners from Asia, Europe and Africa.
  • Laos was granted the partner status during 2025 summit.
• In 2017, at Astana, India and Pakistan officially joined SCO as full members.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Documents Signed at the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin
• SCO Tianjin Declaration: Pahalgam Attack Mentioned
• Key Highlights of PM Modi’s Speech at 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin

Key Documents Signed at the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin

• At the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Tianjin, 20 significant documents were signed, shaping the future agenda of the grouping.
• Strategic Declarations and Resolutions
  • Tianjin Declaration adopted as the central political outcome.
  • A Development Strategy for 2026–2035 was approved, outlining long-term priorities and direction for the SCO’s growth in the next decade.
  • Cooperation Programme (2026–2030) to counter extremist ideology within SCO space.
  • Roadmap for SCO Energy Cooperation until 2030.
  • SCO granted observer status within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
  • Cholpon Ata (Kyrgyz Republic) declared SCO tourist and cultural capital for 2025–2026.
• Institutional Strengthening
  • Four new SCO centers were inaugurated with dedicated roles:
    • Countering security threats and challenges.
    • Tackling transnational organized crime.
    • Enhancing information and cybersecurity.
    • Strengthening anti-drug cooperation.
  • Decision taken to establish an SCO Development Bank, aimed at boosting infrastructure development, economic progress, and social cooperation among member states.
• Expanded Cooperation Platforms
  • The summit announced initiatives to create new SCO platforms and centers in the fields of:
    • Energy and sustainable growth.
    • Green industry and climate-friendly practices.
    • Digital economy and cybersecurity.
    • Artificial intelligence, tech innovation, and higher education.
    • Vocational and technical education for workforce development.
• Structural Reforms and Expansion
  • Major breakthrough in structural reforms: observer states and dialogue partners were merged into a single category of SCO partners.
  • Laos was granted partner status, expanding the SCO into a 27-nation family (10 members and 17 partners).

SCO Tianjin Declaration: Pahalgam Attack Mentioned

• The declaration explicitly condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in India, which killed 26 people.
• Condolences were expressed to victims’ families, with a call to bring perpetrators and sponsors to justice.
• Other incidents, such as the Jaffer Express hijacking (March) and Khuzdar school bus bombing (May) in Pakistan, were also condemned.
• Departure from Defence Ministers’ Meet
  • At the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao (June 2025), Pahalgam was omitted from the draft statement due to Pakistan’s opposition.
  • India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the statement then, insisting terrorism concerns must be included.
  • Three months later, the leaders’ summit corrected this omission, explicitly mentioning Pahalgam and cross-border terrorism.
• Changing India-China Dynamics
  • Relations between India and China showed signs of thaw, with PM Modi’s first China visit in seven years to meet President Xi Jinping.
  • The Tianjin declaration is seen as a signal of Beijing’s willingness to strengthen ties with New Delhi amid US tariff pressures.
  • Despite the shift, the declaration did not name Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism.
  • For India, the mention of Pahalgam is progress, but trust-building with Beijing requires much more.

Key Highlights of PM Modi’s Speech at 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin

• In his address, PM Modi outlined India’s SCO vision under three pillars – Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.
• He stressed that peace and stability are essential for prosperity and called for firm, coordinated action against terrorism, radicalisation, and terror financing, while rejecting double standards.
• He thanked member states for their solidarity after the Pahalgam terror attack and urged accountability for countries supporting cross-border terrorism.
• On connectivity, he reaffirmed India’s strong backing for projects like the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor, and highlighted opportunities in startups, innovation, youth empowerment, and cultural exchange.
• He also proposed establishing a Civilizational Dialogue Forum under SCO to deepen people-to-people ties.
• Supporting SCO’s reform agenda, PM Modi welcomed new initiatives to counter organised crime, drug trafficking, and cyber threats.
• He and urged a similar approach for reforming global institutions, including the United Nations, to make them more representative and effective.

Context

• Urban noise pollution has emerged as one of the most underestimated public health and environmental challenges of our time.
• Across Indian cities, sound levels consistently exceed permissible limits, especially in sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals, and residential neighbourhoods.
• Far from being a mere inconvenience, this unchecked rise in decibel levels strikes at the heart of India’s constitutional promises of peace, dignity, and the right to life.
• While regulatory frameworks exist, systemic apathy, institutional fragmentation, and cultural normalisation of noise have created a crisis that remains largely invisible and dangerously neglected.

Monitoring without Accountability

• In 2011, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) launched the National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) with the vision of creating a real-time noise monitoring system.
• More than a decade later, however, the initiative remains a passive data repository rather than an engine for reform.
• Sensor misplacement, often installed 25–30 feet high in contravention of CPCB guidelines, undermines the reliability of data, and even the limited data collected rarely translates into enforcement.
• By contrast, Europe has used noise-induced health statistics to redesign zoning laws, impose speed regulations, and estimate an annual economic cost of €100 billion attributable to urban noise.
• India, in comparison, has failed to translate monitoring into meaningful governance, leaving noise management politically and administratively inert.

Constitutional and Legal Neglect

• The neglect of noise regulation is not simply environmental; it verges on constitutional dereliction.
• Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life with dignity, encompassing both mental and environmental well-being, while Article 48A mandates proactive environmental protection.
• Yet, in so-called silence zones, hospitals and schools are routinely engulfed in noise that exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) safe limits of 50 dB(A) by day and 40 dB(A) by night.
• In practice, Indian cities record levels as high as 65–70 dB(A).
• The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that noise pollution constitutes a violation of fundamental rights, notably in its 2024 reference to the landmark ‘Noise Pollution (V), In Re’ case
• However, enforcement of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, remains largely symbolic.

Ecological Consequences, Civic Fatigue, and the Politics of Silence

• Ecological Consequences
  • The costs of noise pollution extend beyond human well-being.
  • A 2025 study by the University of Auckland revealed that just one night of urban noise and artificial light disrupted the sleep and song patterns, reducing both vocal complexity and frequency.
  • This disruption in avian communication is not merely an ecological curiosity but a signal of a deeper environmental breakdown: biodiversity itself is being robbed of its voice.
  • Such disruptions foreshadow cascading ecological effects, from altered species interactions to diminished urban biodiversity.
• Civic Fatigue and the Politics of Silence
  • Urban noise pollution is not only a technical issue but also a deeply political and cultural one.
  • Its invisibility as a pollutant, unlike smog or garbage, noise leaves no physical residue, contributes to civic fatigue and apathy.
  • Honking, drilling, and late-night construction have been normalised as unavoidable irritants. Public outrage is muted, and institutional coordination is lacking.
  • Municipal authorities, traffic police, and pollution control boards function in silos, with little inter-agency collaboration.
  • The absence of a national acoustic policy comparable to air quality standards perpetuates the problem.

Pathways to Reform

• Decentralising noise monitoring: Local bodies must be empowered with real-time access to noise data and corresponding enforcement authority.
• Linking data to enforcement: Monitoring systems must be coupled with penalties for violations, construction restrictions, and zoning compliance.
• Institutionalising public awareness: Beyond symbolic events such as “No Honking Day,” long-term behavioural campaigns must be embedded in schools, driver training, and civic spaces.
• Integrating acoustic resilience into urban planning: Cities must be designed not only for expansion and mobility but also for sonic civility, through zoning reforms, soundproofing infrastructure, and noise-sensitive construction guidelines.

Conclusion

• Urban noise pollution in India represents a profound failure of governance, cultural awareness, and constitutional responsibility.
• It silently erodes public health, disrupts ecological systems, and undermines civic dignity.
• The crisis cannot be solved through technology or law alone; it demands a culture of sonic empathy that redefines silence as an active form of care.
• Unless India adopts a rights-based framework that integrates data, enforcement, and civic education, its urban environments will remain smart only in name, while unliveable in sound.

Context

• The idea of Universal Health Care (UHC) has long been central to the vision of human development in India.
• The gap between aspiration and reality has led to increasing reliance on health insurance schemes as a perceived route to UHC.
• Yet, this approach, dominated by the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and various State Health Insurance Programmes (SHIPs), raises significant concerns about equity, efficiency, and sustainability.

The Expansion of Health Insurance in India

• In recent years, health insurance has emerged as the primary strategy for expanding access to health care in India.
• PMJAY, launched in 2018 under Ayushman Bharat, and its state-level counterparts offer annual coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per household, focusing exclusively on in-patient hospitalisation.
• By 2023–24, PMJAY covered nearly 58.8 crore individuals with an annual budget of ₹12,000 crore, while SHIPs together accounted for another ₹16,000 crore.
• Despite forming only a fraction of India’s total health expenditure, these schemes have grown rapidly, with budgets expanding by up to 25% annually in some states.
• While insurance has provided some relief to patients facing overcrowded or underperforming public facilities, its structural weaknesses threaten to deepen the fault lines of India’s health-care system.

Structural Weaknesses of the Insurance Model

• The Idea of Profiteering
  • One of the most serious problems with insurance-led health care is the promotion of for-profit medicine.
  • Evidence shows that about two-thirds of the PMJAY budget flows to private hospitals, many of which operate with minimal regulation.
  • Instead of correcting the dominance of profit-seeking providers, health insurance reinforces it.
  • This commercialisation is particularly troubling because the pursuit of profit often conflicts with patient welfare and leads to unnecessary or inflated treatments.
• Distortion of Health Priorities
  • Insurance schemes disproportionately channel resources toward hospitalisation and tertiary care, while neglecting primary and outpatient services.
  • For a country where many citizens still struggle with basic access to preventive and community-level care, this imbalance risks worsening inefficiency and inequity.
  • The inclusion of all elderly citizens in PMJAY, while seemingly progressive, could further skew expenditure toward costly hospital care at the expense of essential services.
• Utilisation Challenges
  • Although official figures claim coverage for nearly 80% of the population, surveys show that only about one-third of insured patients successfully use their benefits.
  • Lack of awareness, bureaucratic hurdles, and discouragement by hospitals reduce the practical impact of insurance.
  • Consequently, out-of-pocket spending remains high, undermining the schemes’ core purpose of financial protection.

Some Other Problematic Aspects of Targeted Health Insurance

• Inequities and Discrimination
  • Targeted health insurance also creates new forms of inequality.
  • Private hospitals often prefer uninsured patients who can be charged higher fees, while public hospitals favour insured patients who bring additional revenue.
  • This results in discriminatory treatment, with patients pressured to enrol on the spot or denied services altogether.
  • Even among the insured, marginalised groups face the greatest obstacles in accessing benefits, reproducing existing social disparities in health outcomes.
• Administrative and Ethical Failures
  • The implementation of health insurance schemes has been plagued by financial and ethical challenges.
  • Hospitals frequently complain of delayed payments, with pending dues under PMJAY alone exceeding ₹12,000 crore, more than the scheme’s annual budget.
  • This has led many hospitals to suspend services or withdraw from the programme altogether.
  • Additionally, widespread fraud and corruption, from unnecessary procedures to outright denial of eligible treatments, compromise both patient safety and public trust.
  • Weak monitoring and the lack of transparent audit reports further exacerbate these problems, leaving irregularities unchecked.

The Deeper Crisis: Underinvestment in Public Health

• Ultimately, the reliance on insurance schemes reflects a deeper structural problem: chronic underinvestment in India’s public health system.
• At just 1.3% of GDP in 2022, India’s public health spending is among the lowest in the world, far below the global average of 6.1%.
• No country has achieved genuine UHC without strong public health infrastructure, and India’s continued neglect of this sector undermines any insurance-led strategy.
• Some states have taken steps to strengthen public services, with positive outcomes, but progress remains uneven and insufficient to meet national needs.

Conclusion

• Health insurance, as currently implemented in India, functions more as a temporary painkiller than as a cure for the systemic ills of the health sector.
• While schemes like PMJAY and SHIPs offer some relief to patients, they cannot substitute for a robust and accessible public health system.
• The over-reliance on profit-driven private providers, the neglect of primary care, barriers to utilisation, and rampant inefficiencies all highlight the inadequacy of an insurance-centric approach.
• For India to move meaningfully toward UHC, it must confront the underlying deficit in public health investment and reorient its strategy toward equitable, non-profit, and preventive care.

Why in News?

• India’s 10-year benchmark government bond yield has risen by about 26 basis points in the past month, despite the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cutting the repo rate by 100 basis points over seven months.
• This divergence signals investor unease in the bond market in India over inflation, fiscal risks, and government borrowing requirements.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Bond Market in India
• Key Developments in Bond Market in India
• Yield Curve and Market Interpretation
• GST Reform and Fiscal Concerns
• Possible Corrective Measures
• Forward Outlook
• Conclusion

Bond Market in India:

• Meaning:
  • The bond market in India is a structured space where governments, companies, and public sector organisations raise money by issuing bonds.
  • The bond market is not just a place for investors to park their money—it plays a vital role in keeping the Indian economy running smoothly.
• Importance:
  • Funding the nation’s development: Example, when the government needs money to build roads, schools, hospitals, or even invest in green energy projects, it issues bonds.
  • Fueling business growth: Corporate bonds allow businesses to raise money for expansion, new projects, or even to manage existing debt more efficiently.
  • Shaping interest rates: The bond market plays a key role in guiding interest rates. Bond yields—the returns investors expect—act as a benchmark for interest rates across the economy.
• Types of bond markets in India:
  • Primary bond market:
    • When a company or government needs funds, it issues bonds for the first time in this market.
    • Investors purchase these fresh bonds directly from the issuer, providing immediate capital for the issuer’s projects.
  • Secondary bond market:
    • It allows investors to buy and sell previously issued bonds among themselves.
    • Prices in the secondary market fluctuate based on interest rates, issuer creditworthiness, and broader economic trends, offering both opportunities and risks for investors.
• Key types of bonds one can invest in:
• Government bond market: The government issues various types of bonds, such as -
  • Treasury Bills: Short-term securities with maturities up to one year, ideal for those seeking safety and quick returns.
  • G-Secs (Government Securities): Long-term bonds with maturities from 2 to 30 years, often used to fund major infrastructure projects.
  • State Development Loans (SDLs): Bonds issued by state governments for regional development.
• Municipal bond market: State and local authorities issue municipal bonds to finance public infrastructure like water supply systems or urban transport.
• Corporate bond market: While these bonds carry higher risk compared to government bonds, they also offer higher coupon rates, providing an opportunity for greater returns.
• Regulation: Government bonds are regulated by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Corporate bonds are regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). 

Key Developments in Bond Market in India:

• Bond market dynamics:
  • 10-year bond yield: Rose from around 6.34% to 6.60% despite rate cuts.
  • General expectation: Bond yields fall when repo rate is cut; current rise shows investor concerns.
  • Implication: Rising yields leads to falling bond prices, reflecting selling pressure.
• RBI’s policy stance:
  • RBI adopted a hawkish stance on inflation despite lowering rates.
  • Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept key rates unchanged:
    • Repo Rate:5.50%
    • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF):5.25%
    • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF):5.75%
  • Growth forecast: 6.5% for 2025–26.
  • Inflation forecast: Revised down to 3.1% for 2025–26, but projected to rise to 4.9% in Q1 of 2026–27.

Yield Curve and Market Interpretation:

• Steepening yield curve: Long-term yields rose more sharply than short-term yields.
• Investor expectation: Higher future borrowing costs.
• Mutual fund outlook: RBI prioritising inflation control over growth revival.

GST Reform and Fiscal Concerns:

• Proposal: Rationalisation of GST from 4 slabs (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%) to 2 slabs (5%, 18%), plus 40% for sin goods.
• Market concern:
  • Possible revenue loss of ₹50,000–60,000 crore.
  • Risk of fiscal slippage and higher borrowing needs.
• Effect: Increased government borrowing would result in higher bond supply and rising yields.

Possible Corrective Measures:

• Government borrowing strategy: Shift to short/medium-term borrowing.
• RBI interventions:
  • Open Market Operations (OMOs): RBI buys long-term bonds to reduce supply and yields.
  • Operation Twist: Simultaneous buying of long-term bonds and selling of short-term ones.

Forward Outlook:

• No immediate rate cuts likely due to inflation trajectory.
• If inflation eases further, RBI may adopt a growth-supportive stance.
• This could revive long-duration bonds and ease yields in the medium term.

Conclusion:

• Going forward, the bond market in India will hinge on how effectively the RBI balances inflation management with the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts.
• Prudent borrowing strategies and timely policy interventions like OMOs or Operation Twist can stabilize yields and create space for growth-supportive measures once inflation risks ease.

Why in the News?

• The Supreme Court has referred the issue of RTE exemption for minority institutions to a larger Bench, questioning its 2014 ruling that granted them blanket exemption.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• RTE Exemption to Minority Institutions (Introduction, Debate on the Topic)
• Court’s Judgement (Background, Supreme Court’s Observations and Summary)

Introduction

• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, is a cornerstone of India’s commitment to universal elementary education.
• However, a contentious legal question persists: should minority educational institutions, protected under Article 30 of the Constitution, be exempt from the provisions of the RTE Act?
• This debate resurfaced after the Supreme Court, in September 2025, referred the issue to a larger Bench, signalling that its 2014 ruling in the Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust v. Union of India case may require reconsideration.

Debate on RTE Exemption to Minority Institutions

• The heart of the debate lies in balancing two constitutional guarantees:
  • Article 21A, which ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, and
  • Article 30(1), which grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
• The 2014 Constitution Bench had ruled that Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, which mandates 25% reservation for children from disadvantaged groups in all private schools, would infringe upon the autonomy of minority institutions.
• This judgment effectively excluded all minority institutions, aided or unaided, from the purview of the RTE Act.
• Critics argue that such blanket exemption dilutes inclusivity, fragments the common schooling system, and enables institutions to misuse minority status to avoid regulatory obligations.
• Proponents, however, stress that autonomy is essential for preserving the unique cultural and linguistic character of minority-run schools.

Background of the Case

• The reference arose from appeals challenging the insistence of state education departments that teachers in minority institutions clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), a minimum qualification prescribed under Section 23 of the RTE Act.
• The two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court observed that the 2014 ruling had “unknowingly jeopardised the very foundation of universal elementary education.”
• The court noted that exempting minority institutions from the RTE framework weakens the vision of inclusivity, reinforcing divides instead of creating shared spaces for learning.

Supreme Court’s Observations and Summary

• The Supreme Court, while referring the matter to a larger Bench, underlined several critical points:

• Need for Reconsideration of 2014 Ruling: The Bench held serious doubts over the justification of granting blanket exemption, stating that applying the RTE Act “does not erode, let alone annihilate, the minority character” of institutions.
• Social Inclusion and Section 12(1)(c): The judges emphasised that the 25% reservation under Section 12(1)(c) serves a vital purpose of social inclusion.
• Admitting disadvantaged children under a transparent, state-guided framework does not inherently compromise minority identity.
• Financial Neutrality: The RTE Act includes reimbursement provisions for private schools implementing Section 12(1)(c), ensuring that the financial burden does not fall solely on institutions.
• Inclusivity and Equality: The Bench highlighted that the larger purpose of the Act is to create integrated classrooms where children of different backgrounds learn together, aligning with the transformative goals of Article 21A.
• Misuse of Minority Status: The court also flagged that some institutions have sought minority recognition primarily to bypass obligations under the RTE Act, creating “enclaves of privilege” at the cost of national development goals.

• The matter will now be placed before the Chief Justice of India, who may constitute a larger Bench to examine whether minority institutions should continue to enjoy a blanket exemption from the RTE Act or whether a nuanced, fact-specific approach should be adopted.

Conclusion

• The Supreme Court’s move to revisit the exemption of minority institutions from the RTE Act marks a crucial moment in India’s education and constitutional jurisprudence.
• It raises fundamental questions about equality, inclusivity, and autonomy.
• If the larger Bench revises the 2014 judgment, minority institutions may need to comply with provisions such as the 25% reservation under Section 12(1)(c), thereby reinforcing the idea of a common schooling system.
• Striking the right balance between minority rights and the universal right to education will be key to shaping the future of India’s education policy.