Why in the News?

• The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme has come under scrutiny after government data revealed that only one in five selected candidates accepted the internship offer, and 20% of those who joined quit before completing the programme.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• PM Internship Scheme (Overview, Key Features, etc.)
• Criticism of Scheme (Key Findings, Govt Response & Improvements, Broader Significance, etc.)

Overview of the PM Internship Scheme

• The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme is a government initiative aimed at providing young graduates with hands-on exposure to the functioning of Central Ministries, Departments, and public sector institutions.
• The scheme is designed to help students understand policy implementation, administrative processes, and grassroots governance.
• Interns are selected through a national-level application process that assesses academic merit, motivation, and interest in public policy.
• They are placed in various government offices to work on research, data analysis, field studies, project tracking, and documentation tasks.
• The scheme offers a stipend and a structured internship duration, though it does not guarantee a government job.

Key Findings: Low Acceptance and Premature Dropouts

• Recent data shows that only 20% of shortlisted candidates actually accepted the offer, despite rigorous screening and shortlisting processes.
• Even more concerning is that around 20% of those who joined exited early, signalling deeper structural issues.
• Possible Reasons for Low Offer Acceptance

• Low Stipend or Financial Constraints: Many candidates felt the stipend did not sufficiently cover relocation and living expenses in major cities.
• Better Private Sector Opportunities: Graduates often receive higher-paying corporate offers, reducing the attractiveness of government internships.
• Limited Career Pathway: The internship does not guarantee government employment, making it less appealing for students seeking stable career prospects.
• Geographical Mismatch: Many postings required interns to work in distant states or field settings.

• Reasons for Early Dropouts

• Mismatch between job expectations and actual tasks
• Lack of mentorship or structured learning
• Limited exposure to decision-making processes
• Logistical and accommodation difficulties

• These issues collectively hinder the scheme’s objective of building youth capacity in public governance.

Government Response and Planned Improvements

• The government has acknowledged these challenges and is evaluating ways to improve the scheme. Proposed measures include:
• Enhancing Stipend Support
  • There are discussions about revised stipends, especially for postings in Tier-1 cities where expenses are higher.
• Better Orientation and Mentorship
  • A more robust orientation module and structured mentorship framework are being considered to ensure interns gain meaningful exposure.
• Improved Matching Between Interns and Departments
  • The government aims to streamline the process so interns are placed in departments aligned with their academic background and career interests.
• Strengthening Monitoring Mechanisms
  • Digital tracking of intern performance, attendance, and learning milestones could offer more accountability and clarity.
• Exploring Hybrid or Remote Internship Models
  • To widen participation, hybrid internship models, allowing remote work for certain tasks, may be evaluated.
• These reforms could potentially make the internship more attractive and reduce early dropout rates.

Broader Significance: Youth Engagement in Governance

• Internships in public administration play a crucial role in strengthening democratic participation.
• With India's vast demographic dividend, where over 65% of the population is below 35 years, programmes like the PM Internship Scheme can bridge the gap between young citizens and the institutional processes that shape policy.
• A more successful internship model can benefit the government by:

• Creating a pipeline of trained young professionals
• Encouraging innovative thinking and technological adoption in ministries
• Enhancing citizen-centric governance
• Improving transparency through data-driven interns’ work

• For youth, the benefits include exposure to real-world challenges, development of policy skills, and insights into governance mechanisms.

Challenges Ahead

• Despite its goals, the scheme faces systemic challenges:

• Perceptions of limited growth opportunities
• Competition from private sector internships
• Difficulty attracting talent from rural or low-income backgrounds
• Need for structured learning outcomes and certifications

• Unless these concerns are addressed comprehensively, the scheme may continue to face participation constraints.

Context:

• The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government on a petition demanding explicit recognition of haemophilia under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (RPwD Act).
• Despite being already listed within the Act’s 21 recognised disabilities, individuals with haemophilia continue to be denied reservation, educational support, and welfare entitlements.
• The case highlights a deeper structural gap between legal recognition and actual inclusion in India’s disability rights regime.

Evolution of Disability Law in India - From the 1995 Act to the 2016 RPwD Act:

• Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995:
  • It was enacted after India signed the “Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region”.
  • Governed by a medicalised view of disability, it recognised only 7 disabilities.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016:
  • It was introduced after India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007.
  • Major reforms:
    • Shift from medical model to socio-medical model of disability.
    • Expansion from 7 to 21
    • Introduction of a rights-based framework ensuring equality, dignity, autonomy, and participation.

Scope of Disabilities under RPwD Act, 2016:

• Sensory and physical disabilities: Blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, acid attack victims, dwarfism, cerebral palsy, leprosy-cured persons, speech and language disability.
• Intellectual and psychosocial disabilities: Intellectual disability, mental illness, autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disabilities.
• Neurological and neuromuscular conditions: Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological disorders.
• Blood-related and multiple disabilities:
  • Thalassaemia, haemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness.
  • Despite this explicit statutory recognition, haemophilia patients continue to face exclusion from benefits.

Rights vs. Entitlements - The Core Problem:

• Rights available to all PwDs:
  • Equality and non-discrimination
  • Protection from abuse/violence
  • Right to live in the community
  • Inclusive education
  • Accessible voting
  • Access to justice
• Entitlements limited only to benchmark disabilities (40% or more of a specified disability):
  • 5% reservation in higher education
  • 4% reservation in government jobs
  • Free education (6–18 years)
• But, the 4% job reservation applies only to five specific categories, excluding haemophilia and similar conditions. These categories largely mirror the old 7 disabilities of the 1995 Act.

 Structural Issues and Ongoing Exclusion:

• Visible vs invisible disabilities: Reservation prioritises disabilities that are outwardly visible. Conditions like haemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy remain excluded despite severe functional limitations.
• Legacy of the 1995 law: The reservation matrix still reflects the 1995 Act’s narrow categories, undermining the expanded intent of the 2016 law.
• Double disadvantage in employment: Persons with omitted disabilities face no reservation benefits, and rejection as “medically unfit” in open competition, resulting in systemic exclusion from employment.

Why the Haemophilia Litigation Matters?

• The case reveals a design flaw in India’s disability rights architecture - despite such explicit statutory recognition, persons with rare blood disorders continue to face exclusion.
• The petition challenges the structural mismatch between - expanded disability recognition vs. static entitlements and reservation categories.
• A favourable verdict could -
  • Extend employment/education entitlements to blood-disorder patients
  • Realign the RPwD Act with its rights-based intent
  • Strengthen social justice, equality, and non-discrimination principles

Challenges:

• Inadequate implementation of the expanded disability list: Despite legal recognition, institutional frameworks still follow legacy categories.
• Lack of awareness among authorities: Recruiting bodies and education authorities hesitate to classify haemophilia patients as eligible for benefits.
• Medical fitness norms: Rigid medical standards often invalidate applications from persons with blood disorders.
• Absence of updated reservation guidelines: The reservation matrix has not evolved with the expanded definitions in the 2016 Act.
• Social barriers and stigma: Stereotypes about “invisible” conditions limit societal and institutional acceptance.

Way Forward:

• Update reservation categories: Revise Schedule 1 and job quota notifications to ensure all 21 disabilities, including haemophilia, fall under affirmative action schemes.
• Alignment with UNCRPD principles: Policies must foreground accessibility, reasonable accommodation, dignity, and participation.
• Sensitisation of recruiting agencies (e.g., UPSC, SSC): Clear instructions on recognising benchmark disabilities across all categories.
• Standardised medical assessment: Ensure uniform guidelines to evaluate haemophilia and other rare disorders for benchmark disability certificates.
• Strengthen monitoring mechanisms: Empower the Chief Commissioner for PwDs and State Commissioners to ensure compliance.

Conclusion:

• The haemophilia case exposes a critical gap in India’s disability governance: recognition without entitlement undermines true inclusion.
• The RPwD Act’s progressive rights-based vision remains incomplete unless all disabilities—visible or invisible—receive equal access to employment, education, and social protection.
• Addressing the structural misalignment between the law’s intent and its implementation is essential for realising constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity, and social justice for persons with disabilities.

Context

• From the degrading ridges of the Aravalli range to the hazardous smog of the National Capital Region and the alarming spread of groundwater contamination across northern states, a web of interconnected ecological emergencies is unfolding.
• While each of these developments may appear geographically and thematically distinct, together they paint a picture of systematic neglect and exploitation of the nation’s ecological foundations.
• Together, these developments reveal a pattern of regulatory dilution extractive policymaking that threatens both the environment and public health.

The Aravalli Crisis: A Symbol of Systemic Exploitation

• The Aravalli range, stretching from Gujarat to Haryana, has served for millennia as a natural barrier against desertification, a cradle of biodiversity, and a foundation of cultural history.
• Yet illegal mining has already stripped large sections of these ancient hills.
• The recent decision to exclude elevations below 100 metres from mining protections effectively provides a licence to destroy nearly 90% of the range, inviting further degradation.
• This move prioritises short-term commercial extraction over long-term ecological stability, threatening to accelerate desertification and undermine regional climate resilience.

Air Pollution and Public Health: A Slow-Motion Emergency

• Northern India continues to face one of the world’s most severe air-quality crises, with Delhi entering its annual smog season marked by dense clouds of particulate matter, dust, and toxic emissions.
• This recurrent haze has evolved into a full-scale public health emergency, with estimates of up to 34,000 pollution-related deaths annually in just ten major cities.
• Despite this, air-quality initiatives remain underfunded, inconsistently implemented, and administratively fragmented, reflecting a failure to treat air pollution as the urgent national crisis that it is.

Groundwater Contamination: An Emerging Catastrophe

• Groundwater assessments have revealed dangerously high uranium levels in significant portions of Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana’s water supplies.
• Chronic exposure to uranium can cause serious kidney damage, developmental issues, and long-term cancer risks.
• The presence of such contaminants signals deep failures in water monitoring, aquifer protection, and environmental oversight.
• This is not an isolated concern but part of a widening pattern of soil degradation, unchecked borewell drilling, and regulatory inertia.

Policy Dilution and Regulatory Weakening

• A decade of legislative and executive decisions has contributed to the erosion of India’s environmental safeguards.
• Key examples include:
  • The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which created expansive exemptions from forest clearances.
  • The Draft EIA Notification 2020, which sought to reduce public scrutiny, expand exemptions, and weaken compliance requirements.
  • The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018, which relaxed construction restrictions in sensitive coastal ecosystems.
• These measures collectively represent a sustained weakening of transparency, accountability, and precaution, enabling large-scale diversion of natural resources.
• Parallel to this regulatory dilution, political funding patterns have raised concerns about environmental policymaking being influenced by corporate interests, further undermining public trust.

Marginalising Communities: A Counterproductive Approach

• Local and indigenous communities, historically central to ecological stewardship, have increasingly been portrayed as obstacles to conservation.
• Authorities have attributed forest loss to the implementation of community rights, despite evidence that forests managed by indigenous groups are often more resilient.
• Proposals such as the eviction of 65,000 families from tiger reserves contradict the principle that relocations must be voluntary and mutually beneficial.
• This adversarial approach weakens conservation outcomes while eroding the rights and knowledge systems of forest-dependent communities.

The Way Forward: Toward a New Environmental Compact

• A sustainable path forward requires a comprehensive reorientation of environmental governance.
• First, India must resolve to halt ongoing ecological destruction.
  • This includes stopping large-scale deforestation in Great Nicobar, Hasdeo Aranya, and the Himalayan belt, and launching strong crackdowns on illegal mining and unregulated development in eco-sensitive regions.
• Second, environmental laws weakened in recent years must be reviewed and, where necessary, reversed.
  • Post-facto environmental clearances should be discontinued, and institutions like the National Green Tribunal must be restored to full capacity and independence.
• Third, environmental management must operate through cooperative federalism, particularly on issues such as air pollution and groundwater contamination that cross state boundaries.

Conclusion

• India’s deepening environmental crises arise not from natural inevitabilities but from policy choices that undervalue ecological security.
• Protecting the nation's future requires an environmental philosophy grounded in the rule of law, partnership with local communities, and recognition of the inextricable link between ecological health and human development.
• Only through such a transformative approach can India build a safer, more resilient, and more equitable future.

Context

• The convening of the 7th National Security Advisor–level summit of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) on November 20, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in the security landscape of the Indian Ocean.
• Hosted by India and chaired by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the summit gathered senior representatives from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Seychelles, and Malaysia.
• The meeting underscored the CSC’s growing relevance as a regional security forum committed to cooperative approaches within a strategically vital maritime space.

Origins and Reinvigoration of the CSC

• Formed in 2011 as a trilateral grouping between India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, the CSC initially struggled to sustain momentum due to political changes and limited convergence on security priorities.
• Its revival in 2020 represented a turning point, expanding its scope across maritime security, counterterrorism, trafficking and organised crime, and cybersecurity.
• Subsequent membership growth, Mauritius in 2022, Bangladesh in 2024, and Seychelles in 2025, reflected increasing regional confidence in the Conclave’s purpose.
• This expansion has gradually transformed the CSC into one of the most active security-focused mechanisms in the Indian Ocean.

A Region in Flux: The Geopolitical Backdrop

• The 2025 summit occurred amid significant shifts in the Indo-Pacific’s maritime and security frameworks, marked by fragmented institutions and intensifying great-power competition.
• In this context, the CSC stands out as a regionally anchored platform capable of addressing shared vulnerabilities.
• For India, the Conclave serves as an essential tool to stabilise its maritime neighbourhood and enhance coordination at a time when the geopolitical balance is being reshaped by increased Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean.
• The CSC’s focus on non-traditional security challenges, including illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and maritime terrorism, positions it as a uniquely adaptive body suited to the region’s emerging needs.

The Development–Security Nexus

• For many littoral states, security concerns are inseparable from developmental priorities.
• Dependence on the ocean for trade, fisheries, and economic growth means that maritime threats directly affect national resilience.
• Issues such as trafficking networks, marine environmental degradation, and climate-driven disruptions carry heavy developmental consequences.
• Strengthening maritime surveillance, enhancing domain awareness, and improving emergency response capabilities allow CSC members to pursue security and development goals simultaneously.
• This dual focus strengthens the rationale for deeper cooperation and helps smaller states translate security gains into economic opportunities.

Key Outcomes and Strategic Significance of the 2025 Summit

• First, the accession of Seychelles as a full member signalled deepening regional commitment to the CSC’s mandate.
• Second, India leveraged the summit to consolidate ties with maritime neighbours amid heightened geostrategic uncertainty.
• Third, the meeting demonstrated that security cooperation is emerging as a central pillar of regional integration, particularly for addressing transnational maritime challenges.
• Finally, Malaysia’s participation as a guest opened possibilities for future expansion, suggesting that the CSC may evolve into a broader Indian Ocean security platform.

Enduring Challenges: Divergent Perceptions and Institutional Weakness

• Despite these gains, the CSC faces key challenges. The most prominent relates to divergent perceptions of China.
• India views China’s expanding presence as a strategic concern, whereas many CSC members rely on Beijing as a vital economic partner and therefore do not frame China as a security threat.
• Managing this divergence will be essential for maintaining a cohesive agenda.
• A second challenge stems from the Conclave’s limited institutional structure.
• Operating primarily at the National Security Adviser level, the CSC lacks dedicated permanent bodies capable of ensuring continuity, policy alignment, and systematic implementation.
• Institutionalising working groups, standard procedures, and long-term cooperation mechanisms will be critical for sustained effectiveness.
• A third concern arises from domestic uncertainties in member-states, particularly Bangladesh. Political volatility could affect policy consistency and weaken the group’s resilience.

Conclusion

• The CSC has emerged as a promising and increasingly influential forum for enhancing security cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
• Its expanding membership, focus on non-traditional threats, and growing strategic relevance highlight its potential to address shared regional challenges.
• Its future success, however, depends on achieving greater cohesion, institutional resilience, and balanced threat perceptions.
• With sustained commitment, the CSC can evolve into a foundational pillar of security cooperation in an Indo-Pacific region undergoing rapid transformation.

About Heron Mk II:

• It is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
• It was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
• Features:
  • It offers an endurance of 45 hours and a top speed of 150 knots.
  • It can reach altitudes up to 35,000 ft and has an operating range of more than 1,000 km.
  • It can carry long-range radars and observation sensors, such as electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) systems for detection and tracking of targets.
  • The Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Communications Intelligence (COMINT) systems will be installed on board to detect, analyse, geolocate, and gather electronic and communication radio signals for actionable intelligence at long-range stand-off distances.
  • It is able to gather intelligence from tens of kilometers away without crossing borders.

About Sanchar Saathi:

• It is a security and awareness platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• It is available both as an app and a web portal.
• Purpose: To help mobile users manage their digital identity, report suspicious activity, and safeguard their devices.
• The platform also provides educational material on telecom safety and cyber risks, making it a combined service-and-awareness system.
• Features:
  • ‘Chakshu' feature: It lets users report suspicious calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, such as fake KYC alerts, impersonation scams, or phishing links. It helps authorities spot fraud patterns.
  • Report spam and unwanted commercial calls: Users can report spam calls and messages that break TRAI rules. Complaints made within seven days can lead to action against the sender.
  • Report malicious links and apps: Allows reporting of phishing links, unsafe APKs, and fraudulent websites.
  • Checking mobile connections linked to your identity: Shows how many mobile numbers are registered using your identity. Helps identify SIM cards taken without your knowledge.
  • Blocking lost or stolen phones: Allows users to block the IMEI of a lost or stolen device so it can't be used. Phones can be unblocked if recovered.
  • Verifying the authenticity of a device: Allows users to check if a phone is genuine by validating its IMEI. It is useful when buying second-hand phones.
  • Reporting international calls that appear as Indian numbers: Some scammers use illegal telecom setups to make international calls appear as regular +91 calls. Sanchar Saathi enables users to report such cases.
  • Finding your local Internet Service Provider: The app also includes a feature that lets users check which wired internet service providers are available in their area by entering a PIN code, address, or provider name.
  • Verifying trusted contacts and helpline numbers: Provides a directory to confirm genuine customer-care numbers, emails, and websites of banks and other major institutions.

About Bioremediation

• Bioremediation literally means “restoring life through biology.”
• It is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade environmental contaminants into less toxic forms.
• It is used to clean up contaminated soil, air, and water.
• It harnesses microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants to sequester or transform toxic substances such as oil, pesticides, plastics, or heavy metals.
• These organisms metabolise these pollutants as food, breaking them down into harmless by-products such as water, carbon dioxide, or organic acids.
• In some cases, they can convert toxic metals into less dangerous forms that no longer leach into the soil or groundwater.
• Two Broad Types of Bioremediation:
  • In situ bioremediation, where treatment happens directly at the contaminated site, such as when oil-eating bacteria is sprayed on an ocean spill;
  • Ex situ bioremediation, where contaminated soil or water is removed, treated in a controlled facility, and returned once cleaned.
• Advantages:
  • It cleans up the environment naturally without the use of toxic chemicals. So, it is an environmentally friendly
  • It is cost-effective, as extensive equipment and labor are not needed.
  • It is a recommended method for removing oil stains.
• Disadvantages:
  • It is limited to the compounds which are degradable.
  • It is not able to remove all kinds of impurities from the contaminated site. Like, some kind of inorganic contaminants cannot be treated with this bioremediation method.
  • Some heavy metals cannot be completely broken down, resulting in toxic by-products.